Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM:

The Executive Director of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation

SUBJECT:

Operating Funding for the City of Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation (Operating as the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, VHF)

RECOMMENDATION

CITY MANAGER’S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council approved the creation of the City of Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation, known as The Vancouver Heritage Foundation (VHF), in June 1992, with the Mayor and Council as its Directors.

On January 1, 1998, the Mayor and Council relinquished day-to-day governance to an independent Board of Directors appointed by City Council, who remain as the Honorary Patrons.

PURPOSE

This report provides information on the activities of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation (VHF), and requests Council support for a funding grant for 2001.

BACKGROUND

On March 25, 1997, City Council approved a portion of the Demolition Fee Reserve residual funds in the amount of $250,000 be transferred to City Reserves to be available for grant to the Vancouver Heritage Foundation over a three year period for operating costs. Subsequently, on June 10, 1998, City Council designated the Reserve as interest bearing. The Heritage Conservation Reserve was set up and the money for operating purposes was granted over four years.

In July 1997, a private donation of $219,000 to the Heritage Foundation, being held in the Heritage Conservation Reserve, along with accrued interest in the amount of $46,000, was transferred to the Heritage Foundation for the creation of an endowment fund under the auspices of the Vancouver Foundation.

Appendix A provides an historical time-line of Vancouver Heritage Foundation activities.

DISCUSSION

1. Heritage Preservation in Vancouver

Vancouver’s heritage buildings are unique assets, embodying Vancouver’s character and history. The Foundation is committed to preserving Vancouver’s built heritage as an essential part of the City’s character and sense of place. Heritage restoration also makes good economic sense because:

· Restoration is labour intensive, creating jobs.
· Tourists like to visit and stay in sites that reflect the city’s past.
· People like to work and live in restored old buildings, making them highly saleable.
· There is a high demand for heritage properties within the film industry.

Heritage restoration is also good for the environment, sending less material to the landfill. While it is difficult to do a direct cost-benefit analysis, preservation of the City’s built heritage does contribute to the City’s character and economy.

2. The Role of the Foundation

The Vancouver Heritage Foundation provides heritage building owners technical support, education and grants which encourage restoration and maintenance of heritage buildings that might not otherwise be done. In turn, this attracts voluntary protection of heritage properties through designation and heritage revitalization agreements in lieu of compensation. For example, the True Colours program of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation has brought 9 new designations to the city and stimulated repairs and maintenance far beyond the painting of a house.

3. Current Activities of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation and Work Plan and Budget for 2001

Since it was reconstituted in 1998, the new private sector Board of Directors has focussed on:

Within this relatively short time span the Vancouver Heritage Foundation has been successful in building profile within the City, the general public, and the Heritage Community. The 1st Heritage & Antiques Fair attracted about 3,000 people and raised about $15,000 for the Foundation. The 2001 Fair looks to be substantially bigger and better. The 2nd Heritage & Antiques Fair is planned for March 24-25, 2001, at the Seaforth Armoury and is expected to attract in excess of 5,000 Vancouverites. With the Vancouver Sun on board as the event sponsor, educational partnerships with SFU City Program and BC Heritage Trust, the funding for the BC 2000 Millennium, the upcoming Fair will have an increased profile. The fundraising goal of the Fair is $35,000. The media coverage of the True Colours Program and the Heritage Designation of 9 homes is a testament to the Foundation’s leadership and the potential of industry sponsorship.

The Vancouver Heritage Foundation assiduously pursues funding from granting organizations and has been successful in 2000 as follows:

Appendix B provides details on this year’s achievements and a draft work plan for 2001. These include a bigger and better successful Heritage Antiques Fair, a continuation of the True Colours Program, promotion of heritage conservation in industry, and securing further program funding.

4. Operational Funding Requirements

A strategic objective inherited by the present civic sector board was the desire to be self supporting within three years. The Board of Directors has pursued this objective. Activities have been either overtly fundraising like the Heritage & Antiques Fair, or education and granting programs of a modest scale (like True colours) that demonstrate to donors the potential of an independent foundation dedicated to built form heritage.

After a few years experience, the Foundation has determined that the current $50,000 annual operating grant does not give the Foundation the capacity to pursue major grants and attract donations. The Vancouver Heritage Foundation has had to use some of its funds earmarked for endowment to cover operating costs.

