HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-18 ACAC Minutes
Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
November 18, 2025, 4:00 p.m.
Schmalz Room - Second Floor City Hall
City of Kitchener
200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7
Present: J. Hall, Chair
W. Rahimi, Member
N. Stretch, Member
A. Mehta, Member
M. Lam, Member
Staff: A. Hallam, Manager, Arts & Creative Industries
E. Rumble, Coordinator, Arts & Creative Industry
K. Varin, Committee Administrator
S. Harrigan, Planner, Planning & Housing Policy
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Commencement
The Arts and Culture Advisory Committee held a meeting this date commencing
at 4:00 p.m.
1.1 Acceptance of agenda
Accepted by all on a motion by A. Mehta.
1.2 Acceptance of September minutes
Deferred to January meeting.
2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
3. Delegations
None.
4. Discussion Items
1
4.1Kitchener 2051 Update and Draft Policies: Sean Harrigan, Planner, Planning
and Housing Policy
S. Harrigan provided the details of the draft plan. Under provincial legislation, the
city's current official plan, adopted in 2014, needed to be updated. The Kitchener
2051 plan is a long-term vision for city growth and provides directions and
policies on how this will be achieved to the year 2051.
The Kitchener 2051 plan is built with these three areas of focus:
1. our neighbourhourhoods: vibrant, connected and inclusive
2. our economy: diverse and built on businesses of all types in neighbourhoods
across the city
3. our environment: valuing, protecting and restoring
These core focus areas guide the planning of zones that will encourage growth
and of zones that will be protected reflecting on their future infrastructure and any
bylaw adjustments. The plan also recognizes zones that warrant more
investment and attention such as the downtown. Some of the ways that arts and
culture are layered and considered in the plan are:
- supporting and providing opportunities for placemaking, art, music, ethnic and
cultural events downtown
- where appropriate and compatible, permitting a range of job opportunities in
neighbourhoods, especially small businesses close to home
- designating and protecting cultural heritage resources
- encouraging and supporting the provision of public art in private and public
developments
- introducing the Innovation Employment land use designation, which would
permit space for studios, workshops, research hubs, cultural uses and other
employment
Members were impressed with the thoroughness of the presentation and asked
many questions. They highlighted the need to consider the nuisances of use of
performing spaces in planning.
5. Information Items
K. Varin, Program Administrator, Arts & Creative Industries, updated members on
the 2026 exhibition schedule for the Rotunda Gallery. She also informed the
committee that the 2025 Artist in Residence stage will be complete at the end of
2
this year, and the artist will be entering the design and fabrication stage of her
public art commission in the new year.
E. Rumble, Coordinator, Arts & Creative Industries, is working with the artist team
to finalize the agreement to initiate the fabrication and installation of the public
artwork 'The Seams' at Upper Canada Park. Next step will be to work on
integrating production and installation with the construction timeline. The artist
team will be producing a maquette which may be displayed for public view at city
hall.
The artist team working on the public art commission for Mill Courtland
Community Centre began hosting workshops with the community to fabricate
birds for the installation. Final installation is tentatively planned for late 2026.
6. Member updates
N. Stretch, J. Hall and A. Mehta provided updates.
7. Adjournment
On motion, this meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
Karoline Varin
Committee Administrator
3