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6. CANCER SURVIVORS PARK PARC DES SURVIVANTS DU CANCER |
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. Approve, in principle, the development of a Cancer Survivors Park at 1480 Alta Vista Drive, a City-owned property bounded by Riverside Drive, Industrial Avenue and Alta Vista Drive.
2. Express its appreciation to the R. A. Bloch Cancer Foundation for its charitable donation of $1 million for the development of a Cancer Survivors Park in Ottawa.
3. Approve the general framework outlined in this report for a partnership agreement between the City and a newly incorporated “Cancer Survivors Park Foundation” and that the Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services and the Foundation report back on the details of that agreement.
4. Acknowledge the Cancer Survivors Park Foundation as the agent for the development of Cancer Survivors Park and responsible for project management and fundraising for the construction, maintenance, operation and life cycle investment of the park.
5. Approve a loan of up to $1,000,000, repayable within four (4) years of the date of park dedication, to the Cancer Survivors Park Foundation to secure the charitable donation from the R.A. Bloch Foundation, and that the details of the loan agreement are to be included in the report by the Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services and the Foundation on the Partnership Agreement.
RECOMMENDATIONS
DU COMITÉ
Que le Conseil municipal :
1. Donne son accord de principe à
l’aménagement d’un Parc des survivants du cancer au 1480, promenade Alta Vista,
propriété municipale bornée par la promenade Riverside, l’avenue Industrial et
la promenade Alta Vista.
2. Exprime
ses remerciements à la R. A. Bloch Cancer Foundation pour son don de
bienfaisance de 1 million de dollars
pour la création d’un Parc des survivants du cancer à Ottawa.
3. Approuve
le cadre général exposé dans le rapport, qui prévoit un accord de partenariat
entre la Ville et une Fondation du Parc des survivants du cancer nouvellement
constituée en personne morale et que le Directeur municipal adjoint, Services
communautaires et de protection, et la Fondation fassent rapport sur le contenu
de cet accord.
4. Reconnaître
la Fondation du Parc des survivants du cancer comme agent de l’aménagement du
Parc des survivants du cancer, chargé de gérer le projet et d’amasser des fonds
pour la construction, l’entretien, l’exploitation et l’investissement au long
du cycle vie du parc.
5. Approuve
l’octroi d’un prêt maximal de 1 000 000 $, remboursable dans un délai
de quatre (4) ans de la date de création du parc, à la Fondation du Parc des
survivants du cancer, pour garantir le don de bienfaisance de la R.A. Bloch
Foundation, et que les détails de l’accord de prêt soient inclus au rapport sur
l’accord de partenariat produit par le Directeur municipal adjoint, Services
communautaires et de protection, et la Fondation.
DOCUMENTATION
1.
Community
and Protective Service, Deputy City Manager’s report dated
19 September 2006 (ACS2006-CPS-PAR-0012).
Report
to/Rapport au:
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels
et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
19 September 2006 / le 19
septembre 2006
Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City
Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint,
Community and Protective
Services/Services communautaires et de protection
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Aaron Burry, Director
Parks and Recreation/Parcs et Loisir
(613) 580-2424 x23666, Aaron.Burry@ottawa.ca
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OBJET : |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That
the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend that
Council
1. Approve, in principle, the development of a Cancer Survivors Park at 1480 Alta Vista Drive, a City-owned property bounded by Riverside Drive, Industrial Avenue and Alta Vista Drive.
2. Express its appreciation to the R. A. Bloch Cancer Foundation for its charitable donation of $1 million for the development of a Cancer Survivors Park in Ottawa.
3. Approve the general framework outlined in this report for a partnership agreement between the City and a newly incorporated “Cancer Survivors Park Foundation” and that the Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services and the Foundation report back on the details of that agreement.
4. Acknowledge the Cancer Survivors Park Foundation as the agent for the development of Cancer Survivors Park and responsible for project management and fundraising for the construction, maintenance, operation and life cycle investment of the park.
5. Approve a loan of up to $1,000,000, repayable within four (4) years of the date of park dedication, to the Cancer Survivors Park Foundation to secure the charitable donation from the R.A. Bloch Foundation, and that the details of the loan agreement are to be included in the report by the Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services and the Foundation on the Partnership Agreement.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services
organisationnels et du développement économique recommande au Conseil :
1. De donner son accord
de principe à l’aménagement d’un Parc des survivants du cancer au 1480,
promenade Alta Vista, propriété municipale bornée par la promenade Riverside,
l’avenue Industrial et la promenade Alta Vista.
2.
D’exprimer ses remerciements à la R. A. Bloch Cancer Foundation pour son don de
bienfaisance de 1 million de dollars
pour la création d’un Parc des survivants du cancer à Ottawa.
