CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on
Thursday, February 22, 1996, at 12:50 p.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, Chiavario,
Clarke, Hemer, Ip,
Kennedy, Kwan, Price
and Puil
ABSENT: Councillor Sullivan (Leave of Absence)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
SECONDED by Cllr. Hemer,
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
February 22, 1996
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1: Heather Civic Marina 1996 Moorage Rates
Cl. 2: Allocation of 1995 Cross-Cultural Expertise Grants
Cl. 3: Vancouver Museum Operation Review - Staff Report
Clauses 1 and 3
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in
Clauses 1 and 3 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Allocation of 1995 Cross-Cultural
Expertise Grants
Clause 2
MOVED by Cllr. Hemer,
THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause
2 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
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
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
Leave of Absence - Councillor Ip File: 1254
MOVED by Cllr. Chiavario,
SECONDED by Cllr. Hemer,
THAT Councillor Ip be granted Leave of Absence for the evening of
February 22, 1996.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at approximately 12:55 p.m.
* * * * *
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
FEBRUARY 22, 1996
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City
Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, February 22, 1996, at 9:30
a.m., in the Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Puil, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy (Clause 3)
Councillor Chiavario
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kennedy
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Price
Councillor Sullivan (Clauses 1 and 2)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Tarja Tuominen
Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services & Budgets
meetings of January 18 and February 1, 1996, were adopted as
circulated.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Heather Civic Marina 1996 Moorage Rates File: 1755-3
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated
January 20, 1996 (on file), in which the Director of Finance sought
approval to increase moorage rates and other fees and charges at the
Heather Civic Marina for 1996.
Mr. Ken Bayne, Comptroller of Budgets & Research, was present to
answer questions.
The following motions by the Mayor were put and carried. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT the 1996 moorage fees at the Heather Civic Marina
be increased by 2.0% effective April 1, 1996.
B. THAT fees for transient moorage, electricity, and use
of the marine elevator at the Heather Civic Marina be
increased by 3.0% effective April 1, 1996.
C. THAT the proposed rate changes be posted at the Heather
Civic Marina.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Allocation of 1995 Cross-Cultural File: 2154-1
Expertise Grants
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated
February 1, 1996 (on file), in which the Manager of Community
Services, Social Planning, recommended Cross-Cultural Expertise Grants
to three projects.
Ms. Anne Kloppenborg, Social Planner, was present to answer
questions and noted staff were very pleased with the quality of
applications for the grants.
The following motion by Councillor Price was put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT Council approve Cross-Cultural Expertise Grants to the
following organizations, the source of funds being a $18,000
reserve in the 1995 Community Services Grants budget:
a) a grant of $7,044 to Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House;
b) a grant of $2,550 to Big Sisters of B.C. Lower
Mainland; and
c) a grant of $7,700 to SUCCESS.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
* * * * *
(Councillor Bellamy arrived at this point in the proceedings)
* * * * *
3. Vancouver Museum Operation Review - File: 4002-1
Staff Report
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated
February 4, 1996 (on file), in which the General Managers of Community
Services and Corporate Services, in consultation with Corporation
Counsel, sought approval to attempt to revitalize the Vancouver Museum
on the existing site, with operation by a new Museum Society in
association with another institution.
Mr. Burke Taylor, Director of Cultural Affairs, noted the
consultants' report "Vancouver Museum Operations Review" and the
Administrative Report speak for themselves, and advised the Canadian
Museum of Civilization has expressed interest in participating in the
operation of the Vancouver Museum.
* * * * *
(Councillor Sullivan left at this point in the proceedings)
* * * * *
The following spoke in support of revitalizing the Vancouver
Museum:
Carol Brynjolfson, representing CUPE Local 15 - Vancouver
Municipal, Education and Community Workers (Brief filed)
Frances Worledge
Blair Baillie, Vice-President Advocacy, Community Arts Council of
Vancouver (Brief filed)
John Dickenson, Managing Director, Pacific Space Centre (Brief
filed)
Joan Myers, representing Vancouver Museum Board of Trustees
(Brief filed)
Hendrik Sleglenhorst, Acting Director, Vancouver Museum (Brief
filed)
Lele Mathisen, former Board Member, Vancouver Museum Board
Cole Harris, Member, Vancouver Museum Board
Ian McLennan, Urbanarium Development Society
Sean Rossiter, Urbanarium Development Society
Elizabeth O'Kiely
Dr. Ted Hunt, Vice-Chair, Vancouver School Board
Ed Froese, Advanced Cultural Technology Inc.
Brooks Joyner, Director, Vancouver Art Gallery
Jacqueline Gijssen, West Vancouver Museum & Archives
Jim Delgado, Executive Director, Vancouver Maritime Museum
Lorna Anderson, Member, Vancouver Museum Association
Bruce Pullan, representing Vancouver Academy of Music
Brenda Berek
Robin Inglis, North Vancouver Museum
The following are some of the points made by the foregoing speakers:
- concern at borrowing operating staff, as well as management
from the Royal British Columbia Museum to work at Vancouver
Museum; want to ensure sanctity of current jobs;
- hope consultations between CUPE 15 and Museum management will
continue regarding switching employees over to new employer;
- current staff at Museum should be included in the planning body
through Union representation;
- concerns whether the City's and public's interests at the
Museum need to be protected by abandoning the Vancouver Museum
Association and creating a new separate, non-profit society.
