HomeMy WebLinkAboutCS 06-23
Report to Council
Report Number: CS 06-23
Date: March 27, 2023
From: Sarah Douglas-Murray
Director, Community Services
Subject: Millennium Square Events
-File: A-1440-001
Recommendation:
1. That Report CS 06-23, regarding Millennium Square Events, be received for information;
2. That staff be directed to implement the Fall Fling event as outlined in this report and
that the Director, Finance & Treasurer be authorized to include the gross cost of Fall
Fling in the amount of $17,600 in the 2023 Current Budget;
3. That staff be directed to implement the Winter Wonderland event as outlined in this report
and that the Director, Finance & Treasurer be authorized to include the gross cost of
Winter Wonderland in the amount $45,200 in the 2023 Current Budget; and
4. That the appropriate City officials be authorized to take the necessary actions as
indicated in this report.
Executive Summary: At the Executive Committee Meeting on January 9, Council directed
staff, through the Office of the CAO, to bring forward a substantive report on a plan to
implement a winter festival at Millennium Square, in collaboration with local businesses in the
Pickering Nautical Village to ensure their ideas and visions were represented, and to report
back to Council prior to the 2023 Budget Meeting.
Accordingly, staff conducted community consultation and engagement with local businesses in
the Pickering Nautical Village and are proposing two new events for Council consideration: Fall
Fling and Winter Wonderland.
Fall Fling would take place on Saturday, October 21 and Saturday, October 28, 2023 and
include performances, a vendors market, wagon rides, movie night, pumpkin displays and
painting, along with Halloween themed activities.
Winter Wonderland would take place on Saturday, December 2 and Saturday, December 9,
2023 and include a vendors market, ice carving and sculptures on display, light sculpture, fire
pits with s’mores, wagon rides, and roaming characters. The event will activate Millennium
Square and will feature a large illuminated holiday display purchased by the City and displayed
for the winter season.
CS 06-23 March 27, 2023
Subject: Millennium Square Events Page 2
Financial Implications: The anticipated gross cost for the City of Pickering to take the lead
on the proposed events: Fall Fling and Winter Wonderland at Millennium Square in 2023 is
$62,800.
Proposed Draft Budget Fall Fling
October 21 & 28, 2023
Expenses:
Lead event Staff: Coordinator, Community Events (Part Time, Term) $5,000
Support event Staff: Community Event Leaders (Part Time, Term) 650
Overtime: Parks (for both dates) 1,200
Wagon Rides (2 dates) 3,000
Band or performer (2 events @$750 each) 1,500
Fall themed display/ photo stop (hay bales, pumpkins, fall mums) 750
Fall themed supplies (pumpkins, paint, Halloween treats) 1,000
Prizes (for best costume, scavenger hunt, best painted pumpkin,
etc.) 500
Event materials (tents, tables cloths, a-frames) 1,500
Optional: Movie Night @$3,500
Marketing and Signage 2,500
Total Projected Cost for 2023 $17,600
Proposed Draft Budget Winter Wonderland
December 2 & 9, 2023
Expenses:
Lead event Staff: Coordinator, Community Events (Part Time, Term) $ 5,000
Support event Staff: Community Event Leaders (Part Time, Term) 650
Overtime: Parks (for both dates) 1,200
Wagon Rides (2 dates) 3,000
Band or performer (2 events @$750 each) 1,500
Ice Carver 3,000
Prizes (for scavenger hunt / bingo etc.) 500
Roaming Characters 1,500
Fire Pits (pit, propane, s'more kit) 1,500
Portable washrooms 1,100
Marketing and Signage 1,250
Event Subtotal $20,200
Feature Holiday Light Sculpture Display to stay all season (one-time
cost) $25,000
Total Projected Cost for 2023 $45,200
The above two events would be excellent candidates to be considered as being funded from
the Municipal Accommodation Tax.
CS 06-23 March 27, 2023
Subject: Millennium Square Events Page 3
Discussion: Millennium Square is a large public square adjacent to Beachfront Park in
Pickering’s Nautical Village. Millennium Square is also a dynamic feature along Pickering’s
Waterfront Trail that features seasonal washrooms, public seating, and Lake Ontario views.
Millennium Square, which is home to the City’s summer concert series, has a maximum
capacity of 1,100 people. In 2022, attendance at Summer Concerts at Millennium Square was
over 3,000.
Millennium Square has current limitations which affect the scope of events offered.
• Public consultation for Beachfront Park was completed in 2021. Construction of the
East side of Millennium Square is expected to commence in 2024. Due to planned
construction, there is some anticipated disruption on the Waterfront Trail, reducing
access along the beachfront from Millennium Square to access points further East in
Alex Robertson Park. Both planned construction, and the current beachfront
infrastructure, limits the scale of event that can be offered at Millennium Square as
points of entry and egress are limited, and current capacity of the Millennium Square
event space is 1,100 people.