3. D’approuver le cadre général exposé dans le
rapport, qui prévoit un accord de partenariat entre la Ville et une Fondation
du Parc des survivants du cancer nouvellement constituée en personne morale et
que le Directeur municipal adjoint, Services communautaires et de protection,
et la Fondation fassent rapport sur le contenu de cet accord.
4.
De reconnaître la Fondation du Parc des survivants du cancer comme agent de
l’aménagement du Parc des survivants du cancer, chargé de gérer le projet et
d’amasser des fonds pour la construction, l’entretien, l’exploitation et
l’investissement au long du cycle vie du parc.
5.
D’approuver l’octroi d’un prêt maximal de 1 000 000 $, remboursable
dans un délai de quatre (4) ans de la date de création du parc, à la Fondation
du Parc des survivants du cancer, pour garantir le don de bienfaisance de la
R.A. Bloch Foundation, et que les détails de l’accord de prêt soient inclus au
rapport sur l’accord de partenariat produit par le Directeur municipal adjoint,
Services communautaires et de protection, et la Fondation.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On August 7, 2006, an Ottawa community project team received official notification from the US based R. A. Bloch Foundation that they would gift $1,000,000 in cash, sculptures and plaques to a site in the City of Ottawa for the development of a Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Park. In consultation with City staff, the project team had prepared a concept plan for a Cancer Survivors Park on a City-owned open space property at 1480 Alta Vista Drive. While not a dedicated City park, the site is considered part of the City’s Greenway System and the proposal would be a permitted use under the L2 zoning for the property.
The report requests approval in principle for a partnership framework between the City and a proposed local foundation to develop the park. The framework would see an “Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation” incorporated to assume the lead and responsibility for all aspects of project and facility management: planning, financing, design, construction, maintenance, operations and lifecycle investment. The City of Ottawa would lease the site to the local Foundation for a $1/year in perpetuity and provide project support with a $1,000,000 capital loan (to be repaid within four years of the date of park dedication), basic park maintenance and remote site security monitoring.
Upon approval of the report recommendations, the partnership framework and associated leasing and loan agreements will be prepared by the “Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation”, once incorporated, in consultation with City staff. A second report, detailing the partnership framework and agreements, will be brought forward to City Council for approval in early 2007.
RÉSUMÉ
Le 7 août 2006, une équipe de projet
communautaire d’Ottawa a reçu un avis officiel de la R. A. Bloch Foundation
indiquant que cet organisme américain ferait un don d’argent liquide, de
sculptures et de plaques d’une valeur de 1 000 000 $ pour la
construction d’un Parc Richard et Annette Bloch pour les survivants du cancer.
En collaboration avec le personnel de la Ville, l’équipe de projet a élaboré un
plan d’aménagement d’un Parc des survivants du cancer sur un terrain vague
appartenant à la Ville, au 1480, promenade Alta Vista. Bien qu’il ne s’agisse
pas d’un parc municipal proprement dit, l’endroit est considéré comme partie
intégrante du Couloir de verdure de la Ville. Le projet constituerait une
utilisation permise en vertu du zonage L2 de cette propriété.
Le rapport demande que soit approuvé en
principe l’établissement d’un cadre de partenariat entre la Ville et une
fondation locale, qui serait constituée en personne morale et chargée
d’aménager le parc. Le cadre prévoit qu’une Fondation du Parc des survivants du
cancer d’Ottawa assumera la direction et la responsabilité de tous les aspects
du projet et de la gestion des installations : planification, financement,
conception, construction, entretien, exploitation et investissement au long du
cycle de vie. La Ville d’Ottawa louerait l’emplacement à la Fondation pour
1 $ par année à perpétuité et soutiendrait le projet en accordant un prêt
de capital de 1 000 000 $ (remboursable dans un délai de quatre ans
de la date de création du parc), en assurant l’entretien de base du parc et en
fournissant des services de surveillance de sécurité du parc.
Sous réserve de l’approbation des
recommandations du rapport, la cadre de partenariat et les accords de bail et
de prêt qui s’y rapportent seront élaborés par la Fondation du Parc des
survivants du cancer, une fois sa constitution en personne morale en
collaboration avec le personnel de la Ville. Un second rapport exposant les
détails du cadre de partenariat et les accords sera soumis à l’approbation du
Conseil municipal au début de 2007.
BACKGROUND
R. A. Bloch Cancer Foundation
In March 1978, Richard Bloch, of the tax preparation firm H&R Block, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Told that he only had 90 days to live, he vowed that if he survived, he would devote the rest of his life helping others with cancer. After a second opinion, Richard Bloch had surgery that saw the removal of his right lung, two ribs and part of a third rib.
