1. city archives main branch relocation – establishment of steering committee

DÉmÉnagement des archives de la ville – comitÉ directeur

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

That Council approve the establishment and Terms of Reference for a City of Ottawa Archives Main Branch Relocation Steering Committee and identify, by July 21, 2006, two Councillors as Steering Committee members.

Recommandation du Comité

Que le Conseil approuve l’établissement et le mandat d’un comité directeur pour le déménagement des Archives de la Ville – Succursale principale; et désigne d’ici le 21 juillet 2006, deux membres du Conseil qui siègeront sur ce comité.

DOCUMENTATION

1. Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services, report dated 29 June 2006 (ACS2006-CPS-CSF-0010).

Report to/Rapport au:

Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee

Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux

and Council / et au Conseil

29 June 2006 / le 29 juin 2006

Submitted by/Soumis par:
Steve Kanellakos
Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint

Community and Protective Services/Services communautaires et de protection

Contact Person/Personne ressource :
Colleen Hendrick, Director, Cultural Services and Community Funding

Cultural Services and Community Funding/Services culturels et financement communautaire

(613) 580-2424 x24366, Colleen.Hendrick@ottawa.ca

City-Wide/Portée générale

Ref N°: ACS2006-CPS-CSF-0010

SUBJECT:	CITY ARCHIVES MAIN BRANCH RELOCATION - ESTABLISHMENT OF STEERING COMMITTEE

OBJET :	dÉMÉNAGEMENT DES ARCHIVES DE LA VILLE - COMITÉ DIRECTEUR

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee recommend that Council approve the establishment and Terms of Reference for a City of Ottawa Archives Main Branch Relocation Steering Committee and identify, by July 21, 2006, two Councillors as Steering Committee members.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux recommande au Conseil d’approuver l’établissement et le mandat d’un comité directeur pour le déménagement des Archives de la Ville – Succursale principale; et de désigner d’ici le 21 juillet 2006, deux membres du Conseil qui siègeront sur ce comité.

BACKGROUND

In 1998, the former City of Ottawa Archives Program was relocated from Stanley Avenue to the former City Hall at 111 Sussex. With amalgamation, the former Ottawa City Hall was sold to Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). As per the agreement approved by the former City of Ottawa Council on 8 November 2000, PWGSC agreed to allow the Archives (which became the Main Branch for the new City’s Archives program) to remain as a tenant at Sussex Drive subject to annual lease negotiations.

In 2004, PWGSC advised the City that it would not extend the original lease beyond 30 June 2005 for the administrative and public portions of the Archives but that they were prepared to continue to house the vault until December 31, 2005. At that time, staff recommended that the Main Branch should be relocated to a city-owned property at 1700 Blair Road. Council approved the Relocation of City Archives-Main Branch Report (ACS2004-CPS-CSF-0025) at it’s meeting on January 24, 2005 requesting one-time capital funding of $1,495,000 for the relocation and fit-up of the site. Council further directed staff to continue to pursue other options including the extension of the lease and the development of a long-range plan for the City Archives that would include:

- The off-site materials that are now not properly protected;

- City material presently held at the National Archives;

- A central location;

- Official Plan requirements; and,

- Conservation facilities and exhibition space.

In 2005, staff secured a lease extension from PWGSC until the end of December 31, 2007.

DISCUSSION

The City Archives Program is a legislated municipal function and the centre of expertise for the identification and management of civic government records of long-term value – a function that contributes to efficient record keeping and the legislated requirements to keep and make municipal records accessible to the public.

The City has two fundamental public trust responsibilities towards the archival records it generates or that are placed in its care: stewardship and public service. The City has a responsibility to acquire, document and conserve its collections in accordance with professional standards for the benefit of the public today, and for future generations. The City also has a responsibility to provide access to these collections, both intellectual and physical, to provide opportunities for citizens to learn from them.

It is recommended that a Steering Committee be developed to assist the City in identifying the best option with regards to the relocation of the Main Branch of the City Archives.

