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Home My WebLink AboutDTS-10-107 - 2010 Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program ReviewREPORT REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener DATE OF MEETING: June 1, 2010 SUBMITTED BY: Alain Pinard, Interim Director of Planning (519-741-2319) PREPARED BY: Michelle Wade, Heritage Planner (519-741-2839) WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: May 17, 2010 REPORT NO.: DTS-10-107 SUBJECT: 2010 MIKE WAGNER HERITAGE AWARD PROGRAM REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: That the revised Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program as outlined in Development and Technical Services report DTS-10-107, be endorsed. BACKGROUND: The Mike Wagner Heritage Award program was established in 1997 to pay tribute to property owners and businesses who have contributed to the conservation of the City’s cultural heritage resources. The program is named after former City Councillor Mike Wagner who served on City Council from 1989 to 1997, and who was a strong advocate for heritage, culture and the arts. The program has recognized projects throughout the past decade that have contributed to the conservation of cultural heritage resources through adaptive re-use, rehabilitation and restoration. On October 13, 2009 Kitchener City Council considered Development and Technical Services Report DTS-09-144 regarding the Deferral of Mike Wagner Heritage Awards and Urban Design Awards to October 2011. The report contained the following three recommendations: 1) That the presentation of the next scheduled Mike Wagner Heritage Awards and the Urban Design Awards be deferred to October 2011; and, 2) That Planning staff review the Mike Wagner Heritage Award and Urban Design Award programs to determine if a change in presentation and/or award venue is merited; and further, 3) That Planning staff review the Mike Wagner Heritage Award and Urban Design Award criteria and processes to better reflect current urban design trends and city initiated urban design policies. í ó ï In addition, the Heritage Kitchener Work Plan for 2009 and 2010 identifies the Review of the Mike Wagner Heritage Award program as a joint responsibility between Heritage Planning Staff and the Heritage Kitchener Committee with a level one priority. REPORT: The purpose of this report is to review the existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program and recommend new and revised criteria and processes to better reflect current trends in heritage conservation and to establish a consistent, fair and transparent award program. Existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program The Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program was established in 1997. The existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award program offers two award categories, including: Outstanding Achievement and Award of Merit. Up to four awards may be presented bi-annually in either of the two categories. The existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award program involves the submission of nominations; short listing and evaluation by sub-committee; the evaluation and recommendation by Heritage Kitchener; and, confirmation of award recipients by Council. Short listing by the sub-committee and evaluation by Heritage Kitchener is not subject to specific evaluation criteria. Review of the existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program Heritage Planning staff have reviewed heritage award programs offered by other municipalities. The review revealed that very few municipalities have established heritage awards programs to recognize heritage conservation efforts. The municipalities that offer heritage awards programs provide a range of award categories with eligibility requirements and general evaluation criteria to be considered in the allocation of awards. For the most part, award nominations are considered by sub-committees of municipal heritage committees then considered by the full municipal heritage committees with final endorsement by municipal councils. Proposed Revised Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program Based on the review of the existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program and heritage award programs in other municipalities, Heritage Planning staff recommend that a revised Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program be adopted that establishes eligibility requirements; award categories; overall award process; general evaluation criteria; and, specific evaluation criteria. These changes will contribute to a consistent, fair and transparent award program. Proposed Eligibility Requirements Heritage Planning staff recommend the following proposed eligibility requirements: The Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program shall be open to all individuals, businesses, organizations and institutions who have conserved cultural heritage resources or have demonstrated commitment to the conservation of cultural heritage resources within the City of Kitchener. For the purpose of the award program, cultural heritage resources are defined as: properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act; properties listed as a non-designated property of cultural heritage value or interest on the Municipal Heritage Register; and, properties identified on the Heritage