Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Vancouver Centennial Commission fonds
General material designation
- Textual record
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on contents of fonds.
Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
6.3 m of textual records and other material
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Vancouver Centennial Commission (VCC) was established by a Resolution of Council on October 16, 1979. The task of the Commission, which was comprised of members of Council and the general public, was to co-ordinate and make preparations for the celebration of the Vancouver Centennial in 1986. To achieve this objective the VCC was incorporated on July 23, 1982 under Bill 64 .- Vancouver Centennial Celebration Act. Commissioners and Chairman were appointed by the Council of the City of Vancouver.
The powers of the Commission as delegated by the Council of the City of Vancouver under the Act were:
a) to make and carry out all arrangements necessary for organizing a celebration of the centenary of the City of Vancouver;
b) to enter into agreements or arrangements with any other person, association or organization for the
purpose of planning, coordinating or organizing the centennial celebration;
c) to do whatever is necessary to coordinate, plan and organize the centennial celebration;
d) to appoint subcommittees of the commission composed of members or honorary members or officers of the commission or other persons;
e) to make the rules for the appointment, conduct and business of local or community centennial
committees;
f) to carry out the objects of the Act, appoint and dismiss employees and determine their remunerations and conditions of employment;
g) administer all funds, grants, gifts and other personal or real property received by the commission;
h) acquire and dispose of real and personal property necessary for the Commission s purposes;
j) adopt emblems, crests, badges or marks for the Commission or the City of Vancouver, or both;
The Commission consist of three major components:
1) The Commission, which consisted of appointed members. The Commissioners role was advisory as opposed to operational. The priority of the Commission was to establish and implement policy. The role and responsibility of the Commissioners meeting as the Centennial Commission was:
a) to receive reports from the Executive Committee;
b) to consider recommendations from the Executive Committee;
c) to approve policy;
d) to provide interaction with the City of Vancouver and the community at large.
2) The Executive Committee, consisting of appointed members who were members of the Commission. The role of the Executive Committee was operational; within the authority granted, it was responsible for coordinating, administering and overseeing the operation of the Commission and its divisions.
3) Sub-committees or divisions created by the Commission and/or the Executive Committee. These consisted of Non-administrative divisions, Administrative divisions, the Community Programming Division and the Commission Programming Division.
The roles of the Commission divisions were:
a) to advise the Commission and the Commission s staff on matters concerning the division s
area of expertise, including recommendation of projects for endorsement for the
Executive;
b) to be an extension of the Commission into the community. The divisions were a sounding
board for ideas from all areas and all sectors of the community;
c) to carry out program tasks and functions as assigned to it by the Executive Committee.
Non-administrative divisions consisted of the Communications Division and Private Sector Funding Division. Administrative divisions consisted of the Finance and Administration Division. The Community Programming Division included the Public Institutions Division, Sports Programs Division, Community Programs Division, Arts Program Division and Civic Decorations Division. The Commission Programming Division contained only the Special Events Division.
The Staff Programming Committee was established to receive and investigate program opportunities and coordinate activities among the staff program coordinators to ensure the success of the program. Members of this committee were the Executive Director, the Sports Coordinator, the Special Events Coordinator and the Multicultural Coordinator. This committee, after consultation with the Commission division concerned, made recommendations to the Executive Committee.
Civic Task Force.
The Civic Task Force, chaired by the Director of Social Planning, was composed of representatives from City Clerk s, Planning, Finance, Engineering, Civic Theatres, Police, Parks Board, Library Board, Museums and the School Board. The first meeting of the Task Force was on February 17, 1983
It was to meet regularly and periodically with Commission members and/or advise and assist the Centennial Commission and its staff on the following matters:
a) the public consultation process;
b) the organization of meetings with businesses and community groups;
c) the development of program ideas and a calendar of events for the Centennial;
d) fund-raising from senior levels of government, especially advising on funds available from various sources;
e) develop criteria and a proposed process for community grants to be approved by Council;
f) relationship to Expo 86;
g) reports to Council;
h) any other matters where the expertise and resources of particular departments, boards or associations may be of assistance to further the Commission s work.
The VCC also established committees for the following: Communications, Funding, Personnel
Finance, Commission Initiatives, Community Program, Arts, and Sports.
The Commission was chaired by Mayor Michael Harcourt from 1981 to 1986, and Co-chaired by D. Hamilton (1981 to 1984), and Michael M. Francis (1985-1986, acting Co-Chairman 1983-1984). The first Executive Director was Pat St. Pierre (1982-1984), followed by Robert Dubberly (1984-1986).
Numerous staff were hired to carry out the day-to day operations of the Commission and administer the various aspects of the planning and implementation process.
The Commission continued to operate in a limited capacity into 1987.
Custodial history
The records of the Vancouver Centennial Commission were transferred directly from the Commission offices to the City Records Centre in 1987. At that time, the City Archivist was appointed custodian of the records. The records were physically transferred to the Archives in 1998.
Scope and content
Fonds consists of subject files, project applications and other records documenting the activities of the Vancouver Centennial Commission and the various events and programs that took place during the Centennial year. Document types include correspondence, financial records, proposals, minutes, reports, agreements, publications, application forms, certificates, graphic material, photographs, sound recordings, audiovisual material and ephemera.
The fonds is arranged into the following three original series: Housekeeping subject files (1980-1987), Program subject files (1956-1987, predominent 1979-1987), and Centennial project applications (1982-1987 [microfilmed 1999], and three additional series established by the Archivist for material acquired by the Archives from various sources: Executive Director records (1981-1987), Commissioner Ann Yandle records (1983-1987), and Centennial program records collected by the Archives (1983-1987).
Notes area
Physical condition
Includes 2687 photographs, 17 cm graphic material, 4 scrapbooks, 16 microfilm reels, 14 audio cassettes, 4 audio reels, 12 videocassettes, and 16 transparencies.
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Access to some records in this fonds is restricted.