HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-08-092 - Prosperity Council Creative Enterprise UpdateJ
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Community Services
Report To: Community Services Committee
Date of Meeting: November 17, 2008
Submitted By: Pauline Houston
Prepared By: Pauline Houston
Wards) Involved: N/A
Date of Report: November 6, 2008
Report No.: CSD-08-092
Subject: PROSPERITY COUNCIL CREATIVE ENTERPRISE UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
For information only.
BACKGROUND:
On August 7, 2008 Ingrid Pregel forwarded a memo being sent to Regional Council providing an
update from Mike Murray on the progress of the Prosperity Council's Task Force on Creative
Enterprise. The covering email made reference to our plan to update City of Kitchener Council
in October 2008.
REPORT:
The Task Force retained consultants, funded primarily by municipal partners, to complete the
following work:
• interview key leaders in our business, municipal, educational and arts sectors
• conduct research into model cities that demonstrate a variety of characteristics and
components of creative cities that may be applicable to our region
• plan and facilitate a leadership forum in the fall to share the research, work on
implications and agree the leadership and participation for task forces necessary to carry
the work forward
Mayor Carl Zehr, Pauline Houston General Manager Community Service and Ingrid Pregel
Manager Cultural Development participated in the September forum. As well, the City of
Kitchener offered the skills of Abbie Grafstein and Kathleen Woodstock as facilitators for 2 of
the 15 work groups at the forum.
The final summary report prepared by Janet Meredith Consulting and Westerfield Consulting is
attached to this report.
Between January and May 2009 the Task Forces will continue constructing options for the
Creative Enterprise initiative in the areas of Vision, Structure and Resources. They will report
their findings at that time and it is planned to circulate the findings widely for feedback and
comment.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None at this time.
COMMUNICATIONS:
The consultant's reports provided to forum participants are public information available on the
Prosperity Council's website or from Ingrid Pregel.
CONCLUSION:
The Prosperity Council's initiative on Creative Enterprise is a broad based opportunity for our
community to come together to envision and then build the creative enterprises that are so vital
to the quality of life of our residents and instrumental in competing globally for the best and
brightest talent for our business partners. Staff will provide future updates as the initiative
continues to progress.
Pauline Houston
General Manager Community Services
~ATERLOCI REGION~PROSPERITY COUNCIL
FINAL REPORT
OCTOBER 2O, 2008
JANET MEREDITH CONSULTING AND ~XIESTERFIELD CONSULTING
1. BACKGROUND SUMMARY AND HISTORY
A. CREATIVE CITIES CONTEXT AND THINKING
For centuries, urban planners and thinkers have struggled to address the question of how to make
cities livable communities that foster strong economies, reduce disparities of income and support
infrastructure. More recently these conversations and studies have turned to examining creativity as
a central organizing point for cities. There is an explosion of research and thinking in this area that
identifies the convergence of factors that connect creativity with economic growth and thriving
community. Perhaps what is most widely recognized in the combination of this research is that
communities significantly benefit from making a connection between creative industries, traditional
business, arts and culture. The research indicates that all cities are not uniquely positioned to benefit
from this new economy, that there must be key markers in place that can be fully developed to
realize the potential of this vision. This thinking is clearly striving to describe a culture and economy
in flux and increasingly to provide a way of thinking about how individuals and communities might
capitalize on this shift.
B. LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY
This initial phase of the project was designed to meet the RFP's objective of identifying and
gathering research from key community stakeholders, and to also create a context for the project's
vision and success by understanding community assets, challenges and values. This phase included
interviews based on a set of questions and several group meetings in a more open format to identify
areas of community strength, challenges and goals. This process collected from key stakeholders
their perspectives on:
- Community assets and challenges
- Vision for the larger Creative Enterprises program
- Success indicators
- Obstacles to achieving success
- Models of creative prosperity (theories and implementation models)
KEY HIGHLIGHTS -WHAT WE HEARD
COMMUNITY ASSETS
Through meetings and interviews, project stakeholders and community leaders described the
Kitchener, waterloo, Cambridge region (~Xlaterloo Region) as a unique community, reflecting a
tradition of hard working dedicated entrepreneurialism, an incubator of innovation, founded on a
respect for diversity. Many noted that this community is rooted in early German immigrants' vision
of community life, the Amish and Mennonite innovative economic successes and a value on the arts
that reaches back to its early roots with a particular emphasis on music. It is viewed as an "intelligent
community." University of waterloo's unique approach to supporting and catalyzing technology
start-ups is part of what interviewees described as contributing to the entrepreneurial character of
the community. The community has shifted from a manufacturing base to a more diverse regional
economy and has developed an increasingly creative base. Interviewees cited a wide variety of
"success stories" such as model programs in domestic violence response and youth in conflict with
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the law, progressive immigration policies and practices, an exploding technology sector, and post-
secondary institutions that offer unparalleled choice and some of the top programs in North
America. Interviewees noted that the community has the capacity to come together to address
urgent and emerging community needs as evidenced in the collaborative approach to the hospitals'
X40 million campaign.
It was noted by stakeholders that each community or neighbourhood in this tri-city community
creates its own unique experience whether it is defined by architecture, culture or urban design and
that this diversity is viewed as a regional asset that would be beneficial to build upon. Stakeholders
noted the high level of local and civic pride, which serves as a key point of connection between
people and a basis for a free exchange of ideas. There is a strong value on preserving the region's
history and also valuing the future. The physical landscape of the Kitchener, waterloo, and
Cambridge region is a significant asset providing options for urban life and rural life to intersect.
The community recognizes the need to maintain and enhance the natural environment - an
extraordinary green landscape that provides a highly valued amenity.
2. DESCRIPTION OF MODEL CITIES RESEARCH GOALS
The Model Cities Research was intended to provide examples, information, and insights about
creative communities projects in a number of locations. Every example is unique, and they are often
difficult to compare, yet within each example are features that have specific relevance to the
many questions that you are engaged in considering. Those questions include:
- what are different cities and regions trying to achieve/solve?
- How has this concept been implemented elsewhere?
- How have they structured themselves to implement this?
- From the broad range of potential directions, what did they focus on and why?
- How have municipalities been successful in collaborative and regional initiatives?
- How do communities use and build on their unique features/history/assets?
- what "best practices" can we identify by looking at other cities/regions?
- How have different sectors intersected to catalyze change?
- what are key sources of revenue that have been used in various areas?
- Do communities measure success? If so, how?
These questions give a framework for a complex and varied issue, which has no single solution.
This information is intended to assist by providing a basis for discussion, in the process of finding a
shared direction for this specific place.
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3. FORUM
The following excerpts from the Forum planning document (italicised below) outline the way the
Forum was envisioned, and highlight key messages and value.
A.VISION
O v~~xALL FORUM GOAL:
To gain commitment to the creation of a community strategy for evolving the prosperity of the K1F region through
development of creative enterprises. This will include support for speck priorities for talent, marpetin~ funding and
other infrastructure.
AUDIF1~lCE:
Partic pants will include p y business leaders, civic leaders, post-secondary leaders, potential fenders, leaders from
arts and culture, and other interested partic~ants from these constituencies in K1Fl
K~~Y O~J~~crlv~s:
- To invite and successfully engage the fell Partic pation of a targetgroup that has the ability to folly
represent the community, catalyse change and engage in follow-through.
- To develop connections across sectors and develop relationsh ps between individeals and among
organisations and groups which have not typically collaborated.
- To establish a clear, shared understanding of terminology, goals, potential outcomes and bene~ts
- To motivate invitees to attend through advance Partic pation, communications and compelling program
- To create a tone for the event that is positive, inclusive, inspi~zn~ engaging and creative
- To elevate commitment and excitement through a balanced combination of
o Cla~zty of pu~ose and potential outcomes ~ivhat can happen here
o Vision and hey strategies how to mape it happen
o Community involvement options Ghat people can do to partic~ate~
- To engage attendees in discussion of ideas, p~zo~zties and active follow-through
- To end session with de~ned priorities, a work plan for the future, and the commitment and energy to
move forward.
