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23. 10. 96
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
20 SEPTEMBER AND 1 OCTOBER 1996
Special meetings of the Parks and Recreation Committee
were held on Friday 20 September
and Tuesday 1 October 1996 at 9.00 am
PRESENT: Councillor Gordon Freeman (Chairman), The Mayor (20/9/96), Councillors Carole Anderton, Graham Berry (20/9/96), David Buist, Graham Condon, David Cox, Ishwar Ganda and Gail Sheriff.
APOLOGIES: An apology for absence was received and accepted from Councillor Sheriff for the 20 September meeting.
An apology for absence was received and accepted from the Mayor for the 1 October meeting.
The Committee reports that:
PART B - ITEMS DEALT WITH BY THE COMMITTEE AND
REPORTED FOR INFORMATION ONLY
1. SUMMERTIMES 1995-96 REVIEW RR 3661
The Communications and Promotions Manager presented the report on the 1995/96 SummerTimes Festival.
The report summarised the highlights of the festival, the associated publicity and promotional campaign, sponsorship, revenue and budgeting issues, organisational matters and the results of market research on the 1994/95 and 1995/96 festivals. The research results were impressive with no major areas being identified as requiring improvement in relation to the events themselves. However the following areas were identified for consideration:
In response to concerns regarding the effect of the Council's programme of free entertainment on other local attractions, staff advised that research undertaken by the top attractions group showed that their activities did not suffer from the Council's entertainment programmes. The research disclosed that the respondents interviewed had confirmed that had they not attended the Council event they would have stayed at home.
The Communications and Promotions Manager noted a suggestion that a meeting be held with the management of the facilities not part of the top attractions network to apprize them of the findings of the research.
The need for local attractions to vary their programmes to encourage repeat local business was discussed and it was agreed that the City Promotions Co-ordinator should raise this issue as part of her liaison role with the Top 10 Attractions group.
MEDIA CLIPPING SERVICE
Arising from a discussion on techniques for monitoring media exposure of Council events, it was agreed that the Council should consider subscribing to a national media clipping service. This would provide an overview of the level of publicity the city was attracting elsewhere in the country.
It was agreed that this matter should be further addressed as part of the 1997/98 Annual Plan process.
"SUPER SCREEN"
In view of the huge number of patrons being attracted to the major SummerTimes events, the Committee acknowledged that there was an increasing need for a "super screen" for outdoor concerts to enhance the visual quality of the event. It was advised that the country's only super screen was based in Auckland and the cost of transporting it to the South Island was prohibitive. Staff were requested to explore the viability of a Christchurch based screen for major South Island entertainment and sporting events and to report back to the Committee on the outcome of the investigations.
SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS
Arising from a discussion on the sponsorship of Council core funded and/or administered events, the Committee resolved that a sub-committee, comprising Councillors Freeman, Anderton, Cox and Sheriff, be appointed to review the impending sponsorship contract before a formal agreement is entered into.
2. PREVIEW OF 1996-97 SUMMERTIMES FESTIVAL RR 3662
The Communications and Promotions Manager submitted the draft schedule of events for the 1996/97 SummerTimes Festival.
The festival will commence on 31 December 1996 with the New Year's Eve celebrations in Cathedral Square and close on 8 March 1997 with the Classical Sparks concert, two weeks later than usual. The festival has been extended to alleviate the competition for dates amongst the major events in February. Given public satisfaction with the programme content no other changes have been made to the festival.
In the course of discussion on the 1996/97 programme a number of suggestions emerged including:
The Committee noted that costs had been held for the 1996/97 SummerTimes festival and that the increased venue management costs arising from the success of this event had been offset by increased sponsorship.
At the Committee's request a function will be held for sponsors prior to the 1997 Festival to acknowledge their support for the festival.
3. CHRISTCHURCH BLOSSOMS FESTIVAL 1996 - PREVIEW RR 3663
The Committee received the report of the Communications and Promotions Manager previewing the programme for the above event. The aims of the festival, which ran from 21 September to 6 October were:
4. SHOWTIME CANTERBURY FESTIVAL - PREVIEW RR 3664
The Communications and Promotions Manager presented the programme for the above event which is being co-ordinated by the Council for the first time. The festival has been expanded into a two week event to incorporate significant race meetings at Motukurara and Kaikoura. Showtime Canterbury will open on Friday 1 November and close on Sunday 17 November. The festival programme currently has 197 listings, including 99 feature events.
In noting the provincial, rather than city focus of the festival, the Committee considered that it would be appropriate for this major provincial event to be supported by other local authorities in the region.
Accordingly, it was resolved that the Communications and Promotions Unit approach all other Canterbury local authorities to seek a contribution towards the cost of staging the festival.
Arising from a discussion on the financial management issues, the members requested that the festival budget be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.
The 20 September meeting concluded at 11.45 am and the 1 October meeting at 11.30 am
CONSIDERED THIS 23RD DAY OF OCTOBER 1996
MAYOR