January 27, 2026 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie (entered the meeting at 4:02 p.m.)

Councillor Michael Wolfe, Chair
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Bill McNulty

Absent:

Councillor Chak Au

Also Present:

Councillor Carol Day

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on December 17, 2025, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

The Chair advised that the order of the agenda would be varied to consider Item No. 2 “First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference and Referral Response” last.

PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURE DIVISION

Mayor Brodie entered the meeting (4:02 p.m.).

1.

2026 Community Mural Program Projects

(File Ref. No. 11-7000-09-20-255) (REDMS No. 8214349)

Staff noted that Richmond School District No. 38 will cover the expenses for the wall prepping and the anti graffiti coating for the mural at McNair Secondary School.

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) increasing funding to public art in the community, (ii) the forthcoming Arts and Culture Grants report, and (iii) maintenance of murals and the ability to keep them up after five years.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the Community Mural program is funded through private developer contributions to the public art program, (ii) 34 murals have been installed through the Public Art Community Mural Program, with seven more proposed for the 2026 program, and (iii) murals are typically not considered permanent - five year agreements are set with partners, after which they can choose to continue to maintain the mural or remove it.

It was moved and seconded

That the 2026 Community Mural Program Projects as presented in the report titled “2026 Community Mural Program Projects”, dated January 5, 2026, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services, be approved.

CARRIED

2.

Volunteer Management Strategy – Guiding Principles

(File Ref. No. 01-0370-20-006) (REDMS No. 8152829)

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the highest demographic of volunteers are youth under the age of 25, and then adults over the age of 55, and (ii) Community Association boards may sometimes have trouble recruiting for volunteers, but generally the volunteer program is stable.

It was moved and seconded

That the guiding principles, as detailed in the report titled “Volunteer Management Strategy – Guiding Principles”, dated January 5, 2026, from the Director, PRC Planning and Strategic Initiatives, be approved and used to inform the strategic directions and actions of the new five-year Volunteer Management Strategy.

CARRIED

3.

Engagement Plan for the Multi-Use Covered Recreation and Sport Court

(File Ref. No. 06-2052-01) (REDMS No. 8266265)

Discussion ensued with respect to the multi-use covered recreation and sport court project’s inclusion in the 5-Year Capital Plan.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) public engagement will begin at the end of February and staff anticipate reporting back to Committee at the end of Q3 2026, (ii) engagement will identify needs, priorities and what is working and what is not, and (iii) the engagement plan will include outreach to informal user groups and include signage on existing courts.

It was moved and seconded

That the engagement plan for the multi-use covered recreation and sport court, as outlined in the report titled, “Engagement Plan for the Multi-Use Covered Recreation and Sport Court”, dated January 5, 2026, from the Director, PRC Planning and Strategic Initiatives, be received for information.

CARRIED

4.

First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference and Referral Response

(File Ref. No. 11-7000-01) (REDMS No. 8266114)

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) investigating the historical use of the building as a smokehouse, (ii) identifying the significant building features to make sure they are rebuilt correctly, (iii) involving the Musqueam Indian Band in the Committee, (iv) learning more about the First Nations Bunkhouse as the project moves forward, and (v) different restoration options explored for the building.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) the building has been very well documented with video images and photos, (ii) as the First Nations Bunkhouse is deconstructed and salvaged, everything with be labeled and maintained, (iii) significant research on the building has been completed, and the next step following Council approval of the terms of reference is to invite the Musqueam Indian Band to join the First Nations Building Committee, (iii) to date, there has been no direct Indigenous input on the building’s history or use, and more will be learned as the work moves forward, (iv) allocated grant funding will need to be used by March 2028,
(v) should the proposal proceed, the building will be reconstructed to retain its aesthetics as it looks today and reintegrate original salvaged materials where possible, and (vi) the First Nations Building Committee will continue to be consulted as the project advances through detailed design and construction.

Cllr. Day shared photos taken at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria of the Britannia display (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 1) and spoke to the historic impact of the Britannia Shipyards display at the museum.

Direction was given to staff to recirculate the original Council approved resolutions related to the report “First Nations Bunkhouse Interpretive Program and Level of Service”, dated January 9, 2024, prior to Council consideration of the report. (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office).

It was moved and seconded

That the First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference, as detailed in the report titled “First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference and Referral Response”, dated January 5, 2026, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services, be approved, provided that the Musqueam Indian Band be invited to be a voting member of the First Nations Advisory Committee.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with respect to conducting further discussions on the topic in a closed meeting. The following motion was then introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the following motion be tabled, until after the January 26, 2026 Closed Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee:

“That the First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference, as detailed in the report titled “First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference and Referral Response”, dated January 5, 2026, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services, be approved, provided that the Musqueam Indian Band be invited to be a voting member of the First Nations Advisory Committee.

CARRIED

The Chair recessed the meeting at 4:33 p.m. for the Closed Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee meeting.

The meeting reconvened at 4:53 p.m. with Mayor Brodie and Cllrs. Wolfe, Gillanders, Hobbs McNulty and Day present.

It was moved and seconded

That the following motion be lifted from the table:

“That the First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference, as detailed in the report titled “First Nations Building Committee Terms of Reference and Referral Response”, dated January 5, 2026, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services, be approved provided that the Musqueam Indian Band be invited to be a voting member of the First Nations Advisory Committee.

CARRIED

The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED with Cllr. Wolfe opposed.

5.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(i)

Kaiwo Maru – May 2 and 3, 2026

Staff provided Committee with an update on their meeting with the Japan Agency for Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers (JMETS), highlighting that the final program for their visit has been negotiated.  JMETS have confirmed they will remain docked for seven days and are unable to conduct sail drills due to safety concerns.  Public ship boarding capacity and hours are approximately 50 percent lower than anticipated, with one day available for student boarding of the Kaiwo Maru.  Next steps will include executing a formal agreement with the JMETS, issuing the appearance fee, and engaging a shipping agent to coordinate the details of the visit.

(ii)

Richmond Celebrates Soccer

Staff advised Committee that (i) the Community Celebration grant including the Richmond Celebrates Soccer stream, is now open, (ii) viewing costs are not yes available, and (iii) the City will apply for a grant for up to $150,000 from the 2026 Community Event Support Fund.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:01 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

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Councillor Michael Wolfe
Chair

Raman Grewal
Legislative Services Associate