ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: July 12, 1999
Author/Local: J. Lehto/7273
RTS No. 00898

CC File No. 1254

Council: July 27, 1999

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	City Clerk
SUBJECT:	Authority to Travel to Boston, U.S.A. to Attend the International Conference on Waterfronts in Post Industrial Cities - October 7-8-9, 1999

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council authorize Councillor Lynne Kennedy to travel to Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. to attend a Special Conference of the Mayor's Institute for City Design on Waterfronts in Post Industrial Cities at Harvard Design School.

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager submits the foregoing for CONSIDERATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council's travel policy, approved July 31, 1992, requires Council approval for travel outside Canada.

PURPOSE

This report requests approval for Councillor Kennedy to travel to Boston, Massachusetts to participate in a Special Conference of the Mayor's Institute for City Design on Waterfronts in Post Industrial Cities, to be held at Harvard Graduate School of Design on October 7-8-9, 1999.

DISCUSSION

Cities around the world are turning their attention again to one of their oldest assets, their waterfronts. Harvard has asked Vancouver to participate. There are increasing success stories of revitalization and rediscovery where the edge between the city and water is being seized, and waterfronts are becoming centres of action again. Cited as examples of success are projects such as New York's Battery Park City, Sydney's Darling Harbour, London's Canary Wharf and Vancouver's downtown mega-projects and Granville Island. However, while the potential economic and civic benefits are great, so are the obstacles to be overcome. The Conference will focus on what it takes for a city to reconnect with, rediscover and re-use its waterfronts.

The Conference will offer three forums for Vancouver to showcase our unique waterfront planning and development. There will be a closed session for cities to complete a comparative analysis of their work. There will be a public session, with media attention for each City to present its work. And there will be a Harvard publication to document the proceedings for wide distribution.

Already committed to attending the Conference are the Mayors and senior staff from Beirut, Shanghai, Sydney and Las Palmas, as well as representatives from Buenos Aires. As Mayor Philip Owen is unable to attend, Councillor Kennedy will attend as the City of Vancouver's representative. Funds are available in Council's travel account.

Arrangements are being made for Larry Beasley, Director of Current Planning, to accompany Councillor Kennedy at the expense of the Conference organizers. The intention is for a team presentation of our experience and success from both political and professional perspectives. This will provide an exceptional opportunity to bring the Vancouver story to the attention of a large, sophisticated and influential audience.

The estimated cost to attend this conference is approximately $4,800.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver