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04-19-2006, 05:57 PM
Corporation of the City of Kingston





MEMORIAL CENTRE REVITALIZATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE



Meeting No. 01-2006



Minutes



Meeting held Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.



in the Loyalist Room, City Hall



PRESENT:
Colonel L.E. Aitken, Glenn Barnes, Dr. J. Carson, Ken Cuthbertson, Bert Diamond, Leon Doucet, Brenda Draper, Mary Fleming, Councillor Garrison, Richard Gold, Graham Lodge, Councillor Meers, Jana Mills, Councillor Smith

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF PRESENT:
Cynthia Beach, Commissioner, Growth & Sustainability
Robin Etherington, Manager, Culture & Heritage
Mark Fluhrer, Director, Culture & Recreation
Kristine Hebert, Parks Planner
Glen Laubenstein, Chief Administrative Officer
Denis Leger, Commissioner, Corporate Services
Sunni Rideout, Committee Clerk

OTHERS:
Mr. Pat Good
Ms Helen Finley


THIS IS NOT A VERBATIM REPORT


The Clerk called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m.


ELECTION OF OFFICERS
a)Chair

The Clerk assumed the Chair for purposes of the election of officers and called for nominations for the position of Chair.

Moved by Mary Fleming
Seconded by Councillor Meers

THAT Councillor Steve Garrison be nominated for the position of Chair.


CARRIED


Moved by Leon Doucet
Seconded by Councillor Garrison

That nominations for the position of Chair be closed.


CARRIED



Councillor Garrison was declared Chair of the 2006 Memorial Centre Revitalization Advisory Committee, assumed the position of Chair and requested nominations for the position of Vice-Chair.

b)Vice-Chair

Moved by Leon Doucet
Seconded by Richard Gold

THAT Dr. Jamie Carson be nominated for the position of Vice-Chair and the nominations be closed.


CARRIED


Dr. Jamie Carson was declared Vice-Chair of the 2006 Memorial Centre Revitalization Advisory Committee.


ADOPTION OF AGENDA

Moved by Bert Diamond
Seconded by Glenn Barnes

That the Agenda as presented, be adopted.


CARRIED



DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST

There was none.


MANDATE/TERMS OF REFERENCE

Following a brief review of the Mandate / Terms of Reference a request for clarification with respect to funding was made. It was explained that an initial budget of $50,000 will be funded from the Working Fund Reserve, to engage professional assistance in preparing a long term revitalization and rejuvenation plan for the Memorial Centre and the 23.6 acre site and to ensure adequate community consultation. The Committee requested that they be provided with the following reports and documents:

·Cromarty Report
·Roney Report
·War Veterans Council Resolution
·GIS maps of the Memorial Centre ground and facilities


PRESENTATION

Ms Cynthia Beach, Commissioner, Growth & Sustainability made a power point presentation entitled “A New Life For A Living Memorial”.

She advised that Multiplex and LVEC (Large Venue Entertainment Centre) have been identified as 2 priority projects in a group of 7 priorities that the City is dealing with at this time. The recommendation respecting ice services is that Wally Elmer and Cook Brothers Arenas be closed down and the Memorial Centre was suggested to be replaced after the Multiplex is built.

The location for the Multiplex has been determined to be Fortune Crescent and additional consultation is being undertaken respecting the addition of a 50 metre pool, user fee policies and consulting with user groups. Ms Beach advised that a community advisory group has requested that one Olympic size rink for figure skating and speed skating be provided for uses other than hockey.

Ms Beach advised that Queen’s University is demolishing its facility and building a new one over a 5 year period and would be looking for replacement ice between 2007 and 2013. Ms Beach suggested that perhaps Queen’s could be invited to use the Memorial Centre on a short term basis or alternately, construct something on a city site that the City could take over at the end of the lease.

Ms Beach provided some slides of the John Labatt facility in London, Ontario illustrating its appearance in conjunction with its neighbourhood, the facilities it can provide and noting that seating is not provided around the individual rinks but reserved for the common areas. This is a facility that is appropriate for providing entertainment for which lighting and acoustical would be critical.

Ms Beach noted that the LVEC would provide a suitable larger venue facility with 5,000 to 6,000 seats to accommodate a wide range of entertaining events and be home to the Kingston Frontenac Hockey Team and the Hockey Hall of Fame. She noted that after the completion of Multiplex and LVEC that if the Memorial Centre stays open, it can get into the mix but any proposed events would have to be co-ordinated to avoid competition.

The Chair thanked Ms Beach for her presentation and invited questions from the Committee.

The Chair noted that a Charette was prepared by the Saint Lawrence Group of Architects which provided different scenarios and suggestions for the future of the Memorial Centre and the grounds comprising of 23 acres. It was agreed that some local representatives be invited to present the results for discussion and to undertake some brainstorming.

Ms Draper stated that there is an agreement between the Agricultural Society and the City dating to the 1950s and following a short discussion, it was agreed that a representative of the Society would be invited to make a presentation to the Committee.

It was pointed out that the Multiplex Community Centre Project Steering Committee Report was deferred by Council at their meeting January 24th and 26th to permit this Committee an opportunity to identify the potential needs of the Memorial Centre and to report back by the second meeting in June.

Councillor Smith pointed out that the repurposing of these facilities would be implemented over the course of a number of years and that with the possibility of Queen’s renting the Memorial Centre it would provide a source of funding to implement the actual work at the Memorial Centre.

Ms Fleming suggested the funding should not be viewed as a source for revitalization particularly if it is used to reduce an existing operating deficit stating that Queen’s rental income would make the Memorial Centre more sustainable.

Mr. Glen Laubenstein, Chief Administrative Officer cautioned that the Memorial Centre is part of a complex issue and it has yet to be determined how it will fit into the overall needs of the community especially since we don’t know how these new facilities will be built or their influence on the community. He suggested that negotiations with Queen’s University would buy time and through their ice rental, would provide enough funding to keep the building up and operating while things are being assessed over the next 5 years.

Moved by Mary Fleming
Seconded by Councillor Meers

That the Memorial Centre Revitalization Advisory committee recommends that Council take no action with respect to a contractual agreement with Queens at the Memorial Centre until further information is available.


LOST


Mr. Laubenstein suggested that further information could be obtained from Queen’s University before any firm decisions are made particularly since there are deadlines involving other facilities for ice time in the community.

Moved by Councillor Smith
Seconded by Leon Doucet

That Council direct staff to bring back information with regard to leasing to Queen’s University and all the ramifications that involves including financial information including deadlines in order not to impact on community use.


CARRIED



Moved by Councillor Smith
Seconded by Leon

That Council direct staff to bring back options regarding public consultation.


CARRIED



OTHER BUSINESS

There was a brief discussion respecting the appearance of the fence around the Memorial Centre. Ms Draper noted there are health and safety issues and that it would be difficult to have a Fair and charge admission to grounds that are not fenced. It was suggested that parents who use the play park should also be consulted.

Moved by Glenn Barnes
Seconded by Richard Gold

That Council direct staff to remove the fence around the Memorial Centre.


DEFERRED



DATE AND TIME OF MEETINGS

The Memorial Centre Revitalization Advisory Committee will meet Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 5:30 p.m.

The next meeting of the Memorial Centre Revitalization Advisory Committee will be Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.


ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Glenn Barnes
Seconded by Bert Diamond

That we so adjourn at 7:15 p.m.


CARRIED