• Public parking is limited. Due to very high usage of the waterfront in 2022, the City of
Pickering launched paid permit parking at all City waterfront parking lots, prohibited
parking on one side of waterfront area streets and introduced on-street permit parking
for the opposite side of waterfront area streets. Waterfront permit parking is in effect
from May 1st to October 1st annually.
Consultation with Nautical Village Businesses:
Following direction from Council, staff conducted consultation with the businesses in the
Nautical Village on a plan to implement a winter festival at Millennium Square. On Tuesday,
February 7th, Staff completed an in-person postcard drop to 27 businesses with a survey link
and information about the Open House on February 14th. A follow-up email was sent to 35
businesses on Thursday, February 9th with a link to complete a survey, and information about
the Open House on February 14th. On February 14, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, staff facilitated
an Open House focus group at the Open Art Studio Café in the Nautical Village. The City
collected 11 surveys and 5 business owners participated in the in-person Open House focus
group.
Nautical Village businesses provided the following input in relation to a plan to implement a
winter festival at Nautical Village:
• There is interest and support in the City facilitating a variety of events at Millennium
Square including artisan and farmer’s markets, changing seasonal displays, small
concerts, and activations like a horse drawn carriage or roaming entertainers.
• There was interest for events to be offered throughout the shoulder season, October 2 –
April 30, which is outside the paid parking schedule. Businesses were interested in
several events spaced throughout this shoulder season, not a single festival.
CS 06-23 March 27, 2023
Subject: Millennium Square Events Page 4
• Businesses identified several limitations to larger events including the planned
construction of Beachfront Park East, and limited parking and no winter maintenance to
this area.
Based on feedback, the following events are recommended by staff for the 2023 year:
1. Fall Fling
2. Winter Wonderland
Proposed Event Details/Description
1. Fall Fling is proposed on Saturday, October 21 and Saturday, October 28, 2023 with
activations taking place from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm. This event will activate Millennium
Square, encouraging visitors to the area to explore the Nautical Village. Nautical Village
businesses are encouraged to offer storefront activations, while in the Square activities
may include: live performances (buskers and/or live music), a vendors market, wagon
rides, movie night, pumpkin displays and painting, along with Halloween themed
activities. Nautical Village Businesses will be encouraged to participate in the following
ways: offer storefront activations, displays, participate in a scavenger hunt or bingo card
with items to find within their stores, trick-or-treating, and costume parade.
Subject to Council’s approval, the budgeted funds will be included in the General
Government Section of the 2023 budget.
2. Winter Wonderland is proposed on Saturday, December 2 and Saturday, December 9,
2023, with activations taking place from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm. This event will activate
Millennium Square, encouraging visitors to the area to engage in the Nautical Village.
Nautical Village businesses are encouraged to decorate their storefronts, while in the
Square activities may include: vendors market, ice carving and sculptures on display,
light sculpture, fire pits with s’mores, wagon rides, roaming characters (Santa, Frozen
characters, etc.). This event will be anchored by a large illuminated holiday display that
would be purchased by the City and displayed for the winter season and reused in
future years. Nautical Village Businesses will be encouraged to participate in the
following ways: offer storefront activations, displays, participate in a scavenger hunt or
bingo card with items to find within their stores, community contest (i.e. community
votes on best decorated).
Subject to Council’s approval, the budgeted funds will be included in the General Government
Section of the budget.
Attachments:
1. Consultation Survey Responses
2. Sample Consultation materials
CS 06-23
Subject: Millennium Square Events
March 27, 2023
Page 5
Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By:
Original Signed By
Laura Gibbs
Division Head, Culture & Community Programming
Original Signed By
Original Signed By
Sarah Douglas-Murray
Director, Community Services
Original Signed By
Krystal Roberts
(Acting) Supervisor, Cultural Services
Stan Karwowski
Director, Finance & Treasurer
SDM:lg
Recommended for the consideration
of Pickering City Council
Original Signed By
Marisa Carpino, M.A.
Chief Administrative Officer
Attachment 1 to Report CS 06-23
!
!
,
,
!
567/8 "
59 7&8 #
1
5:
7&8
,
;
,
,
.
/
!
!
<
/ "
"=
,>>
?
,,
."
%
"
:
1
%
#%
,
76,
*&7&
,
@,
"
=1 A7@
,
!
&
/
7=&
1?
&
$2
/
*
! "#$ #%&'(
:,
! ! "4$ #%&'(
:
?
7= 5
8
B
,
! ! " $-%&'(
=
C
:/,C,
D(
EEF
. ! "-$#%&'(
=
&(,
B
. ! "#$#-%&'(
,, ,
."
Attachment 2 to Report CS 06-23
Sample Consultation Materials
1. Postcard delivered to businesses
Sample Consultation Materials
2. Image Boards displayed at in-person consultation.