Proposed Steering Committee Membership

The Steering Committee will be composed of up to ten community leaders and a non-voting project manager. The following breakdown of membership is recommended, in order to provide appropriate representation:

§ Two City Councillors;

§ Three Heritage community representatives:

§ One representative of the Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa;

§ One representative of the Friends of the City Archives; and,

§ One representative of the City Archives’ partner organizations;

§ One representative of the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee;

§ One representative from Library and Archives Canada

§ One representative from the City Archives

§ Director of the Cultural Services and Community Funding Branch (chair);

§ Project Manager

Mandate of the Steering Committee

The intention of the Steering Committee is to assist and support planning related to the relocation of City Archives. Specifically, this Committee will:

1. Review the current and future Archives program requirements developed by staff

2. Provide feedback on various relocation options to accommodate the Archives program requirements. These options include construction on City owned lands, relocation to leased facilities and other potential partnerships

3. Provide feedback on the feasibility, costing implications and funding opportunities of various options

4. Consult with stakeholders

5. Provide feedback on recommendations related to reports to the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee and Council, as required.

CONSULTATION

The City’s Arts, Heritage, and Culture Advisory Committee and the Friends of the Archives support this recommended approach (see Appendix B & C).

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications associated with this report.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Appendix A - City Archives Relocation Steering Committee – Terms of Reference

Appendix B - Memo: Arts and Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee

Appendix C - Position paper: The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives

DISPOSITION

The City Clerk will circulate to Council members for representation on the Steering Committee by July 21, 2006. Staff will seek community representation as identified in the report.

APPENDIX A

CITY ARCHIVES MAIN BRANCH RELOCATION

STEERING COMMITTEE

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Cultural Services and Community Funding

Community and Protective Services

City of Ottawa

June 8, 2006

PURPOSE

This Steering Committee will assist the City in identifying the best option with regards to the relocation of the Main Branch of the City Archives.

BACKGROUD

DESCRIPTION OF THE Scope of work

The Steering Committee will:

1. Review the current and future Archives program requirements developed by staff

3. Provide feedback on the feasibility, costing implications and funding opportunities of various options

4. Consult with stakeholders

5. Provide feedback on recommendations related to reports to the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee and Council, as required.

MEMBERSHIP

The Steering Committee will be composed of up to ten members including:

§ Two City Councillors;

§ Three Heritage community representatives:

o One representative of the Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa;

o One representative of the Friends of the City Archives; and,

o One representative of the City Archives’ partner organizations;

§ One representative of the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee;

§ One representative of Library and Archives Canada

§ One representative from the City Archives

§ Director of the Cultural Services and Community Funding Branch (chair);

§ Project Manager

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair

The Chair will act as facilitator and final authority for disposition of items. The Chair will ensure that meetings run according to schedule and that items considered by the Steering Committee have a clearly defined decision or output. The Chair will be responsible for providing staff with direction for next steps as a result of Steering Committee decisions. The Chair will communicate with the appropriate staff from the Deputy City Manager’s Office.

Steering Committee Members

Members will be expected to prepare for meetings and contribute to the discussions. Members are expected to inform their networks of the progress of the Committee.

Project Manager

The Project Manager will be responsible for managing the agenda and timeliness of the deliverables. The Project Manager will act as the communication link between the Staff Working Team and Steering Committee. The Project Manager will also manage the record of decisions and distribution of minutes. Minutes of the Steering Committee will be posted to the City website.

Decision Making

The Steering Committee will operate on a consensus decision-making model wherever possible.

Frequency of Meetings

Meetings will be held monthly but subject to change at the discretion of the Steering Committee Chair as required.

City Archives Relocation Timelines and Deliverables

July 2006

§ Report to HRSS and Council on the Terms of Reference for the establishment of a Steering Committee for City Archives Relocation.

§ Confirm Committee Membership.

§ Research related to funding sources and potential partnerships.

§ Development of Orientation Binder containing Terms of Reference, Membership List, background reports on Archives, future agendas, minutes, etc.

August 2006

§ Steering Committee members site visit to Archives Main Branch.

§ Distribution of Orientation Binder.

