Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: February 2, 2010

SUBJECT: Heritage Week 2010 Proclamation

February 14 to February 20, 2010

PREPARED BY: Regan Hutcheson, Manager, Heritage Planning, ext 2080

RECOMMENDATION:

That the week of February 14-20, 2010 be proclaimed as Heritage Week in the Town of Markham

That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution, including the community outreach measures outlined in the report.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial 5. Others (Strategic, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

To recommend that Council proclaim the week of February 14 to 20, 2010 as Heritage Week in Markham. Council permission is also requested for staff to implement steps as outlined in the report.

BACKGROUND:

February 14 to 20, 2010 is Ontario Heritage Week, a time during which municipalities across the province are invited by the Ministry of Culture/Ontario Heritage Trust to join in the celebration of Ontario’s rich and diverse heritage. Since 1974, the Heritage Canada Foundation has designated the third Monday in February (this year, Feb 15^th) as Canada’s Heritage Day. Ontario communities have taken up the challenge and chosen to celebrate our heritage for a full week.

For Heritage Day 2010, Canada’s Olympic year, the Heritage Canada Foundation is celebrating the Heritage of Sport and Recreation. The Foundation actually profiles Cedarena in Markham as a historic skating venue. See Appendix “A” for further information.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

As part of Heritage Week, staff will undertake the following:

a) An educational heritage display will be set up by the Heritage Section in the Great Hall for the period of Heritage Week 2010. The display table will allow the distribution of heritage related brochures including material from the Heritage Canada Foundation. The display will also be set up at the Markham Museum on Monday, February 15^th as part of the Museum’s Heritage Day celebration. This display will not only serve as part of the Town’s participation in the 2010 Heritage Week Celebration, but will also serve as another means of fulfilling, in part, the Commission’s objective of public outreach, information and education.

b) For the duration of the week, the Prince of Wales Prize Flag will be flown on the Town of Markham Flagpole in commemoration of Heritage Week. The Prince of Wales Prize flag is an award bestowed by the Heritage Canada Foundation and was presented to the Town by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. In 2000, the Town of Markham was the first ever recipient of the Prince of Wales Prize, for outstanding stewardship of the built heritage by the municipality. The flag to be flown is a duplicate of the original flag, presented to the Mayor and Council.

Heritage Markham has confirmed its support for the above actions.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE

Not applicable

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

The protection of cultural heritage resources helps achieve a quality community by ensuring the Town of Markham’s historical resources remain part of the fabric of the Town, strengthening the sense of community.

DEPARTMENTS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Not applicable.

RECOMMENDED BY:

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Director of Planning and Urban Design

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Commissioner of Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix ‘A’ Heritage Day 2010 - Information from Heritage Canada

Q:\Development\Heritage\SUBJECT\Heritage Week\2010\DSC report Feb 2 2010.doc

Appendix A - Heritage Canada Foundation Website

http://www.heritagecanada.org/eng/h_day.html

Celebrate Our Heritage

Heritage Day is an opportunity to celebrate the architectural heritage and historic places of Canada. The Heritage Canada Foundation promotes the third Monday in February each year as Heritage Day and has long advocated adopting this date as a national holiday.

For Heritage Day 2010, Canada’s Olympic year, HCF is celebrating the Heritage of Sport and Recreation.

Across Canada sports and recreation activities have always played a central role in building social cohesion and community involvement. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw an expanding variety of athletic activities being promoted—from lacrosse, curling and hockey, to boating, skiing and hiking. Canadians were quick to embrace these sporting pleasures and to build the infrastructure needed to support them.

To this day, communities both large and small possess a legacy of sports and recreation facilities which continue to serve Canadians.

In order to assist communities in developing a program that celebrates Heritage Day 2010: The Heritage of Sport and Recreation, examples of active historic sporting centres are included here.

Boating

Ottawa New Edinburgh Club

Vancouver Rowing Club

Curling

Granite Curling Club, Winnipeg

Hockey and Skating

Poplar Point and District Memorial Rink, Manitoba

Galt Arena Gardens, Ontario

Cedarena, Ontario

Stampede

Wood Mountain Stampede, Saskatchewan

Skiing

Mont Sutton, Quebec