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Letter To Mayor Lowe
| Message Board > Up n' Coming! (aka Shameless Promotion) > Letter To Mayor Lowe |
| bXc User Info... | this is about have a venue between 800 - 2000 standing room only, in victoria. feel free to say what you think should be added, or fixed To Mayor Lowe and the City Council, I am not sure how many people have contacted you about this but I feel I need to say this. The City of Victoria needs a mid-sized concert venue (800 - 2000 capacity). It is something that many people have been discussing in the forums on LiveVictoria.com. The city is really loosing out on a lot of money by not having a venue at this size. Prince George is a city of 71000 people. They have a mid-sized venue, and bands are starting to notice that and they are selling out shows there. Indie label bands like Halifax and Greeley Estates have a show coming up this month in Prince George and I have heard that is has sold out. Victoria has a population of 345000, with a arena that can hold 7000 people and other venues that can hold about 300 - 600. Most of those venues are clubs so all the shows are 19+, Legends occasionally has the all ages shows, but with a mid-sized all ages venue(with beer garden)would be the ideal thing for the city to have. I have heard that City of Victoria made some good profits with the Open Air Concert Series, now that has been scrapped what are we left with? The curling club is usable between April and August but, during the summer many musicians get on summer tours so they only travel to big cities. I really believe that this is something the city should look into; it would be great for the community, the business, the downtown core and most of the people. - Mon, 9 Apr 2007 11:44am | ||
| VICTORIA BC SKA SOCIETY User Info... | Nice! So did you send a hard copy to the Mayor and follow up with a phone call? - Mon, 9 Apr 2007 12:10pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | i havent sent it yet i just want people to give there opinions on how it could be made better - Mon, 9 Apr 2007 2:12pm | ||
| Tyler User Info... | not even just a larger venue... Victoria needs cheap all ages venues of all sizes so that all ages shows don't keep losing money. I wish there was some sort of financial support from the city... doesn't Victoria supposedly pride itself on its art and music scene? and yet honest hearted promoters are putting on shows, facing trouble from the police, all the work is volunteer, then they end up losing money in the end. it's really upsetting. taking action is a good thing though. - Mon, 9 Apr 2007 7:29pm | ||
| Defiler Productions User Info... | It is so true. Promoters putting on these shows put in a lot of time, hard work, and money to give the artist a chance to perform along with people coming to have epic times. Longer than what going to the movies will give you. These shows are great for the musicians trying to make a start, further enhancing the ones truly into trying to make a career, a great way for them to sell their merch/cds, fun times. Sorry to say but charging $5.00 to get into a show only cuts the throats of the promoter and no money for the bands. Going to the movies for $9.00 plus another $5.00 -$10.00 in junk food is far more costly than $10.00 plus- where you can interact, have a great time for a much longer time than 90 mins at a show. Any whooooo, just wanted to comment. THUMUBS UP TO ALL THE PROMOTERS!~ - Mon, 9 Apr 2007 8:01pm | ||
| tyler User Info... | good call bXc you rule - Mon, 9 Apr 2007 10:40pm | ||
| NOISE NOT BOMBS User Info... | isn't the vic curling club 1400 capacity? thats midsized right? - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:35am | ||
| bXc User Info... | yeah but the VCC is only usable between April and August, its actually being pushed to be used for the Soical Distortion concert, i dont even think they took the ice out there just putting down the big mats - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 7:57am | ||
| LivevicScott User Info... | The Curling Club is also bascily a bandaid solution as a mid sized venue. It works for now but if there was something better it would be used. Something that was kinda like the Moore Theatre in Seattle (I think its the Moore i'm thinking of) which has clip in seating so it can be a theatre or an open floor depending what style of event they bring in. Something that looked more like a theatre but could hold events with dancing. Latin Caribean, Swing, Punk Rock, Worldbeat bascily all thoes events that happen in the CC, Open Air and festival acts would then have a place to play year round and the winter wouldn't seem quite so dark =) - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 8:15am | ||
| _Griphin_ User Info... | Here's something of interest (I guess). When I was on Fort street, next to where you get passports, there's a space above a business. If you measure the space, it would sure make an excellent club. At least the length, and it's next to a parking lot. Can you build space above an existing building?!? - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 9:55am Edited: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 9:56am | ||
