Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Directors of Finance and the Office of Cultural Affairs

SUBJECT:

Vancouver Maritime Museum - St. Roch Supplementary Grant 2000

 

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council approve a 2000 supplementary grant of $82,000 to the Vancouver Maritime Museum as transitional funding for the year ending Dec. 31, 2000 for the operations of the St. Roch; source of funds to be 2000 "Other Grants" Budget.

GENERAL MANAGERS' COMMENTS

The General Managers of Community and Corporate Services RECOMMEND approval.

COUNCIL POLICY

The City's relationship with the Vancouver Maritime Museum (excluding the St. Roch)
is outlined in an operating/lease agreement in effect until May 31, 2000. The agreement
between the City and the VMM with respect to the St. Roch expired on June 30, 1997.

Council approved St. Roch supplementary grants in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Approval of a grant requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council approval of a supplementary grant to the Vancouver Maritime Museum for the operations of the St. Roch for the year ending December 31, 2000.

BACKGROUND

The Vancouver Maritime Museum (VMM) is an independent, non-profit society which holds and exhibits the City's maritime collection of art and artifacts in a City-owned building in Vanier Park. City Council provides capital and operating support through grants to the VMM as well as janitorial services, grounds and building maintenance, and through the City’s Building Management Department.

The St. Roch is also owned by the City of Vancouver and housed in a City-owned structure adjacent to the Vancouver Maritime Museum. Built in Vancouver in 1928, the St. Roch served as a supply ship for remote Arctic RCMP detachments. Between 1940 and 1942 the St. Roch navigated the Northwest Passage; the second ship to make the passage; the first travelling west to east. The ship was retired in 1954 and hauled ashore in 1958 for display.
In 1966 the City of Vancouver, under an agreement with the Federal Government restored and housed the ship in a temporary structure where it is still housed today. The Federal Government, through Parks Canada, operated the St. Roch National Historic Site up until 1995 when they withdrew their participation, providing $75,000 per year for two years to the City as transitional funding. Council assigned the rights and obligations as well as the transitional funds to the VMM as supplementary grants to help offset the additional operating costs associated with the St. Roch. At that time Council directed the VMM to develop a fund raising strategy to provide for the future operating costs associated with the St. Roch. In 1998 the VMM presented a fund raising plan to Council and sought supplementary grants until the campaign is completed in 2001. Council approved supplementary funds in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Last year, the City commissioned the Vancouver Maritime Museum Future Operations Review, a study to examine future options including the existing and alternate sites for the VMM. This study will be reported to Council later in the spring along with the VMM's annual grant request.

DISCUSSION

The aim of the VMM's St. Roch fund raising plan is to secure sufficient funds to assume the full responsibility for the ongoing operations, interpretation, preservation and maintenance of the St. Roch. The campaign goal is $8 million.

The primary fund raising event, in partnership with the RCMP, is the re-creation of the St. Roch's voyage through the Northwest Passage. The event celebrates the 125th anniversary of the RCMP and the inclusion of Nunavut into confederation. The voyage will be made in the summer of 2000 by the RCMP patrol vessel, Nadon/St Roch II with stops at northern communities returning to Vancouver through the Panama Canal with stops at major Canadian and American cities.

This is a major undertaking with significant costs. Of the $8 million campaign goal, about half of the funds are needed to create the event. The event however, has the ability to raise a national profile for the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the St. Roch and open up a larger, national funding base.

A full campaign report is on file. Staff have reviewed the plans and are encouraged by the progress made to secure the voyage costs through grants/donations and in-kind services. The necessary infrastructure to undertake the voyage is now in place. The VMM's Executive Director is fully engaged in raising the balance of the funds and positioning the project in the national and international media. To date $1,588,000 has been committed, with a further $2.8 million in sponsorships and donations in negotiation. Many of the sponsorships and donations are for in-kind services to support the voyage with broad participation by governments, agencies and the private sector. The RCMP and Province have jointly agreed to cover crew and vessel costs, the Canadian Coast Guard has committed logistical and icebreaker support for the voyage, a local naval architect has donated services and naval supply companies are assisting in the retrofit of the Nadon/St Roch II with Imperial Oil providing the necessary fuel for the voyage. The re-enactment of the St. Roch has been chosen as a Millennium Project by the Government of Canada's Millennium Bureau.

The other half of the campaign goal is for the St. Roch endowment fund. To date approximately $600,000 for the fund has been secured. Staff are less confident that the endowment will be secured by 2001. Many of the merchandising and revenue plans associated with the St. Roch will not generate significant funds until the voyage is underway and it may be necessary to extend the campaign into 2002 in order to meet the target. Staff will continue to monitor the progress and report to Council early in 2001.

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CONCLUSION

Council approved installments to the major institutions in December in advance of their 2000 Operating Grant requests. This provides interim cash flow to the institutions during the time that Council is considering its annual budget. The advance grant installment does not, however, include support for the St. Roch. Staff are therefore bringing the VMM's 2000 St. Roch Supplementary Grant requests to Council in advance of their annual Operating Grant request as the continued operation of the St. Roch without funding creates a significant cash flow problem for the museum. Staff are therefore recommending approval of a supplementary grant in the amount of $82,000, no change over the the 1999 grant.

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