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CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on
Thursday, May 16, 1996, at 10:25 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Third
Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on City Services
and Budgets meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.
PRESENT: Mayor Owen
Councillors Bellamy, Clarke,
Hemer, Ip, Kwan,
Puil and Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Chiavario (Civic Business)
Councillor Kennedy (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Price
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole,
Mayor Owen in the chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of the Standing Committee
on City Services and Budgets
May 16, 1996
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1: Mountain View Cemetery Proposal
Mountain View Cemetery Proposal
Clause 1
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause
1 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
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REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
MAY 16, 1996
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City
Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, May 16, 1996, at 9:30 a.m.,
in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Puil, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Chiavario (Civic Business)
Councillor Kennedy (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Price
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Judy Rogers, Deputy City Manager
CLERK: Tarja Tuominen
RECOMMENDATION
1. Mountain View Cemetery Proposal File: 5126-1
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April
15, 1996 (on file), in which the Manager of Real Estate
recommended the City retain control and operation of Mountain View
Cemetery and instruct staff to investigate and report back on the most
appropriate way to organize the Cemetery.
The General Managers of Community and Corporate Services
recommended approval. In addition, the General Manager of Corporate
Services submitted for consideration that, should Council wish to
negotiate an operating lease with a private company, staff be
instructed to begin negotiations with the Loewen Group to develop
suitable terms and conditions for an operating lease.
The Chair welcomed those attending and advised the Committee was
inclined to support the staff recommendation for the City to retain
control and operation of the Cemetery.
John Dillon, CUPE 1004 (brief filed), supported the staff
recommendation that the City retain control and operation of the
Mountain View Cemetery. The site is a valuable resource to the City
and the community. CUPE 1004 does have concerns with the possibility
of the transfer of the operation to the Board of Parks & Recreation.
The main concern is that more sites are coming under Park Board
jurisdiction and the Park Board global budget is not being adequately
increased to reflect the additional operating requirements.
The following spoke in support of the City retaining control and
operation of the Cemetery:
. Lorraine Irving, B.C. Genealogical Society
. Jean Campbell
. Elizabeth O'Keily, Community Arts Council of Vancouver
. Wayne Smith, Superintendent, Mountain View Cemetery
. Charles Keast
. Margaret Hannay, B.C. Genealogical Society
. Howard Hayden
In supporting the City's retention of the Cemetery, the foregoing
provided the following comments:
- hope the Cemetery records will continue to be accessible to the
public or transferred to the City for safekeeping, and that the
Cemetery monuments will be recognized for their heritage value
and preserved;
- support the establishment of a Citizen's Advisory Group, and
request the B.C. Genealogical Society be represented on the
Group;
- encourage the development of heritage and public education
possibilities, such as historical tours, for the Cemetery.
- suggest the consultant also be experienced in heritage
preservation and the role of citizen advisory groups, not only in
cemetery operation;
- concerned about City management taking on operation of cemetery;
the Cemetery has, for many years, lacked management support and
direction.
The following spoke in support of the Vancouver Civic Cemetery
Society's proposal for operating the Cemetery:
. Tom Crean, Family Funeralhome Foundation
. Gary Darychuk, Vancouver Civic Cemetery Society
. Harley Selstein, Jewish Cemetery Board
. Art Cowie, Advisor, Vancouver Civic Cemetery Society
(brief filed)
. Jo Hannay, Family Funeralhome Foundation
. George Anderson, Civic Cemetery Society
The foregoing supported the Vancouver Civic Cemetery Society's
proposal on one or more of the following grounds:
- Mountain View Cemetery currently is sadly under-utilized and
enhancement of Mountain View Cemetery is long overdue; it does
not reflect the heritage of the city;
- the City has no direct experience in marketing cemeteries;
- Vancouver Civic Cemetery Society is represented by civic
societies, major spiritual groups, the community, funeral homes
and operating cemeteries;
- civic Cemetery staff have role to play;
- the Board of Directors of the Civic Cemetery Society could be the
citizen's advisory group;
- the Society's plan to revitalize the Cemetery is also community
sensitive and cost effective;
- the Society has access to the foremost experts in the industry;
- the Society's members believe recognition of the past is an
essential component of how we live our future; and
- if its proposal is accepted, the Society will immediately take
responsibility to come in 90 days with a master plan for the
enhancement of Mountain View Cemetery, including a heritage park
renewal concept.
During discussion, the Committee thanked everyone for attending
the meeting. It was noted the discussion on the operation of the
Cemetery has been an important and worthwhile exercise. It has made
everyone examine whether the Cemetery could be run in a more efficient
and effective way, and has generated public awareness of the
Cemetery's heritage value.
The following motion by the Mayor was put and carried. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT the City retain control and operation of the
Mountain View Cemetery and staff be instructed to
investigate and report back on the most appropriate way
to organize the Cemetery to ensure a publicly
acceptable, cost recovery operation, including the
possibility of transferring the operational aspects of
the Cemetery to the Park Board under contract to the
City.
B. THAT staff be instructed to report back on the terms of
reference and estimated cost to hire a consultant
experienced in cemetery operations to review the staff
proposal and recommend on the following items:
- new revenue sources
- staffing levels
- heritage preservation and opportunities
- maintenance levels
- management
- site planning and development
- public access and security
- formation and role of a Citizens
Advisory Group
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:25 a.m.
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