In 1980, Richard and his wife Annette began the R. A. Bloch Cancer Foundation to help others with cancer and they administered it together until 2004 when Richard passed away from heart failure; his wife Annette continues to administer the foundation. The foundation offers a number of services including a toll-free hot line for cancer patients, help for patients to get second opinions, an internet website to provide information to families and the medical community and a Physicians Data Query with the National Cancer Institute which informs doctors about the latest treatments. Finally, the Bloch foundation is committed to promoting the belief that cancer should be equated with survival and not death so that when people receive a diagnosis of cancer they have the will and attitude to fight. As a result, the foundation supports “cancer survivors parks” which are typically two-acre sculpture gardens with signs displaying inspirational messages about cancer that are intended to help people fight the disease. There are over 22 such parks in existence today in North America, in cities such as New Orleans, Dallas, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Chicago. On May 30, 2006, Mississauga, Ontario opened the first Cancer Survivors Park in Canada through a gift from the Bloch Cancer Foundation.
Ottawa Proposal
In 2002, Charles Merovitz, an Ottawa lawyer, was travelling in Palms Springs, California when he discovered a Cancer Survivors Park and was intrigued by the connection of “survivor” with cancer. Upon his return to Ottawa, he contacted the R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation to inquire about their willingness to sponsor a park in Ottawa and he was advised that they would be interested provided the proposed location was in a “high traffic area” of the city. With an affirmative response from the Bloch family, he contacted local area professionals with a connection to cancer and expertise in this type of development to form a project team (Document 1) to bring a Cancer Survivors Park to Ottawa. The team then approached the Mayor to solicit his support for the endeavour.
Over the last 4 years, the group has met many times in an effort to develop a proposal for a park in Ottawa that would be submitted to the Bloch Cancer Foundation for consideration. An initial design concept was presented in December 2005, but the plans were turned down by the foundation due to the lack of “wow factor”. Revised plans were resubmitted to the Bloch Foundation in June 2006 and on August 7, 2006 official notification from the foundation was received that they would gift $1,000,000 in cash, sculptures and plaques to a site in the City of Ottawa for the development of a Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Park. Included in the $1 million gift would be a trust fund to cover the cost of ongoing maintenance, operations and life cycle investment of the park and its components.
DISCUSSION
Proposed Site
Mr. Merovitz and the project team
have identified a 1.38 ha City-owned property located at 1480 Alta Vista Drive
as the proposed site for the Cancer Survivors Park (Document 2). This open
space site is bounded by Riverside Drive, Industrial Avenue and Alta Vista
Drive and overlooks the busy Riverside/Industrial intersection across from the
main Canada Post Terminal. There is a paved pedestrian pathway running
NW to SE through the site from the corner of Riverside & Industrial,
linking Hurdman Transit Station to the Alta Vista community.
The City acquired the property from the NCC in
2004 as part of a land exchange, subject to a restrictive covenant stating that
it “not to be used for any purpose other than parkland or open space.” The concept plan for Cancer Survivors Park
is consistent with this covenant and a copy of the plan has been forwarded to
the NCC for written confirmation. While not a dedicated City park, the site is
considered part of the City’s Greenway System and zoned L2, a Leisure
Linkage Zone that typically allows leisure uses, recreational uses
and certain municipal infrastructure uses.
Parks, botanical gardens, recreational and athletic facilities are
permitted uses in L2 zones.
The proposed site meets the Bloch Foundation
criteria for locating a Cancer Survivors Park in a “high traffic area”, as the
junction of Riverside and Industrial is one of the busiest vehicular
intersections in the City. While the
site is not considered a high pedestrian traffic area, the proposed park would
undoubtedly act as a strong pedestrian attractor. The great majority of the site is open green space, with
no significant vegetation to be disturbed.
Real Estate Services Division has advised that 1480 Alta Vista Drive has an estimated market value of $900,000. While there does not appear at this time to be any alternate City uses or plans for the subject property, RESD is currently fast tracking an internal property circulation to determine if there is any interest in using the subject property for other municipal purposes. The results of that circulation will be known prior to Committee and Council’s consideration of the recommendations of this report.
Design Concept
Attached to this report is the concept design for a Cancer Survivors Park (Document 3). This design was approved by the Bloch Cancer Foundation in August 2006 and proposes a main entrance at the corner of Riverside and Industrial, leading to three primary features common to all Cancer Survivors Parks: 1) a bronze sculpture titled “Cancer…there’s hope”, designed by the renowned Mexican sculptor, Victor Salmones, to be located at the entrance of the park; 2) a “Positive Mental Attitude Walk”, an area for people to stroll, meditate and read 14 inspirational or suggestive messages on fighting cancer, and; 3) a “Road to Recovery”, a walkway with a series of seven bronze plaques on cancer knowledge and education so that one can use all resources available to get well.
The design will use bold, colourful and high quality materials in a series of walkways, stonewalls, canopies, sculptures, plaques, site furniture, lighting and landscaping to create an urban park that celebrates and demonstrates that there is quality of life after cancer.
