Vancouver resident Jennifer Clarke has been appointed to the Provincial Capital Commission Board of Directors.

The commission’s board is comprised of 14 directors, eight appointed by the Province of BC through an Order in Council and six from the four core municipalities of Greater Victoria.

Clarke is President of JPC Strategies Ltd. in Vancouver, providing project management, communications and policy advice to a diverse range of clients focusing on infrastructure development and local government issues. She is currently the project manager for the proposed National Maritime Centre for the Pacific and the Arctic in North Vancouver. She also teaches local government in the political science department at the University of British Columbia.

Clarke was a three-term member of Vancouver City Council from 1993 to 2002 and a candidate for mayor in the 2002 Vancouver civic election. She was also a member of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and Translink Boards. During her political career, she sat on and chaired numerous committees of city council and the regional district.

Her community work now includes serving on the Advisory Board of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at UBC, on the Executive of the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. as a lay member, as vice chair of the board of the Canadian Women’s Voters Congress and its Women’s Campaign School, and on the Board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation recently co-chairing its Breast Cancer Summit.

“We’ve worked to assemble a board with a wide range of complementary skills and regional knowledge of the province,” said PCC Board Chair Bill Wellburn. “Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and diverse experience to our board. Her background in project management, policy development and local government will be of particular value.”

The Capital Region Music Awards Society has launched a bid to host the 2013 JUNO Awards in Greater Victoria.

“Our decision to prepare a bid follows a year of community outreach and a very positive public response,” said society president Scott Hoadley, noting the estimated financial spinoff for hosting the event is estimated at $20 million.

“Hosting the JUNOs in Greater Victoria will be a wonderful economic and cultural opportunity for our region,” said City of Victoria Councillor Chris Coleman, who also sits on the PCC Board. “We look forward to reaching out and including as many local businesses, community organizations and residents as we can in this process.”

The Provincial Capital Commission was approached last year to help fund a feasibility study on Greater Victoria hosting a JUNO event.

Tenancy proposals for one of Victoria’s best-known and prime commercial waterfront locations are now being accepted.

The Provincial Capital Commission, steward of the provincially-owned CPR Steamship Terminal, released a Request for Proposal today seeking potential tenants for all or part of this iconic heritage building.

Perched above the Capital city’s picturesque Inner Harbour and across the road from the majestic Parliament Buildings, the CPR Steamship Terminal is located in the heart of Victoria’s tourist area.

Designed by renowned architects Francis Rattenbury and P.L. James, the 1924 heritage building is currently undergoing $3 million in renovations which include a seismic upgrade that are slated to be substantially completed by March 31. Built in a neo-classical architectural style with Beaux Arts influence, the massive Ionic columns on the north and south facades of the building accent its status as one of the Inner Harbour’s most visible and significant buildings.

The RFP, which closes Feb. 18, 2011, can be found here or at www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca.

A public information session will be held in mid-January, said Ray Parks, CEO of the Provincial Capital Commission. “Because this publicly-owned building is one of the Capital’s best known and most visible landmarks, we want to afford the general public an opportunity to participate in the process.”

As part of the bid process, Parks said, potential tenants will also be vetted through an evaluation panel which includes members from the community with subject expertise.

“We will give preference to commercial activities that are within current zoning regulations and permitted uses, that respect the building’s heritage and that will allow the PCC to maintain financial self-sustainability,” Parks said. “We hope to find a tenant or tenants whose use of the building will be compatible with the look and feel of the Inner Harbour.”

Permitted uses include commercial exhibits, offices, restaurant and retail. The building consists of four levels totaling approximately 21,000 square feet of rentable floor space: 7,900 sf at basement level on Belleville Forecourt; 5,300 sf on main floor Belleville Street level; 5,200 sf on level 3 and about 2,500 sf on level 4.

Following the closing date, the evaluation panel and PCC management are expected to make recommendations to the Provincial Capital Commission’s Board of Directors for approval.

National Aboriginal Veterans Day

Aboriginal veterans were honoured Nov. 8 at a special ceremony held at Goldstream Park. The Sampson Family of Tsartlip First Nation hosted the event which was sponsored by the Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group and the Provincial Capital Commission. The Yellow Wolf Drummers performed several songs honouring those who served in Canada’s military.

The Provincial Capital Commission has a new Minister Responsible.

The Hon. Stephanie Cadieux was appointed as Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development on Oct. 25. She replaces former Minister Kevin Krueger as Minister Responsible for the PCC.
Minister Cadieux was elected MLA for Surrey-Panorama in May, 2009 and has served on several Cabinet and provincial committees.

