ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

CC File No.1602
Meeting Date: March 25, 2003

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Directors of Social Planning and the Office of Cultural Affairs

SUBJECT:

Capital Budget: City-Owned Childcare, Social Service and Cultural Facilities

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER_S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Council approved a funding allocation for City-owned social service and cultural facilities within the 2000-2002 Capital Plan and approved a $500,000 allocation in the 2002 Capital Budget.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council approval for the allocation of funds for capital improvements to City-owned childcare, social services and cultural facilities, including improvement to the grounds around the cultural institutions in Vanier Park.

BACKGROUND

The City owns or leases 66 buildings which are occupied by non-profit social service, childcare and cultural organizations. The City has a significant investment in these assets - in the facilities themselves as well as in the value of the programs and services that the tenants provide to the community.

The buildings are leased, at a nominal rate, to the operating societies who are responsible for their programs and services as well as the day-to-day operations of the buildings. They do not, however, have the skills or resources to make major capital repairs, or provide new or replacement facilities.

The City has, through the Capital Plan, provided assistance with major capital repairs and for construction of new facilities, as well as funds to assist with improvements to City-owned facilities which will maintain and expand services and programs.

DISCUSSION

Childcare:

In July 2000, Council approved a capital allocation of $235,000 for building envelope remediation and re-roofing of six City-owned childcare portable buildings: Strathcona Out of School, Thunderbird Out of School Care, Grandview Terrace Child Care Centre, Collingwood Neighbourhood House Child Care Centre, Playhouse Child Care Centre and Kidscare Preschool. At that time staff noted that the full extent of the water damage would not be known until the roof and cladding was removed. If more extensive repairs were necessary, staff would report back seeking a further funding allocation to complete the project.

In spring of 2002, Facilities Design and Development staff commenced the project, completing five of the six roofs for $122,034. In June of 2002, subsequent to the roof replacement at the Grandview Terrace portable, further water ingress was reported by the daycare operator and, upon investigation, staff discovered the source of the problem - the polybutylene piping system had failed and water had been leaking into the wall cavity and floor for some time, resulting in extensive damage. An environmental consultant was engaged and, in consultation with the Environmental Health Officer, it was agreed that immediate remedial action was necessary. The children were relocated and the project completed within three weeks. The cost to repair this one portable building was $109,872, which depleted the approved capital funding intended for roof and cladding repairs. The cost to complete the additional repairs on these portables is $100,000.

Staff have examined the other five portables and while they all have outstanding repair issues, no additional pipe failure has been found although, in time, all five portables will need to have the plumbing replaced, and eventually all should be replaced with permanent facilities.

Amenity Facilities:

The City has secured several facilities in the downtown through the Amenity Bonusing Program, whereby the City secures the facility for the life of the building in exchange for additional density within a development. The facility is then subleased to a non-profit organisation for the provision of public services and programs. The non-profit organisations are responsible for the obligations of the head lease including major capital repairs; however, the ability to raise funds to refurbish a City facility is limited.

The daycare facility at 1140 West Pender was first sub-leased to the YWCA for its infant/toddler program, known as _Granny Y_. When Granny Y moved out, the Pooh Daycare Society was relocated on a temporary basis into the facility while their permanent facility in Stanley Park was renovated. The daycare facility at 1140 West Pender is again vacant. The building is 20 years old and in need of renovation and modification to meet current childcare licensing standards. A companion report seeks Council authorisation to enter into a new sub-lease to a non-profit childcare operator to provide 16 licensed infant/toddler space and to manage the facility. The operator will be responsible for securing funding from other sources for playground equipment, furnishings and start up costs. Staff recommend a capital allocation of up to $100,000 for this project.

The Alliance for Arts and Culture amenity bonus facility at 938 Howe Street was completed in 1989. It is well used by the arts community as a meeting and resource centre. The public meeting room needs a more durable floor covering. Building Management estimate the cost to replace the worn carpet to be $15,000.

The Shannon Daycare located at 1200 West 73rd Avenue was approved as a condition of a rezoning in 1974 - the first daycare amenity facility in Vancouver. The facility is in remarkable condition for its age but does need refurbishing, in particular, the outdoor play area which does not meet current Licensing standards. Staff recommend a capital allocation of $30,000.