There are a number of advantages to the retention of the
present Vancouver Museum Association;
- belief that an attractive and viable museum can be operated in
the Vanier Park facility, provided that programming and
operational plans are formulated and carried out which are
appropriate to the scope of the collection, the levels of
support in the community and the physical and co-tenancy
characteristics of the building;
- the Museum Transition Team include a Pacific Space Centre
representative, and upon completion of its tasks, the
Transition Team be replaced by a Joint Liaison Planning
Committee, comprised of City staff, representa-tives from the
Pacific Space Centre and Vancouver Museum, and representatives
of the consultants to the organizations. The Terms of
Reference for the Committee will be: to prepare a complete
master plan for the complex for approval by the respective
boards; and review and submit reports and recommendations as
requested by the City or the respective boards.
- a review and investigation of the relationship between the City
and its major cultural institutions should be undertaken;
- the Museum collection contains materials from all corners of
the world, a significant First Nations component, and has the
potential of telling the history of the varied cultures of the
majority of the citizens of Vancouver;
- some key issues: Vancouver Museum must develop public
relevance; be accessible; problem of shrinking finances;
- offer from the B.C. Museum Association, with a member-ship of
400, to assist the Vancouver Museum;
- vision of the governance and the mandate of the Museum, must
include the public at large, the community in general, families
and children in particular, and an educational role of
substance;
- documentation of collection must be completed; collections have
been raided, and a number of objects are missing;
- very important to have a clear vision and mandate and focus for
the Museum;
- Vancouver School Board looks forward to the restoration of the
school program which was a valuable contribution to the school
curriculum;
- Virtual Museum is interested in continuing its relationship
with the Vancouver Museum in providing educational
opportunities and increasing access to resources throughout the
province;
- other civic cultural organizations' needs should be looked at
in a more global, comprehensive way: overall collections;
individual and organizational financial contributions;
governance; new directions; shared resources, e.g., marketing,
communications, school programs; focus on how work together on
costs and shared resources;
- question of viability of location: has it proven to be
successful?
- the mandate and vision for Vancouver Museum should come from
the community; the Museum needs the community to survive;
- each cultural institution should provide an annual report,
including revenues, attendance figures, relevance;
- use of storage space at Vancouver Academy of Music by Vancouver
Museum not ideal for either; Vancouver Academy of Music will be
needing the space for expansion of its programs;
- Vancouver Museum has several major problems: management issue;
profile issue of building; chronic underfunding; and problem
with focus. Accountability to City must be very clear: retool
Museum Association, and retain assets and membership, build on
Association with some kind of appointee system; City become
complementary player and provide support, interest,
fundraising; place Museum within a commission model, i.e.,
North Vancouver Museum comes under the Recreation Commission.
In response to questions, Mr. Taylor advised implementa-tion of
the transition plan will be consultative with staff and other
organizations. Staff recognize the importance of the partnership of
the Museum with the Pacific Space Science Centre. Staff will explore
relationships with as many organizations as they can.
The following motions by Councillor Kennedy were put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council direct staff to report back on the
creation of a new five person Commission whose purpose
will be to establish a new direction, a new vision and
a new operating model for the Vancouver Museum, and
that Council appoint the members of the Commission;
and
FURTHER THAT staff be directed to report back on the
creation of a structure which will address the question
of employer status at the Vancouver Museum.
B. THAT Council approve Option 5: "Regenerate on the
Existing Site" as outlined in the consul-tants' report,
"Vancouver Museum Operations Review" (on file in the
office of the City Clerk) and in the Executive Summary
of the report attached as Appendix A to the
Administrative Report dated February 4, 1996, as the
developmental option for the future of the Museum and
direct staff and the Commission to commence the process
to implement the option as outlined in the
Administrative Report.
C. THAT Council direct staff to exercise the City's option
to terminate the operating agreement between the City
of Vancouver and the Vancouver Museum Association as
provided in the agreement dated January 1, 1988.
D. THAT Council direct staff to implement the transition
plan outlined in the Administrative Report dated
February 4, 1996, and authorize a budget of up to
$75,000 for associated costs, subject to approval by
the City Manager; source of funds to be the 1996
Operating Budget. The contract with Sears & Russell
Consultants Limited will be extended temporarily as
required, as outlined in the Administrative Report,
subject to approval by the City Manager.
E. THAT Council direct staff to approach the Province of
British Columbia and the Royal British Columbia Museum
(RBCM) to explore the possibility of a relationship
with the RBCM in the operation of the Museum; and
FURTHER THAT Council direct staff to explore the offer
of participation by the Canadian Museum of
Civilization.
F. THAT Council direct staff to prepare and report back
with an operating arrangement between the City and the
Commission, or between the City and the Commission in
association with the Royal British Columbia Museum
and/or Canadian Museum of Civilization, setting out
terms and conditions with respect to cultural
objectives and financial performance as outlined in the
Administrative Report dated February 4, 1996.
G. THAT Council direct staff and the Commission to report
back with a detailed operating plan and budget request,
at which time Council will consider a request for a
supplementary grant.
H. THAT Council direct staff to include the facility
infrastructure and exhibit capital requirements for
consideration in the 1997-1999 Capital Plan.
I. THAT Council direct staff to report back on the status
of the Vancouver Museum Foundation.
J. THAT Council direct staff to review and report back on
the City's relationship with all the major exhibiting
cultural institutions.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The following motion by Councillor Clarke was put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
K. THAT the planning for the revitalization of the
Vancouver Museum be done in consultation with, and
respecting the needs of, the Pacific Space Sciences
Centre, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the Vancouver
Art Gallery, and other appropriate institutions to see
if there are coŸoperative and mutually beneficial
arrangements that can be put in place, including
operating and capital considerations.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:50 p.m.
* * * * *