There's a story on page 22 of The Auroran of interest to those paying attention to the Melodrama of Church Street School.
It's a feature about the first performer in the "second wave of Great Artist Piano Series at the Centre", the brainchild of award winning musicians and Aurora residents Bonnie and Norbert Kraft. As performers themselves,Mrs Kraft said "Hosting a concert series like this has been a life-long dream"
After twenty years of touring Canada and the world, the couple encountered many local sponsors along the way that dedicated themselves to opening up their homes, giving concerts,and fostering musicians,and once established they wanted to return the favour.
"It was my dream and what I dearly wanted to do." she said. "If I can play a part and help in the process (of introducing musicians
to local audiences)I feel that I am in a small way helping live music stay alive in our community.
That's nice.
The missing piece of the story is that Bonnie Kraft is a member of the Culture Centre Board. Our heritage building, Church Street School, has been the key to Ms. Kraft realising her life- long dream.
The first thing that board did was exclude the town's museum from the building renovated to serve that purpose.
The second was to use town funds to purchase a grand piano. It cost thousands of dollars .We gave it to them.
So Ms Kraft realized a life-long dream, not by sponsoring concerts in her own home and fostering musicians. As a member of a board, which used a building intended for another purpose and town funds to purchase a piano under an agreement that in no way represents the interest of the community represented by the other party to the contract.
How's that for a stroke of incredible good fortune?
Where else can a person go to realize a life long dream on someone else's nickel?
It should be the town's new logo.
Come to Aurora ! The place where lifelong dreams are made to come true at public expense.
Maybe Neil Diamond could be persuaded to dedicate his song to our town.
We could send the Town Crier forth calling to people with lifelong dreams. "Come On Up. Have we got a deal for you. We will give you oodles of cash,buildings restored at great expense, rent free, free, maintenance, heat and light and controlled atmosphere. We will ask nothing of you.
Of course we won't talk too much about the shifty way the museum and the Historical Society were shoved out of the way to make room for an indidual's lifelong dream to be fulfilled.
Tuesday 21 February 2012
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16 comments:
A very nice story. Of course, your's is equally one sided.
As "award winning musicians and Aurora residents Bonnie and Norbert Kraft" how dare you say " Our heritage building, Church Street School"? As residents, do they not have equal right to call it "their" heritage building?
How can you say their desire to "helping live music stay alive in our community" is less valid than your desire to have a museum?
You seem to be very pro-museum because you think that you are right. Then you discount all of the others against you as being wrong and inferring wrong-doing, when this was all done within the powers of the council of the day.
Sour grapes I guess Ms Buck, you would rather look at a 100 year old piece of clothing hanging on a dummy, and call that culture?
Brock Weir's article on the ongoing Culture Centre fiasco is excellent. Wonder how he kept a straight face listening to Ballard's rant.
Councillor Ballard is leaning heavily on all the propaganda buttons but he has yet to convince Aurorans that the operation isn't for the Wealthy, produced by the Wealthy and paid for by people dealing in the real world who can't and wouldn't purchase a ticket to most events. He simply cannot get over that speed-bump. And it is one big chicane of a bump!
3:44 PM is clearly feeling the pressure. The cultured gloves come off and it's back to the usual insults with an ageist crack to boot. Very tacky stuff.
@3:44 I don't think that Evelyn has ever indicated that the Museum is "culture". Heritage, yes, but culture? I don't think so.
There is nothing wrong per se with Bonnie Kraft's dream, or world-famous piano players, or whatever else you want to include under the banner of culture. The problem is that 1) The Kraft's et al are taking advantage of a one-sided contract which forces me to pay for their dreams to the tune of $360,000 per year (I don't include the 160K for building upkeep cause we would have to pay that anyway) and 2) They stole the facility that they are realizing her dream in!
While I think that the cultural bunch should be tossed on their ears, probably the most we can hope for under the Abel/Pirri plan is that 1) A permament allocation of space is made for the purposes of displaying the artifacts that make up the museum for which the building was renovated, and 2) That the excessive funding to the cultural bunch is cut (back to zero preferrably), and that they be set free in order to make their operations work without the taxpayers money.
Same as hockey, baseball, swimming, Theater Aurora, etc., where facilities are provided and maintained by the town, but where the organizations and the people that belong to them pay what it takes to meet their operating needs.
