A7 ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Date: April 25, 1996 Dept. File No. TO: Vancouver City Council FROM: Director of Community Services, Social Planning SUBJECT: Capital Grant to Mount Pleasant Family Centre RECOMMENDATION THAT Council approve a Capital Grant of up to $15,750 to Mount Pleasant Family Centre Society to construct an extension to the rear of this City-owned building and to replace the lower floor window shutters. GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing. COUNCIL POLICY Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes. PURPOSE To explain the need for some minor renovations to Mount Pleasant Family Centre and to recommend approval of a grant to help finance these renovations. BACKGROUND Mount Pleasant Family Centre (MPFC) was established 20 years ago. As part of the Neighbourhood Improvement Program, a field house on Robson Park was renovated to provide a facility for this operation. The MPFC is one of the busiest "family place" agencies in the City. It provides support and resources for Mount Pleasant parents and young children in maintaining and enhancing healthy, positive family life. The fully integrated multi-cultural aspect of their program is often used by Social Planning staff as an example of how the needs of an incredibly diverse population can be met, and met well. In the past year, there has been an increase of 35% adults and 25% children using the centre. The Vancouver Fire Department, in July 1995, recommended that the resultant congestion and over-crowding and potential fire safety problems would be alleviated by removing the children's strollers from the front entrance way. The MPFC Society subsequently developed a proposal, with the assistance of Park Board staff, to construct an extension at the rear entrance to the building to enhance accessibility and to house the children's strollers during program hours (see the attached plan, Appendix A). Two burglaries on February 21 and 26 highlighted the need to strengthen the security of the building when it is closed. Police Department staff suggested that the most effective solution would be the installation of metal roll shutters on the windows on the ground floor of the two storey building. COSTS AND FUNDING Park Board staff have estimated the cost for the addition of the new entry vestibule to be $15,850. The purchase and installation of the metal window shutters is estimated to cost $4,900, for a total project cost of $20,750. The MPFC Society has raised $5,000 which can be used for this purpose, leaving a balance of $15,750. The 1994-96 Capital Plan included provision for funding for City-owned social service facilities. There is sufficient money remaining in the account to provide a grant for the balance of the cost of the renovations to MPFC. The usual practice with City capital grants is to provide one half at the start of construction, and the balance, based on actual expenditures, paid once the project is finished. This is the proposed method of payment for this grant. CONCLUSION A large increase in program participants at MPFC has necessitated an addition to this City-owned facility to enable strollers to be moved out of active program areas. Also, the security of the building must be improved. A grant of $15,750 to the MPFC will enable this work to be done right away. * * * * *