Capital Cost
The Bloch Foundation has agreed to fund the proposed Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park with a $1,000,000 donation. However the most recent cost estimate, based on the approved design, indicates that the project will cost $2,000,000 to construct, not including a trust fund for ongoing maintenance, operations and life cycle investment of the park. This represents a capital shortfall of $1,000,000 to complete the construction of the park.
Maintenance, Operations & Life Cycle Investment
As a high profile destination park, Cancer Survivors Park will require a premium level of grounds maintenance and operations, similar to what is provided to comparable federal sites and monuments in the National Capital Region. Currently, Surface Operations provides a basic level of maintenance to City parks, a level that would not be suitable to maintain the park to the required standard.
Over the long term, the park will also require adequate life cycle investment to repair, restore and replace landscape and structural elements as needed to maintain its high profile. Based on the capital cost estimate, Comprehensive Asset Management has estimated that Cancer Survivors Park will require a life cycle investment of $ 490,000 to generate sufficient annual revenues to ensure the long-term sustainability of the site.
Proposed Partnership Framework
The Cancer Survivors Park project represents a tremendous opportunity for Ottawa, providing inspiration for the universal struggle over cancer. Mr. Merovitz and his project team are to be commended for undertaking this noble endeavour and securing the funding from the Bloch Foundation for the benefit of the residents of Ottawa.
In order to build upon the momentum established by Mr. Merovitz and the project team, it is proposed that an “Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation” be incorporated to assume the lead and responsibility for all aspects of project and facility management: planning, financing, design, construction, maintenance, operations and lifecycle investment. As a partner, the City of Ottawa would lease the site to the local Foundation for a $1/year in perpetuity and provide support with financing, basic park maintenance and remote site security monitoring.
This partnership
framework would allow the project to proceed with a proposed summer 2007
construction schedule. The framework would
also reflect the strengths of the partners. The local Foundation would use its
good name and cause to raise the additional funds, in cash or in
materials/services in kind, to construct the park and establish the trust fund
for maintenance and life cycle investment.
As the “owner” of the park, the newly incorporated “Ottawa Cancer
Survivors Park Foundation” will have the incentive and flexibility to design,
construct and maintain the site to the highest standard.
The City would provide bridge financing to a maximum of $1,000,000 to cover the capital shortfall for construction of the park, enabling the project to move forward while fundraising progresses. The loan would be repaid within four years of the completion and commemoration of the park. Upon completion, the City would assume a basic level of maintenance for the park (grass cutting, litter pick up) and integrate the site in its corporate security monitoring system. The Foundation would contract out supplementary landscape maintenance services to ensure site upkeep is at an appropriate standard.
City Council approval in principal for the project and the general framework outlined in this report will ensure that the Bloch Foundation’s $1 million gift is secured for the residents of Ottawa. There are a number of other applicants vying for Bloch Foundation funds should a charitable donation agreement not be concluded with local partners in the coming months. Approval in principal for the project will enable the “Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation” to accept the funds and begin work towards the completion of the park in 2007. Bridge financing would enable the Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation to award contracts for construction and commission works of art for the project.
Upon approval of the recommendations contained in this report, the partnership framework and associated leasing and loan agreements will be prepared by the “Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation”, once incorporated, in consultation with Legal Services and City staff. A second report, detailing the partnership framework and agreements, will be brought forward to City Council for approval in early 2007.
CONSULTATION
The Alta Vista Ward Councillor has been consulted and participated in this project.
The partnership agreement will include a requirement for the Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation to undertake public consultation with the Alta Vista community during the final design stage of the project.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Financing and details of the loan agreement
will be addressed in the subsequent report from the Deputy City Manager,
Community and Protective Services and the Foundation on the Partnership
Agreement.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1: Cancer
Survivors Park Project Team
Document 2: Proposed
Site for Cancer Survivors Park in Ottawa
Document 3: Bloch
Foundation Approved Concept Plan for Cancer Survivors Park in Ottawa
DISPOSITION
Once incorporated, the Ottawa Cancer Survivors Park Foundation, with support from City staff, will prepare the required partnership agreements for consideration by City Council in a follow-up report in early 2007. This report will detail the proposed project framework and the respective financial and project management obligations to be assumed by the Foundation and the City in terms of capital construction and on-going operating costs.
Real Estate Services Division is currently fast tracking an internal property circulation to determine if there is any interest in using the subject property for other municipal purposes.
The results of that circulation will be known prior to Committee and Council’s consideration of the recommendations of this report.
Chuck
Merovitz
Kathleen
Grimes
Bob Sanscartier
Mayor Bob
Chiarelli
Gary Seveny
Steve Hyde
Councillor
Peter Hume
Steve
Sunderland
Document 2
Document 3
