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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-09-059 - Industrial Artifacts Project Program ReviewI I~~c~~R. Community Servrees REPORT TO: Community Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: October 26, 2009 SUBMITTED BY: Pauline Houston, General Manager, Community Services Department PREPARED BY: Cheryl York, Arts/Culture Co-ordinator, (ext. 3381) WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: October 6, 2009 REPORT NO.: CSD-09-059 SUBJECT: INDUSTRIAL ARTIFACTS PROJECT -PROGRAM REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: That the consultant report titled "Industrial Artifacts Project Program Review" by Goldsmith Borgal and Company Limited, as attached to report CSD-09-059 be received; and, That staff be directed to investigate, with the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, feasible options of merging the Industrial Artifacts Project with the Regional Heritage program; and further, That staff report the results of such discussions to Council within the next six months. BACKGROUND: Kitchener's Industrial Artifacts Project (IAP) was conceived and initiated by artist Nicholas Rees in 1996 in response to a Culture Plan I recommendation: "That City Council investigate the creation of a series of public sculptures composed of old pieces of industrial machinery and artifacts, and request the appropriate involvement of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, Community Services, and the Public Art Committee". As often happens in the life of a program, by 2001 the mandate had evolved to focus on the salvaged machinery as heritage artifacts. The program's objectives were stated as follows: • To conserve the industrial heritage of Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge; • To collect and restore artifacts significant to the Waterloo region; • To preserve the industrial architecture of the region; and • To document the stories of working people. After 13 years, the program had accumulated approximately 100 items of varying sizes and materials. Nearly two dozen are on display in public locations, both indoors and outdoors. The most significant item, the Goldie Corliss (Kaufman) steam engine was donated to the new Regional History Museum in 2007. 3-1 Arts and Culture Unit program reviews were undertaken as a result of Culture Plan II, recognising the need for ten-year assessments and future planning. The City commissioned Goldsmith Borgal and Company Limited (GBCA) to review the IAP program and prepare a report on the function, sustainability and future of this program. The review steering committee consisted of Pauline Houston, General Manager, Community Services, Councillor Kelly Galloway, Leon Bensason, Interim Manager, Long Range Planning, Nicholas Rees, volunteer director of IAP, Ingrid Pregel, Manager of Cultural Development, and Cheryl York, Arts/Culture Co-ordinator. Mr. Chris Borgal, principal of GBCA, led the study. Extensive consultation with the community took place in preparation of the report. REPORT: The consultant identified the following key issues Need for a clear oroaram vision The purpose of the program appears to have been mixed from its beginning in 1996. There was a dual mandate of heritage preservation and public art, as well as a regional mandate for a City of Kitchener project. Since then, the Region's heritage mandate has become well established, especially with the development of the new Regional History Museum and its curatorial centre. One element of the museum's collection consists of many industrial artifacts from the region including the Kaufman steam engine which the City donated to the museum in 2007. Both curatorial and conservation expertise are in place at the new museum. In addition, Kitchener's public art program has focused on building a collection of site specific commissioned artworks for its capital construction projects. The thrust of the public art collection is artists' responsiveness to sites resulting in work that is freshly created, unique and engaging. Recognizing these changes of context and community focus, the consultant examined the Industrial Artifacts Project's dual mandate and it was concluded that the IAP should be first and foremost a heritage program. It would thus be logical to open a discussion with the Region. Need for a governance structure Lack of clearly stated roles and responsibilities of the City and its volunteers for this program has contributed to the perception that it is a volunteer-led and managed program. Program Resources Since 1998 an annual capital allocation (initially $10,000; currently $14,000) has supported the program. Parks Operations staff and Community Services staff are responsible for artifact maintenance and general operation of the program. Staff and fiscal resources are insufficient to develop a program that has good collection management practices; promotion; a strong public education component; and capacity for growth. Policies and Collection Management Standard practice for the management of a heritage collection includes record keeping, data organization, and proper storage and preservation techniques. Record keeping has not been consistent. Storage of metal objects at the Guelph Street facility has contributed to their deterioration from damp. Maintenance treatments have consisted of sandblasting and painting 3-2 the large outdoor objects. There has been little historical interpretation of the objects that are placed in public locations which would inform the public about the artifacts' origins and uses. Recommendations The consultant's report includes a number of recommendations under each `key issue' heading. A final section of the report concentrates on options for the program's future with recommendations and discussions of the implications of each one. The options were as follows: 1. maintain the current status of the program 2. encourage moderate or major growth in both the size of the collection and the professionalism with which it is managed 3. transfer the program to other public or private bodies; or, create a partnership for program delivery ~. close down the program. Staff view the opening of discussions with the Region (no. 3) as a preferred place to start, before investigating any of the other options. Since 1996 when the IAP was initiated, the Region's heritage mandate has become well established, especially with the development of the new Regional History Museum and its curatorial centre. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: N/A COMMUNICATIONS: The consultant's report has been distributed to the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, the Public Art Working Group and the IAP volunteer committee for information purposes. CONCLUSION: Public perception of the program is generally positive. The IAP is viewed as a tribute to the region's industrial heritage. However, its challenges (described as `key issues' above) limit its effectiveness as a compelling and easily recognized part of Kitchener's identity. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, General Manager Community Services 3-3 GBCR goldsmith Borgal ~ Company Ltd. 4rchitects 110 Adelaide Street Nest .Suite #500 Toronto .Ontario VI5U 1S8 . Canada f 416 929 6556 416 929 4745 Nww.ybca.ca ®r~ft t:o 17 5cpt;cmbcr 2®®9 b' . «`~ .~ ~. 3-4 TALE ®~ CONTENTS klcading I'agc 1 Vision 3 2 Mcthodology 5 3 ProJcet kli~tory 6 3.1 Mandatc 6 3.2 Govcrnanec and funding 6 3.3 Proec~~ 7 3.4 The Collcetion ~ 4 Similar proJcet~ in othcr eommunitic~ 10 5 Kcy I~~uc~ 12 5.1 Nccd for a vision for the program 12 5.2 Govcrnanec 13 5.3 Adcquatc funding 15 5.4 Staffing 15 5.5 Polieic~ 16 5.6 Collcetion managcmcnt 19 5.7 Collcetion growth 19 6 A~~c~~mcnt and IZceommcndation~ ba~cd on 5takcholdcr Input 22 6.1 Mi~~ion 22 6.2 Govcrnanec 24 6.3 Staffing 26 6.4 Collcetion managcmcnt 26 6.5 Community Impaet 29 7 Options for the Futurc 31 7.1 5tatu~ Quo 31 7.2 Modcratc cnhanecmcnt~ 32 7.3 MaJor cnhanecmcnt~ 33 7.4 Ncgotiatc a tran~fcr of rc~pon~ibility to the IZcgion 34 3-5 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 2 7.5 Abandon the program 34 7.6 Abandon the program in favour of a privatc trust 35 ~ Prcliminary Ovcrall IZceommcndation~ 36 9 Clo~urc 3~ GBCA Architects 3-6 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 3 1i1~1on The City of Kitchener commissioned GBCA Architects (Goldsmith Borgal & Co. Ltd. Architects) to prepare this report. The intent is to provide overview and advice about the function, sustainability and the future of the Industrial Artifacts Project of the City of Kitchener for the next five years. A key issue related to a program such as this is the questions that may be raised. Questions can be presented such as "Is this program important?" and "why is it important?". These questions represent the "vision" of the program and whether that vision is compatible with and suitable for continuation either by the City of Kitchener or others or whether the vision is lacking in a manner that is to detrimental to the program's continuation. It is best to deal with the "why" in advance of assessing whether the current program is important. In the English language, he word "civic" comes from the same Latin root as the word "civilization". The implication of this association is that civilized society is derived not from rural life but from urban life and that cities are directly associated with the development of society. The development of urban life created a set of social conditions that permitted the elevation of human experience beyond that of day-to-day existence. The gathering of peoples into urban centres enabled the development of many things - among which were the development of industry and art. Industry created new wealth, which enabled the prosperity that permitted individuals and communities to develop new viewpoints expressed in the form of music, literature, architecture and visual arts. Indeed, the creation of machinery to make or process goods and materials is in itself an act of artifice which, at its highest level, can be considered a form of art. Therefore, the notion of celebrating the past creation of goods and of elevating the appreciation of the machines used to create those goods in a manner allowing them to be viewed as art can be seen as potentially tapping into some of the most fundamental themes of civic society. By so doing, individuals living in such communities develop a new perspective on their own surroundings, develop an invigorated sense of themselves GBCA Architects 3-7 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 4 and their own potential, and may therefore have an enhanced view of their personal role in the community and their community's role in the larger context of its provincial, national and international context. In many ways, this is precisely what art is intended to do and, as a result, the potential for the program that this report examines is potentially profound. This represents a positive response related to "why" a program of this type should exist. The first question must then be addressed. It is the purpose of this report to determine if this program of the City of Kitchener is important. If so, then a means should be found to allow it to continue in line with the ability of the community to support it, develop it and enhance it in line with the mandate of a city to enhance and enrich the lives of its inhabitants. If not, then a means must be found to successfully and legally abandon the program and disperse the objects collected and mounted in a manner that poses no technical or legal liabilities. GBCA Architects 3-8 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 5 2 Methodology The program is described in the next sections which include an analysis of the project and a description of some of the options available for consideration. To prepare this report, we have performed a series of tasks which include: • Touring the installed artifacts in the community • Visiting the site where part of the City's collection is stored • Reviewing documents pertaining to the Industrial Artifacts Project • Consulting with relevant staff, volunteers, and community stakeholders. An interview list is provided as Appendix A of this report. • Researching comparable projects in other communities • Evaluating the existing program from a variety of perspectives • Production of preliminary options for the future of the IAP • Preparation of a preliminary draft report • Preparation of this current draft report for discussion This Draft is intended as a basis for discussion and to obtain input from the steering committee. We will take instruction at the next scheduled meeting and add to the observations and recommendations as required to complete the mandate for this report. The final report will include a table of contents, executive summary, and appendices describing the list of interviewees, some of the installations and other background material related to the program. GBCA Architects 3-9 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 6 3 Project H15tory 3.1. Mandate The Industrial Artifacts Project was initiated by the City of Kitchener at the suggestion of Nicholas Rees (Kitchener's first "artist-in-residence") in October 1996 subsequent to the approval of "Cultureplan", a plan to strengthen arts and culture in the community. Recommendation #11 in the Cultureplan read as follows: That City Council investigate the creation of a series of public sculptures composed of old pieces of industrial machinery and artifacts, and request the appropriate involvement of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, Community Services and the Public Art Committee. By 2001, the mandate of the program was expanded: • To conserve the industrial heritage of Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge • To collect and restore artifacts significant to Waterloo region • To preserve the Industrial Architecture of the region • To document the stories of working people 3.2 Governanee and funding The project is managed by City of Kitchener staff working with the project's founder (Nicholas Rees). There is an informal working committee, the Industrial Artifacts Committee. Mike Price was the original City of Kitchener manager responsible for the program. Staff changes resulted in the responsibility of the program falling successively under M. Cummings, E. Harris and now Cheryl York, Arts and Culture Co-ordinator in the Department of Community Services. GBCA Architects 3- 10 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 7 Parks Operations staff have also been involved with the project from the beginning. They are responsible for preparing the artifacts for display and for undertaking repairs and repainting as needed. In 1998, Kitchener City Council approved annual funding for the project in the amount of $10,000. Government grants have been received in the past for specific projects. In the period around 2001 - 2004, the IAP committee discussed setting up an incorporated not-for-profit organization called the "Kitchener Industrial Artifacts Project"; the plan was not carried out. At the same time, collection management guidelines and forms were developed and a collection inventory was established. New installations continue to take place. From 2005 to the present, there has been a drop in the number of installations and the number of volunteers. This is partly due to the declining number of artifacts available as the number of dismantled industrial sites diminishes. 