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TO: |
Mayor and Members of Council |
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FROM: |
Janet Carnegie, Director
Corporate Communications |
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PREPARED BY: |
same as above |
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DATE OF MEETING: |
2004–Nov-22 |
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SUBJECT: |
Policy on the use of Civic Centre
public spaces |
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RECOMMENDATION:
That the staff report entitled “Policy on the
use of Civic Centre public spaces” be received.
And that Council approve the Policy, Procedures
and Guidelines as set out in this report regarding the scheduling, placement
and content of displays, banners, posters and other materials.
PURPOSE:
The policy provides guidelines for the display of information and
materials of interest to the citizens of
Display space is reserved for public service information originating
from The Town of Markham, regional, provincial or federal governments or
community agencies and not-for-profit groups that serve the people of
BACKGROUND:
Over
the past few years there has been a lack of guidelines on what may be displayed
in the public areas of the Civic Centre.
This policy has been developed to establish these guidelines and to
ensure the application of consistent content and quality standards.
As the seat of the local government, the Markham Civic Centre wishes to
provide a welcome environment for all citizens.
The Great Hall and other entrances to the building offer an opportunity
to mount displays and provide information of public interest.
To maintain the integrity of the building, it is important that any
displays, posters and information materials are appropriately positioned within
the public spaces and conform to professional standards.
The following proposed guidelines are consistent with existing
guidelines on the use of rental facilities.
This document also outlines a process to be followed in requesting the
display of materials. A sample Request for “Public Display Space” Request Form
is attached as Appendix 1.
This proposed Policy relates only to the use of the Great Hall and other
Civic Centre entrance areas and does not cover materials displayed by
Information Markham. It does not address
the rental of public spaces as outlined in the Civic Centre Facilities’
Reservation Policy. Also exempted from the Policy are manned booths or displays
mounted in the Great Hall in conjunction with special events or activities
lasting no more than 48 hours.
PROCEDURE
GENERAL
GUIDELINES
Positioning
of Displays
Display
Periods
Scheduling
Conflicts
1. Displays sponsored
by Council or Committees will take precedence over requests from outside
agencies or groups.
Anti
Hate
Installation
Fund-raising/Petitions
Property
Damage
DISPLAY
CONTENT GUIDELINES
APPENDICES:
Attached are three appendices. The first is a sample “Request for Public
Display Space” form.
Appendix 2 details a number of
requirements to facilitate implementation of the policy such as developing a
space use design for The Great Hall and sourcing appropriate standard display
hardware.
Appendix 3 provides observations
from a “walk-about” in late September and early October with a set of specific
recommendations.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Initial
design for the use of the space and materials can be absorbed in the existing
Corporate Communications budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
None
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
The
policy has been developed to help ensure that the public areas of the building
remain accessible to all.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
This
recommendation has been reviewed by the CAO & Commissioners Committee. It has been discussed with the CEO of Markham
Public Libraries, the Director of Recreation and Culture, the Director of
Economic Development and the Manager of Corporate Strategy & Quality.
ATTACHMENTS:
Appendix 1 – Request for Public Display Space
Form
Appendix 2 – Requirements to Facilitate
Implementation of Public Display Space Policy
Appendix 3 – Public Spaces Display Survey
Findings
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Janet Carnegie Director, Corporate Communications |
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Andy Taylor Commissioner of Corporate Services |
Appendix 1
Town of
REQUEST FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY
SPACE
Organizations
or individuals with an interest in displaying information, materials or other
items in the Great Hall or other Markham Civic Centre entrances must agree to
follow the Town of
·
The
group or association is not-for-profit
·
The
individual, group or association is based in the Town of
·
The
information, material or item to be displayed is not religious or political in
nature.