September 2006

Definition and rationale for Archives space requirements

§ Assess current and future space requirements, staffing and equipment needs for the relocation of City Archives.

October 2006

Rationale for site options and identification of preferred options and partners

§ Prioritize potential sites and options for City Archives relocation and identification of potential partnerships.

§ Identify cost implications and implementation requirements.

November 2006

City Archives Relocation Public Consultations

§ Community open houses will be held in order to obtain feedback from stakeholders of the City Archives on site options and program requirements.

January 2007

City Archives Relocation Options/Plan Report to HRSS and Council for Approval

§ A final City Archives Relocation Plan report will be submitted to Committee and Council for approval. Report to recommend preferred option and budget implications.

February 2007

§ TBD based on Council direction

March 2007

§ TBD based on Council direction

APPENDIX C

Historic Vision, Historic Service

Creating a New City Archives:

Consultation, Investment and Foresight

A Position Paper

Submitted by

The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives

Les Amis des Archives de la Ville d’Ottawa

08 May 2006

This document is for general distribution.

Summary

An Archives Steering Committee must be formed to address the creation of a fitting home for the City Archives. Time is of the essence. This relates to pressures applied by the current lease, that work by City staff is currently underway, and the need for input at the earliest possible stage so that consultation can achieve the same success we saw demonstrated in the formation of the City’s 2005 Museum Sustainability Plan.

The matter of a state-of-the-art facility for the City of Ottawa Archives – addressing future needs, and the staffing and funding to sustain such a program – has long gone unaddressed. The City of Ottawa Archives faces the expiration of its lease in December 2007 at a federal site where an extension appears no longer viable.

The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives believe the planning of such an Archives must include the participation of a multi-interest steering committee in tandem with work conducted by City staff in order to ensure:

• Best-practices

• Beneficial inclusion of our heritage community

• Best results for a long-term investment

• State-of-the-art facilities [climate control, exhibit space, use of media, etc.]

• A facility of which the City can be proud

OUR REQUEST FOR ACTION

OUR POSITION

OUR COMMITMENT

BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

1. The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives

2. Background on a Home for the Archives

3. The Current Lease Situation

4. The Downside of Tardiness or Inaction

5. A Public Record of Commitments

6. The Need for an Archives Steering Committee

7. Getting and Holding the Bigger Picture

8. Understanding the Scope

9. The Matters of Participation and Context

10. Avoiding a Game of Catching Up

11. Steering Committee Membership and Mandate

CONCLUSION

OUR REQUEST FOR ACTION

The Friends desire that the Mayor and City of Ottawa staff and councillors – the latter in capacities as both councillors and as members of the Human Resources, Recreation and Social Services (HRSS) committee or other relevant committees – move quickly to establish the steering committee we seek.

We would be happy to appear before the HRSS Committee after Councillors have been given an opportunity to study our position paper in order to answer what other questions they may have, although we remain mindful that an early move on our request is most important.

OUR POSITION

The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives believe that the opportunity to create a proper home for the City of Ottawa Archives is potentially historic. We believe the process requires, from the outset, the participation of a steering committee composed of city councillors, city staff, and representatives from Ottawa’s heritage community. Only through such coordination can Ottawa make a landmark difference in how it preserves the record of its compelling history. This document approved by the Board of Directors of the Friends sets out our position on the need for such a multi-interest committee to guide the creation of a properly funded and managed state-of-the-art facility and program that can serve the people of Ottawa for generations to come.

We must step up this work now. We know city staff has begun to explore options for a new Archives and is aware of our desire for a standing committee. We wish to participate. We are fully aware that this matter faces a deadline. The City’s current lease for its Archives expires December 31, 2007. It is urgent that Council find a new home for the City’s records before it’s too late. Keep in mind that Council has already earmarked $13-million in its 2007 proposed budget toward this project. We must move on that commitment.

