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Italian Cultural Centre Society Annual Report | Resoconto Annuale 2017

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Italian Cultural Centre Society Annual Report | Resoconto Annuale 2017 ilcentro_annualreport_2018_1.pdf 1 2018-03-01 6:21 AM C M Y CM MY CY CMY K ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTRE SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT | RESOCONTO ANNUALE 2017 2017 ANNUAL REPORT Mission Statement 2 Board of Directors & Management Team 3 President’s Report 4 Executive Director’s Report 8 Cultural Director’s Report 10 Museum Curator’s Report 12 School Director’s Report 14 Librarian’s Report 16 Catering Director’s Report 18 Treasurer’s Report 20 Auditor’s Report & Financial Statements 23 Donors 42 General Assembly of Delegates 43 Il Centro Board of Directors, Casa Serena, 45 Villa Carital, & ICC Committees 1 - Annual Report 2017 Annual Report 2017 - 1 Annual Report 2017.indd 1 09/03/2018 10:58:00 AM MISSION STATEMENT “Promuovere la cultura italiana e i suoi valori e condividerli con le altre comunità.” “To promote Italian culture, values and heritage and to share these with other communities.” ounded in 1977, the Il Centro’s mission, as stated above, is “to promote Italian culture, values and heritage and to share these with other communities”. Created Fby volunteers, with support from the Province of BC and the City of Vancouver, the Centre serves as a vital reference and focal point for the Lower Mainland’s Italian Canadian Community. The Italian Cultural Centre’s programs and activities include: an Italian language school, a heritage museum and gallery, a library and resource Centre, performing arts presentations, film screenings, literary events, a public lecture series, banquet and catering services, wine tastings, cooking classes, and other culinary events. “Il Centro” has operated for over 40 years and presents a broad spectrum of cultural programming, events and activities on an annual basis. In addition to our cultural program and activities, Il Centro also houses 33 member associations (representing 33 Italian regions, activities, and cities), a resident Montessori School (Westside Montessori, grades: K to 4), a tenant restaurant (Dario’s Ristorante), and has developed two separate housing complexes: Casa Serena, a 94 unit seniors housing complex, and Villa Carital, a 80 unit assisted living centre for seniors. Located in East Vancouver, the Italian Cultural Centre has been the hub for the Italian-Canadian community for over 40 years. 2 - Annual Report 2017 Annual Report 2017 - 2 Annual Report 2017.indd 2 09/03/2018 10:58:01 AM BOARD & MANAGEMENT 2017 Board of Directors (Front row, left to right): Joe Finamore, Executive Member; Mary McMullen, Treasurer; Luca Citton, President; Randy Rinaldo, Vice-President; Deanna Lythgo, Secretary. (Second row, left to right): Carla Finamore, Chairperson of the Assemby of Delegates; Mike Cuccione, Mike Lombardi, Lino Bussoli. (Missing from the Picture): Steve Comin 2017 Management Team Mauro Vescera Fabio Rasotto Executive Director Catering Director Giulio Recchioni Irada Yuzbayova Cultural Director Financial Controller Edda Onesti Jackson Noah School Director Executive Chef 3 - Annual Report 2017 Annual Report 2017 - 3 Annual Report 2017.indd 3 09/03/2018 10:58:02 AM PRESIDENT’S REPORT t was another fine year for Il Centro in 2017. Most importantly, we expanded our cultural Iprogramming with a number of food and cooking related events, while also expanding our extensive repertoire of music, visual arts, language, and heritage events. In total we hosted over 750 events this year and our Italian language school posted record setting numbers of students enrolled in classes! We also hosted the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, when he visited British Columbia. In addition to making a concerted effort to ramp up our cultural and language offerings, the Board again prioritized and continued to work on the following two initiatives: (a) a re-examination of our governance structure in light of changes to the Societies Act of British Columbia (the “Act”), and (b) an examination of our options with respect to a critical redevelopment of Il Centro’s infrastructure. Governance he new Societies Act of British Columbia One of the new governance (also known as Bill 24) was proclaimed recommendations put forward by the Tinto law on November 28, 2016. This Act governance committee included aiding our has had significant implications for all existing member societies’ in a re-examination of BC incorporated societies, including Il Centro their own constitutions to ensure they also and all our member societies. Il Centro’s remain in compliance with the new Act. To governance committee carefully re-examined that end, we decided to provide financial aid the entire governance structure of Il Centro to support our member societies through the and presented a number of recommendations transition process. The Board made a $500 to the Board and Delegates on how to credit available to each member society to be best streamline our current