Please complete the
following information and submit to the Corporate Communications Department at The Town of
Requesting
Organization:
Name _______________________________________________
Address_______________________________________________
Website______________________________________________
Contact:
Name________________________________________________
Tel._________________________________________________
e-mail_______________________________________________
Purpose of Display:
______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Nature of the Display:
Poster
Banner
Exhibit
Display Stand
Other
Location Requested:
_____________________________________________________
Requested Dates of
Display: (maximum of one month)
______________________________________________
Appendix 2
Requirements
to facilitate implementation of Public Display Space Policy
Ø
The
attached survey of materials currently on display in the Great Hall and other
Civic Centre entrance areas indicates a number of items which have been on
display for varying lengths of time – some as much as several years.
Ø
It
will be important to get agreement from the “owner” or sponsor to remove the
existing materials in order to accommodate requests for new displays.
Ø
All
items scotch-taped to doors, windows, columns are to be removed and, if
necessary, temporarily placed in more appropriate areas.
Ø
It
may be desirable for some materials currently displayed in The Great Hall to
continue to be displayed on a permanent or on-going basis. In these cases, Corporate Communications
would like to work with the sponsoring organization to ensure that the
display/materials will be kept in good repair and that information and material
included on the display is kept up-to-date and accurate. If the display requires stocking with literature,
the sponsoring organization should designate an individual responsible for
ensuring the stock is maintained. If
there is no current literature to be displayed, that part of the display should
be removed until such time as it is required.
Ø
Poster
stands are required for each entrance area to accommodate requests to display
posters.
Ø
A
design for new display cases to accommodate a display of awards, presentations,
artefacts, etc .in the Great Hall is to be developed by a firm specializing in
public area displays. The materials to
be included in this display should be regularly reviewed and changed to keep
the display current and relevant.
Ø
The
display design firm will also be requested to develop a space design for the
placement of other displays within the Great Hall and other entrance areas.
Ø
Corporate
Communications will work with Asset Management, Information Markham, and other
departments to find ways to accommodate the need for items such as wheel chairs
to be conveniently located and to ensure appropriate and timely maintenance of
public area displays.
Appendix
3
Public Spaces Display Survey
Findings
The
following is a “snap-shot” survey of the Great Hall and other Civic Centre
entrances taken from walking through the building in late September and early
October. Some elements of these
observations have since changed.
All Main Entrances
·
Various
flyers, posters and information sheets taped to entrance glass doors and
walls. Several of these were ripped,
badly out of date or faded.
o
Virtually
all of these have been removed although a Building way-finding map has
subsequently been taped to the glass walls at the entrances.
o
The
way finding map is also mounted under glass at the Community Information Desk
in the Great Hall. There are also
permanent directional signs.
§
It
may be useful to consider a more permanent form of the map and to position it
on the base of the directional signs.
o
No
Smoking by-law signs at entrances are peeling, faded and in poor repair.
§
These
should be replaced by more permanent metal No Smoking signs similar to those
mounted on the paper waste bins in the washrooms.
·
A
double-sided multi-lingual “Welcome” poster card mounted on foam core has been
affixed to the glass doors at each of the entrances. While the message is a positive one, the
poster is peeling, badly faded, and does not include all of the languages
spoken in the community.
o
If
this is to be a permanent Welcome, the sign should be in a more permanent form
and positioned appropriately in the entrance area, but not directly on the
glass door where it disrupts the design integrity of the building.
o
Care
should be taken to ensure no group will feel excluded if the sign does not
include their mother tongue.
The Great Hall
The Great
Hall is the primary space for public gatherings and does offer some display
space. The area has been designed as an
architectural focal point. In the absence of guidelines on the use of this
space, there are several displays, banners and posters that are either
out-dated or poorly maintained.
·
Wheel
Chairs are required to be accessible for visitors requiring them – can they be
stored in a less temporary-appearing spot?
·
Stanchions
around the Remembrance flags – these appear to be stored in front of the flags
– can they be stored until they are required for an event?
·
Coat
rack and undressed tables left in hall for several days do not seem to be
connected with any event.
Milliken Entrance
Thornhill Entrance
Unionville Entrance
