ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Local: 6005

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Director, Office of Cultural Affairs in consultation with General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Grant Requests from On-Street Special Events and Civic Events Policy

 

CONSIDERATION

A. THAT Council approve a one-time grant of up to $5,000 to the Gastown Business Improvement Society to pay for the cost of engineering and police services for a Civic Birthday Celebration on April 7 or 8th 2001; and, a one-time grant of up to $13,300 to Canada Place Corporation to pay for the cost of engineering and police services for the Canada Day celebrations, an on-street event on July 1, 2001. Source of funds to be Contingency Reserve.

(Grants require 8 affirmative votes)

RECOMMENDATION

B. THAT Council request Staff review existing policy and practice with respect to "civic" events as well as annual and other special events, and report back with policy options and budget implications.

COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council's policy is to recover the cost of on site civic services (principally police and street engineering services) from event organizers.

Council has, on occasion, designated a limited number of activities as "civic events" and assumed the cost of street engineering and police services. The Remembrance Day parade is currently the only event officially designated and receiving this support.

Council provides grants for the first $500 of police services to non-profit special events, subject to their having been approved by the FEST Committee. This program is administered by the Police Department and in the year 2000 totalled $4,500; source of funds was the " Other grants" category.

City Council and the Vancouver Parks Board provide support to non-profit arts organizations using city streets, plazas and parks for festivals and special events.


PURPOSE

This report provides for Council's consideration two funding requests for grants toward special events planned for the near future; and, recommends that Council direct Staff to review and report back on civic policy and practise regarding "civic" events as well as annual and other special events in the city.

BACKGROUND

Two requests have been received which exceed the City's current policy criteria and the approved amount ($500) for grants to offset the police costs of street events.

Council has received a proposal from the Gastown Business Improvement Society for a Civic Birthday event on April 7th or 8th, 2001. In follow-up phone conversation, the applicant clarified the request as City "sponsorship" of the event totalling $24,000 including $5,000 to offset costs for civic services. Appendix A.

A request has also been received from Canada Place Corporation for funds to offset the cost of police and street engineering services for this year's Canada Day program. A convention has been booked into Canada Place and event organizers must move the Canada Day Celebrations out onto the street for this year only. The estimated cost for the required civic services would be approximately $13,300. Appendix B.

DISCUSSION

The Gastown BIS
The Gastown Business Improvement Society requests "sponsorship" funding toward entertainment and marketing as well as police and engineering costs. Existing grant policy is targeted to designated "civic events" and does not provide for this type of request. It provides only for the first $500 of police costs for community special events or to non-profit arts organizations.

The Gastown BIS proposal has merit on its own terms - it is professionally organized, brings with it other sponsors, and sets out to celebrate the City's birthday in a BIA historically associated with the City's founding. However, there are currently 16 BIA's in the City, a number which already do events, and any one may propose a professional event around a good civic purpose. At this time there are no criteria on which to base judgements to support or not support an individual event.

Staff also note that Vancouver's most significant parades (Vaisakhi, Chinese New Year, Gay Pride) are held adjacent to the districts of existing BIA's; if these were rolled into future BIA funding requests, or were to come forward independently, the City has no policy framework or criteria to apply to such requests.

In keeping with current Council policy, staff would NOT RECOMMEND a grant to sponsor the Gastown BIS's entertainment program itself, but given the historic significance of the anniversary to the City, staff present the grant request to offset the costs of police and engineering costs for Council's CONSIDERATION.

Canada Place
The Canada Place proposal also has merit as a popular and professional event celebrating a date of local and national significance. While this request is for assistance with police and street engineering costs only, inclusion of this event would also call for expansion of the current "civic event" designation.

Canada Day celebrations have been held annually on and throughout Canada Place since 1986. This year a convention has been booked which precludes the use of the facility. This requires the event to move outdoors onto to Canada Place Way, a move that is will incur additional expenses for civic services estimated to be up to $13,300.

CONCLUSION

The Gastown BIS and Canada Place requests raise policy issues which cannot be addressed in time for this year's events. However, both events are focussed on dates and events that are important to the City and to Canada, and may therefore be good candidates for "civic event" designation. Council may wish to provide the benefits of this designation on a one-time basis, while staff undertake a review of current policy to inform future decisions.

Special events, parades and festivals are excellent "signature" events for Vancouver, with substantial cultural, social and economic benefits. There is good potential for targeted civic involvement in this area leading to greater benefits. A policy framework that identifies civic objectives, priorities, and criteria would clarify issues for both the special events community and the City.

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