The Park Board meeting agenda for Monday, May 25th 2015 includes a report on a proposed public art installation for Empire Fields in Hastings Park. At an estimated $450,000 cost, the “Home and Away” piece would contain seating for 150 people. The concept by Lead Pencil Studio has been in the works since 2011 and the artwork was reviewed by the Public Art Committee in June 2012 and June 2014. If approved, the funds would be provided via the Capital Plan. Completion is estimated for late 2015 or early 2016. A fair deal of staff time and consultation has already been spent on this project.
Perhaps the most important item of business is a proposal to allow for members of the public to speak to agenda items brought forward to Park Board as motions on notice. The suggested change by Commissioner Mackinnon would see motions on notice with requests to speak be referred to Committee, as done by City Council, so that comments from the public can be heard by Park Board. This practice was allowed until at least 2011.
Other items on the agenda include changes proposed in the lease arrangement for the Stanley Park Teahouse and for the Seasons in the Park restaurants. There’s a Poetry in Parks motion on notice to work in collaboration with the Vancouver Public Library on a pilot project. A report on a Tom Cone Memorial public art installation for Jericho Beach Park will be reviewed. A piece designed by local artist Alan Storey includes a bench and a sculpture that bisects a berm. In contrast to the artwork proposed for Empire Fields, a donor would provide the funds for the Tom Cone memorial.
It’s an understatement to say that public art exhibits have been known to be controversial. The temporary piece Kawamata: Toronto Project 1989 was quite contentious for the time and provoked a fair deal of discussion (by Tadashi Kawamata: link 1, link 2, link 3 ). Marshall McLuhan once quipped, “Art is anything you can get away with.”
The full agenda for the May 25, 2015 meeting is reproduced below:
NOTICE OF MEETING
BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION
PARK BOARD COMMITTEE MEETING
AGENDA
Date: |
Monday, May 25, 2015 |
Time: |
7:00 pm |
Place: |
Park Board – Boardroom
|
PLEASE NOTE:
- For more information, or for speaker registration, please call the Park Board Meeting line at
604-257-8158, or email: pbmeetings@vancouver.ca. - To register online: http://vancouver.ca/your-government/park-board-meetings-and-decisions.aspx.
- The Agenda is available on the Park Board website at:
http://vancouver.ca/your-government/park-board-committee-meetings.aspx.
This information is updated in the week prior to the meeting. - Park Board meetings can be watched live online at: http://civic.neulion.com/vancouverparkboard/; videos are archived and available for on-demand viewing a few days after each meeting.
ROLL CALL
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
- Park Board Committee Meeting – May 11, 2015
MATTERS ADOPTED ON CONSENT
AGENDA ITEMS
- REPORT: Tom Cone Memorial – Public Art – Jericho Beach Park
- REPORT: “Home and Away” Public Art – Empire Fields
* * * * *
NOTICE
A Regular Board meeting will be convened immediately following the Park Board Committee meeting.
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
AGENDA
PLEASE NOTE: Regular Board meeting items are not available for speaker registration. To hear from delegations on a topic, the Board will refer the item to a future Committee meeting.
ROLL CALL
IN CAMERA
THAT the Board will go into a meeting on June 8, 2015, which is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 165.2(1) of the Vancouver Charter, to discuss matters related to paragraphs:
(a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the city or another position appointed by the City or Park Board;(g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the City or Park Board;(i) the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of an activity, work or facility that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the Board, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the City and Park Board if they were held in public.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
- Regular Board Meeting – May 11, 2015
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Report of the Park Board Committee – Monday, May 25, 2015
Approval of recommendations and actions.
STAFF REPORTS
GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MOTIONS
MOTION ON NOTICE
1. Poetry in Parks
MOVER: Commissioner Evans
SECONDER: Commissioner
2. Motions with Requests to Speak
MOVER: Commissioner Mackinnon
SECONDER: Commissioner Wiebe
NOTICE OF MOTIONS
NEW BUSINESS
ENQUIRIES
* * * * *
NEXT MEETING: Monday, June 8, 2015 at 7:00 pm at the Park Board office.
CityHallWatch: Tools to engage in Vancouver city decisions 
I oppose this action do not like Art or Artist too busy smoking pot!