Wow -- other communities are thrilled when people bring their skills passion and talents to their community. Not here in AURORA -- lets put up a big wall around town and keep everyone out who might contribute to our community. Big message to anyone who wants to come contribute and volunteer their time and money -- you are not welcome here! Anyway we are too busy talking about past councilors and Mayors. This criticism of the Krafts is just an abuse of fine citizens!
If you had ever taken the ime to go to the cultural centre you would know that the piano was bought from donations -- my family gave 250.00 because we like the musical programming -- we think it enriches our town and provides a superb intrument for our local musicians. we put our money where our mouth is. not one penney of tax payers money bought that piano. Stop spreding falcehoods or take the time to learn the facts
So the Krafts are on the board of the cultural centre -- shame on them for giving to their community!
This is despicable way to treat the volunteers in our community!
You may be surprized to know that the board of the cultural centre was asked by the Town of Aurora to do what they are doing -- no one stole anything -- check your facts -- read rhe cultural services agreement -- do you think they just took rhe building by force?
The wealthy? -- those pine tree potters , high school kids, the quilters guild, the Aurora community band, local artists , the farmers market, kids learning to play guitar, doors open patrons, sports memorabilia entusiasts, senoirs sing alongs to name a few! Its the most inclusive facility in town.
@7:59 and 8:18
It is CLEAR that the issue is not the Kraft's passion for giving back to the community. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem is that the taxpayer's are paying for them to realize their PERSONAL dreams (Ms. Kraft's characterization, not mine, or Evelyn's), in a building that was stolen from it's intended inhabitant.
Because this IS easy to understand, I must assume that your expressed outrage at the "treatment" you say the Krafts et al are receiving is entirely disingenuous.
As I said at 5:24 above, cut the inappropriate funding, share the building with it's rightful inhabitants, and nobody will have any quarrel with the Culture Club.
KA-NON
"The problem is that 1) The Kraft's et al are taking advantage of a one-sided contract which forces me to pay for their dreams to the tune of $360,000 per year (I don't include the 160K for building upkeep cause we would have to pay that anyway) and 2) They stole the facility that they are realizing her dream in!"
BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT
What is a "one-sided contract"? How is this different from any other group that the Town provides funds?
If they "stole" the facility, perhaps you should call the cops! Oh - you can't because there was a lawful agreement between the Town and the group of crooks.
You guys kill me.
For people who are always telling others to 'move on', the vultures are finding it difficult to take their own advice. Lots of vacant property available. Do something positive with all that energy and money. Does it not embarrass you to be healthy well-off Subsidized adults?
@11:03 and 8:38
The fact that the Town of Aurora asked the cultural board to do what they are doing is an endictment of the previous council, and helps my argument more than it does yours. Can you not see that?
Well, since you asked, a "one-sided" contract is one in which one party receives the lion's share of the consideration ($360K per year) in exchange for no meaningful and transparent accounting for same. The town solicitor agrees on that.
Glad to hear that "us guys" are "killing you". Must be something to our arguments, otherwise I suppose you would just laugh. I would be happy to read "your guys'" take on all of this. Could you please refer me to the blog/forum where the counter-argument prevails, and where many people contribute? I do read Ballard's offering, but it is a bit flat given that it is just one voice, ya know?
KA-NON
8:38 AM
The Council is looking at that contract , the CRA will be looking at the financing and the taxpayers are exhausted with fighting faceless scrounges.Do your good deeds on someone else's dime. Go forth and conquer instead of sitting like toads being fed by the populace.
It's always attack, attack whenever facts are mentioned.
And false comparisons used wildly. I can see these very same people arguing that patrons at Stratford should tell the Town how to handle its business. The arguments being put forward are that juvenile. The time for dealing properly with this mess came and went without notice as the ordinary Aurorans were considered beneath notice.
Bottom Line : You do not own that building and you were not elected to office. You do not get to call the shots.
"@3:44 I don't think that Evelyn has ever indicated that the Museum is "culture". Heritage, yes, but culture? I don't think so."
KA-NON, you have, perhaps not surprisingly, a very narrow definition of culture. Fortunately, it can be an all-encompassing concept; heritage is undeniably a part of it.
@11:27
Yep, you are right, culture is all-encompassing, or alternatively, amorphous, in any specific way. Or perhaps incarnated in EVERY specific way. That's nice. And convenient.
Culture is fantastic, I agree. I also think that motherhood is a fine institution, and I have never tasted an apple pie that I do not like!
KA-NON
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