3.3 Proec~~ The total number of artifacts in the IAP collection currently stands at approximately 100. This number excludes archival materials. Collection of artifacts has been primarily by Nicholas Rees. Artifacts have been acquired in a variety of ways. Some were donated to the program at no cost. Others, which were disposed of or abandoned by their original owners, were essentially rescued from the scrap yard. Others were purchased in various manners including at a liquidation auction (the Kaufman artefacts). Of the industrial artifacts in the collection, several of the specimens have been cleaned, painted and then prepared for displayed at various locations around the community. Typically large and robustly constructed artifacts, including metal GBCA Architects 3- 11 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 8 presses and cog wheels, have been displayed outside while smaller and more delicate artifacts, such as sewing machines and some larger but complex artifacts displayed in City Hall, have been mounted indoors. Approximately two dozen artifacts are currently on display in public locations. The remaining artifacts are stored in a City-owned storage facility. From time to time, artifacts in the collection have been donated to other institutions. For instance, as the Kaufman Footwear Company's horizontal steam engine (the Corliss Engine) was donated to the Region of Waterloo in 2008 to be exhibited in the new Regional Museum. In 2001, an oral history was undertaken as part of the IAP. The stories of the men and women who worked in Kitchener's industries were collected. Archival material has also been collected by the IAP. This material, which includes documents, photographs and oral history recordings, has been donated to the Doris Lewis Rare Book Room at the University of Waterloo, the Grace Schmidt Room at the Kitchener Public Library, the Corporate Records office at the city of Kitchener, and the Doon Heritage Museum. 3.4 The Collcetion The collection consists of industrial machinery originally installed in factories, now closed and/or demolished, in the community. The collection includes objects from the following categories: • Tools (including stationary, hand, design, portable, power), moulds and forms • Appliances • Engines • Hydro Electric equipment, parts, and devices used to power factories and other installations • Office equipment • Advertising materials • Architectural components • Commemorative items GBCA Architects 3- 12 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 9 Many significant sites were the source of the collection, although the majority of pieces come from Kaufman Industries. Of these many were industrial operations but other sites and facilities are also represented and include: • Blue Top Brewery • Bonnie Stuart Shoes • Canada Cordage • Canada Pump/Canada Valve • Clemmer Industries • Cluett Peabody Canada Inc. • Epton-Goodrich Factory • Grand River Hospital • Kaufman Footwear Inc. • Kaufman Rubber Co. • Kaufman Button Co. • Mitchell Plastics Compression • Ontario Power Generation, Niagara Falls • Seagrams There is a wide variability in the condition of the artifacts. Some of those already on display are in very good condition although some components on some items have unfortunately been lost to vandals (the solution to which is welding or sealing of removable parts such as on the Seagram steam engine at City Hall). Others, particularly those items displayed outdoors as artifacts, are in variable levels of condition. The application of thick layers of paint to the outdoor exhibits has served to protect the metal from corrosion but has also obscured and covered the original surfaces, such as honed steel working surfaces, and may have rendered the objects useless for detailed interpretation in future. Some artifacts such as the Westinghouse transformer and the Niagara Hydro- electric governor (on display at City Hall), as well as the Corliss steam engine, are of exceptional significance as artifacts and in excellent condition. Other artifacts are of importance ranging from limited to high while their state of preservation and integrity ranges from high to very poor. Non-machinery artifacts include design sketches and moulds. Paper artifacts, in particular, have not been catalogued and are stored in non-museum quality conditions without benefit of acid-free separation papers and appropriate storage equipment. GBCA Architects 3- 13 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 10 4 similar projects in other communities In an assessment of this type it is useful to examine other programs in place in other locations. We note that the majority of industrial heritage programs in North America revolve around buildings and sites. Industrial artifacts are generally found in museums except in the case of oil derricks, cranes and other monumental objects or individual objects, such as millstones, which form local features but are not part of larger programs. • Ladysmith, British Columbia has developed a Heritage Artifacts Route where industrial artifacts from the town's history are placed along a downtown walking route. The town of Ladysmith is responsible for maintaining the route. A Heritage Revitalization Advisory Commission provides the Town Council with guidance and community input on this and other heritage projects. Information and photographs are available at the following website: http://www.ladysmithhistoricalsociety.orq/artifactour/index.html • Like Ladysmith's project, Pittsburgh's Riverwalk features industrial heritage as part of a larger urban renewal project. Industrial artifacts are positioned along a walking route that follows the Monongahela River's south shore. • Cobalt, Ontario celebrates its industrial heritage in a number of ways. The Heritage Silver Trail is aself-guided drive that brings visitors to tunnels, headframes, tailing ponds, mining buildings and the Northern Ontario Mining Museum. This trail and other features of the town's heritage are managed by the Historic Cobalt Corporation. Through the support of its community, the Cobalt Mining District is now a designated National Historic Site. • A broader application of the Cobalt example can be found in places such as Ekomuseum Bergslagen in Germany where a region has created an industrial heritage network out of buildings, streetscapes, archaeological sites, museums and monuments. GBCA Architects 3- 14 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 11 http://www.ekomuseum.se/english/eng index.html Individual sites can be managed by different organizations but connected under the network name for the purposes of joint marketing, programming, etc. The incorporation of natural history elements and public art that responds to the area's natural, cultural and industrial heritage is also a possibility. Examples of this include the Landmark Art and Industrial Heritage Trail in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. http://www.gelsenkirchen.de/english/tourism/portrait of the city/city guide/The Lan dmark Art and Industrial Heritaae Trail.aso • An example of a city exploring its industrial heritage and connecting to its post- industrial present and future is Richmond, BC with "Designing the Future: Richmond's Industrial Heritage", an exhibition at the Richmond Museum (November 2005 to June 2006) http://www. richmond.ca/culture/sites/museum/exhibit/designfuture.htm • A few years ago, a $250,000 public art project was initiated and was won by artist Alice Aycock who used existing riverside gantries as a base for her large scale sculpture. http://www.artsnashville.orq/pubartprolects/ebgw/ghost ballet handout.pdf GBCA Architects 3- 15 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 12 5 Key 155ue~ 5.1 Nccd for a vision for the program Right from the beginning, the purpose of the program appears to have been mixed: • There was the dual mandate of heritage preservation and public art, and • there was the small "r" regional mandate for a City of Kitchener project. The ambiguity of the roles of Nicholas Rees, the Industrial Artifacts Committee and the City of Kitchener's cultural staff have combined with the questions around mandate to provide a breeding ground for the confusion that appears to exist to this day in the minds of all stakeholders interviewed for the report. The need for a vision is clear. The fact that the IAP has always had two functions - as heritage memorial and as public art -has undoubtedly created confusion about the nature of the program. In the end, neither the heritage component nor the artistic value benefit from this confusion. The general consensus