OUR COMMITMENT

The Friends want to be involved and are ready to participate. We have interacted vigorously with local, provincial and federal players in matters related to the Archives in the past, and we stand ready to do so again. To this end, at its meeting of Wednesday April 5, 2006, our Board of Directors passed the following motion unanimously:

In anticipation of FCOA being invited to serve as a member on a proposed steering committee to establish a permanent home and a sustainable program for the City of Ottawa Archives, the FCOA board of directors designates its current president, John Heney, as its representative.

BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

1. The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives

The Friends exist to support the activities of the City of Ottawa Archives in acquiring, preserving, and making accessible archival records that reflect the corporate and community memories of Ottawa’s various communities and townships. To this end, the Friends engage in advocacy/promotion, fundraising, program and acquisition assistance, and service to its members.

2. Background on a Home for the Archives

The Archives first occupied a formal school on Stanley Avenue between 1977 and 1998. It has been on the move ever since having to relocate that year to 111 Sussex Drive, losing one thousand feet of shelf space and a sizeable portion of its program in the process and for the first time having to resort to the use of off-site commercial storage space. Rejection of a proposed move to a site on Walkely Road in 2002 was followed by a second costly move within what was by then the former City Hall in 2003. In all this, no benefit has accrued. Rental costs have continued and increased. Obtaining permission from the new federal landlord to remain at 111 Sussex Drive has been touch-and-go. Several renewals, we are told, were earmarked as the final extension to be permitted.

A plan by City staff to relocate the Archives to a “temporary” site on Blair Road came under scrutiny before Council in 2005. It was dropped in the face of opposition and once the lack of real benefit inherent in that plan was made apparent. Key was the fact that so little of what is now the City’s archival holdings could or would have been accommodated and properly stored in that instance.

3. The Current Lease Situation

Only last-minute intervention – which included public and vocal advocacy by the Friends at the federal, provincial and municipal levels – resulted in a reprieve for the City Archives at Sussex Drive. The current lease extension expires December 31, 2007. The Friends believe that inactivity, lax or non-existent planning, or appearances to be uninterested in the obvious need for a home for the Archives, will give the federal government the impression that it has no reason to further negotiate with the City of Ottawa on this matter. As time passes, creating a proper home and achieving this within this period becomes a false hope. The Friends believe that an extension at Sussex Drive in order to prevent a costly interim move will now only be obtainable if the federal government concludes that the municipality is well on its way preparing a new site, whatever and wherever that may be.

4. The Downside of Tardiness or Inaction

In addition to helping ensure the City will once again be pinned down regarding its lease options, failure to establish a functioning steering committee at this juncture can lead to:

a) Loss of input that may lead to the downgrading of eventual facilities, in terms of:

- Needed square footage

- Layout in terms of changing needs

- Public access, public usage and opportunities in terms of the educational mandate

b) Missed opportunities in public/private partnership or the participation of other levels of funding or other means of support

c) Missed opportunity to bond with the local heritage community or benefit from its wisdom and experience. In the event of a dissatisfactory outcome, this could lead to disconnection and drained public and volunteer support

d) Loss of the one-time chance to demonstrate vision that is fitting for our city as the nation’s capital.

5. A Public Record of Commitments

The Friends desire that the following developments be kept in mind:

a) Arts & Heritage Plan. In April 2003, the City’s 20/20 Arts and Heritage Plan acknowledged how under-funded the City’s archives function has traditionally been. While pledges were expressed to move the Archives from Sussex Drive to an interim or permanent home “by the end of 2003" and to appraise and process a backlog of some 78,000 boxes of records, these goals were not achieved. While there had been awareness of the problems, there has been no concrete action.

b) Museum Sustainability Plan. In 2005 City Council unanimously approved its Museum Sustainability Plan, which the Friends believe is linked to the Archives situation on two fronts. The accepted plan dovetails with the Archives in terms of public awareness of heritage, cross-disciplinary co-operation between our museums and the Archives, and fulfilment of the City’s mandate to preserve our history. The Friends believe that the consultative approach that led to the creation of that plan, and ultimately to approval of that plan, mirrors the benefits that could be realized if a similar process is followed in this case, including the work of a steering committee.

c) Public Commitment from Mayor Chiarelli On February 20^th 2006, in a public statement made before hundreds of citizens gathered at City Hall to commemorate Heritage Day, Mayor Bob Chiarelli announced the intent of his administration to move decisively on the matter of a new home for the Archives, complete with facilities of which the City can be proud.

d) City Budget Planning The City has earmarked $13-million in its 2007 draft budget toward the establishment of a home for the Archives.

