STAFF REPORT

January 4, 2000

To: Chair and Members of the Scarborough Community Council

From The Classical Chinese Garden Fundraising Committee

Subject: Committee Progress Report

Purpose:

The first progress report of the Committee, as directed by Community Council.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

None, at this time.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that Community Council recommend to City Council that:

(1) Councillor Soknacki be appointed a member of the Fundraising Committee;

(2) the membership of the Committee be expanded to include a member of City Council from another community; and

(3) conditional on funds being raised by the Fundraising Committee, City Council approve, in principle, a matching contribution to the capital cost of the project.

Background:

At its February meeting, City Council adopted Clause 10 of Report 1 of the Scarborough Community Council. This clause established the membership of a joint City/Chinese Cultural Centre Fundraising Committee for the Classical Chinese Garden. Councillors Berardinetti, Shaw, Cho and Faubert were chosen to represent the City. The clause also required that the Committee submit a progress report to Community Council every six months. This is the first such report. In it the Committee is reporting activity in the following areas:

(1) Membership

The Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto has been represented at Committee meetings by the following: Dr. Ming-Tat Cheung, Mr. Brian Chu and Mr. Harry Chan. Staff support has been provided by Robert Stephens of Urban Planning & Development Services and by Judy Morgan and Todd Davidson of Economic Development, Culture & Tourism.

The late Councillor Faubert was unable to attend any meetings due to illness. His untimely death was a sad loss to the Fundraising Committee. On September 28, 1999, City Council appointed Councillor Soknacki to serve on the Committee until November 30, 1999. Councillor Soknacki has expressed a willingness to continue serving as a member of the Fundraising Committee.

Committee also believes that a Council member from another community would be a desirable addition, given the regional significance of the Garden.

(2) Fundraising

Wide ranging discussions have taken place regarding a strategy to solicit donations from the private sector, from the public and from other levels of government. Approximately $6.5 million will be required to produce the first phase of the Garden. At final build-out, the total could reach $13 million. There is a total of $20,034.37 remaining in the Garden's start-up fund. There is also an outstanding direction from the former Scarborough Council to spend up to $20,000 on promotional material for the Garden.

The CCC and the former City of Toronto have had experience in large scale fundraising of the type required for the Garden. The Committee has concluded, however, that any major fundraising for a City facility will be extremely difficult without a substantial financial commitment on the part of the City. Committee is recommending that the City of Toronto commit to matching the first $3.25 million of money raised by the Fundraising Committee for this project. If approved, the Commissioner of Economic Development Culture and Tourism will make provision for a 50 percent contribution in the Department's Capital Budget submission. It is anticipated that fundraising would take from twelve to eighteen months. The City's contribution would, therefore, be budgeted over the years 2001 and 2002.

At its meeting on December 9, 1999, the Budget Advisory Committee considered the Capital Budget. The Committee passed a motion requiring that staff report back with further information on fundraising for the Garden and also on the "kind of support which is needed from the City for the Classical Chinese Garden project". This supplementary report will be considered by the Budget Advisory Committee on January 14, 2000.

Contact:

Robert Stephens

Scarborough Civic Centre

Telephone: (416) 396-7027

Fax: (416) 396-4265

E-mail: stephens@toronto.ca

Lorenzo Berardinetti Dr. Ming-Tat Cheung

Councillor Ward 15 Chairman

Scarborough City Centre Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

Sherene Shaw Brian Chu

Councillor Ward 17 Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

Scarborough Agincourt

Raymond Cho Harry Chan

Councillor Ward 18 Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

Scarborough Malvern