REPORT TO COUNCIL
SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
July 9, 1997
RECOMMENDATION AND CONSIDERATION
1. Proposed Cultural Harmony Park Site
On December 5, 1995, Vancouver City Council approved the creation
of a Cultural Harmony Award recognizing an individual and an
organization who have made outstanding contributions promoting cultural
harmony in the City of Vancouver.
As part of the award ceremony, the Committee requested the Park
Board supply and plant two trees. In 1996, two street trees were
planted near the corner of Main Street and East 51st Avenue. A plaque,
honouring the recipients, was provided and installed in the curb by the
Engineering Department.
In 1997 the Committee requested the Park Board consider a park site
where future Cultural Harmony Award trees could be planted in a single
location. Park Board staff met with members of the Tree Sub-committee
and suggested an area of undeveloped waterfront park land near the south
end of the Burrard Street Bridge. After agreement by the Committee that
this site was appropriate, Park Board staff developed a design plan.
The design translates the theme of cultural harmony into a
collection of trees from different parts of the world, symbolizing the
value of diversity. The intent is to begin with eight trees planted in
1997 for immediate impact, and thereafter, to add two trees per year.
The annual winners' names will be added to a plaque, permanently
displayed on site.
However, recent tests of the proposed site now indicate the soil
condition to be very poor. To provide sufficient growing medium for
plant health, 275 cubic yards of soil will be needed for the site.
There will be additional development costs for limestone path
construction, re-seeding with grass and the purchase and installation of
the trees and the plaque. Installation and construction cost for the
project will be $10,000. Ongoing maintenanace costs will be borne by
the Park Board.
The proposed schedule is to begin development in September 1997.
Park board staff will install and grade the soil, construct the path and
re-seed the grass area. Installation of the first eight trees and the
ceremonial planting for the 1997 award winners will be done during Arbor
week, at the end of October. Two additional ceremonial trees will be
added to the collection each year, during Arbor week, to honour future
Cultural Harmony award winners.
This matter was dealt with at the June 24, 1997, meeting of the
Park Board's Planning and Environment Committee, (see Appendix A) at
which time the Board agreed the planting should proceed at no cost to
the Board.
Therefore, the Committee
RECOMMENDS
A. THAT Vancouver City Council endorse the concept of a Cultural
Harmony Park, to be located in the green area east of Burrard
Bridge by the Marina, where all future Cultural Harmony Award
trees will be planted.
and submits for Council's CONSIDERATION
B. THAT the improvements to the Cultural Harmony Award Park, as
described in this report, at a cost of $10,000, to be funded
from Contingency Reserve, be approved;
OR
C. THAT the improvements to the Cultural Harmony Award Park, as
described in this report, be cost-shared with the Park Board
at a cost of $5,000 each, to be funded from Contingency
Reserve.
"John Kuchmistrz"
Chair
Special Advisory Committee
on Cultural Communities
COMMENTS OF THE CITY MANAGER:
The City Manager does not support Recommendation A.
The City Manager notes that Vancouver City Council created the
concept of a cultural harmony award with the planting of trees in a
current park site that would be ready for such planting. In my
view it is not necessary for the Council to take on the extra
expense of creating a Cultural Harmony Park. An area could be
designated within a current park site.
Therefore the City Manager RECOMMENDS that Vancouver City Council
advise the Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities that
a site be determined within the current park site system that can
accommodate the planting of the trees that requires no special site
preparation or cost.
APPENDIX A
An excerpt from the Minutes of the Park Board s Planning and
Environment Committee meeting held June 24, 1997
Item 4 - Cultural Harmony Award Trees (Vanier Park)
The Director of Planning & Development explained that the area in
question was the old works yard for Burrard Marina and there is now an
opportunity to have approximately eighteen trees planted there as a
Cultural Harmony Award (this is a City Council Committee).
Committee members were advised that the Park Board are being asked
to pay for the planting. It was agreed that this award should be
accepted at no cost to the Board.
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