6. The Need for An Archives Steering Committee

The Friends believe that a steering committee, if created, could:

a) Serve to support Item 3 (that the City is seen to be moving on the matter).

b) Ride the success realized for the Museum Sustainability Plan, in its strong consultative process that successfully incorporated several needs and the support of a responsible long-term vision.

c) Could help forestall dissatisfaction and lost time and effort, as experienced in the dismissed “Blair Road” option.

d) Educate and inform “front line” preparation by the likes of the municipality’s Real Property and Asset Management Branch (RPAM) that is engaged in preliminary investigation. Early consultation in terms of options, planning and the suitability of sites, we believe, would add efficiency to the process overall.

e) Receive input from parties which might not be serving on the committee (i.e. The Ottawa Public Library and its Ottawa Room collection) about possible visions, wishes and appropriate cooperation that might improve final designs and which might otherwise be missed.

f) Provide a forum to explore wider participation in regard to public/private partnerships in some aspects, as well as possible roles for the Ontario and federal governments

g) Consider best practices as demonstrated by other municipalities.

h) Help ensure that actions and visions stay true to real needs and implications, as outlined in items 7-10 below.

7. Getting and Holding the Bigger Picture

The Archives question has been hanging about, unresolved, for years. The continuing story of Ottawa isn’t going to make the need to address this matter go away. So let’s do it with ingenuity, creativity and foresight! We need vision here! A committee can help us with that. The legacy we’ve inherited deserves much. Today’s citizens and those of the future for whom we work deserve the same. The exercise before us is more than the chance of a lifetime. Its implications go back several generations. And they go forward many generations in terms of what we will be able to protect and what will survive to be shared. We are affecting subsequent municipal administrations too. Will the responsibility we have in this matter be reflected in what we create?

Thematically, we can look to the dreams behind the planning and creation of the Museum of Civilization or the Canadian War Museum. Behind both successes hide very complex but very necessary consultation, and the coordination of same. Likewise, the City of Ottawa needs to be mindful of many elements at stake as it moves on this matter. These include not only location, space, and the types of facilities created and properly funded, but also the many ethnic, religious, military, railway, technological and governmental implications and legacies in our history that we hope to reflect in the collection, and the many forms of media involved.

8. Understanding the Scope

The Friends wish to underline how important the following elements are in creating a new home for the Archives. A steering committee can help keep these vital elements in the equation:

- The means to expand state-of-the-art environmentally-controlled storage space for the most precious and rare holdings

- The means to expand general storage space for future records

- The means to welcome and serve researchers and continue to adequately accommodate them over time in an accessible, attractive and centrally-located facility

- The means to adequately support the mandate of the Archives, including proper staffing

- •The long-range wisdom of investing in display and meeting space that continue to accrue long-term benefit. This includes capacity to house rotating exhibits and provide for participation and volunteering by various groups, including what are known as the Archives’ “member libraries.”

- The flexibility to introduce, accommodate and modify the use of several media, including photography, a website, scanning, various means of audio storage, etc.

Such scope was reflected in the 20/20 Heritage Plan, all of which requires broad capability for the Archives in terms of its facilities, staffing and equipment, and all of which the Friends believe must be considered in planning. These elements include, as stated in the 20/20 plan:

- Comprehensive artifact collection plans and archival documentation plans, and an integrated, proactive collecting strategy for both artifacts and archival material

- Curriculum-based educational programs, such as an innovative program called Open Minds that allows students and teachers to use heritage resources as laboratories for an intensive week-long experience, and Heritage Fairs, which feature student-developed heritage projects competing at local, regional and national levels

- More innovative and collaborative programming in areas such as events, exhibitions, tours, lectures, theatre, and virtual presentations

- An effective marketing plan and promotional tools including a heritage calendar and a comprehensive website about local history and heritage in Ottawa

9. The Matters of Participation and Context

Without input from a committee, will the City properly receive and vet new ideas, many yet unexpressed? Ideas that might enhance the project? Matters such as financial and other assistance from the provincial and federal governments, given the deep significance Ottawa’s development has meant to eastern Ontario and Canada as a whole. What partnerships are possible? What interest groups or individuals are ready to contribute and which of these options could be developed? The same applies to public/private partnerships, in aspects large or small.