among those interviewed seems to be that: • the heritage aspect of the program can be emphasized without losing the sculptural impact of the artifacts. • more historical information and more historically appropriate paint colours should not significantly diminish the artistic value of these objects and may, indeed, enhance their perceived value although original finishes (which were absent in the case of some objects such as cog wheels) may not be robust enough to allow the objects to survive exposure to weather. GBCA Architects 3- 16 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 13 • if objects were to be relocated for a more visitor-friendly experience or for better historical context, the positioning of the objects could be done with an eye to artistic effect. While it is essential to enhance the heritage aspect of the program to better communicate the historical importance of industry to Kitchener's identity, there is no reason why the IAP could not also enhance the community's artistic wealth. This could be accomplished by: • commissioning public art pieces inspired by the collection, perhaps using non-accessioned material salvaged from the same industrial sites, or • by deliberately incorporating the IAP artifacts into larger artistic installations while still allowing the artifact to be interpreted as an individual heritage piece. The port area of Hamburg, Germany, as an example includes huge installations which are fabricated from portions of ship-building debris. This kind of cross-cultivation could be a short-term vision, with alonger-term vision being the development of a City-wide or Region-wide industrial heritage network that could encompass landscapes, architecture, artifacts, streetscapes, museums, archeological sites and public art akin to the Ekomuseum Bergslagen example and other regional sites such as the (much larger) Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, U.K. One key question is who should be the guardians of the vision? Some of those interviewed, particularly senior staff and some politicians in Kitchener suggest that this program should be uploaded to the Region while others whole-heartedly support a focus on Kitchener, including some regional representatives. This political confusion should be resolved as it may contribute to a lack of funding and support for the program which will attenuate its success. Many feel that the program is one of the few unique features of Kitchener and should be continued as a civic initiative as they feel that the "industrial heritage GBCA Architects 3- 17 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 14 makes us special; hard-working people made this place and hard-working people will keep us thriving; pride in our past, our present and our future". Down the road, the concensus seems to be that those administering the program should think bigger with a Regional tourism/marketing effort. However, for the short term, it is desirable to improve the current effort with: ^ better management, ^ clearer governance, ^ more programming, ^ more community involvement, ^ more publicity. ^ integration of this program into arts, culture and heritage master plans, economic development initiatives, youth services, schools, etc. These and potentially many more improvements present a vast potential for this program to be effective and important across a broad spectrum of Kitchener's sense of itself and its potential. 5.2 Govcrnanec The IAP is a City program and the City of Kitchener must have the ultimate authority. It will be easier to get volunteers, sponsors, and partners if it is clear who is the responsible entity behind the program. Volunteers can do the work, informed community members can advise the City on what needs to be done, but the City must make the decisions if the program is to continue under the current mandate. Strong policies and Terms of Reference for the Committee will make the responsibilities crystal clear. Currently, it appears to be the perception of those who were interviewed (including the Arts and Culture administrator and colleagues in Waterloo, Cambridge and the Region) that Mr. Rees does "everything". He is the public face of the program and, although he cannot be GBCA Architects 3- 18 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 15 faulted for driving the program ahead, it is essential that the City step to the fore, improve the program, and put the City's name on it. 5.3 Adcquatc funding Adequate funding is required to operate an appropriate program. This would have to include sufficient funding for staffing, acquisition, maintenance, promotion, educational development, and community development as well as housing of both staff and collections which are not out in the community. Such funding would represent a sizeable increase from the present, remarkably limited, funding for the program and would require a sizeable fiscal commitment by council. To do so, the importance of the program must be understood and weighed against other, equally vaild, demands. In the event that fiscal commitment cannot be achieved to match the objectives of the program, alternatives could be examined. The current process is such an alternative and one option may be to maintain the status quo (which we discuss later in this report). Other alternatives include the establishment of a trust or foundation (such as the Ontario Heritage Trust, or English Heritage) which is endowed by the City at the outset and which could then accept donations of objects, bequests and donations as an arm's length operating agency of the City subject to an acquisitions policy which governs the nature and intent of such donations. 5.4 Staffing The City does not have the staff resouces to properly run the program - additional resources are required. A significant amount of work is required to fix the current problems re. donor records, acquisition policy, preservation decisions, etc. If the City continues the program, the work should be done in a timely manner which would require afull-time employee or contractor. If the City is constrained by resources, or unable to immediately maximize the program's potential but wishes to show some improvement in its services to the community, GBCA Architects 3- 19 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 16 the position could be part-time. Such a new hire should be qualified in the area of collection management and programming and should probably report to the Arts & Culture Co-ordinator. The IAP does not need a conservator on staff. However it should have access to the advice of a conservator who has experience with industrial collections. The most obvious source for this expertise is the Waterloo Regional Curatorial Centre although there are also private conservators available. Preservation of many of the most robust artifacts in the collection could be carried out by non- conservators following instruction from a conservator. From time to time, objects might require treatment by a private conservator or by the Region's conservator under some kind of agreement. 