The Board of Directors is conscious of its limited operating funds and in the current period, has paid a 3/5th time Executive Director and kept overhead to a minimum, including a home office.

With increased operating funds, the Vancouver Heritage Foundation could continue to operate its education and granting programs for building owners and begin a program to attract major donors. An operating grant of $100,000 would fund:

· 3/5th Executive Director
· True Colors program house grants and True Colours work with homeowners
· Office expenses and minimal secretarial services
· Publishing newsletter, Old News

· Development of major gift fundraising materials, development of fundraising plan and initial contact with potential major givers.
· Writing of grant applications in support of programs, including Fair and True Colours and homeowner workshops

Appendix C provides a draft operating budget for 2001.

5. Civic Grant Programs in Other Municipalities

For Council’s information, civic programs exist in other municipalities for the maintenance and restoration of designated heritage properties. Heritage Foundations giving financial support to owners of designated heritage buildings and offering education and awareness programs, are funded in various ways. All are integrated in some way into their respective municipal management and funding processes. Most are operated by their municipalities and grant money for distribution to heritage homeowners is funded by the municipality. The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is unique in its fundraising mandate. It goes beyond the other programs in building education programs for, and relationships with, heritage building owners that motivate them to restore and maintain their buildings.

6. Potential Sources for Revenue for the Foundation

City staff had agreed to investigate potential sources of revenue such as demolition fees, to provide on-going operating, legal parameters and financial implications . This work was delayed by the recent job action and other priorities. Staff have agreed to report within the next couple of months. In the meantime, the Foundation requires Council’s commitment to operating funds to continue its work.

CONCLUSION

The Executive Director of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation and staff recommend approval of operating funding for the Vancouver Heritage Foundation and recommend that city staff report back on a source of funding for the long term.

The Vancouver Heritage Foundation works with building owners to support the preservation of the city’s built heritage. They do this through education and awareness programs such as our Heritage & Antiques Fair and workshops; granting programs such as True Colours; partnering with private industry such as Benjamin Moore Paint Company and the numerous businesses associated with the Fair, and fundraising for grants and private donations.

The Foundation attracts voluntary designations of heritage buildings to the city thereby protecting these buildings in perpetuity.

Approval of this funding request is necessary now because our ability to fundraise for grants and charitable gifts depends partially on the demonstration of a source of stable operating
funding.

* * * * *

pe010111.htm

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

The following is a historical time-line for the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, from its genesis in 1986 to 2000.
1986
City Council approves VHF in principle with the intention of creating an arms length organization to handle the collection, management and disbursement of donations for heritage conservation projects.
1992
Foundation set up as a non-profit society, (legally the City of Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation), with Mayor & Council as its directors. Its mandate was to promote the preservation, maintenance and restoration of buildings, structures and lands located in the City of Vancouver which are of historical or architectural significance.
1992 – 1995
Operated out of City Hall with a part time administrator. Received a grant from the city for investment purposes. Undertook modest activities including: Terracotta sales from Medical Dental building, Conserving Terracotta workshop at SFU, Birks Clock refurbishment, “Glowing in the Dark” film, Heritage Interiors inventory, Thomas mural salvage, Strathcona Porch Project documentation.
1997
Continued out of City hall with a full time Executive Director. Strategic decision made to move the organization away from the City and to set up a private sector Board of Directors with the mayor and council remaining as honorary patrons. $250,000 operating grant from City Council to cover operating expenses for three years (paid out: $50,000, $100,000, $50,000, $50,000, over 4 years)
1998 – 1999
Operated out of City Hall with a full time Executive Director. For the latter part of 1999, the E.D. left and one of the Board of Directors resigned and acted as E.D. for six months. Private Sector Board appointed by Mayor and Council in January 1998. This board set out a mission, an operational philosophy, four strategic goals and began program development on behalf of the Foundation.