“Context,” in this instance, refers to the context in which we might place this project in order to garner interest, participation and understanding of the significance of the initiative. To what degree might we peg this to the 150^th anniversary next year of Ottawa being named the national capital? There’s room for vision and creativity, not just on the facilities question, but in the nature of participation in the project. Higher profile can bring more financial support. In turn, more support of this kind can help fulfill the City’s archival and heritage mandate. Forging a link to the fortuitous 2007 anniversary also requires management the steering committee can help provide.

10. Avoiding a Game of Catching Up

We have to move, in more sense than one, given the current lease arrangement. We’re going to get only one chance at this. The extent to which City staff move on the Archives question before a committee is created increases the likelihood that our community loses the chance for partnerships, additional funding, creative input, consultation with seasoned users, input from specialists and a good look at best-practices. A full appreciation of how specialized the creation of a state-of-the-art archives really is must be kept in mind. We don’t want a scenario in which interest groups can only react to fait accompli proposals formed to fit a short-range vision. Ottawa has a strong heritage community, and it ought not to run after the planning process. It must be fully engaged in it.

11. Steering Committee Membership and Mandate

The Friends defer to the experience of municipal managers and councillors regarding the consultative process. We understand that the composition of such a committee would be sanctioned by City Council in full session or by committee, and that process would be spearheaded and administered by City staff in consultation with Council, including the matters of the committee’s mandate, duration and what is expected from it.

The Friends would like to see a healthy cross-section of the heritage community involved, including representation from bodies such as the City’s Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee, the Council of Heritage Organizations of Ottawa, and one or more of the organizations known to be regular users of the Archives – including but not restricted to – the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa and other genealogically-related groups, the C. Robert Craig Memorial Library associated with railway history enthusiasts, etc. As stated above, the Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives are ready to serve in this matter

CONCLUSION

While we seek your comments and look forward to them, we want to see action now in forming a steering committee and getting its work underway in tandem with the City’s work on investigating a home for the Archives. Time is passing. We face deadlines. If preparations by City staff continue without feedback from a committee, the process will be robed of the advantages we have described. Please keep in mind that this matter is under a very real deadline and that the effectiveness of a steering committee’s participation increases in proportion of how soon it can begin to fulfil its mandate.

Please address your comments, questions, and invitations to help make this committee come about to:

John J. Heney

President, Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives

(613) 224-6888 jjheney@netrover.com

On behalf of the FCOA Board of Directors, this report has been initially distributed to:

Mayor Bob Chiarelli

Members of City Council

Councillors Diane Holmes and Alex Cullen in reference to the

Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee

Colleen Hendrick, City Director of Cultural Services and Community Funding

Debbie Hill, City Manager of Cultural Services

City Archivist, David Bullock

Nick Masciantonio, Chair, City of Ottawa Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee

Meg Hamilton, Executive Director, CHOO/COPO

Christina Tessier, President, CHOO/COPO

John Reid, President, BIFHSGO

David Flemming, President, Heritage Ottawa

Denis Drouin, President, Société franco-ontarienne d'histoire et de généalogie, Régionale Samuel-de-Champlain.

Michael More, President, Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

CONSULTATION

CITY ARCHIVES MAIN BRANCH RELOCATION

PURPOSE

MEMBERSHIP

M E M O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E

Community and Protective Services

Establishment of a Steering Committee for the City Archives

Nick Masciantonio

Submitted by

08 May 2006

Summary

Contents

OUR COMMITMENT

CONCLUSION