5.5 I'olieic~ The program has been operating on an ad hoc basis. For example, Mr. Rees salvaged whatever he could and then, typically, made decisions as to where to install the objects and their management. This initial ad hoc process is typical of many programs which culminated in major museums and collections - an individual or individuals perceive the importance or value of objects and salvage them when the implications of their loss to the community's heritage is not understood by the general public. The maturing of such programs results in a need for a process for disposition or management of collected objects and the refinement and codification of procedures is typically developed when the programs are transferred to a corporate (usually municipal or county) entity. Likewise, the IAP requires more rigorous policies and procedures to ensure it is legal, ethical and well-managed. The most urgently needed are policies related to collection development and management. Collection Development Policy -Acquisitions (what to collect). Prior to acquisition, it must first be decided if the program should colelct an object. If the object fits someone else's mandate, they should be contacted. For GBCA Architects 3 - 20 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 17 example, artifacts from a Kitchener factory would be referred to the City of Kitchener's IAP Committee; artifacts from a Waterloo factory would be referred to the City of Waterloo Manager of Culture; archives from a Cambridge business would be referred to the City of Cambridge Archives. An artifact of regional significance (and one which may require major conservation treatment) might be referred to the Region of Waterloo Museum. The policy does not have to spell this process out in detail but it should include comments on how this has traditionally been handled within the IAP. There is also a required commentary on how collection is actually executed. This includes what is required for transfer of ownership, should the object be purchased, and if so how. The policy should also include the methodology for processing donations, issuing (if appropriate) tax receipts, etc. Most importantly, there must be clear authority invested with the person or committee that has the final say regarding an agreement to acquire an artifact. It is our opinion that this should be the City, not the Committee. We provide below a listing from the Standards for Community Museums in Ontario (2000) which could serve as model for a policy for the IAP program (IAP should be substituted for "museum"): The museum has a written collection development policy stating that it will: • Ensure that the scope of collection is consistent with the museum's statement of purpose • Establish priorities for collection development • Demonstrate a commitment to ethical behaviour in collection development (e. g. repatriation, human remains) • Meet municipal, provincial and federal legislative requirements that have an impact on collecting activities (e. g. illicit materials) GBCA Architects 3-21 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 18 Collection Management Policy: what to do with the collected materials The Collection Management Policy deals with the programs commitment to and guidelines for organizing things, tracking things, storing things, lending things, borrowing things, documenting things, etc. The Standards for Community Museums in Ontario state that: The museum has a written collections management policy stating that it will: • Ensure appropriate procedures and documentation for the acquisition, use and de-accessioning of artifacts in the collection • Ensure appropriate procedures and documentation for incoming and outgoing loans • Ensure appropriate procedures for the management of collections records • Demonstrate a commitment to conservation standards in the labelling, care and handling of artifacts • Distinguish between artifacts in a research (or study) collection and artifacts in an education (or hands-on) collection • Meet municipal, provincial and federal legislative requirements that have an impact on collections management and documentation (e. g. firearms, hazardous materials). These are considered to be minimum standards. Although some relate more to museums, most of them apply to the IAP and the City of Kitchener as the custodian of the IAP collection. These include: • Conservation: our commitment to and guidelines for preserving the collection - facilities, environment, security, treatment, etc. • Research: addresses priorities for research, means of dissemination, accommodation of outside researchers, etc. • Interpretation and Education: addresses themes, audiences, evaluation, etc. • Display: addresses type of display, locations, accessibility, accuracy, safety, etc. GBCA Architects 3 - 22 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 19 • Community: addresses identifying and meeting community needs, involving the community, volunteers, publicity, accessibility, etc. 5.6 Collcction managcmcnt The written policies and procedures that guide collection management should be developed by staff with input from the IAP committee and they should be approved by Council. Those who are using them should know what these policies and procedures mean. The guidelines must be applied actively and consistently. In addition to the collection policy elements listed above, the Standards for Community Museums in Ontario require that: • The museum assigns the duties of a registrar to an appropriately trained staff member and provides adequate time, workspace and funding for collections management activities. • The museum uses an effective collection documentation system, which may be paper-based, electronic, or a combination. The system will include a standardized numbering system, an accession register, a master catalogue file, and signed donor and loan forms. • The museum keeps a periodically updated paper or electronic copy of the collection records off-site in a secure location. • The museum's collection records are current. 5.7 Collcctian growth At this point in the IAP's history, there is an issue concerning the quality and availability of industrial artifacts and the associated research to inform program development. The IAP was initiated at a time when factories in the region started closing down at a great rate. The situation now is different -few industries remain. A question therefore arises about the future availability of relevant artifacts for the program. GBCA Architects 3 - 23 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 20 Some may continue to appear as they are unearthed from warehouses or garages, or as objects in private hands come up for auction. Nevertheless, unless its collecting mandate changes, the IAP collection is bound to experience very low growth in the future. This must be taken into consideration when developing a plan. The acquisition of new artifacts for the collection has until now been the focus of the program. The focus will ineveitably shift to working with an existing collection, such as creating new programming, public education, and dealing with the items in storage. The excitement generated by new acquisitions currently forms the principal publicity for the IAP. This will have to be replaced by the excitement of new public programs, educational tools or research findings if the program is developed or increased in size. There remains another possibility - to expand the mandate of the IAP to include post-industrial artifacts. The existing industrial artifacts and their relationship between the past and the new "high-tech" industrial base in Kitchener may point the way to long-term success of a program such as this. The contracst between the creation of past artifacts with the present and future creation of new objects and artifacts, and therefore civic wealth, can be seen as having rich potential for the future of this current program. This could have a number of benefits: ^ Connecting Kitchener's past to its present in a very tangible way ^ Allow for interesting connections to be made between then & now machinery, workers, markets, etc. ^ Attracting both the "wired" generation and today's workers to the IAP GBCA Architects 3 - 24 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 21 ^ Increasing partnership opportunities by making connections with new industries ^ Keeping the IAP collection "open" as opposed to ending up with a collection that is, to all intents and purposes, "closed" An example of this potential can be seen in the Digital Media Centre proposed for the Lang Building downtown which as attracted several partners. GBCA Architects 3 - 25 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 22 6 A~~eS~ment end Recommend~tlon~ b~~ed on stakeholder input 6.1 Mi~~ion The 1996 mission statement, derived from Recommendation 11 in Cultureplan 1 continues to drive the program: "That City Council investigate the creation of a series of public sculptures composed of old pieces of industrial machinery and artifacts, and request