B. KEY MESSAGES
Ov~~AVIF~F
1Fe are trying to create and sustain a thriving prosperous community. This is a shared goal of business,
government, and the not for pro~t sectors.
' 1Fe want to continue to improve geality of l fe in the region and its manic palities, and that means we need to
grow and stay competitive and resilient.
' A vibrant and thriving creative, arts and culture sector is a hey component in creating the hind of community
that can attract and retain the spilled people that we need here, but who could choose to work anywhere in the
world. Our community's need to be able to attract and retain the brightest creative and technical minds is at
the heart of this initiative.
IFHYIS THIS IMPORTANT?
' 1Fhen you loop at trends that will create business and community seccess in the future, the hey is access to
talent and knowledge in a tightening laboer market. It tapes a strong culteral base of arts and culture
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orgeni~ations, and a creative environmentstreet l fe, bohemian l fe~ to attract and retainpeople. 1~e need to
develop e vision to build on the current cultural assets and strengths of our manic palities, individually and as
a geographic area.
' In a sense eve are beginning to design the "nextgeneretion" of our community and the infrastructure it needs
to gro~v and be successful.
' In the past, industry used to loop et land cost and taxes ~vhen choosing to invest in a geographic region; they
no~v value quality of l fe, and asl~ about arts/ culture, education and recreation amenities. Businesses ~no~v
that quality of l fe is the thing that attractspeople to live, ~vorl~ endplay in a municipality or region.
' l~orl~ers' primary loyalties have shifted from loyalty to arm or industry to a ne~v set of allegiances: to a
connected peergroup end to a place ~vith career bu~~ es ~vell as desirable social end physical qualities.
' Our businesses depend on being able to compete internationally to hire the best minds out there. 1~e pant to
male the 1~aterloo area a destination foryoung talented people to live and ~orl~. Quality of l fe and quality
of place have become major factors in There young people choose to be. The Forum aims to ~orl~ out hog ~e
can grog by developing an environment that is appealing to talented ~orl~ers.
MHO i~ILL BENEFIT FAOMA "C1~E~ITIVF ECONOMY" INITIATIVE?
' Creative economy initiatives have the potential to enhance quality of l fe and opportunity for a broad cross-
section of people, not just the h p, young affluent creative class. Quality of place should be understood as a
both e means to en endeconomic dynemism~ and an end in itself ~e better l fe for residents.
4. POST FORUM ACTION STEPS
The following is a description of immediate outcomes from the Forum.
A. PARTICIPANT COMMITMENT
The 140 participants at the Forum were asked to complete a commitment form, to determine
interest in continued volunteer involvement in the Creative Enterprise initiative, and also to assess
interest in supporting through other resources or expertise. Response was very strong, with a
significant percentage of attendees volunteering, either using the form provided or via email after the
Forum event. Interest in task force participation covered all three topics identified, with the greatest
interest in the "Structure" task force, followed by "Vision" and "Resources".
B. TIMETABLE AND NEXT STEPS
The following next steps and timetable have been planned as the Task Forces take on their
individual topics:
Constitute task forces, define terms of reference and work schedules Fall 2008
Task forces complete their work January to May 2009
Task force reports circulated for feedback June 2009
Implementation planning Fall 2009
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Vision Task Force Co-Chairs:
Murray Gamble, President, C3Group
Ken Coates, Dean of Arts, University of waterloo
Structure Task Force Co-Chairs:
Bruce Gordon, Chairman, Manulife Canada and Manulife Bank of Canada
Second co-chair to be determined
Resource Task Force Co-Chairs:
Mike Murray, CAO, Regional Municipality of waterloo
Willy Heffner, Vice-President, Heffner Motors
The Prosperity Council will also determine any additional needs/opportunities for volunteer
resources, given the enthusiastic response of the Forum participants. The strong support of the
community allows for volunteer input on other potential topics of interest and value in pursuing this
initiative.
FORUM VVORKGROUP DISCUSSION POINTS
Detailed notes from each work group at the Forum, covering all three topics, have been collected,
summarized in writing and will be given to the task force chairs to inform the work of their task
force. The notes are also available in slide format for review as needed.
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