| bXc User Info... | we need the city to like our idea and so that once they approve of it we will continue where to build. i also highly recomend that if you want this to happen as well right a letter to the City Council and the Mayor - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 3:51pm | ||
| duncan User Info... | petition ? - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 5:06pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | that will come, but we really need to know who is going to be backing us. - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 5:42pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | and heres the final copy that i am sending in right once i finish posting here. i encourage everyone to do the same, send in this letterm wright your own, do something, BE PART OF IT To Mayor Lowe and the City Council, I am not sure how many people have contacted you about this but I feel I need to say this. The City of Victoria needs a mid-sized concert venue (800 - 2000 capacity). It is something that many people have been discussing in the forums on LiveVictoria.com. The city is really loosing out on a lot of money by not having a venue at this size. Prince George is a city of 71000 people. They have a mid-sized venue, and bands are starting to notice that and they are selling out shows there. Indie label bands like Halifax and Greeley Estates have a show coming up this month in Prince George and I have heard that is has sold out. Victoria has a population of 345000, with an arena that can hold 7000 people and other venues that can hold about 300 - 600. Most of those venues are clubs so all the shows are 19+, Legends occasionally has the all ages shows, but with a mid-sized all ages venue(with beer garden)would be the ideal thing for the city to have. I have heard that City of Victoria made some good profits with the Open Air Concert Series, now which has been scrapped what are we left with? The curling club is usable between April and August but, during the summer many musicians get on summer tours so they only travel to big cities. Doesn’t Victoria credit itself with its music and art scene? It’s time that the music scene evolves and puts Victoria on the map that tour bookers look at when they plan out their artists next tour. I really believe that this is something the city should look into; it would be great for the community, the business, the downtown core and most of all, the people. - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 5:49pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | okay well i did something really bad, they replyed but i accidentalt hit clear all messages and i lost there e-mail befor i read it!!! - Tue, 10 Apr 2007 9:22pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | heres the reply from the city!!! Thank you for your e-mail of April 10, 2007 to Mayor and Council, suggesting the need for a mid-sized (800 - 2000) concert venue for the City of Victoria. Your e-mail has been forwarded to Mayor Lowe and Council for their information. A copy has been provided to the Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Development for information. One of the challenges for Victoria is the small population base of the City proper, only 75,000 people. Your stats of 345,000 is for Greater Victoria which as you suggest should support a large venue. Involvement from all thirteen municipalities would likely be required to build such a facility. That said, a mid-size concert venue would be supported by a great many music lovers. Thanks again for contacting the City. We appreciate hearing your suggestions. C. Mayor and Council Director, Parks, Recreation & Community Development Sheryl Masters Manager, Administration & Protocol City of Victoria Legislative Services #1 Centennial Square Victoria, BC V8W 1P6 Tel (250) 361-0554 Fax(250) 361-0348 [email protected] http://www.victoria.ca i think she soprta misunderstood me in one spot - Wed, 11 Apr 2007 3:36pm | ||
| Chuck User Info... | Don't give up!! Continue to write to them, and help them to understand where they misunderstood you! Perhaps other people writing in on the subject, or a petition (as someone on here suggested) might help! - Wed, 11 Apr 2007 3:54pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | everyone needs to send somethin, if i keep sending the letters they arnt gonan like me. IF YOU SEE THIS SEND THE CITY OF VICTORIA AN E-MAIL!!!!!!! we need a way to get a petition going, anyone have any ideas how we could get all the names? - Wed, 11 Apr 2007 6:51pm | ||
| Chuck User Info... | Take the petition to several all ages shows, maybe a big one like the Social Distortion one that is coming up. Circulate it around at the shows, I am sure lots of people will take the time to sign it. - Wed, 11 Apr 2007 8:07pm | ||
| bXc User Info... | unfortuantly i am not gonna be able to go to Social D :( I also dont want to be the person having to do the petitioning, i sent the letter to the mayor, and it has to be alarge push, anyone who wants it to get involved - Wed, 11 Apr 2007 8:43pm | ||
