Series S477 - Vancouver Legacies Program records

The Vancouver Legacies Program was initiated by City Council in 1985 to ensure that the City's centennial would be suitably commemorated. It was "conceived to bring the business community of our great City together to help embellish and prepare Vancouver for a year of Centennial celebrations in 1986 and the six-month pageantry of Expo '86 . . . " (PD 2471).

The objectives of the Program were:

• to identify the improvements needed to enhance Vancouver's environment or to augment the social and recreational services vital to the success of the city
• to facilitate private sponsorship to bring about the needed improvements
• to expedite the improvements when people have put up the money to achieve them

Mayor Harcourt appointed the Vancouver Legacies Program Advisory Committee to oversee the Program, which was managed by a City planner, Larry Beasley. Members of the Advisory Committee were Mayor Michael Harcourt (chairman), Alderman Gordon Campbell (co-chairman), other aldermen, a Parks Commissioner, and "a panel of distinguished Vancouver citizens" (PD 2471).

The component of the Program which appealed for donations from individuals was called the Vancouver Gifts Program ("smaller donations for specific furnishings, equipment . . . for civic facilities and organizations", PD 2471).