Heritage...Culture

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Discussion Continues":

"We have a golden opportunity to add something to our repertoire that may prove to be an investment that pays dividends in business development."

The ancillary benefits of the cultural centre to the downtown core are dismissed by some, yet you cite them in support of your proposal.

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 Church Street School was never intended to be a cultural facility.

 Town money invested in the last  renovations came from the Hydro reserve .

The intention  was  to restore the museum to its rightful place.

The  Historical Society's investment came from a bequest made for the same purpose; the museum. .

 $770,000 grant  from Heritage Canada  was for the same purpose;
the museum. .

The community accepted the plan without demur and endorsed it with an election in between.

Church Street School is the completely logical place to house artifacts  of the town's heritage.It's  the reason  we have been investing in the structure for the last forty-three years.

Church Street School is nowhere near adequate for a cultural centre.

World renowned artists are brought to perform in  a space that accommodates with a tight squeeze, a hundred people or less.

The soiree intimacy of knees and elbows touching and  tea and petit- fours  and conversation with the artiste, no doubt has appeal.

For potential  revenue to make the place self-sufficient...it's a bummer.

The town has a policy. We provide facilities, users pay costs of operation. A policy is something one strives to achieve but allows flexibility to play favorites which is a particular favorite of the politicians.

Church Street School has accomplished one thing. It has established  a pent-up demand for  facilities for activities other than sports and recreation. That  was never in doubt. But now we don't need to pay a consultant to tell us what we already know.

I notice no-one is accusing me of stealing some-one else's idea.

They didn't otter.  They hadn't better.