Emily Carr statue unveiled

October 13, 2010

A larger than life bronze statue of renowned artist Emily Carr was unveiled to a cheering crowd. The 313-kilogram likeness, located on the corner of Government Street at Belleville in Victoria, shows Carr sitting atop a rock with sketchbook in hand and her pet monkey and dog close by. Ray Parks, CEO of the Provincial Capital Commission, sat on Victoria’s Parks and Recreation Foundation which raised $400,000 towards the project, thanks to numerous corporate and private donations.

Ten youth from Songhees Nation recently completed a photography course, thanks to funding support from the Muskoka Foundation.

The Provincial Capital Commission donated temporary use of the Crystal Garden retail space for the students to exhibit their photographs of the Capital. Check it out Thursdays through Sundays.

Sooke wins Communities in Bloom Heritage Conservation Award

September 25, 2010

The community of Sooke took home the Provincial Capital Commission Heritage Conservation Award at this fall’s Communities in Bloom year-end celebrations. In addition to earning four blooms, the Vancouver Island community earned accolades for efforts to preserve heritage through an extensive signage program, development of several statues and monuments acknowledging the area’s rich maritime and forestry history.

The Provincial Capital Commission has been a Gold Bloom Sponsor of Communities in Bloom.

Share your photos of what you think makes Victoria special and be in the running to win a free trip for two to Ottawa for Canada Day 2011.

Canadian Geographic and the National Capital Commission have spearheaded a Canada’s Capitals Photo Contest with support from Lowepro, Joby and Fairmont Château Laurier.

Canada’s 14 Capital cities each have features and landmarks that reflect their unique character — something that symbolizes their vibrant role in our nation, provinces and territories. Capture the scenes that make your favourite capital city special and submit your photos before 4:00 p.m. EST on January 7, 2011.

Winners will be published in a forthcoming issue of Canadian Geographic Travel, and will also be exhibited in Canada’s capital region next summer.

For how to enter, rules, eligibility and prize information, visit: http://photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/cg/canadian_capitals.

With brass polished and wood gleaming, dozens of sea-faring vessels enthralled happy crowds over the Labor Day weekend in Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

The 33rd Annual Victoria Classic Boat Festival featured beautifully restored classic sail and power boats from around the Pacific Coast and from as far away as New Zealand. The Festival also included a classic boat rowing regatta, a steam boat parade and a sailpast.

More than 6,300 children, representing 133 school/youth groups, travelled to the Capital this past spring with $208,700 in funding help from the Provincial Capital Commission.

The PCC’s Youth Connects Travel Subsidy program has shown steady and significant growth since it began in 2006. Over the course of that time period, about 19,000 young people have taken part in educational field trips to Victoria, where they tour the Legislative Buildings, possibly meeting up with their MLA.

The PCC invites applications twice a year, each May and November. For the first time since the program began four years ago, there have been more applications than available funding.

“We are thrilled that this program has been so popular,” says PCC CEO Ray Parks. “Our challenge now is to find corporate sponsorship to increase our travel subsidy budget so that we can continue to grow the program.”

For travel this coming fall, 27 groups, representing 1,134 students, were approved for funding.

Ninety racing boats and a host of performers added colour, music and excitement to Ship Point and the Inner Harbour Aug. 13-15 for the 2010 Victoria Dragon Boat Festival.

The popular event kicked off with the traditional Eye-Dotting Ceremony by Taoist monks to “awaken” the dragon with help from local VIPs including PCC Director Lynn Hunter. The cultural blessings kept the racing paddlers strong and safe, including one crew who cooled off from the weekend’s blistering heat during an unexpected dip in the refreshing ocean.

Onshore, the Ship Point area was alive with songs and dancers representing numerous cultures in addition to a small kiosk village offering a variety of food and fun.

The annual event, sponsored by the Provincial Capital Commission, raises funds for the BC Cancer Foundation.

The Provincial Capital Commission is proud to be title sponsor of BC Day weekend’s celebrations held at St. Ann’s Academy National Historic Site and produced by Capital Festival Productions.

A wide variety of music, food and artisans - the family-oriented fun is free and open to everyone.