constitution and applied to the legal costs they would incur for bylaws. After presenting our governance the transition of their respective constitutions recommendations, we consulted a law and by-laws into the new Act. Our member firm that specializes in charity law to help societies are an integral part of Il Centro, and us draft and revise our constitution, bylaws, we want to ensure that they continue to thrive and policies. We provided drafts of these in our community. documents for review by the members in the fall of 2017. Then in November, we convened Redevelopment a special information session for our member societies to explain to them the main changes made to the draft bylaws. The information Il Centro is at a crossroads for two reasons: session informed another round of revisions to 1) The physical infrastructure of our building the drafts, with the intent that the members requires upgrades; and 2) we need to pass a resolution to amend the constitution and remain relevant and capture a younger bylaws at this year’s AGM. cohort of members to support the ongoing multigenerational presence of the Italian 4 - Annual Report 2017 Annual Report 2017 - 4 Annual Report 2017.indd 4 09/03/2018 10:58:02 AM community in Vancouver. Addressing both and a momentous visit from the President of these issues are critical to Il Centro’s long- of Italy, Sergio Mattarella when he visited term sustainability and will require us to have British Columbia. Additionally, we had a very a forward-looking strategy for the years successful Italian Film Festival and managed ahead. Over the last few years the Directors to increase the number of Italian food related and the management team of Il Centro events. These events significantly increased conducted an extensive exploration into the visibility and relevance of Il Centro in the various redevelopment options available. I greater Vancouver community. For more believe that we had found such an opportunity details on Il Centro’s cultural activities in 2017, to redevelop Il Centro in partnership with Bosa please see the report of our Executive Director, Properties that would have addressed the risks Mauro Vescera. posed by the aging infrastructure and that would have allowed us to have a measure Financially, this was a fine year for Il Centro. of control over the long-term presence of the However, as the redevelopment was not Italian culture in Vancouver. approved, we had to embark on many capital upgrades, including repairs to the sewer system On March 9th , 2017 we held an Extra and the roof. As a result, we finished the year Ordinary Vote of the members to approve this with a deficit of $117,538.00. For more details opportunity. The vote did not guarantee that on Il Centro’s financial performance in 2017, any proposed redevelopment would happen, please see the report of our Treasurer, Mary as there would still be many regulatory hurdles McMullen. to go through before any final decisions would be made, but it would have authorized the Finally, I would like to offer my sincerest necessary first step: community consent to gratitude to the rest of the Board including proceed in conversations with Bosa and the the Executive, Randy Rinaldo-Vice President, City of Vancouver. The nature of the Extra Deanna Lythgo-Secretary, Mary McMullen- Ordinary Vote required a 75% majority to vote Treasurer and Joe Finamore-Executive Director “yes” to continue working with Bosa Properties for their continued efforts. I would also like to on this initiative. Although the “Yes” vote won a thank Il Centro’s amazing management team, 70% majority of the votes, that was not enough including Mauro Vescera, Fabio Rasotto, Irada to allow us to continue with the project. Yuzbayova, Edda Onesti, and Giulio Recchioni, as well as our many volunteers, donors, and As a result, the Board proceeded to create business partners. Without their help and an Advisory Council composed of community support throughout the year, we would not leaders to inform, advise, and recommend have been able to achieve what we did in ideas to the Board on how to move forward 2017. I am very proud to have been associated and address the concerns laid out above. We with such people in my third and final year continue to welcome all suggestions that might as President of Il Centro, and I am entirely help secure Il Centro’s future success. confident that they will make 2018 just as The majority of the services inherent to our memorable. I have enjoyed my nearly 10 years redevelopment inquiry were generously on the Board, including 3 as Vice-President paid for or donated by Bosa Properties. On and the last 3 years as President. While my behalf of Il Centro, I would like to extend a role in the community will change in 2018, I will tremendous thank you to Colin Bosa and his continue to support Il Centro as a community team. We continue to be thankful that you member and look forward to whatever new came forward and tried to help us realize ideas the next President will bring to the our dream of sharing Italy with Vancouver for organization generations to come.
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