the appropriate involvement of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, Community Services and the Public Art Committee. " While attempting to incorporate both the notion of preservation of heritage and the development of the objects as public art works, the IAP has, in fact, saved many interesting industrial artifacts from the scrap yard. Can the program serve two functions; that is, as a heritage preservation program and as a public art program? The IAP appears to have been developed in its earliest stage with a regional mandate. However, the vast majority of artifacts have been sourced from Kitchener. Waterloo has three objects, only one of which is installed. Cambridge has not participated in the program. The IAP has attempted, with limited success on a very modest budget, to awaken the community's appreciation for its industrial heritage and to encourage respect for the workers whose lives gave form and meaning to the cities. IZccommcndation~ ^ If the IAP is to remain a Kitchener initiative, we recommend that the mission statement be re-written so that the primary emphasis is on the preservation and sharing of artifacts representative of Kitchener's industrial heritage. GBCA Architects 3 - 26 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 23 Although conservation, museums and heritage lie primarily within the Region's mandate, if Kitchener is to be the prime location and identified with this program, the small "r" regional mandate should be removed as Waterloo and Cambridge are responsible for their own industrial heritage. Waterloo is in the process of writing a new Collections Policy that will, among other things, guide the acquisition of industrial artifacts for its own collection. Cambridge is currently studying its mandate for public art and does not have industrial heritage on its agenda. ^ Participation in joint industrial heritage initiatives could, and should, be explored in the future provided there is co-operation among the municipalities and with the Regional government. This implies separate programs, perhaps under the regional umbrella, but locally run in a manner to the benefit and desires of each individual community. ^ Remove the references to sculpture and art. Although it can be legitimately argued that these three-dimensional objects can be viewed as sculpture, and the process of creating them was also a form of artistic creation (but not necessarily expression -their attributes, mass and meaning come from their intended original function, not a predetermined artistic metaphor) they are also legitimate historical objects with their meaning attached to their function, and the history of the community and its people through the industry which these objects represent. The artistic value of the industrial artifacts is not clear to the public, to local artists or to the City of Kitchener's Public Art Working Group. Perhaps more importantly, any artistic value should now be considered to be secondary to the heritage value of the objects. GBCA Architects 3 - 27 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 24 The general consensus seems to be that the heritage aspect of the program can be emphasized without losing the sculptural impact of the artifacts. More historical information and more historically appropriate paint colours would not inherently alter the sculptural quality of these objects. If objects were to be relocated for a more visitor-friendly experience or for better historical context, the positioning of the objects could be done with an eye to artistic effect - as stated earlier, there is no reason why the IAP could not also enhance the community's artistic wealth. 6.2 Govcrnanec The City of Kitchener manages the IAP through its Community Services Department. However, its involvement in most aspects of the project appears to be limited to basic administrative tasks and installation and maintenance of artifacts sited outdoors. In 2008, $14,800 was allocated to the IAP; the actual expenses were $10,000. The Industrial Artifacts Project Committee consisting of City staff and community volunteers is the primary means for community input into the IAP. The Project Director, Nicholas Rees, chairs this committee. The Director does not have a written job description and is not an employee of the City of Kitchener. However, he occasionally receives an honorarium or contract fees for his work. The IAP Director identifies artifacts, liaises with donors, arranges for the acquisition of artifacts by the City, selects the sites for the artifacts, and advises City maintenance staff on how to prepare the artifacts for display. There are no regular reporting procedures in place for the Director or the committee. City employees respond to requests from the Director. Clear City GBCA Architects 3 - 28 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 25 authority in the management of the IAP appears to be lacking and the City could therefore be seen to need more accountability in this area. Although the program is small, as custodian of this collection the City has an obligation to protect the public trust and ensure that the objects are taken care of from the legal, ethical and preservation viewpoints. The heritage of the community is in the City's hands. IZceommcndation~ • Draw up and approve Terms of Reference for the IAP Committee and including roles and responsibilities for the Chair and other members. • IAP Committee to meet regularly, at least twice per year. • Schedule regular meetings between IAP Committee Chair and Arts & Culture Co-ordinator. At least twice per year after IAP Committee meetings and whenever there is atime-sensitive matter. • IAP Committee to be consulted on the development of collection policies and procedures, particularly with regard to acquisition guidelines. IAP Committee to follow internally approved collection policies and procedures which must be defined by staff and the Committee. • IAP Committee makes recommendations regarding acquisitions, to the City through the Arts & Culture Co-ordinator. • Approve an honorarium for the IAP Committee Chair to reflect his contributions to the City. • Define any issues which may reference the roll of the IAP and its Committee in relation to other departments. Discussion will be required GBCA Architects 3 - 29 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 26 to formalize these roles as a part of the outcome of recommendations adopted 6.3 Staffing The IAP is one of four programs managed by the Arts and Culture Coordinator. The other three are the Rotunda Gallery, Public Art and the Artist in Residence. These three programs receive community oversight through the Public Art Working Group (PAWL), a volunteer advisory committee. Considering this work load, there is simply not the staff to do this work. IZccommcndation: • If the program is to continue, provide the budget to hire resources to undertake essential improvements in collection management and to develop programming initiatives. 