TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES BRANTFORD VISITOR & TOURISM CENTRE, TIM HORTONS COMMUNITY ROOM Tuesday March 5, 2013, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Beverly Scott, Caroline Ann Wilson, Bob Wyatt, Dennis Duce, Vic Prendergast, Liz Dachuk, Councillor John Utley, Vern Johansson, Jack Jackowetz, Russell Press REGRETS: Eydie Styres, Keri Korfmann & Councillor Larry Kings STAFF: GUESTS: Donna Clements, Ela Stypa-Jones Brian Hughes, Acting Director of Park Operations Paul and Sue Barrie, Private Brantford residents 1.1 Chair Comments Jack Jackowetz called meeting to order at 11:55 am and added item 3.2 RV dumping station to the agenda. 2. DECLARATION OF CONFLICT None 3. DELEGATIONS 3.1 Special Event Policy/Special Events Advisory Team Brian Hughes, Acting Director of Park Operations Brian Hughes explained and outlined the City of Brantford policy regarding city events. The number of events is increasing. This policy relates to events occurring on City property (roads, parks, facilities etc.). It is a set of rules and guidelines to help organizers. It presents a timeline for necessary permits leading up to the event as well as rules for what can and cannot happen on city property. The Special Events Policy, outlining the definition of a special event, was presented to and passed by council. The Special Events Procedures document is will evolve over time and does not need to go back to council for approval. The Special Event Advisory Team (SEAT) is comprised of City employees that are directly impacted by events taking place in the City: Risk Management, Building Permits, EMS, Fire Department, Police Department, Brant County
Health Unit, Property Standards & Bylaws, Engineering, Transit, Traffic, Parks & Rec and Tourism. Organizers are asked to present to SEAT. It is not mandatory to meet with SEAT. This provides the opportunity for questions to be asked of the organizer and of City staff. Many events have presented to SEAT over the past year and it has been a successful process. SEAT and the Special Events Policy are there to assist, not to regulate. SEAT also provides the event organizer the opportunity to attend and provide a post-event debrief. A Special Event Permit will be charged, starting in 2014, to cover the administrative costs and internal costs of servicing special events. The charge is based on attendance numbers to an event ranging from a small event ($50) to a large event ($250). Donna Clements noted that there are two large city wide corporate conferences/events happening this year (AORS Association of Ontario Road Supervisors and OTDC Ontario Truck Driving Championships). AORS presented to SEAT last month and found the opportunity very helpful. The OTDC will present in the near future. SEAT meets every second Wednesday at 1:30 PM, at City Hall. Since inception, 30-40 events have presented to SEAT. Beverly Scott asked if the event is held in county and the noise crosses over the city line, is it subject to the city noise bylaw? Brian Hughes stated that they can t enforce noise violations if the event is happening in the County. Bylaws pertain to the source location of the event. 3.2 RV Dumping Station Paul Barrie, Private Brantford resident During the 1980 s, an RV dump site was built on Mohawk Street near the water sewage tank. It was a place for self-contained RVs to dump black and grey water. It has always been there along the side of the road for ease of access for users. There was also an alternate site at the Brantford Visitor & Tourism Centre, now since closed. Paul Barrie last used the dump site in November 2012 and found the dump site was closed because the City was concerned with environmental and legal issues. There were no containment facilities and the standards for its construction were not correct. He had not observed any problems and felt it was a good site that worked well for the users who relied on it. He had asked for an alternate suggestion and was told to use the facilities at Brant Park. Brant Park
charges a fee and the Park is closed after Thanksgiving until the Victoria Day weekend. Mr. Barrie brought his concern to the City of Brantford Economic Development & Tourism Department. He is seeking support and advice to go to City Council to have the site re-opened or a new option is provided. Liz Dachuk asked what explanation was given for the closing of the dumping station. The Visitor & Tourism Centre was closed due to abuse and contamination. The Water Sewage Plant was closed due to legal issues that it may not have been constructed correctly. Councillor Utley asked Paul Berrie to make the same delegation presentation to City Council in two weeks. Councillor Utley will make inquiries to Operations, Public Works, Water Treatment and residents. Paul Barrie is concerned that when snowbirds return home from their stay in the U.S. over the winter they will not know where to go. The only commercial facility believed to provide a dumping station is Plainsview. Plainsview was contacted, but no answer was received. Russell Press was asked if there are any County facilities. He stated that there is one at the Paris Fairgrounds and there is a $5 dumping fee. Access is not maintained in the winter time. During the summer, it is used quite heavily. At least 8 groups (1,000) have used it during the past three years. The Chair thanked Paul Barrie for his presentation. Jack Jackowetz informed TAC that Paul Barrie contacted him about a month ago and asked him to present to TAC. 4. MINUTES 4.1 Approval of the Tourism Advisory Committee minutes January 22, 2013 Moved by: Seconded: Carol Ann Wilson Bob Wyatt THAT the January 22, 2013 Tourism Advisory Committee minutes BE APPROVED. 5. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION 5.1 Tourism Advisory Committee 2013/14 Action Plan Framework CARRIED