Kitchener Inventory of Historic Buildings. Nominations for a Mike Wagner Heritage Award must demonstrate that: The conservation project involves a cultural heritage resource; o The conservation project conserves the heritage attributes and values associated o with the cultural heritage resource; í ó î The conservation project is located within the City of Kitchener; o The conservation project is complete; o The conservation project obtained all required approvals such as Building o Permits and Heritage Permits; The conservation project has not received a previous Mike Wagner Heritage o Award for the same work; or, The individual, business, organization or institution has made exceptional or long o lasting contributions to the conservation of cultural heritage resources within the City of Kitchener. Proposed Award Categories Heritage Planning staff recommend the creation of three award categories. A maximum of four awards in total may be presented on a bi-annual basis. The number of awards presented is subject to the number and quality of eligible nominations received. Awards will not be granted if nominations do not meet the eligibility requirements. The three award categories are: Preservation / Restoration of Cultural Heritage Resources Preservation projects involve protecting, maintaining and stabilizing the existing form, material and integrity of a cultural heritage resource while protecting its heritage attributes and values. Preservation projects generally relate to cultural heritage resources that are intact and do not require extensive repair, extensive replacement, alterations or additions. Restoration projects involve revealing, recovering or representing the state of a cultural heritage resource or of an individual heritage attribute as it appeared at a particular period in its history, as accurately as possible, while protecting its heritage value. Restoration projects are based on physical and documentary or oral evidence. Rehabilitation / Adaptive Reuse of Cultural Heritage Resources Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse projects involve the sensitive adaptation of a cultural heritage resource or of an individual heritage attribute for a continuing or compatible contemporary use, while protecting its heritage value. This may be achieved through ,replacements,alterations and/or additions. repairs Individual Contributions to the Field of Heritage Conservation Awarded to individuals, businesses, organizations or institutions who have made exceptional and/or long lasting contributions to the conservation of cultural heritage resources. Proposed Overall Award Process Heritage Planning staff recommend that the overall award process include: Seeking bi-annual nominations for up to four Mike Wagner Heritage Awards; Review of nominations by Heritage Planning staff to confirm eligibility; Review of eligible conservation projects by a sub-committee consisting of both Heritage Planning staff and members of the Heritage Kitchener Committee; Recommendations of the sub-committee are forwarded to the full Heritage Kitchener Committee for review; and, Recommendations of the full Heritage Kitchener Committee are forwarded to Council for endorsement. í ó í Awards will be presented to recipients at a reception, held in conjunction with the Urban Design Awards reception, to be held on a day and in a location that does not conflict with regularly scheduled Council meetings. Proposed Evaluation Criteria Heritage Planning staff recommend the use of general and specific evaluation criteria during the review of nominations. Heritage Planning staff recommend that the general evaluation criteria include the following questions: Does the nomination explain how the conservation project has conserved the heritage attributes and values associated with the cultural heritage resource? Is the conservation project compatible with the original cultural heritage resource and surrounding neighbourhood? Is the conservation project visible from the public realm? Does the nomination explain how the individual, business, organization or institution has made an exceptional and/or long lasting contribution to the conservation of cultural heritage resources? Heritage Planning staff recommend that the specific evaluation criteria relate to and be consistent with recognized heritage conservation standards, including but not limited to: The Parks Canada Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada; The Ministry of Culture’s Eight Guiding Principles in the Conservation of Historic Properties; and, The Ministry of Culture’s Ontario Heritage Tool Kit. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: None. CONCLUSION: Heritage Planning staff recommend that the existing Mike Wagner Heritage Award Program be revised to better reflect current trends in heritage conservation and to ensure a consistent, fair and transparent award program. Heritage Planning staff are committed to proceeding with a revised Mike Wagner Heritage Award in 2011. REVIEWED BY: Leon Bensason, Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Planning ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager Development and Technical Services Department List of Attachments Excerpt from the Parks Canada Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada The Ministry of Culture’s Eight Guiding Principles in the Conservation of Historic Properties í ó ì í ó ë í ó ê í ó é í ó è í ó ç