| KnifeGhost User Info... | "Involvement from all thirteen municipalities would likely be required to build such a facility." That's the thing, Sheryl Masters, nobody's saying you have to _build_ it. In a city with so many amazing vacant commercial properties int he downtown core, why are we talking about building anything? - Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:32pm | ||
| lonemonk User Info... | Technically we already have two mid-sized venues. McPherson Playhouse (820 seats) and Royal Theatre (1430 seats). The involvement from the 13 munipalities comes from the fact that these two theatres are now owned by the CRD, and administered by the Royal McPherson society. Victoria used to own those two locations, but they didn't want to own it anymore since everyone comes down to use the facilities, but only Victoria was picking up all the bills. There is a few venues of the 800-1200 happening out at the University as well. Market square (NOT Centennial) is my favourite place to see shows. Not sure how many they put in there though, not 800 probably. If you think a new venue with 800-1500 seats will me more affordable to rent than McPherson then think again. Any place of that size is going to have to be a professional facility in order to survive. The City isn't going to just build a really cool and huge all-agers hall or something. You might find a commerical property you can already do that in though. . - Mon, 16 Apr 2007 3:37pm Edited: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 3:42pm | ||
| Mean Mike User Info... | Seems to me that people have tried this numerous times and the city always finds a way to shut down, or not allow such facilities. - Mon, 16 Apr 2007 4:21pm | ||
| VICTORIA BC SKA SOCIETY User Info... | The fact of the matter is Royal Theatre, MacPherson Playhouse and UVIC Auditorium are all seat-down venues. We need somewhere where people can dance!! If the CRD makes it a priority to build a venue that can host sit down concerts or just have the floor with a capacity that can be compatible between 800 - 1200 it would help our local music scene a ton. And there are many older people that would like to see shows in an enviroment where they weren't subjected to sitting down the whole time (or dancing in the aisles). With Market Square the main point is people don't want to be outside for dancing shows in the dead of winter and we do need a venue that fits more than 600 people all year around (especially in the winter). There are many shows that would easily accommodate that size all year around and the reason we don't get them is because we only have Legends and Sugar to choose from. Market Square's capacity is close to 800. It is actually more than that when all the gates aren't closed off for ticketed shows and there is potential in there to have more than 800 as has been the case a lot in the past. We're going to bring it up when we can again in the near future. Peace - Mon, 16 Apr 2007 4:48pm | ||
| lonemonk User Info... | I'm certainly not in disagreement with the need, but you have to help the city understand whats in it for THEM. It will not get built if it satisfies only the group that would use such a thing once or three times a month. If you can come up with really good additional uses to what you'd like to see, maybe someone will eventually agree. As you can see, the city is more interested in massively overpriced and ridiculous places such as SoF Centre and the like. (And even there, they made a private company pay for construction and operate it all) I don't hear it being talked about much now, but there was talk of an opera-house-like Sydney harbour kind of deal down in the waterfront (around where Milestones is). Very expensive and probably unrentable by the common people. Thats the sort of thing the city has in mind for new 'music venues' in Victoria. We need some hyper-rich friends in order to purchase our own building. As Mean Mike says though, bylaws are not written to favour the huddled masses. IN any case, such a facility is probably better off out in the western communities, or some other municipality than Downtown Victoria. - Tue, 17 Apr 2007 9:02am | ||
| VICTORIA BC SKA SOCIETY User Info... | You're right. The City and/or other contributing organizations whether they be public or private do need to know what's in it for them... Maybe the best shot at it is just pressuring for the design of the next arts facility they build to be multipurpose so it fits the needs they intended it for and also could accommodate ours. We just have to keep our eyes and ears open for when the next arts facility plans to be built. Centennial Square is undergoing some changes right now. Maybe there could be an opportunity there??... I know they were talking about having a permanent stage. Maybe they may also have a building that is used for other things but could also be used for special events such as the ones we are talking about... - Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:41am | ||
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