6.4 Collcctian managcmcnt There are no approved policies or procedures associated with the IAP. The absence of an official acquisition policy, standard acquisition procedures and indeed any collections management procedures is problematic. It is not clear whether the City of Kitchener is the legal owner of all artifacts in the IAP collection. There is no comprehensive registry and records are incomplete. Objects that have been purchased are most likely legally owned as funds for each object have been approved by Council and receipts were probably required. GBCA Architects 3-30 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 27 Some donated objects have signed donor forms associated with them. However, records are inconsistent and it is not clear whether this is the case with all of the items in the collection. The potential absence of legal title to these objects means that the City could be devoting resources towards a program that could vanish should claims be made upon the artifacts by other parties. Among the records should be documentation of the techniques and materials that have been used in the preparation and maintenance of the artifacts. It is not known whether the techniques and materials are appropriate for their preservation. Another preservation issue is the choice of paint colours for the artifacts. At first glance, they do not appear to be representative of historic colours or finishes. With their current colours, the machines appear to be quite different from those used by men and women at the time. The exact number and location of all the artifacts in storage is not clearly documented -most are stored in municipal storage in a former reservoir building (which due to high humidity levels poses risk of corrosion to the objects). This is of serious concern for many reasons. Perhaps most importantly, the City cannot know if items have been stolen, lost or damaged. As custodians of a collection that belongs to the people of Kitchener, the City is putting this public trust at risk. IZceommcndation~: • Compile, organize and update all collection records according to museum standards. • Develop necessary forms and procedures. • Verify and perfect legal title in favour of the City for all artifacts in the collection as soon as possible. GBCA Architects 3-31 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 28 • Engage a conservator to undertake a survey of stored and displayed artifacts and to make recommendations regarding standard and custom treatments. • Have the conservator undertake urgent treatments on those artifacts where inaction will lead to serious damage. • Develop storage requirements and/or display methodology for each artifact based on condition, integrity, heritage importance and other criteria which should be used to establish a level of care and potential for exhibit. 6.5 Community impaet Many community members who are interested in industrial heritage have welcomed the opportunity to participate in the IAP or simply to enjoy the artifacts on display. The artifacts are visible to the community, whether outdoors on public land or inside city buildings. Casual passers-by may occasionally stop to read the interpretive plaques identifying the machinery. However, a number of stakeholders were unaware that there was any interpretive information on the installation site. The IAP could be said to be Kitchener's best-kept secret. It could be made more conspicuous by creating a common logo or branding that would identify all the objects as part of the same program. The bronze plaques in place now are not highly visible. Having information at each site about the IAP as a whole, including a map showing the location of other objects, would help to raise understanding and awareness of the project. GBCA Architects 3-32 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 29 No formal studies have been undertaken to discover what individuals learn from the artifacts or what impact the artifacts have on the viewers. For example, it is not known whether most viewers of the machinery have any understanding of the relationship of the artifacts to former industries on the same (or nearby) sites. Except for the self-guided walking tour, there are no public programs associated with the display. There are no links to the local education system or other community programming. Publicity for the program is generally restricted to press releases and invitations on the occasion of new installations. The IAP has a small web presence. The City's website has a description of the program and a map of installations on its website at http://www.kitchener.ca/city hall/departments/community services/community pr ogram/industrial heritage.html. The Industrial Artifacts self-guided walking tour guide is also one of four such guides on another City website at http://www.downtownkitchener.ca/things/performing arts/. We note, however, that this guide is somewhat outdated. The IAP has considerable untapped potential for increasing community awareness of Kitchener's heritage. Such awareness is generally understood to assist in the formation of community identity and makes communities more attractive to new industries, potential residents and tourists. IZceommcndation~: • The city could arrange and publicize public tours by Nicholas Rees or other volunteers. • Working with local schools, links to the educational curriculum could be developed. GBCA Architects 3-33 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 30 • Events could be held to coincide with popular heritage-related events such as Doors Open Waterloo Region and Cruising on King. • The City could hold a Media Day to raise awareness of Kitchener's heritage and tourism resources, including the IAP. • The IAP would benefit from an increased web presence with a catalogue of artifacts, tours, photographs, stories from the oral history project, reproductions of archival documents, etc. • Phased drawings, models and/or archival photographs representing the area at different periods of its use could be displayed on the web page or alongside artifacts to show changes to the sites over time. • At some sites, operational scale models could be used to show how the machines worked and how they worked in context with the rest of the machinery. Development and maintenance costs would have to be factored into the program budget. • On the web page, combining oral history and a video animation of someone using the machine would add tremendously to the educational value of the IAP. • The City may also wish to consider the potential for corporate sponsorship of individual artifacts. A company would pay for the restoration and mounting of the object and in return it would be acknowledged on the information panel. This would assist the City with funding the project and also create valuable ties to corporate Kitchener. GBCA Architects 3-34 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 31 '7 Optlon~ for the future Several options are presented as recommendations in the following sections of which some build on the status quo while others are departures based on the result of the research for this report. 7.1 5tatu~ quo • The project continues in the present form with the following implications: City continues to provide maintenance for displayed artifacts and storage space for stored artifacts. The project continues to have a low profile. Fewer objects are collected as the remaining factories close. Volunteers retire, burn out or lose interest. Funding remains at the current level. Currently, the program is funded at a rate of $14,000 per year with additional hidden costs in the form of mowing and minor maintenance at each installation. Staff time devoted to the program remains at the same (unacceptable) level. With no plan for the future, the project peters out. GBCA Architects 3-35 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 32 7.2 Modcratc cnhanecmcnt~ • More historical interpretation: more historical information on site, enhanced self-guided tour brochures, and a website with downloadable versions of the brochures and more information about the program and the artifacts. Collection items should be treated more as historical artifacts than contemporary art pieces. More historically appropriate paint colours are chosen. Conservator's advice is sought to ensure treatments are ethically and technically sound. There should be a clearer reporting structure through the City's management hierarchy. A minimum of %2 FTE (full time employee) would be devoted to the management of the program plus additional volunteers and, possibly, a summer staff person. There should be use of written and approved policies and procedures for collections management (e.g. guiding acquisitions, donor forms, referral to other organizations when object does not meet the collecting mandate). There should be better publicity. A modest increase in funding, which cannot be defined in this report, would be made to permit acquisitions and provide for maintenance of artifacts. Improvements in storage would be required, which may entail additional funding support, to ensure the longevity