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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2006-02-09 KPL/CENTRE BLOCK PROJECT COMMITTEE MINUTES February 9, 2006 City of Kitchener KPL/Centre Block Project Committee met this date, commencing at 8:30 a.m., Chaired by Carla Ladd with the following members present: Hans Pottkamper, Craig Robson, Ray Robinson, Hans Gross, Rod Regier, Larry Gordon, Sonia Lewis, Bruce McNeil, Michael May, Jana Miller and Sandy Curzon Approval of Minutes 1. On motion by Hans Pottkamper, it was resolved that the minutes of February 2, 2006 be accepted and posted on the city’s website www.city.kitchener.on.ca 2.Delegation John MacDonald, J. MacDonald Architects sat before Committee to ask that ‘serious consideration’ be given to the Urban Design process, prior to the City inviting proposals for development of Centre Block. Mr. MacDonald felt that there were ‘guiding principles’ that must be followed specifically to the Urban Design component of the development. Mr. MacDonald was advised that the Urban Design Principles have been established via input from staff and from the public through charettes and public forums. All documents and minutes of meetings are available on the City’s website. Mr. MacDonald was further informed, that Specific design expectation and requirements will be discussed when two proponents are selected. The urban design guidelines will be incorporated within the Terms of Reference document, which will be available once approved by Council in March 2006. Action: ? R. Regier to arrange a meeting with Mr. MacDonald to review the work that has gone into the urban design guideline process 3.Centre Block Components 3.1Finance & Corporate Services Committee - Report CAO-06-009 th On February 6 Council deferred two recommendations from FCS Report CAO-06-009: ?The financing options for funding the estimated $8.5M shortfall for underground parking; and ?The options of securing and selecting a guarantor for the $5M fundraising target to be achieved by the KPL Board KPL/Centre Block Project Committee Page 1 of 4 Minutes: February 9, 2006 Parking: Don Chapman, Director of Financial Planning & Reporting, brought forward a recommendation to Project Committee that addressed the $8.5M shortfall for underground parking on Centre Block. The Finance & Corporate Services report CAO-06-009, identified three funding options: City Debenture; Developer Funded/City Operation; and Developer Funded and Operated. Under options 2 and 3, Mr. Chapman explained that the City would be obligated to provide the developer with a lump-sum payout for any capital costs and carrying charges not already recovered through annual net revenues which, in his opinion, would lead to higher cost to the City, and difficulty in establishing the final lump-sum payout to a developer operated model. Mr. Chapman prepared two recommendations for Project Committee’s review: 1. That the estimated shortfall of $8.5M for the municipal parking structure be funded through the issuance of a debenture within the City’s Parking Operation, thus establishing the Parking Operation as a formal Enterprise. As a municipal enterprise, any debt incurred would be funded through user rates; and 2. That Council direct staff to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a City Parking Operation as an enterprise and report back to Council with a business plan by June 2006. It was noted that there is still work to be done at the staff level concerning the second parking structure and the financial implications of establishing the Parking Operation as a full municipal enterprise. KPL Fundraising: In the event of a fundraising shortfall, Project Committee discussed having the City as the guarantor for KPL’s Central Library fundraising target of $5M. The benefit of having a guarantor is to bring certainty to the funding for the new central library, however Project Committee agreed that if the City were to guarantee the shortfall, it would diminish the fundraising incentive. Discussion/Comments: ? Ability to raise money will depend on a successful campaign and to run a successful fundraising campaign a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy is needed ? KPL will need to identify what fundraising is for and identify sponsorship opportunities, which are typically parts of the building structure i.e. children’s area ? Fundraising needs to be done before building is built, or it just won’t happen. The window of opportunity is during the building process, however some committee members disagreed and felt that fundraising should be separate from the building and be focused elsewhere i.e. books, equipment KPL/Centre Block Project Committee Page 2 of 4 Minutes: February 9, 2006 ? If Council agrees to be the guarantor, there would be no sense in fundraising Moved by L. Gordon Seconded by R.Robinson not That the City enter into the role of guarantor for the fundraising component of the Central Library Project Carried Action: th ? Staff to prepare a report to Council for February 13 addressing the $8.5M parking shortfall and $5M KPL fundraising based on today’s discussion and recommendations. 3.2Legal Framework ? S. Lewis had concerns with 2(b) which states “Construction of the Library will be undertaken by the Developer on a design build basis in accordance with the City’s Statement of Requirements.” Ms. Lewis felt that this statement needed to be revised to reflect that the Library will be involved in the decision-making process and retain decision-making control over the detailed design of the building – both interior and exterior, in order to ensure functionality of the new library. ? Ms. Lewis further expressed the desire, of KPL’s Board, that they be participants in the designing process with the ability to bring expertise, on how libraries function to the table ? Ms. Lewis was assured that KPL would be involved in the decisions regarding library design ? H. Gross explained that the Terms of Reference will require a ‘conceptual design’ and that the detail design will be selected during the P3 process ? Developers will use the specifications provided from the library and work as a team giving the library the opportunity to reject the proposal Action: ? S. Lewis to provide her suggested rewording which will be discussed further on th February 16 3.3Terms of Reference – Marketing Piece ? J. Miller provide an update of the marketing piece Action: ? Legion building will be removed as part of the project from the site map ? H. Gross to forward marketing piece to James McKellar, Fairness Advisor and Ken Yolles, Legal Advisor for their comments ? J. Miller will take the comments received and provide the Marketing Piece for final th review February 16 KPL/Centre Block Project Committee Page 3 of 4 Minutes: February 9, 2006 3.4Advertisement to Industry ? J. Miller provided Project Committee with a sample ‘Banner’ and ‘Post Card’ Ad of which the purpose is to make the development industry aware of the upcoming Expression of Interest due at the end of March 2006 Action: ? J. Miller will take the comments received and provide the advertising pieces for final th review February 16 Meeting was adjourned at 10:45 am th Next Scheduled Meeting: Thursday, February 16, 2006 8:30am – 10:00am Conestoga Room, Main Floor, City Hall KPL/Centre Block Project Committee Page 4 of 4 Minutes: February 9, 2006