Donna Clements handed out the document that was compiled from the discussion at the last TAC meeting. Additional items were emailed to Susan Sager afterwards and added. These items were discussed and committee members were to determine priorities. This process helps to establish priorities as it is difficult to support all items with respect to staff time. The final report will then go to council in April. It was reminded to make these items into a citizen s report as it is a citizen committee not a staff report. Under educational activities, the Shining Stars Tourism Awards were removed due to staff resources and the continuum of services review. Dennis Duce asked if the Tourism Awards was being discontinued? Donna Clements answered that they would not be held in 2013. Attendance numbers were always good, but would like to ask the Regional Tourism Organization 3 if a regional awards program is being considered. The Tourism Awards ran for 10 years and at times had the same winners year after year. It was becoming increasingly difficult to execute the awards even though they had nominations in each category. Staff is to research other options for recognition and review to see what may work for Brantford and area. The question was posed to determine if the committee felt it was important to continue the program beyond 2013. It was recommended to work with the RTO #3 to determine another option. Vic Prendergast noted that the Hamilton awards are drawing on attractions and operations from the Brantford and Burlington areas. Moved by: Seconded: Carol Ann Wilson Bob Wyatt THAT Tourism Staff research and consult with RTO #3 about holding Regional Tourism Awards BE APPROVED. CARRIED Liz Dachuk asked if the priority list was to appeal to local residents or outside visitors. Vic Prendergast noted that our area has a very high percentage of VFF (Visiting Friends and Family). Appealing to locals in turn brings their outside guests with them. There is a definite crossover as both parties are drawn to attractions/events. Liz Dachuk noted that perhaps the top five priorities need to be selected from this list. Regarding targeting local vs. outside attendees, the group must start with one or the other. She recommended building on locals first, that in turn will bring the outside attendees. This will then increase hotel stays.
Tourism focuses on products that can produce an ROI. These markets include meetings and conventions. Leisure market opportunities are being transferred to the RTO #3. John Frabotta asked that the committee clarify what it wants its priority to be and what TACs role is. Many items on the priorities list already have advisory committees and boards. There is no need to duplicate efforts. It is TACs role to offer assistance and to identify gaps where necessary. Work on actionable items that show results. Identify what areas the committee will take the lead and what areas they will provide a supporting role. Jack Jackowetz noted that TACs role is to identify areas that will help drive tourist visits to the area, and then determine the potential to be derived versus the staff resources required to promote it. Donna Clements said that after the TAC s meetings last year with the City s Golf operations staff met with Golf operations to identify existing programs that could be used to help them increase their business. Councillor Utley stated that Jeff Moore from Golf Operations was very grateful with the help they received from the Tourism and the TAC. Dennis Duce asked if there is a marketing plan in place for the Wayne Gretzky Sports Complex given its economic opportunity. Donna Clements stated that staff is working with the Mayor s Office towards a June 1 st grand opening. Dennis asked if there is a plan beyond the opening to bring people to the city. The Sport Tourism position is still vacant. Council has deferred hiring for that position due to the continuum of services review. Tourism staff works with Parks & Recreation staff with regards to sport tourism. Donna Clements stated that the committee needs to work with more tangible priorities. Some areas that they can focus on are the Heritage Walks Committee, the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, Brantford Hotel Association, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, Regional Tourism Organization #3 (when ready), and the Bass Fishing Derby with the County and Six Nations and Tourism Awareness week. Vic Prendergast supported Donna Clement s suggestions as a starting point. TACs role is to provide assistance and to add to projects. Jack Jackowetz asked for the County s input and opinion on the TAC priority list. Russell Press said that it was a good exercise in citizen input. They are looking to do something similar in the County and this is a good example to take. The County sees their role as filling the gaps for the City events. They cannot bid on all events, but can they work together to leverage visits while here. TAC decided to present an action item on the RV dumping stations
Moved by: Seconded: Dennis Duce Carol Ann Wilson THAT TAC supports an investigation and the potential tourism benefits to having an RV dumping station in the community BE APPROVED. CARRIED Economic Development & Tourism offered to compile a list of dumping stations, hours of operations and locations. Due to the length of discussion and the time the meeting was adjourned before any further agenda items could be addressed. 6. CONSENT ITEMS Consent items to be moved to next meeting due to time. 6.1 Tourism Advisory Committee 2013 Vacancies Update 6.2 Bass Fishing Derby Update - Councillor John Utley 6.3 Destination Lure 2013/15 and Travel Trade Market Performance Update 6.4 Liaison Updates 7. NOTICES OF MOTION 8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING 8.1 Tuesday March 26, 2013 9. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned by Bob Wyatt at 1:45 pm