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Home My WebLink AboutCS 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.