: Committee of the Whole
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Jim Sales, Commissioner, Community and Fire Services
	PREPARED BY:	Marilyn Scott, Manager, Executive Operations, CAO’s Office
	DATE OF MEETING:	June 22, 2004
	SUBJECT:	Character Community Logo on Ice Rinks

RECOMMENDATION:

That Council approve the placing of the Character Community Logo in-ice in the Town of Markham ice-rinks for the 2004 – 2005 hockey season.

PURPOSE:

To secure approval to place the Character Community Logo in-ice on all Town of Markham rinks for the 2004 –2005 hockey season.

BACKGROUND:

Town of Markham Council identified “creating a better quality of community” as one of its strategic priorities for the 2004 – 2006 term of Council. A quality community includes preserving the community’s history while balancing the challenges of development. Markham strives to develop a strong sense of community through the development of community facilities and “walk-to” commercial centers and a focus on small neighbourhood retail. The concept of a quality community includes Markham’s goal of becoming a knowledge community and the commitment to becoming a Character Community as declared in 2002.

In January, 2004 The Character Community Coalition was established to provide a venue for the nine municipalities in York Region to come together to share ideas to promote the Character Community initiative throughout York Region.

The Character Community Coalition consists of representatives from each of the nine municipalities in York Region. The Character Community Coalition meets once a month to share ideas and develop initiatives to promote the Character Initiative throughout the region.

DISCUSSION

At its meeting on May 26, 2004 the Character Community Coalition discussed the feasibility of putting an in-ice Character Community Logo into all the rinks at community centers. The Character Community Logo in-ice will promote the character initiative to all users of the ice-rinks. The Character Community Coalition has requested that all nine municipalities put an in-ice Character Community logo on all their ice-rinks.

This matter has been discussed with the Manager, Community Centre Operations who advises that Markham regularly uses in-ice logos. The Community and Fire Services Commission is supportive of including the Character Community logo as one of the many in-ice logos. The addition of the Character Community logo will not reduce the number of logos currently displayed on the ice.

The stencil for the logo will be approximately 12 feet in length. The stencil will be created by staff of the Recreation and Culture Department and painted on when the ice is installed in the Town’s ten ice rinks in July. It is proposed that the logo will be placed in front of the players’ boxes between the red and blue lines. Approval is being requested at this time, so that the logo can be installed when the ice is installed in July.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The Community and Fire Services Commissioner advise that the cost of the stencils can be covered in the 2004 operating budget.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Community and Fire Services Commission

Jim Sales

Commissioner, Community and Fire Services