HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts & Culture - 2005-03-08
ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tuesday March 8, 2005 - 4:00 p.m.
CITY OF KITCHENER
PRESENT: Peter Hinchcliffe (Chair), Ron Green, Virginia MacDonnell Eichhorn, Annalee Moore,
Jennifer Breithaupt, Robert Gissing, Graham Yeates, Denis Pellerin, Councillor John
Gazzola
REGRETS: Isabel Cisterna, Sivakumar Somasundram, Martin DeGroot, Lori Palubeski, Erina Harris,
Don Chapman
1. DELEGATION
1.1 Silvia Wright, Manager of Downtown Community Development re: Downtown
Implementation Update
Silvia attended the meeting to provide members with an update on the implementation of items
identified in the 2005-2007 Downtown Strategic Plan, Volume 3.
· Silvia distributed a copy of the Implementation Plan for the Downtown Strategic Plan. All
parts of the Plan are on the City's website and CD's are available from Economic
Development.
· The Implementation Plan is organized by Downtown district and by function.
· The priority for the downtown core is to have more people live there (intensification) to
increase the vitality and the social and economic health of the area. Another focus is to
increase a day / night vitality - for people to live/ work in the Downtown.
· Staff is looking for input from the community. ACAC members were asked to contact Silvia
with comments/ideas (741-2392) or to obtain a copy/CD of the report.
· Geographic Boundaries of Downtown - east of Market, Victoria, Charles, Duke although the
boundaries overlap somewhat.
· The plan is to have a light rail intended to eventually run through the Region. No official
program in place at the moment as it is an expensive proposition.
· Silvia will work ongoing with "Vitality" and DIRG" groups to develop plan implementation.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND REVIEW OF AGENDA
A motion was made by Annalee, seconded by Graham, to accept the minutes of the January
meeting as well as the February agenda. All were in favour; carried.
3. BUSINESS ARISING
3.1 Welcome to New Member
· Isabel was unable to attend the March meeting.
3.2 Firefighters Memorial - Virginia
· PAWG gave support to the Firefighters Memorial with the caveat that the piece will be treated
equitably. The donor will fund the artwork and installation.
· A presentation to Central Frederick Neighbourhood Association was well received. William
Sleeth, a City Landscape Architect, is leading the proposal through public meetings for input.
3.3 Presentation re Grant Submission
· The Provision Grant Sub-committee presented the following, with support from ACAC:
It is recommended that the application presented by the Admadiyya Movement in Islam
(Kitchener Chapter) be supported with a grant of $5000.00 towards costs of Facility Rental
and Ushers at the Centre in the Square for the proposed public conference on world religions.
This proposed project is of great value to the public in its promotion of education and
diversity and will bring tourists and commence to Downtown Kitchener.
\March 2005 - ACAC Minutes
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ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tuesday March 8, 2005 - 4:00 p.m.
4. NEW BUSINESS
N/A
5. REPORTS
5.1 Public Art Working Group (PAWG) Report - Virginia
· Council has approved the PAWG Terms of Reference. The sub-committee updates ACAC
regularly.
· The logo is being fine-tuned & will be finalized soon.
· Two public art juries met in March to make a decision regarding Stanley Park Library and
Stanley Park Community Centre - information coming soon~
· CulturePlan II: copies of the draft will be sent to ACAC soon and there will be an intro
presentation by Martin at the April ACAC meeting.
· Artist-in-Residence, Tony Urquhart, will be using the Union Gas room on the Main Floor at
City Hall.
· City Planner, Cory Bluhm, is a new member on PAWG who presented at the last meeting on
how Planning Department can encourage more public art.
· Indoor storage has been found for "Hazel" - Erina will update at the April meeting.
5.2 Downtown Advisory Committee (DAC) Report - Denis
· No report as Denis will attend the DAC meeting this Thursday.
5.3 Cultural Development Committee (CDC) Report - Ron
· Annalee presented at the CDC meeting today re the Community Foundation. A staff person
from the Cultural Affairs Department at Wilfrid Laurier University also made a presentation.
· The City of Waterloo's Heritage Collection Policy is being finalized.
· Four municipal cultural planning forums will be held in April. This area will host a forum for
municipal staff to be held on April 28.
5.4 Water Region Arts Council (WRAC) Report - Martin
No report as Martin was absent.
5.5 Staff Reports
No report as Erina was absent.
6.0 OTHER
6.1 GUESTS: Brian Page, Supervisor of Site Plan Development and Cory Bluhm,
City Planner
Brian and Cory attended the meeting at the invitation of ACAC members (see February minutes,
Item 3.1) to discuss the process for encouraging developers to use public art in downtown
development.
· Brian and Cory work with developers and asked for input from ACAC on how to make public
art a higher priority in these discussions.
· Currently, guidelines are given to developers but there is no mandate in place to include
public art. The City cannot require privately-owned projects to include public art in their
plans, but would like to find a process to more strongly encourage inclusion of public art in
those buildings.
· 1 % of the overall cost of a City project construction budget goes to public art.
\March 2005 - ACAC Minutes
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ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tuesday March 8, 2005 - 4:00 p.m.
· City staff would like to see artwork as the centerpiece of a building - how do we get that
message out so that art is focal point in a building.
· PAWG is working toward this goal with Erina.
· Once plans are done, it is hard to get the plans changed to include art - want to provide the
guidelines early on in the process so developers can consider this before plans are drawn.
· Planners and Arts/Erina will work towards clearly presenting to developers and explaining the
benefits of public art including the cost benefit to the developer - be able to encourage them
to want to include art. Developers will want to be assured that the 1 % is not on top of the
total cost, cut is included in the cost.
· Once a project is approved by the City, a consultant is hired.
· Virginia suggested that the issue could be addressed by members of PAWG who could draft a
process to present to ACAC or discuss with Erina.
· Information has to be presented in a manner that will be clear and easy to understand.
. Erina will be 1st contact as City staff.
· The first step for this process has to come from ACAC/PAWG as ACAC and PAWG members
have the expertise in this area. Planners will be included in the discussion so they can speak
with developers in an informed manner.
ACTION:
(i) PAWG and Erina will take this on as a project and will work to have a draft
process ready for the April ACAC meeting. Robert offered to help with this
matter.
(ii) Brian will keep Erina informed of major projects planned, for input via PAWG.
7.0 ADJOURNMENT/NEXT MEETING
The next ACAC meeting will take place on April 12th at 4:00 p.m. in the Schmaltz Room at
Kitchener City Hall and will include a forty-five minute presentation on the CulturePlan II draft.
\March 2005 - ACAC Minutes
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