March 25, 2025 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Chak Au, Chair
Councillor Michael Wolfe (by teleconference)
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Bill McNulty

Also Present:

Councillor Carol Day

Call to Order:

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

The meeting was recessed at 4:01 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 4:20 p.m. following the Closed Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee meeting with all members of Committee present, including Cllr. Day.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on February 25, 2025, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURE DIVISION

1.

Arts Services Year in Review 2024

(File Ref. No. 11-7000-11-01) (REDMS No. 7953503)

Staff presented a video highlighting Arts Services activities.

It was requested that the ArtWorks, Richmond Arts Strategy 2019-2024, presentation be forwarded to the April 14, 2025 Council meeting.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Arts Services Year in Review 2024 as presented in the staff report titled, “Arts Services Year in Review 2024”, dated March 3, 2025, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services, be received for information; and

(2)

That the Arts Services Year in Review 2024 be circulated to Community Partners and Funders for their information.

CARRIED

2.

Arrival of the S.V. Titania Mural Proposed Relocation Options

(File Ref. No. 11-7000-09-20-228) (REDMS No. 7976940)

Discussion ensued with regard to (i) proposed mural size and location options, (ii) cost estimates and potential funding alternatives, (iii) supporting the City’s mural program, and (iv) securing a prominent location for the mural for community visibility.

In response to queries from Committee, staff advised (i) Steveston Harbour Authority and John Horton, the artist of the original painting, have expressed support for either Option 1 and Option 2 locations, (ii) staff will speak to the organizers of the Fishers’ Walk: An Interpretive Walking Experience project to see how the two programs can be folded into their signage, brochures and other marketing material that they have about the program, (iii) the original mural was funded through the Public Art program as part of the Canada 150 program approved by Council, and (iv) the Public Art budget for 2025 was already established as part of the 2025 Operating Budget process.

It was moved and seconded

That Option 2, as described in the staff report titled, “Arrival of the S.V. Titania Mural Proposed Relocation Options”, dated March 3, 2025, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services be approved.

The question on the motion was not called as further discussion ensued with respect to the mural location and funding options.

The question on the motion was then called it was DEFEATED with Cllrs. Hobbs, McNulty and Wolfe opposed.

It was moved and seconded

That Option 1 as described in the staff report titled, “Arrival of the S.V. Titania Mural Proposed Relocation Options”, dated March 3, 2025, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services be approved.

CARRIED
Opposed:  Cllr. Wolfe

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That funding for the proposed replication of the Arrival of the S.V. Titania mural be taken out of other development art funds and/or surplus; and

(2)

That staff examine increasing the mural budget threefold for the 2026 season.

CARRIED

Staff advised that a memorandum outlining funding options will be provided to Council.

3.

MANAGER’S REPORT

(i)

Upcoming Public Engagement – Memorial Garden

Staff updated Committee on an upcoming comprehensive public engagement process to identify the level of support for a potential Memorial Garden, noting that the public engagement process (i) will maximize accessibility and participation, and include online engagement opportunities, (ii) will run for a six-week period (anticipated from late April to mid-June 2025), and will include four in-person open houses, (iii) will be presented both in English and Traditional Chinese and staff with proficiency in Mandarin and Cantonese will attend these sessions to assist with the process, and (iv) will also include a Let’s Talk Richmond project page open for the entire duration of the engagement period, an online survey and project page (available in fourteen different languages), as well as hard copy surveys both in English and Traditional Chinese.

Staff further advised (i) the upcoming public engagement will be announced at the next Council meeting, (ii) a memorandum outlining the questionnaire will be provided to Council, and (iii) upon completion of the survey findings, staff will provide a report to Council with those findings and discuss next steps.

(ii)

Paulik Park Event - March 8, 2025

Staff noted the Paulik Park event regarding invasive species training and removal, scheduled for March 8, 2025, was cancelled as a result of the weather, and that a date to reschedule is being worked on.

(iii)

Lansdowne Park Open Space Master Plan

Staff reported the City is developing a Lansdowne Park Open Space Master Plan to guide the development of the future park spaces, advising that (i) as part of the Lansdowne Shopping Centre redevelopment project, the public engagement campaign for the Lansdowne Park Master Plan started on March 10, 2025, inviting the public to provide input until April 13, 2025, (ii) as part of the public engagement process, three public open houses to engage with the public and receive feedback were provided, with the last one held on March 22, 2025, all of which were hugely successful with many members of the public participating, (iii) the City’s Let’s Talk Richmond online engagement platform will continue to be open to receive public feedback until April 13, 2025, and (iv) once the public engagement campaign closes, staff will analyse all  received inputs on the park master plan options and develop the recommended Landsdowne Park Master Plan and report back to Council after the summer.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:11 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, March 25, 2025.

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Councillor Chak Au
Chair

Lorraine Anderson
Legislative Services Associate