HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 21, 2025
Cultural Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes
Main Committee Room
October 21, 2025 - 07:00 PM
Present:
S. Barillaro - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
D. Davis - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
Z. Kazi - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
M. McFarland - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
A. Palmer - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
S. Ramoutar - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
K. Roberts - Manager, Cultural Service
C. Farrell - Supervisor, Cultural Services
V. Karakian - Supervisor, Museum Services
E. Tayles - Curator, Museum
J. St. Amant - Coordinator, Cultural Services (Staff Liaison)
J. Currie - Legislative Coordinator (Recording Secretary)
Regrets:
M. Nagy - City Councillor, Ward 2
S. Almeida - Schroen, Cultural Advisory Committee
J. Baricuatro - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
J. Dushanthi - Cultural Advisory Committee Member
Review and Approval of Agenda
Moved By M. McFarland
That the October 21, 2025 Cultural Advisory Committee Agenda be approved.
Carried
Disclosure of Interest
No disclosures of interest were noted.
Approval of Minutes
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September 16, 2025, Meeting Minutes
Moved By M. McFarland
That the Minutes of the September 16, 2025, Meeting of the Cultural Advisory
Committee be approved.
Carried
Delegations/Presentations
There were no delegations.
New Business
Pickering Museum Village - Update
E. Tayles, Curator, Museum
E. Tayles, Curator, Museum provided a brief update regarding the Museum
Strategic Plan and Rebranding, the University of Toronto Partnership, the
Greenwood exhibit, the Ernie Coombs is Mr. Dressup exhibit, and the STEAM
exhibit, A Taste of Science, being held at the Dorsay Community and Heritage
Centre.
A brief discussion ensued between Committee Members and staff regarding the
various ways to interact with the STEAM exhibit.
Public Art - Winter Nights, City Lights Public Art - for endorsement
C. Farrell, Supervisor, Cultural Services
C. Farrell, Supervisor, Cultural Services provided a brief overview of the Winter
Nights, City Lights Public Art Project. C. Farrell provided that, in alignment with the
Public Art Policy (CUL130), section 10.01 – Purchase or Commission of Public Art,
the City may engage an artist through Direct Invitation/Commission or Purchase
(Single/Sole-Source), allowing for the selection of a single artist to complete a
Public Art project. C. Farrell identified Leigh Simpson-Ahwanaquot, Serpent River
First Nation as the selected Artist and they would create the work titled Aambe
Giigidodaa Debwewim (Let Us Speak the Truth).
Discussion ensued among Committee Members and staff regarding:
how long the Art piece would be displayed;•
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what would happen to the piece once the Winter Nights, City Lights Program
concluded and that the Art piece would remain the property of the Artist; and,
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where the Art piece would be displayed.•
Moved By S. Ramoutar
That the Cultural Advisory Committee endorses the awarding of the Winter Nights,
City Lights Public Art project to Leigh Simpson-Ahwanaquot.
Carried
Public Art - Winter Window Painting - for information
C. Farrell, Supervisor, Cultural Services
C. Farrell, Supervisor, Cultural Services provided a brief overview of the Winter
Window Painting opportunity and noted that the City of Pickering was inviting local
artists to apply to paint the main windows at City Hall and Chestnut Hill
Developments Recreation Complex.
C. Farrell solicited Committee Members to volunteer to participate in the Public Art
Jury.
Cultural Plan - Update
K. Roberts, Manager, Cultural Services
With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, K. Roberts, Manager, Cultural Services,
spoke to the Cultural Strategic Plan, the Museum Strategic Plan, and the Public Art
Plan. K. Roberts provided a project overview highlighting a four-phase development
timeline, community engagement opportunities, and upcoming plans.
K. Roberts to provide Committee Members with the Community Questionnaire for
their review and input prior to public circulation.
K. Roberts solicited Committee Members to complete the Community Questionnaire
that would be available on letstalkpickering.ca/culturalsp on October 30, 2025 -
November 30, 2025 and to encourage community participation regarding the
various community engagement opportunities, emphasizing the Community
Questionnaire.
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2026 Cultural Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule - for endorsement
J. St. Amant, Coordinator, Cultural Services
J. St. Amant, Coordinator, Cultural Services presented a draft schedule for the 2026
Cultural Advisory Committee Meetings, noting that June 16, 2026 would be the final
scheduled meeting, and that 2026 would be an election year and that the final
Meeting of Council would be held on September 21, 2026. J. St. Amant provided
that the Committee may vote to hold an additional meeting prior to the final Council
Meeting should it be required.
Moved By M. McFarland
That the Cultural Advisory Committee approve the 2026 Meeting Schedule:
January 20, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
February 17, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
March 17, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
April 21, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
May 19, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
June 16, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
Carried
Pickering Arts Culture Engagement (PACE) subcommittee - Update
M. McFarland, Cultural Advisory Committee
M. McFarland provided that PACEs objective was to expand cultural inclusion and
noted that nine (9) surveys were collected at the Cultural Fusion Festival and would
require further review, and that responses were overall positive and comments
made noted interest in seeing vendors, food stalls, and performances related to
cultural programming. M. McFarland provided that early planning was a priority.
Discussion ensued among Committee Members regarding incorporating the PACE
survey questions and comment in the Community Questionnaire noted in the Item
5.4 Cultural Strategic Plan presentation and whether the survey would be available
in multiple languages.
Occasion of Significance Display – for endorsement
J. St. Amant, Coordinator, Cultural Services
J. St. Amant, Coordinator, Cultural Services provided a brief summary of the intent
of providing display space for occasions of significance at Chestnut Hill
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Developments Recreation Complex from November 1st to January 31st. They
spoke to a new display request for an Occasion of Significance received by the City
regarding World Religion Day.
A brief question and answer period ensued among Committee Members and staff
regarding:
where the World Religion Day poster would be displayed;•
whether there were alternate posters; and,•
whether context and information was provided regarding the symbols found
on the poster.
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Moved By M. McFarland
That the Cultural Advisory Committee endorses the new Occasion of Significance
display poster recognizing World Religion Day.
Carried
Other Business
There was no other business.
Correspondence
There was no correspondence.
Next Meeting
November 18, 2025
Adjournment
Moved By D. Thompson
That the meeting be adjourned.
Carried
The meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
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