of the collection. GBCA Architects 3-36 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 33 7.3 MaJor cnhanecmcnt~ • In addition to the former suggestions, additional enhancements are made: Artifacts are relocated to create a more accessible and prominent heritage walk. Positioning all of the artifacts along a more compact outdoor walking route would attract more people to the city core. Potential for a permanent indoor display space should be explored. A minimum of 1 FTE would be assigned to manage the program plus additional volunteers and summer staff. Website should be expanded to more interpretive material, e.g. an overlay of old factories on a current aerial view of the city. Changes to the urban landscape could be animated to show the addition of new buildings and the destruction of factories over time. Ties to other downtown renewal and community development efforts should be identified and promoted. Greater community involvement should be encouraged and developed. Better marketing would be essential to match the increased resources and profile of the project. Much improved storage should be developed to ensure the safety of the collection and permit further acquisitions. Based on the above, a significant increase in funding would be required. GBCA Architects 3-37 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 34 7.4 Ncgotiatc a tran~fcr of rc~pon~ibility to the IZcgion The question of transferring management of the IAP to the Region of Waterloo comes up frequently in discussions with stakeholders. The rationale for Region responsibility includes the fact that the IAP has a regional mandate and the Region has the heritage mandate, facilities and expertise to manage the program according to museum standards • The feasibility of transferring the program to the Region should be assessed through City-initiated discussions with the Region. 7.5 Abandon the program • The program is shut down and the objects are de-accessioned as a result of lack of adequate support from either level of government. This would eventually save a modest annual amount related to the current contribution by the City to the Program and would be considerably less costly than the option to expand the program to operate under museum principles on an annual basis. However, there would be a potentially significant cost to execute an abandonment since the ownership of artifacts would have to be assessed, the artifacts possibly returned (with attendant delivery costs). Other objects would incur costs if auctioned or disposed of. Some objects could be donated to other museums (assuming an investment is made to properly determine ownership) but this process would also require staff time. The net implication for this move could be 2 FTEs for a year to complete this transition. Artifacts currently mounted would also have to be assessed -should they continue to be maintained or, if abandoned, would there be attendant potential personal liabilities which the City may face as a result of injury? If this latter argument is made, removal of exhibited pieces may be required which could have significant costs for demolition of bases, repair of sites, GBCA Architects 3-38 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 35 trucking of debris and - as noted above -establishing who owns the artifacts and what should be their disposition (which may then require cranes, flat-bed trucks and staff time to complete any transfers). The program does appear to receive political and public support considerably in excess of the current actual expenses. Loss of the program may result in both political and community upset with unknown repercussions. 7.6 Abandon the program in favour of a privatc trust • A variant of the abandonment option is the creation of a trust, endowed at the outset by the City, to collect and manage the objects. The trust would be able to receive donations in the form of objects, labour, storage facilities or funds with the original endowment intended to produce interest funds to support the on-going operations. GBCA Architects 3-39 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 36 ~ Prellminary Overall Recommendatlon~ (Subject to discussion at a meeting to assess the findings of this draft, the final recommendations for the report are limited to the following. This section will be further developed with input from the steering committee.) • It must be decided by City staff and Council whether this program should continue to be funded, transferred to the Region, or abandoned. • It is the consultants' view that the program is valid and important, of benefit to the City of Kitchener and realizes a large benefit for limited expenditure of resources In the event that the program is continued and expanded: • Any direction from the present point will have either cost or political implications. For instance, if the program is to be operated on a more formal and professional basis, the costs of operation will rise considerably. The level of support that may be available from Council will determine the level of professionalism that can be brought to the program. • Authority for the management and operation of the IAP should be formalized. An advisory committee may still provide community input, ensuring that the essential community contribution remains in place while leaving the final decisions to those who are legally and financially responsible for the project. • The City needs regular inspections to check on the security and condition of the stored collection. In the event that the program is transferred to the Region • Proper professional level curation of the objects will be a requirement of the Region although, based on our discussions, the Region does not have resources in place to deal with this program. Therefore, cost considerations applicable to the City will be equally so for the Region. GBCA Architects 3-40 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 37 • A willingness on the part of the Regional Council to accept this program must be developed by the City of Kitchener with the process initiated by the City. In the event that the program is transferred to a trust: • A workable means must be developed to establish ownership of the artifacts as well as liabilities for any installations. • On-going management policies and accountabilities must be established as a part of setting up this arrangement. Models exist in other jurisdictions which can be drawn on as examples. In the event that the program is abandoned: • Ownership and retention of artifacts must be established and objects disposed of in accordance with appropriate guidelines. • Installed artifacts must be considered in terms of on-going maintenance policies, liabilities and potential dismantling. GBCA Architects 3-41 Industrial Artifacts Project -Program Review Draft Report 17 September 2009 Page 38 9 ~~05Uf G GBCA (Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects) has written this report for the benefit of the client to whom it is addressed. The information and data contained herein represent the GBCA's best professional judgment in light of the knowledge and information available to GBCA at the time of preparation. Except as required by law, this report and the information and data contained herein are to be treated as confidential and may be used and relied upon only by the client, its officers and employees. GBCA denies any liability whatsoever to other parties who may obtain access to this report for any injury, loss or damage suffered by such parties arising from their use of, or reliance upon, this report or any of its contents without the express written consent of the GBCA and the client. Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects has prepared this report in accordance with the Scope of Services agreed with the Client. If you have any questions regarding the information contained herein, please contact the undersigned. Yours very truly, GOLDSMITH BORGAL & COMPANY LTD. ARCHITECTS / n r. .-, Christopher Borgal, OAA, MRAIC, CAPHC Principal GBCA Architects 3-42