Last week’s unilateral decision by Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s council and mayor to ignore a public consultation request on the relocation of Sydney’s downtown fire station further demonstrates a civic government of outdated, past-due elected officials out of touch with Sydney’s downtown revival.
The message conveyed to Highland Arts Theatre (HAT) supporters and Sydney’s downtown residents by council from this type of decision-making process is that council is not really interested in hearing input from the very people who have elected them into office. These are the same taxpayers who pay their salaries. The very people who may reside in proximity to the new fire station and the very people who may be loyal patrons of the HAT theatre (a registered charity).
Council also displayed no interest in hearing from the professional managers of the HAT theatre operation who could best articulate the impact of close proximity of a fire station upon their fragile business model.
In fact, CBRM council, as far as I know, has never supported the HAT with municipal funding. I get that because the municipality is struggling financially. The HAT charity is left to its own devices to find a way to support its ongoing business, pay its property taxes, heat, actor wages, building upkeep and promotion.
But there is no excuse for council giving this hard-working charity a gut punch to see what damage it can inflict on a fragile business model trying its best to be a part of attracting new business to Sydney’s downtown core.
It is a blatant demonstration of arrogance from our CBRM council and mayor to deny a request for public consultation to better understand the perspective of the downtown arts and cultural community. It is a confirmation this council and mayor have little appreciation for the arts sector and even less understanding of the positive economic impact the arts and culture economy has on our municipality’s future well-being. Employment for the many professionals and support staff who work in the arts sector appears to mean little to this CBRM council.
The CBRM planning staff have prepared a grand vision of revival for Sydney’s downtown. A firm (Ekistics) was contracted to develop the plan and a vision of what a downtown renewal would look like for Charlotte Street. The intent was to make the district more attractive so more businesses would relocate to the downtown core. Relocation of the Nova Scotia Community College campus to the waterfront and a second cruise ship berth along with Charlotte Street renewal was to breathe new life into Sydney’s downtown.
Renewal would also stimulate and revive the downtown as a place to not only work but also a place to live. Above the retail storefronts on Charlotte Street were to be condos and apartments to attract people and students to return to the area. The hope was that a grocery store would soon follow to service the rebirth of the downtown business district as a safe place to live, work, shop and play.
Plunking a fire station on premium residential downtown development land is certain to discourage any developer from ever contemplating a multi-family residence in the middle of downtown. It will negatively impact downtown business attractiveness and discourage downtown renewal. Who wants to live across the street from a fire station? Who wants to live in a high-rise apartment above a fire station?
The HAT is a registered non-profit charity on a shoe-string budget bringing quality live theatre and cultural events to the citizens of CBRM and Cape Breton Island. It is slowly gaining traction and financial stability.
The power of change rests with you the citizen.
It is one of three live theatre companies on Cape Breton Island. The others being the Savoy in Glace Bay and Theatre Baddeck, which operates from the Masonic Hall in the village of Baddeck. All three entities are works in progress with very thin budgets who spend as much time fundraising to pay the bills as they do performing the arts. Volunteers are the heart of their operations.
Pardon the pun, but “hats off” to the HAT for doing a great job managing within their limited resources while thrilling live theatre audiences and being nominated for numerous awards. The HAT is also where young burgeoning actors ages seven to 18 can get their start by registering in the HATCH youth program for school children interested in the performing arts.
CBRM council’s decision-making process absent public consultation on the very important decision of downtown fire station relocation sends the wrong message to citizens and taxpayers. But there is hope to avoid similar future municipal decisions of this nature.
Fortunately for those negatively impacted by this unilateral decision, a municipal election is on the horizon this October when you get to send your own message to the reigning council and mayor. After all, it is only you who votes these folks into these elected positions. Council and mayor serve at the pleasure of the electorate.
The power of change rests with you the citizen. It is also citizens who can vote these folks out of office in exchange for better leadership. Exercise your vote in October. Send a message to this council and mayor that you expect a more accountable council than the one you have.
Adrian White is CEO of NNF Inc, Business Consultants. He resides Sydney & Baddeck and can be contacted at [email protected].
