Yesterday evening, I slipped over to the Capitol Theatre to check out the “Save the Capitol” rally. What a great job by the local arts community to rally the troops and mobilize within 24 hours to stage a rally to show support for the Capitol Theatre which is on the brink of bankruptcy. City council refused to grant them a $60,000 loan to keep them afloat.
No money for the arts, but they have $35,000 to spend on catered meals at City Hall (Toronto with 20 times the population of Windsor spent $20,000 last year on their catering budget, go figure!), $600,000 to spend on the crappy Peace Beacon on the riverfront, $65,000,000! on the new arena.
When I arrived on the scene the media was already present and reporting.
Local businessman Chris Edwards of the Walkerville Times was present. Surprisingly NO city councilors were present. Not even Ron Jones or Caroline Postma, the ward two councilors where the Capitol resides could bother to show up.
The lack of Council or any elected officials to show up to the rally, really spoke volumes about how this council prioritizes Downtown and the Arts Community.
The rally was well attended by both citizens young and old, as well as prominent city businessmen (I spied Chris Edwards as well as Larry Horowitz and others in the crowd.), as well as the media.
Hopefully this council will take some action and help make the city a better place to live. Highly unlikely. Too bad we can’t recall the McMansion Mayor.
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I've performed at the Capitol as an actor.
I've directed a production (Nuncrackers) at the Capitol.
I've been an audience member at the Capitol.
I'm not from Windsor, but I work and play at the Capitol.. And what I do there brings people into the Capitol. I'm one of many who does that.
We bring folks to downtown Windsor...they spend, they enjoy, and they RETURN!!
I cannot believe that the members of City Council cannot open their eyes, and see the value of a fully functioning Capitol Theatre to the city core.
I can't believe that they can fund an arena, and not fully fund the Capitol Theatre.
I can't believe that they can fund the Symphony, the Art Gallery, and NOT fund the Capitol Theatre.
The message is quite simple....and they can't figure it out.
Sad, really.
Glen M. Turner
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Interesting concept the mayor has, give with one hand and take with the other. Wonder if he could spare some of that advertising money the city is spending for the wrestling event for some more closed door meeting suppers.
What will become of Urban downtown without the Capitol?
But did anyone ever think that is maybe what the city wants? To take over the Capitol themselves? It's not that far fetched as you say all the other councillors are staying tight lipped. Never under-estimate Mayor Francis, he always has an agenda.
Just my two more cents.
Successive city councils continue to ignore the fact that a flourishing Arts Community is a substantial determining factor for businesses when they think about locating here. The positive effect on young minds has been well documented. Some of these council members including the Mayor don't get it, for they are the parents and future Grandparents of those same young minds who are going to be denied cultural growth. I agree with Todd Fraba in his letter to the Windsor Star, when he suggests that removing their expense account for dining out would be a start on fiscal fitness, and that alone would fund the Capital. That is what we do in the real world of business. Some of these people forget that they are employees of we the taxpayer. By the way, I disagree on one poiint in the foregoing discussions with Guido: the new arena will cost over $100 million dollars not $75 million. Just watch!
For starters, I would like nothing more than for the Capitol Theatre to remain open, for its employees, other businesses that are housed there, and for the community. Although our company (Breathe Art Theatre Project) performs in Detroit, we have been bringing our productions to Windsor the last 3 years and have developed a very good following. In the last year, we've brought 3 productions to the Capitol (Tape, Closer, and Wit), all selling very well.
That said, even though I understand that the City Council should be looking out for the city's future and diversification, I'm a little perplexed that all the blame is going to them. The board has known for the last 3 years that the Capital was bleeding. Many of us had complained, both formally and informally, that programming and spending from the previous management was simply wasteful and without thought to a vision and market. Yet they ignored us and nothing was done until their backs were truly against the wall. This should be a wake up that members on arts boards are not only there for financial purposes, but also to assist with a vision. That a manager for an arts facility like the Capitol, should at least have an arts management background and a pulse on not only its community, but that of the business it is cultivating. There was no vision there. Most of us figured that out quickly.
This is a shot to the system for those in the arts community and those who are pursuing a diversified city. My concern is for those employeed at the Capitol, and those whose businesses were housed at the Capitol (Artcite, etc...). I do hope that the city has a plan. That the facility will be sold to a private group, or a school, who will run it wisely, with experience and thought for the community and its greater purpose.
The Capitol Theatre is a fully equipted, state of the art theatre. If the equiptment and assets of the building are sold off, what will remain will be a bigger problem than what we have now. Ask the cities of London or Chatham, the both are trying, and have been for some time,
to re-open the stripped down theatres in their cities. The have both had long, costly ,lessons in why you should't give away what you all ready have.The Capitol is a historic, architecturally important building, and for any citizen of this city to feel " I don't go there, so we don't need it, makes about as much sense as saying the same thing about a hospital or library. Not all kids play sports, but they need activities as well and many young people in this city have attended workshops, shows, and performed in that building.Don't destroy what other cities are trying to get back, we can't afford it. We need to work together for answers, it's never to late. Cogeco T.V. and local artists were planning a telethon to raise awareness and help with the financial burden, other groups planned fundraisers as well, but the plain truth is we weren't given enough time. Forget finger pointing, who cares who owns the Capitol, just keep it in tact. Politicians come and go as do business deals and theatre boards, but the city remains. The loss of culture is the beginning of decay.
To all of you who said in your comments that the Capitol and artists had done nothing to help themselves besides signs and slogans, I am aware of 3 other fund raisers in the works besides the telethon I had already mentioned. And as for shows of limited appeal, O.K. folks, list 10 shows that were at the Cap in this last year, if you can't do that than you can't make that statement from an informed position. I can tell you, they have kids shows, comedy, drama,horror, music, dance, lectures and forums, claasic rock album shows, and so much more. The local media has to start supportong local shows more, and then the average citizen would know that, more than likely, there are shows they would enjoy, from a night of music and drinks for mom and dad to a pirate show for the kids, it's all there. So explain limited appeal to me again?
I have just finished reading every posting so far and I am amazed, amused and disgusted by some of the comments. The arts community found out in the 11th hour about the Capitol crisis and began organizing events right away. MJM Entertainment Productions was ready and booked to do a charity show (all professional actors willing to work for free) with 100% of the proceeds to go to the Capitol. Jason Gale had Cogeco in negotiations to film and air a telethon in May (all while he was dealing with a close friend who was dying in the hospital in Detroit), which would have featured many of our local arts group and artists (most of them professionals) to donate their time for the love of this building. I myself make my living as a performance artist and have already done one charity kids show (sold out by the way)for the Capitol, giving them 100% of the proceeds. There was a grant from the Trillium foundation, already received, to hire a program outreach co-coordinator to orchestrate events to benefit our youth and bring in quality performances for the public. There was also an afternoon show for kids planned and advertised on April 15th, to show the original Disney version of 'Alice in Wonderland', again, artists and Capitol staff all donating their time. These are just a few of the planned events that were sitting in limbo
Demetri had some very valid points, but, the prospective ball was in the hands of city council and they let it drop. The arts community is working together to find a way to keep the Capitol ball bouncing.
Jay Gale nailed it in his comments!
I have emailed the Prime Minister, let's see if he gives a rats fanny about us.
Michelle J. Mainwaring
http://www.mjmcomedy.com
p.s.
This is a great forum for opinion Andrew....thank you and keep up the great work!
Michelle
No thanks to all of you... Without people posting comments, and giving their opinion, there would be no discussion.
When I switched formats to the "blog" style format in October 2005, the ability for the readers to interact was the main reason. Glad to see it's finally paid off. :)