BC Day Weekend : July 31-Aug. 2, 2010

Saturday, July 31:

Hansel & Gretel – a children’s opera – 2 pm outdoor performance in the Novitiate Garden at St. Ann’s Academy, 835 Humboldt Street, Victoria

Chamber Concert – 4:30 pm – St. Ann’s Academy’s historic Chapel

Monday, Aug. 2:

11 am to dusk:
Performances (Chapel and grounds) by Christian Tatonetti, sitar; Balkan Babes; Vince Vaccaro, Indie Folk/Rock; BC Accordian Orchestra with Jelena; Alan Moberg, BC Hall of Fame Country; Ed Peekeekoot; Momentum, R&B; Sarah Treadmill; Cynthia Davis; Elisa Hartman; Pablo Diemecke; Quoia; Aurora Scott of the Dawn; Acres of Lions and Greg Sczebel.

Hansel & Gretel – a children’s opera – 1 pm & 4 pm in the Novitiate Garden

For more info: www.capitalfestival.com

Sporting every colour of the rainbow, their shiny surfaces reflecting the picturesque Inner Harbour, more than 900 cars of pre-1951 vintage took over the streets of downtown Victoria for Northwest Deuce Days.

 An estimated crowd of 40,000 enjoyed strolling throughout BC’s capital July 18 to enjoy and reminisce over the vehicles – especially the 1932 Ford “Deuce.” With entries from all over North America and Europe, including celebrity rodders Vic Edelbrock Jr and Roy Brizio, the local event is one of the largest and most popular in the world, thanks to the effort of organizer Al Clark and his team of volunteers.

Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, and minister responsible for the PCC, was on hand in front of the Legislative Buildings to hand out awards.

The Canadian Capital Cities Organization has elected a new president.

Ray Parks, chief executive officer for British Columbia’s Provincial Capital Commission in Victoria, took on the additional national role following the CCCO’s annual general meeting held in New Brunswick last week. He replaces Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco who served as the organization’s president for many years.

The CCCO is comprised of representatives from Canada’s provincial, territorial and national capitals. Its goal is to foster an exchange of ideas among participants from across the country on best practices to engage constituents and to promote the capitals culturally and economically.

In addition to unifying the nation’s capital cities, Parks sees the lead-up to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017 as a platform to launch a series of initiatives that will strengthen national and provincial pride and citizen engagement.

Musicians from around the world took to the stage at the Provincial Capital Commission’s Ship Point site this week.

The 11th annual Victoria Ska Festival brought together the gendre’s best including Fishbone, the Aggrolites, Bucan Bucan, Katchafire and many more.

Canadian pride was on display throughout Victoria’s Inner Harbour July 1, as thousands of people took in Canada Day celebrations marking the nation’s 143rd birthday.

Festivities began with Downtown Victoria Business Association manager Ken Kelly shepherding more than 2,000 people clad in white and red T-shirts into the shape of a giant Canadian flag on the lawns of BC’s Parliament Buildings.

The upper and lower causeways were a moving sea of red and white clothing, hats, painted faces and flags as residents and visitors took to the streets to enjoy the day’s lineup of entertainment.

The artisan marketplace at Ship Point was bustling and vendors served up plates of international fare at the Flavour of Canada food concessions. Evening entertainment on the Legislative lawns featured Jon and Roy, Hayley Sales, Rock Island Ramblers and Bučan Bučan followed by the traditional fireworks show.

The drum, embodying the heartbeat of First Nations people, reverberated across Victoria’s beautiful Inner Harbour June 20, calling people of all races, ages and beliefs to join together in festivities celebrating National Aboriginal Day in the Capital. 

The 4th annual family-oriented event took place on the Provincial Capital Commission’s Ship Point venue below the Victoria Visitor Centre, bringing  together 20 First Nations artists in a colorful marketplace with entertainment provided by drum groups from different First Nations. The event was free and open to everyone.

The market provided an opportunity to meet and talk with a wide variety of artists from different mediums and nations. “Art and craft is a tangible way for the community at large to understand the diversity of the First Nations of BC and of Canada,” says volunteer Ron Rice. “It is also a way that we continue to express both ourselves and our connection to our ancestors.”

Performers include Unity Drummers and Singers and Big Crew both of which are multi-nation drum groups comprised of people originating from Nations across Canada and now living in Victoria.  Drummers and Singers of the Kwakwaka'wakw, whose traditional territory is the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, includes members from all over Vancouver Island. The day’s event will also feature the Hishingwas Drummers and Singers from the west coast of Vancouver Island and the Nuu Cha Nulth territory.

Celebrating National Aboriginal Day in the Capital City is a volunteer-run event organized by the Aboriginal Solstice Society with support from the Provincial Capital commission, the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres and Vancity.

