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1. REQUEST FOR A DECLARATION OF THE CIVIC HOLIDAY AS ‘COLONEL BY DAY’ IN THE City
of Ottawa DEMANDE VISANT À
DÉCLARER LE CONGÉ CIVIQUE « JOURNÉE COLONEL-BY » À OTTAWA |
Committee Recommendation
That the City Council declare the first Monday in August to
be Colonel By Day on a City-wide basis.
Recommandation DU Comité
Que le Conseil municipal de déclarer le premier lundi d’août
« Journée Colonel-By » à Ottawa.
Documentation
1. Chair’s report, Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee dated 29 October 2009
(ACS2010-CCV-AHC-0001).
Report to/Rapport au :
Community and Protective Services Committee
Comité des services
communautaires et de protection
and Council / et au Conseil
29 October 2009 / le 29 octobre 2009
Submitted by/Soumis
par : Chair/président
Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee/
Comité consultatif sur les arts, le patrimoine
et la culture
Contact
Person/Personne ressource: Melody Duffenais, Advisory Committee Coordinator /
coordinatrice des comités consultatifs
(613) 580-2424 x20113,
Melody.Duffenais@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR
A DECLARATION OF THE CIVIC HOLIDAY
AS ‘COLONEL BY DAY’ IN THE City of Ottawa
OBJET: DEMANDE
VISANT À DÉCLARER LE CONGÉ CIVIQUE « JOURNÉE COLONEL-BY » À OTTAWA
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Community and Protective
Services Committee recommend City Council declare the first
Monday in August to be Colonel By Day on a City-wide basis.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services communautaires et de protection recommande au
Conseil municipal de déclarer le premier lundi d’août « Journée Colonel-By » à
Ottawa.
BACKGROUND
At its meeting on September 29,
2009, the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee (AHCAC) heard a
presentation from Ken Holmes and Mike Steinhauer, Director of the Bytown
Museum. They requested that the AHCAC
make a recommendation to the City that Council adopt the by-law of the previous
City of Ottawa (being By-law 120-96) declaring the first Monday in August to be
Colonel By Day.
As there were not enough AHCAC
members present at that meeting to constitute a quorum, the decision was held
over to the next regularly scheduled AHCAC meeting, being October 20th.
On October 20th, the committee considered
and approved the following motion:
That the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee recommend that the
Community and Protective Services Committee recommend City Council adopt the
by-law of the previous City of Ottawa (being By-law 120-96) declaring the first
Monday in August to be Colonel By Day.
DISCUSSION
On June 5, 1996 the former City of Ottawa enacted By-law 120-96, which proclaimed and named the Civic Holiday, the first Monday in August, as Colonel By Day (see Document 1).
Following inquiries from Ken Holmes on this matter, who had questioned why the day in question has not been referred to as Colonel By Day since amalgamation, discussion occurred with Protocol staff, City Clerk’s staff and Legal Services. Legal Services advised that the former by-law only covers the geographic boundaries of the former City of Ottawa and thus the day could not be referred to as Colonel By Day in the entire geographic area of the new City of Ottawa.
Mr. Holmes was advised that the best approach would be to inquire whether the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee would entertain his request to ask the City to essentially re-enact the former by-law. The committee was pleased to assist.
In considering the matter on September 29, 2009, AHCAC members heard from Mr Holmes and Mike Steinhauer, Director of the Bytown Museum. They reviewed the role of Colonel John By in building the Rideau Canal, the foundation of the community that carried his name before it became the city of Ottawa, and the history of naming the August Civic holiday Colonel By Day in Ottawa. In lieu of an annual proclamation, which has been the practice since amalgamation, it would be expedient to enact a by-law making the designation permanent. The advisory committee, broadly representative of citizens from across the city, unanimously endorsed the proposed by-law at its meeting on October 20th, and commended its adoption.
CONSULTATION
City Operations
Cultural Services are in agreement with the recommendation contained is this report.
Legal Services
A specific declaration by Council to declare the civic holiday in August as Colonel By Day is required since the application of the old City of Ottawa By-law is limited to the geographic area of the old City of Ottawa. Such a declaration of Council, with confirmation by means of the Confirmation By-law, would apply to the entire geographic area of the new City of Ottawa.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications to this report.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no implications that are specific to the rural area.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
There are no legal or risk management impediments to adopting the recommendation of this Report.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1: By-Law 120-96 of the former City of Ottawa
DISPOSITION
Council’s declaration, if passed, is confirmed by means of the
Confirmation By-law to be passed at the conclusion of the Council meeting.
The AHCAC Coordinator to notify the Advisory Committee of City Council’s decision.
DOCUMENT 1