TABLE 1

Amenity Facility

Recommended Allocation

New Childcare - 1140 West Pender

$100,000

Alliance for Arts & Culture - 938 Howe

$ 15,000

Shannon Daycare - 1200 West 73rd Ave.

$ 30,000

City-owned Facilities

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra_s offices were moved in the mid 1980s to the basement of the Orpheum Theatre. The VSO has developed a renovation plan to address space, health and safety concerns, in consultation with the Director of Civic Theatres, and has been able to secure two thirds of the required funding. Staff recommend a capital allocation of $15,000 towards this project.

Hodson Manor, on West 7th Avenue in Fairview Slopes is home to the Vancouver Multicultural Society, Early Music Vancouver, Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Vancouver Cantata Singers. In addition to office space, the house provides meeting and rehearsal space for these groups as well as other non-profit organisations on a rental basis. The single glazed windows need to be replaced. Staff recommend a capital allocation of up to $20,000.

TABLE 2

City-Owned Facility

Recommended Allocation

VSO - at the Orpheum Theatre

$15,000

Hodson Manor - 1254 West 7th Avenue

$20,000

Vanier Park Improvements:

Vanier Park is home to several of the City_s cultural institutions _ the Vancouver Museum, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the H.R. Macmillan Space Centre, the Vancouver Academy of Music, and Vancouver Archives. The Burrard Civic Marina and Coast Guard are also permanent facilities in the park. Seasonal cultural uses include the Vancouver International Children_s Festival and Bard on the Beach. The City has a strong interest in ensuring that the cultural activities and institutions are able to serve the public in a cost effective manner.

The need to balance the interests of the local residents, cultural institutions, and general public has been the subject of studies and discussions since the 1970_s. In 1999, the City commissioned a review of Kits Point traffic, parking and access. Among the recommendations, Council approved in principle, subject to a report back, a series of capital projects intended to provide improved access and reduced neighbourhood impacts , including upgrades to walkways and pedestrian access, improved signage, and modifications to the City-owned parking lot outside the Vancouver Museum/MacMillan Space Centre.

A team of consultants with architectural, traffic, landscaping and signage expertise was commissioned to review the projects identified and to make a proposal in the context of a larger Vanier Park Master Plan. The team developed design directions and priorities, in consultation with representatives from the cultural facilities, the Kits Point Residents_ Association, transportation service providers, and Park Board and City staff. The resultant study, The Vanier Park Concept Plan, provides a framework for long-term investments in Vanier Park.

From that framework, staff recommend, as a first step, a _challenge_ grant of up to $50,000 be allocated to assist in the design, manufacturing and installation of a co-ordinated signage system to provide image identification for the institutions as well as directional wayfinding to the cultural institutions and festivals within Vanier Park. Staff believe that the institutions have the ability to work together to collectively raise the balance of the funds necessary to complete this phase of the project. Engineering staff have agreed to work to improve the street signage in the neighbourhood within existing budgets.

Staff also recommend modest improvements to the Museum/Space Centre parking lot, including modification of the existing landscaping to improve visibility, safety and access, new pedestrian crosswalks and pedestrian markings. Engineering have agreed to fund the crosswalks within existing budgets. The balance of this work is estimated to be $50,000. The stakeholders identified many more desired improvements to the roads and parking lots. Staff recommend that future proposals for these improvements be reviewed in the context of a pay parking scheme which could provide a source of funding for such a major capital upgrade.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The 2000-2002 Capital Plan included an allocation of $1,500,000 for City-owned Social and Cultural facilities. One million in capital projects were funded in 2000 and 2001, and a further $500,000 was included in the 2002 Basic Capital Budget, approved May 16, 2002. On August 1, 2002, Council approved $90,000 in capital projects. This report covers the balance of capital projects planned for 2002 except for two. One project was funded from other sources (South Van Seniors) and one has been deferred (Daycare Feasibility Study). The balance of projects are contained in this report and are achievable within the remaining 2002 Capital Budget, even with the unanticipated emergency repairs to the childcare portables. The proposed allocations in this report itemized below, total $380,000, leaving an unallocated balance of $30,000.

CONCLUSION

The City-owned childcare and cultural facilities provide important infrastructure for community-based programs and services. Staff recommend capital allocations in the amount of $380,000 for capital improvements to City-owned buildings and lands occupied by childcare and cultural non-profit organizations.

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