|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
November 1, 2004 | |
Author: |
Muriel Honey | |
Phone No.: |
6447 | |
RTS No.: |
04617 | |
CC File No.: |
4201 | |
Meeting Date: |
November 18, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on Planning and Environment |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Grey Cup Festival 2005 |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve the request by the Grey Cup 2005 Festival Organizing Committee to close city streets on the weekend of November 26th & 27th, 2005 for a Grey Cup street festival, and for a Grey Cup Parade generally as described in this report and subject to FEST and the organizers working out acceptable detailed arrangements.
COUNCIL POLICY
The FEST Committee obtains Council approval for special events that use City property, or where the event could have an impact on the adjacent public.
In March of 2004 Council adopted a policy to demonstrate the City's leadership in supporting celebrations and events:
"Council welcomes celebrations, sporting events and special events for their contribution in making Vancouver a vibrant City, in reflecting our cultural diversity and neighbourhood character, and for the economic, cultural and recreational benefits they bring to the City. Council supports the facilitation of these events by staff, encourages mitigation of short-term disruptions in neighbourhoods and encourages citizens to welcome these activities and to participate in them."
PURPOSE
For the last several months the Grey Cup Festival 2005 Committee has been working on plans to celebrate Canada's CFL Championship Week in Vancouver, from November 21st to 27th, 2005. In order to start more detailed planning, the Committee has approached the City through FEST to gain support for the general plan to close several streets around Library Square for a street party, as well as Georgia and Cambie Streets and parts of Pacific Boulevard for a Grey Cup Parade. Members of the 2005 Grey Cup Committee will be traveling to Ottawa for the November 21st 2004 Grey Cup game, and would like to be able to promote next year's Vancouver Grey Cup celebration to football fans, the CFL and potential event sponsors. Although many details remain to be worked out, a Council approval in principle would be of great importance to this promotional effort.
BACKGROUND
The Grey Cup has been a Canadian tradition for ninety-three years. The Canadian Football
League's Championship game has been held in Vancouver on a number of occasions during that time, and the City has supported it in various ways. In a 1984 Policy Review of Police Services and Engineering charges for Parades and Special Events the Grey Cup Parade was deemed to be a Civic sponsored event, along with the PNE Parade, the Sea Festival Parade, and Remembrance Day parades and services. In 1994 and 1999 there was no Grey Cup parade, but the City provided funds to support a `community spirit fan day' at BC Place, and other Grey Cup events
DISCUSSION
A more complete report on Grey Cup plans will be presented to Council at a later date; at which time a request for financial support may be included. Approval of this report does not commit the City to financial support for the event.
At this point in time, the Grey Cup Festival Committee, under the direction of Chair Dennis Skulsky, is trying to obtain corporate sponsorship for a number of Festival events, including a Grey Cup Gala, the CFL Player's Award reception at Library Square (following the Award ceremony at the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing arts) the Grey Cup Street Festival and a Grey Cup parade. Because these events will take place on City streets, and have impacts on surrounding neighbourhoods, FEST requires Council approval in principle before entering more detailed discussions with the organizers.
In a preliminary meeting with Special Events staff and Police, a number of possible sites for the Street Festival were discussed, and consensus was reached that putting these events in the Library Square precinct, with a footprint similar to that already approved for First Night Festivities, would be wise. It is an area that is easily accessible to many of the hotels where out-of-town fans will be staying, close to BC Place Stadium where the game will be played, near public transit for home-town fans and away from the more residential parts of Downtown. It also provides a number of open spaces and plazas which can be utilized for the Festival.
In considering a route for the Grey Cup Parade, the tentative route eastbound on Georgia Street from Hornby to Cambie, southbound on Cambie and eastbound again on Pacific Boulevard past the Plaza of Nations is favoured by staff and the Grey Cup committee. It provides good transit access for the public, good viewing lines for spectators and a wide space for parade entries. Although discussions have not yet been had with other FEST partners and other stakeholders like the DVBIA and its members, Coast Mountain Bus Company has agreed in principle that this route is one they can accommodate without significant impacts on bus service. As well, CBC has been approached about national television coverage of the parade; and this route, which moves the parade past the CBC studios, will help facilitate their broadcast of it. Finally, because the parade route is in the same general area as the Street Festival there are economies to be realized by the Grey Cup Committee in set-up costs, and fans and festival participants will come to recognize this general area as the venue for Grey Cup celebration events.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Council has provided support and considered the Grey Cup to be a "Civic Event" in the past, but there is not ongoing commitment. We do expect that the festival organizing committee will be seeking civic support this time again and that we will report that issue back to Council. Approving the recommendations of this report does not commit Council to financial support for this event, but rather gives the Committee the assurance they need that the event is approvable so that they can promote Grey Cup 2005 and pursue corporate support for the Festival.
CONCLUSION
The City of Vancouver is committed to enhancing its reputation as an international sport destination and to increase its share in the sport tourism industry. The successes of past events, including previous Grey Cup championship games, demonstrate the mix of community and economic benefits a city gains from being the venue for events. The Canadian Football Championship Game and the accompanying Grey Cup Festival are the kind of national sporting events that the City wants to encourage.
Engineering Services and Police Department staff have met with the festival committee and support the concepts included in the Grey Cup Festival Plan, subject to detailed review by FEST.
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