"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Saturday 18 February 2012

Emergency...Emergency

I followed the link and read the Banner story on the Culture Centre.

Interesting to note was how many supporters believe politics and culture do not mix.
We should just hand over the mullah and mind our own business.

A beautiful expensive building,rent free,designed for another purpose, heat, light and maintenance paid for and $356,900 siphoned straight out of taxpayers pockets, without as much as a by -your-leave is not commendable by any measure.

Our Chief Financial Advisor repeatedly reminds us of the serious impact of hiring additional men for fire protection, but never utters a dickie- bird about financial disadvantage of a seriously flawed and extravagant agreement to "purchase culture"

As a politician I would be happy get out of funding culture.

Richmond Hill has a beautiful new Arts Centre built from proceeds of the sale of their hydro utility to Power Stream.They have a population five times the size of Aurora.

People hungry for culture could patronise the neighbouring facility and see how it functions. Is it a drain on the public purse? Is there a common concept of culture?

How many years and how much did it cost the Mirvish family to build a theatre and arts culture in Toronto the Good or Hog Town as it was once known? With personal resources, they changed the face of Toronto

Forty-five years ago an Arts and Culture Fund was created by the late David Merkur of Aurora Shopping Centre, built by his father in 1961.In all those years no other contribution was made until Joseph Lebovic engaged,then withdrew during the Mormac years and restored again since.The Merkur family have remained constant throughout.

What does that tell us about demand for culture in Aurora?

How many churches and commercial buildings,bolstering needed revenues to keep doors open,renting space for dance classes and other small cultural organisations have been impacted by activities in heavily tax-subsidised space provided in the Culture Centre.

How many tax-paying businesses are impacted by the competition?

How much of town leisure services revenues are siphoned out to make the Culture Centre appear successful.The Senior's Sing-Along comes to mind every time.
Town administration various use of space carries the same concern.

I do not echo Councillors Pirri and Abel's satisfaction with the excellence of the Centre's program. I fear it may have caused far more damage than is apparent to the balance of space and arts and culture activity, with none of the actors even conscious of the damage they do.

Newmarket is contemplating a Master Plan for Culture. Supporters of the Culture Centre have drawn it to Council's attention,

That impact prior to implementation in Aurora was never considered is another feature of gross incompetence.

I think we need emergency measures to stop the bleeding.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Treasurer is a Mormac hire and does not seem to realize how closely the taxpayers are watching him. The budget does not reflect the Town's interests and his silence on the cost of the Culture Centre earns him another black mark. If supporters of lawsuits and the vultures have to go in the next election. it follows that staff who do likewise should be gone too.
We'll have to see what the Clerk and CAO have to say in the lawsuit - they are also on a watch list as old business gets tidied up. I think their willingness and co-operation show they realize that fact.

Anonymous said...

Three votes are already tied to the Culture Centre - no chance of budging any of them. We have to hope the others on Council will be firm. Ballard will be casting his scene to play out at the meeting - probably more sheep than at the last one..Too bad you can't slip a vote to end the contract through when he and Windy wander off in the middle of a meeting.

Anonymous said...

This is perhaps somewhat tangential, although since culture includes theatre, can you indicate for what role Councillor Gallo is auditioning?

Having just watched a portion of the last Council meeting that we taped, and being unable to not notice the fellow's striped and gelled hair, what is going on?

Is this some alien species from an extraterrestrial world taking over the body of an earthling?

Mind you, the intellectual capacity has not improved.

And Miss Windy's hair was flattering to her overall appearance, the highlighted streaks particularly so. Way to go Windy. But your verbalizing has not similarly improved.

Anonymous said...

The old history of Aurora is being wiped out. Aurora planning staff referred to the Elderberry Family. The land came through the hands of Jim and Normie ELDER. Don't s'pose the fractious neighbours in there are aware of that little detail. The Elderberry Family !! Former staff would have known that and it must have shown on the documentation. Good grief!

Anonymous said...

You just have to love this quote

"Councillor Chris Ballard said.
The cultural centre acts as a private corporation hired to deliver services, similar to how towns contract out garbage service, he said."

one minute he says they operate like a private business and in the next breath he says they need a public hand out.

For gods sake Council take the advice of Warren Mar , Piri and Abel and end this madness

Anonymous said...

Ballard likes the highlife and you know he is comped into all Vulture events, Gallo says he 'loves the arts'' and that is the end of his thought process, Windy does not have a thought process.

Anonymous said...

I am getting tired of reading about how the Cultural Centre was supposed to do this, and was paid to do that....

What exactly is Aurora Culture anyways? SInce when does Culture = history(Museum).

Apart from a few artsy-fartsy Berkenstock wearing hippies, who goes to either?

Given the fact my taxes are goin up AGAIN, I say close all of it down!