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Tuff council mulls public art policies

Tofino will prepare a public art policy to help avoid hullabaloos like the one sparked by the Weeping Cedar Woman statue.

Coun. Cathy Thicke brought the motion to council and said a public art policy would ease discussions surrounding the acquisition of public art and noted the district's Arts and Culture Master Plan, adopted in December, recommends establishing a public art policy.

"On account of those two things I think it's appropriate now to consider the public art policy and that we put some funding towards it because I don't believe it is within the staff capacity to undertake this," she said.

Council voted to have staff prepare a draft policy for council's consideration but balked at hiring a consultant to do the work.

Thicke's motion had suggested the district allocate up to $5,000 towards creating the policy.

Coun. Duncan McMaster said he has reviewed policies used by communities around Canada and the States and he believed all were within Tofino's internal capacity.

"I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that 90 per cent of them are all the same so to pay $5,000 for a cut and paste job...I realize staff are busy but I'd like to think there was citing training, networking and working collaboratively.

For anyone considering a career in the non-profit sector, Dorward said the key to any career is to "follow your heart, find your passion and do what you love."

Give back, always For Ucluetians Judy Gray and her Re/Max team partner Betty Winpenny, business is about putting a strong business background to work for buyers and sellers of real estate. Gray began her career in retail, banking and co-owned a logging company.

Winpenny's work life started in insurance, banking, commercial fishing, administration and bookkeeping.

They shared a similar approach, which forged a sturdy business connection for the West Coast's top-producing real estate professionals: a strong work ethic, learning the job from the bottom up, and keeping a professional standard of accountability and customer service.

But doing well means giving back. "Our kids are our future, and I want to do anything I can to help them be healthy and happy," Gray said, explaining her office's consistent contribution to causes like BC Children's Hospital.

"So many children in our community have been touched by BC Children's Hospital. It's amazing how many of my clients whose children are or have been patients there," she said.

"Giving back is part of being part of the community - it's all about the kids."



Andrew Bailey

About the Author: Andrew Bailey

I arrived at the Westerly News as a reporter and photographer in January 2012.
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