HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOR-2022-253 - Queen Victoria Statue Community Engagement and Public Education
Corporate Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: June 8, 2022
SUBMITTED BY: Elin Moorlag Silk, Interim Director, Equity, Anti-Racism & Indigenous
Initiatives, 519-741-2200 ext. 7049;
Niall Lobley, Director, Parks and Cemeteries, 519-741-2600 ext. 4518
PREPARED BY: Elin Moorlag Silk, Interim Director, Equity, Anti-Racism & Indigenous
Initiatives, 519-741-2200 ext. 7049;
Jake Linklater, Senior Indigenous Advisor, Equity, Anti-Racism &
Indigenous Initiatives
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards
DATE OF REPORT: May 27, 2022
REPORT NO.: COR-2022-253
SUBJECT: Queen Victoria Statue: Community Engagement and Public Education
RECOMMENDATION:
That staff be directed to launch:
1. an equity-driven community engagement process to gather ideas and feedback
from the community with respect to the Queen Victoria statue located in Victoria
Park, and,
2. a public education process around the history related to Queen Victoria, the statue
and its impacts
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to present a strategy for City of Kitchener staff to undertake an
equity-driven community engagement strategy to gather ideas and feedback from the
community on how to proceed with the Queen Victoria statue
Given the complex nature of the issue and the historical legacy that the Queen Victoria
statue represents, an integral component of this strategy will include public education related
to Queen Victoria, the statue and its impacts, including the ongoing effects colonialism has
had on generations of Indigenous, Black and racialized persons.
The proposed strategy will take place over an 8 12 month period, in collaboration with
multiple stakeholders and ongoing work happening at the City through the Places and
Spaces project and active involvement in the Regional Reconciliation Action Plan Working
Group (RAPWG)
The cost estimate for these activities is between $15,000 - $30,000, which staff propose to
be funded through the Capital Contingency budget
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
Conducting equity-driven community engagementwill bea key component of this strategy.
This engagement process will provide opportunities for the public at large to provide input
while prioritizing the voices of Indigenous, Black and racialized community members.
This report supports A Caring Community t
municipality where racism and oppression are not permissible at either an individual or
systemic level
BACKGROUND:
The Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park has been the subject of criticism by Indigenous, Black
stth
and other racialized communities and allies over the past year. On July 1 and August 15,
thth
2021, and May 5 and May 25 2022, red paint was applied to the statue. On all four occasions
the paint was cleaned off the statue, which in some cases was done immediately and in the case
th
of May 5, done after a period of eleven days. The paint being left on for a period of time and
the paint being cleaned off have both been subject to negative public criticism and increased
media attention.
The Queen Victoria statue was commissioned by the local chapter of the Imperial Order of the
Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.) and officially dedicated in 1911. The purpose of the Order
was to promote British loyalism and imperialism. Over the past 10 years, approximately $60,000
has been spent to preserve and remediate this artwork. Based on a conservation assessment
in 2013, annual maintenance for this piece is estimated at $3000 and restorative work at the
time was estimated at $2500. Removal of the paint costs approximately $5,000 each time paint
has been applied to the statue, depending on the amount of paint and complexity of the
application.
Interpretive signage was installed at the base of the statue on September 29th, 2021, just ahead
of National day for Truth and Reconciliation. The purpose of installing this signage was to signal
to the community that work was underway towards equity and reconciliation in the realm of public
art. To this end, City of Kitchener staff are working with the Regional Reconciliation Action Plan
Working Group (RAPWG), where a subcommittee has been struck to focus on the issues related
to naming or renaming of municipal roads, spaces, facilities and commemorations and artwork
in the public realm. The subcommittee aims to examine the narratives and stories that shape
our current public spaces and commit to making changes to how we commemorate harmful
legacies.
REPORT:
Staff have researched strategies related to next steps for the Queen Victoria Statue through
consultation with City staff, review of relevant corporate and municipal policies, review of
processes/actions being taken by other municipalities, and review of relevant external policies,
processes and documents. What is being presented to Council for consideration is a strategy
that includes equity-driven community engagement alongside a robust awareness and education
component, as outlined below:
Queen Victoria Statue Engagement & Education Strategy
Phase 1: Preparation & Research July September 2022
Collaborate with internal stakeholders, develop a detailed workplan and budget to
implement the strategy.
Gather/compile research focused on Queen Victoria and the legacy of colonialism,
develop education and awareness materials for public engagement and consultation.
Develop engagement strategy and accompanying education/awareness campaign,
including rationale and background, proposed engagement methods, communications
tactics, identification of key external stakeholders, proposed timeline and cost estimate
Phase 2: Engagement & Education October 2022 February 2023
Implement equity-driven community engagement strategy. This engagement process will
provide opportunities for the public at large to provide input while prioritizing the voices of
Indigenous, Black and racialized community members.
Engagement may include tactics such as online surveys, focused conversations with
small groups and/or presentations/idea sharing at association/organization meetings, all
done through a combination of virtual and in-person facilitation
Implement accompanying education/awareness campaign
Phase 3: Summarize & Report March/April 2023
Summarize results of the community engagement strategy and bring staff report back to
Council with community-led, equity-driven recommendations on potential next steps for
the statue for Council consideration
Phase 4: Implement Results May/June 2023
Following Council direction, implement results of the engagement strategy
Although this strategy is focused specifically on the Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park, it is
important to view this project as a small piece of a much larger body of work that the City of
Kitchener is in the very beginning stages of undertaking. Acknowledging and addressing the
harms colonialism has had on Indigenous, Black and other racialized populations and
incorporating an equity-driven approach to conducting community engagement and gathering
public feedback is a small but important step towards reconciliation and decolonization in all the
work that we do. Staff expect this project to generate difficult and complex conversations within
and outside the organization, which is also an essential part of doing this work and necessary
as part of ourcommitmentto meaningful and sustained organizational change.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports A Caring Community.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget The cost estimate for this strategy is between $15,000 - $30,000 for the
following project elements:
Engagement of an external consultant if needed for research, education & engagement
expertise for overall project design & implementation
Print materials for engagement and education phase of the project
Expenses related to conducting community engagement (equipment, supplies,
refreshments, accommodation for barriers to participation if needed)
Staff propose that this project be funded through Capital Contingency, as it is something that
has been raised with some level of urgency and falls outside of the scope of current capital or
operating budgets within relevant divisions.
Operating Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM
council / committee meeting. Ongoing transparency with the community about this strategy will
be an important component. Once Council direction is received on the launch of this project,
public messaging will be shared to provide further details about the project, timelines, and plans
and opportunities for engagement.
COLLABORATE Conducting equity-driven community engagement will be a key component
of this strategy. Given the anticipated public interest in this issue, the engagement process will
provide opportunities for the public at large to provide input, although the voices of those
members of the community who have experienced harm from the legacy of colonialism will be
prioritized throughout the process (i.e. Indigenous, Black and racialized communities).
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
There are no previous reports/authorities related to this matter.
APPROVED BY: Victoria Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services
ATTACHMENTS: none