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Two companies have been awarded key contracts for upcoming work on the CPR Steamship Terminal building in Victoria. Iredale Group Architecture was chosen as the prime consulting team and Kinetic Construction Ltd won the bid for construction manager. The two companies were chosen following a public Request for Proposal process.

The project will include significant seismic upgrades along with electrical and mechanical improvements to bring the 1924 building up to present-day building and fire codes while respecting the heritage aspects of this iconic Inner Harbour landmark. Improvements will also focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.

Work is scheduled to begin in November and must be substantially completed by Mar. 31, 2011 as dictated by the terms of the federal/provincial infrastructure stimulus agreement which is funding the $3 million project.

Existing tenants support the project and have made arrangements to vacate the building by the end of October in time for construction start-up. All have reported they intend to relocate permanently and will not be returning to the PCC-owned CPR Terminal building once construction has finished. Current tenants include the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Lanewood Galleries Ltd, operator of the Royal London Wax Museum.

“We are working with the ferry operators to help them realize their long-standing plan to relocate the U.S. Customs service to the Belleville Port Facility,” said Ray Parks, CEO of the Provincial Capital Commission.

Next steps will be to finalize the design, scheduling, tendering and permit approval processes. In the meantime, some exterior building envelope work will take place this fall.

With colours flying, drums banging and bayonets fixed, 3000 armed forces personnel marched through the streets of Victoria , exercising their Freedom of the City.
The event, part of a year-long celebration of the Canadian Navy’s 100th anniversary, ended with the unveiling of the Homecoming Statue, located on Provincial Capital Commission’s Ship Point property.
Lt. Governor Steven L. Point took the vice regal salute and an honour guard paid tribute to Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, commander of Maritime Forces Pacific in a formal ceremony. The officials were joined by Victoria MLA Ida Chong standing in for the Hon. Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and Minister Responsible for the Provincial Capital Commission to unveil the statue of a returning Petty Officer greeting his young daughter.

Renovations to one of the Capital City’s most iconic buildings have won a second heritage award. The Hallmark Society presented their President’s Award to the City of Victoria, the Provincial Capital Commission and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts at its 36th annual Heritage Awards celebration May 4 for work done over the past number of years to repurpose the Crystal Garden.

In June, 2009 the project also earned a provincial Award of Honour in heritage restoration from Heritage BC.

Noting the historic building has a special resonance for Victorians, Hallmark Society president Nick Russell outlined the many lives of the building since it first opened in 1925 leading up to its current use as part of the Victoria Conference Centre.

Installation of a new glass roof, new heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, a new loading dock and food services facilities, new wireless technology and significant renovation to the building’s interior all led to the rejuvenation and reuse of the building while maintaining its character-defining elements.

The Provincial Capital Commission has a new website!
With a much brighter look, the new website features more photographs, more information and more interactive material. There’s also lots of room to expand, so keep checking back to see additional improvements in coming weeks.
Our thanks to Malcolm Green – for his talent and patience in getting the new site up and running.

A new publication has just been produced by the Provincial Capital Commission.
Titled We Raise Our Hands: Stories from BC’s Capital, it is designed to connect the province’s First Peoples to Victoria.
It features historical and culturally-significant stories from around Greater Victoria as well as honouring the past and present contributions of the Songhees and Esquimalt people and their Lekwungen ancestors, as well as highlighting Aboriginal achievement province-wide.
The print publication is being distributed at no charge to all First Nations and relevant organizations throughout BC. For a downloadable version, click here

About 20 members of Snaw'naw'as First Nation enjoyed a visit to the Royal BC Museum's S'abadeb exhibit honouring Coast Salish art and culture. The PCC was pleased to help fund the trip which helped connect the Nanoose-area residents with their past.

The Provincial Capital Commission has contracted Prism Engineering Ltd to perform a detailed energy audit of the PCC-owned buildings including the CPR Steamship Terminal, the Clipper Terminal, Crystal Garden, the Victoria Visitor Centre building and the PCC's headquarters building on Pandora Avenue.

The resultant report will identify key areas where energy savings could be made, in line with the provincial government's climate action target.

Planning for major construction work is well underway at the Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Terminal - one of Victoria's significant heritage buildings.

Island Applicators are currently repairing the building's decorative cornices.

The Rattenbury-designed building on Victoria's Inner Harbour is slated for a major upgrade from November 2010 through to the end of March 2011, a tight timeframe dictated by the terms of the funding partners - the federal and provincial governments -which each contributed $1.5 million towards the project. Scheduled work will include bringing the 1926 building up to code as well as a major seismic upgrade.

Tendering will begin this spring.