Year 2000 Achievements & Draft Work Plan for 2001

Hired a part time, 3/5th, Executive Director on contract, operating out of a home office, charged by the Board to acquire funds for the organization, while maintaining programming, administration of daily operations and community profile. To date in 2000:

Resource Development
· Two copies of “Old News” newsletter, including the establishment of an Annual Friends of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation Campaign.
· Set up database
· Held breakfast, sponsored by Peter Eng of the Georgia Hotel, for downtown BIAs, building owners and managers with Mayor Joseph Riley of Charleston, South Carolina.
· Selling, in partnership with private industry, the terracotta from the Medical Dental building, including the nursing sisters, which is stored in the basement of Vancouver Museum.
· Working, with the city and the owner of little lane house in the downtown core, on a donation to the Foundation and moving, of the lane building.
· Sought and received grants from Vancouver Foundation, BC 2000, Benjamin Moore Community Foundation and Young Canada Works
· Set up information booths at the VanDusen Garden Show and fall BC Home Show, where our space was donated to us.
· In discussion with the City Manager’s office to make a report and recommendation to City Council for the continuation of the Foundation’s operating funding at the level of $100,000 per year.

Education
· Organized workshops for homeowners and the restoration trades on Wood Windows, Heritage Exterior Paint Colour & Preparation, and Restoration of porches, stairs and railings.
· Co-sponsored two programs with SFU City Program on home restoration topics, (preservation of wood, public lecture with Joseph Riley, Charleston)
· Published technical pamphlets for homeowners wishing to undertake their own restoration and publishing a new one on True Colours.

Programming
· Continued True Colours, exterior paint colour and its correct placement, granting program, with financial help from the Vancouver Foundation and technical support from Benjamin Moore Paints.
· Began, and continue to support, planning for the Heritage & Antiques Fair to be held, March 24-25, 2001 by seeking sponsors, setting up the education programs in partnership with SFU City Program and supporting the planning committee. Coordinated reception to launch the planning for the Fair.

Public Awareness about Heritage Issues (in addition to many of above items)
· Built a website. Posted information about the Foundation’s activities, programs and newsletter.
· Established and maintained relationships with other public and non-profit heritage organizations, both at a local level, provincially and nationally.

DRAFT WORK PLAN, 2001

To be discussed at a Board planning session planned for January 2001 and based on the re-affirmation of the Foundation’s mission and goals set in 1998, 2001 might look like the following:

Education for heritage building owners about the benefits and methods of conservation.
· 15 – 18 lectures and demonstrations at the Heritage & Antiques Fair to be held March 24- 25, 2001 in the historic Seaforth Armoury.
· Taking to publication a technical booklet on exterior paint heritage colour and placement.
· Coordinating two home owner workshops, one in the spring, the other in the Fall:

· Working with corporate sponsor, Benjamin Moore, to make available to Vancouver homeowners, a palette of exterior heritage paint colours authentic to Vancouver.
· Co-sponsoring two programs with SFU City Program, topics TBA.

Granting programs that encourage economic investment in heritage resources
· Continue True Colours, a program that paints designated heritage homes in original and authentic heritage colours while adhering to the correct placement of the colour on the architectural elements of the homes. Specific program goals are:

Promotion of public and private industry in heritage conservation
· Mount the Heritage & Antiques Fair, March 24-25, 2001, bringing together heritage trades and professionals with the interested public. Projected attendance is 8,000 over the two days with up to 80 booths.
· Continue to partner with Benjamin Moore in True Colours to complete 5 houses and make the palette available to the public.
· Partner with Heritage trades and professionals in putting on 2 half day homeowner workshops, on masonry and glass.
· If lane house project goes ahead, partner with industry in restoring the house.

Funding Development to sustain programs and the organization
· Develop and maintain a community profile for the Foundation through:

· Secure grants to develop and maintain specific programs and projects.
· Benjamin Moore Community Foundation for True Colour paint palette.
· Vancouver Foundation for Homeowner Workshops
· Among others, Carty and McLean Foundations for Resource Development assistance including endowment funds and professional counsel.

· Casino funds for specific project such as restoration of lane house if project goes ahead.
· Support the Heritage & Antiques Fair and its opening reception as our current primary means of fundraising for unrestricted dollars.
· Secure continued operating funds from the City.
· Identify and cultivate 5 major donors to VHF capable of giving gifts of $10,000+.

Promoting Public Awareness on Heritage Issues
· Maintain and further develop the website to become a tool not only to inform the public about the Foundation activities but to educate them as well, taking information from our workshops and programs and posting it on the site. Specific examples are True Colours pamphlets and Fair education sessions.
· Maintain relationships with other related organizations and partner with them in joint programming. (SFU City Program, City Heritage Planning Group, Heritage Vancouver are possibilities for joint programming)

NOTE FROM CLERK: Appendix C is not available in electronic form - on file in the Office of the City Clerk.

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