HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 18, 2021
Minutes/Meeting Summary
Cultural Advisory Committee
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
7:00 pm
Electronic Meeting – Webex Platform
Attendees: J. St. Amant, Coordinator, Cultural Services
T. Ryce, Supervisor, Cultural Services
J. Currie, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
D. Davis, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
E. Forde, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
M. Francis, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
N. Holland, Cultural Advisory Committee Member
A. Moscote Freire, Cultural Advisory Committee Member
V. Raees, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
C. Sabean, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
J. Sabean, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
A. Sardar, Cultural Advisory Committee Member
B. Sopher, Cultural Advisory Committee Stakeholder
D. Poole, Clerk-Typist (Recording Secretary)
Absent: C. Cooper, Cultural Advisory Committee Member
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
1. Welcome
J. St. Amant welcomed everyone in attendance and
called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.
2. Disclosure of Interest
J. St. Amant reviewed City Policy ADM 040, Section
14. No disclosure of interest was brought forward by
any of the committee members.
3. Approval of Agenda and Previous of Minutes
J. St. Amant advised that item 6 of the agenda,
Pickering Museum Village Update, is being
removed, as there are no updates to report at this
time.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
The committee reviewed the revised agenda and
the minutes from the meeting held on Tuesday,
April 20th , 2021. It was the consensus of the
committee to approve the revised agenda and adopt
the minutes as received.
4. Delegations
There were no delegates registered for the meeting.
5. Work Plan Review and Recommended Actions
T. Ryce reviewed the 2021 work plan for comment.
There were no recommended changes from any of
the committee members.
T. Ryce reviewed the Cultural Strategic Plan,
particularly the section pertaining to the strategic
actions with medium term goals, and opened the
floor for comments/recommendations relating to
each action.
Action – Development of a City Tourism Program.
Comments/Recommendations:
Renew investment of promotion of the
Cultural map to local businesses and tourism
attractions to ensure that it’s being updated.
Look at agra tourism within north Pickering
where there are lots of land opportunities and
finding creative ways to answer the
challenges of food security.
Add an Indigenous element through land
stewardship and land based education.
Consider hydroponic food growth and other
innovative food growth opportunities.
Look to Indigenous people for knowledge
about the land and solutions to reduce the
amount of food that is imported.
Finding food growth opportunities can
support tourism strategies, develop economic
benefits, create a theme for community
T. Ryce to bring forward
these comments to the
Sustainability Department
and staff overseeing the
Parks Master Plan.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
culture by bringing the community together
while parlaying into culinary food and fusion.
Growing food from your own hands from your
native place creates an emotional attachment
to the land with a sense of belonging.
Action -Identify a strategy to address transportation
issues at venues that host major events. Consider
transportation in the selection and design of new
venues.
Comments/Recommendations:
Explore partnership opportunities with
companies such as Uber at particular events
to increase accessibility for those without
other means of transportation.
Northern hamlets such as Whitevale don’t
have public transportation therefore people
without a vehicle may lack the means to
travel to these areas. Staff to potentially look
at recommendations in the next round of the
Transportation Master Plan.
Identify a strategy to address transportation
issues at venues that host major events.
Consider transportation in the selection
design of new venues.
Action -Address a need for more venues to support
cultural activities (e.g., for exhibitions and
performances).
T. Ryce provided and overview of the new facilities
and outdoor spaces that are under review that could
host activities, exhibitions and performances.
J. St. Amant provided an overview of the Place4Arts
program. Discussion ensued regarding the program
and some of the challenges that are associated with
it.
T. Ryce recommended taking an inventory that can
be built into this project to help develop some
economic impact in the city. Consideration should
be given to applying for a grant that will help expand
Staff to provide a link to
the Transportation Master
Plan.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
and build the Cultural portal/map and get us
prepared for a tourism program.
Action -Engage cultural groups in the development
of strategies that encourage resident cultural
engagement between north and south Pickering.
T. Ryce proposed that this be handled through the
new community engagement tool called Bang the
Table.
Action -Expand the Central Library to include
community and cultural meeting spaces.
T. Ryce advised that the new central library and
Youth & Seniors Centre will have space that is
dedicated to some programs within this area.
Action -Examine the opportunity to leverage
cultural festivals to define a strong cultural brand for
Pickering and increase its reputation as a significant
cultural destination.
T. Ryce advised that staff have been discussing the
need for an event strategy. This will be reviewed in
the work plan this year.
Comments/Recommendations:
The strategy should demonstrate how we
appreciate the original stewards of the land.
Part of the strategy should demonstrate
green, cultural and sustainable event
guidelines.
Tie the event strategy with the event strategy
to reach an audience outside of Pickering.
Partner with cultural group associations to
broadcast cultural event details to their
locations abroad in an effort to invite people
into our community.
There’s an opportunity to transform events to
include an online component to attract
people globally and those who may not be
able to attend in person. This will also add
T. Ryce to request that
library staff attend a future
meeting to discuss their
strategic plan.
T. Ryce to come back with
an outline of the event
strategy next year.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
value for sponsorship opportunities. Ex.
Summer Concert Series.
Action -Integrate cultural and economic planning
related to growing the creative economy and
increasing the number of creative cultural industries
in Pickering.
Comments/Recommendations:
Consider pop up spaces for businesses that
aren’t looking for long term spaces, which
includes weekly advertising opportunities,
and can be attended through drive by or walk
through channels.
Action -Develop strategies to highlight and
celebrate Pickering’s heritage properties that
include additional or improved signage to identify
arts, cultural, and heritage designations and public
properties.
Comments/Recommendations:
The Pickering Historical Society and library
have an extensive database of historical
pictures.
There are heritage buildings all over
Pickering however some buildings have
never been declared a heritage site; notably
the birth place of Tom Thompson.
J. Sabean brought forward a concern regarding the
proposal to move Post Manor, noting that it
shouldn’t be moved, as it’s been declared a heritage
property and a landmark within Pickering.
Discussion ensued regarding the development of a
physical cultural map, which would include historical
properties and locations that exist/existed within
Pickering.
T. Ryce advised the cultural map will be developed
through a two phased approach and will be placed
on the open data portal. The information received
will be community led, which will be monitored for
T. Ryce to meet with staff
teams to see who will take
on what piece of work
through the action plan.
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Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action Items/Status
(include deadline as
appropriate)
appropriateness but not verified. The potential
exists to hire someone to verify that the information
is factual in nature.
Action -Work closely with the school system to
increase understanding of and appreciation for the
importance of local culture and heritage among youth.
Comments/Recommendations:
Has to be more engaging then simply
presentations.
Has to be more interactive so it’s engaging.
Add in a competition to the educational
component such as a TikTok challenge that
relates to the history of Pickering.
Build on the success of past projects with the
school system such as Creative Expressions.
Partner with the board of education, present
online, help with the educational materials,
develop modules and develop curriculum
resources.
6. Other Business
T. Ryce advised that she will be submitting the
delegation requests for each of the sub-committee
delegates that will be appearing at the Council
meeting on Tuesday, May 25th .
T. Ryce noted that the Clerks Department is
reviewing the request to have all members of the
CAC act as voting members.
No other business was conducted resulting in the
adjournment of the meeting at 8:32 pm.
T. Ryce to provide a copy of
what will be submitted to
Council in advance of the
delegations.
Meeting Adjourned: 8:32 pm
Copy: (Acting) Director, Community Services
City Clerk
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