MEMORIAL CENTER REVITALIZATION PLAN
Let's not miss M Centre opportunity
Forum - Thursday, August 02, 2007 @ 07:00
Just for a moment, let us think of the city as a business and spend as we can afford to spend.
Without getting into the debate about the downtown sports and entertainment centre/multiplex versus the Memorial Centre, what should be done with the Memorial Centre site? We have a golden opportunity to revitalize this vibrant neighbourhood. Regrettably, the $32-million revitalization plan and its proposed Disney World facade is both a waste of taxes and potential for the community.
If one considers what Toronto or Ireland have done with similar community infrastructure, this 23-acre property would have a mixed geared-to-income and market-value housing community. We would develop co-op and traditional businesses, a retrofitted community centre and an appealing park environment at its heart.
Developing affordable housing, local jobs, community day care and some ideas from the original concept would be supported for the long term, with property taxes realized from the site, and with only a modest infrastructure cost to city taxpayers.
There are still looming hurdles, though. The Kingston and District Agricultural Society's 50-year-old deal that allows it to hold its annual fair at the site could "fence in" any proposal. The society's recent sabre-rattling and sense of ownership of this public property makes it seem like it may be biting the hand that feeds it.
Helping the agricultural society find a new home would be a challenge. Could we maybe help it with some money? Hopefully reasonable heads will prevail.
Does the memorial to our soldiers have to be at the Memorial Centre site? Could Lake Ontario Park be the new site at which we honour our soldiers? Maybe the current arrangement and an alternative plan could be put to a referendum.
Regarding other local economic development plans, the proposal for the shopping centre along Division Street south of Highway 401 is slowly moving forward. The market and traffic assessment have concluded this area of the city has been underserviced for years.
Let's hope the anchor stores encourage not only their own business but community capacity-building, infrastructure and some quality jobs for this area as well.
The downtown sports and entertainment centre is taking shape a little behind schedule, but for such a project that's to be expected.
KCAL (Kingston Concerned about the LVEC) recently published statements concluding that "event bookings" for such centres are low.
KCAL assumes only summer bookings in reaching this conclusion.
This is testimony as to how little the organization comprehends or wishes to understand how multipurpose sports and entertainment centres work.
The summer months are traditionally not the event industry's prime time of business.
Typically, the fall and spring events capture the bulk of event business, which is growing by 10 per cent year over year.
To find out how these facilities work, KCAL should "begin" by actually reading the Kingston sports and entertainment centre's marketing and business plan. Then I would suggest they actually work (or get a job) in the industry before theY spout on about what little they REALLY know about LVEC's or their process.
LVEC 101 - I ask KCAL (again):
- WHAT IS DRAYAGE AND THEIR SIGNIFICANTS IN RELATION TO LVEC'S ? -
Forum - Thursday, August 02, 2007 @ 07:00
Just for a moment, let us think of the city as a business and spend as we can afford to spend.
Without getting into the debate about the downtown sports and entertainment centre/multiplex versus the Memorial Centre, what should be done with the Memorial Centre site? We have a golden opportunity to revitalize this vibrant neighbourhood. Regrettably, the $32-million revitalization plan and its proposed Disney World facade is both a waste of taxes and potential for the community.
If one considers what Toronto or Ireland have done with similar community infrastructure, this 23-acre property would have a mixed geared-to-income and market-value housing community. We would develop co-op and traditional businesses, a retrofitted community centre and an appealing park environment at its heart.
Developing affordable housing, local jobs, community day care and some ideas from the original concept would be supported for the long term, with property taxes realized from the site, and with only a modest infrastructure cost to city taxpayers.
There are still looming hurdles, though. The Kingston and District Agricultural Society's 50-year-old deal that allows it to hold its annual fair at the site could "fence in" any proposal. The society's recent sabre-rattling and sense of ownership of this public property makes it seem like it may be biting the hand that feeds it.
Helping the agricultural society find a new home would be a challenge. Could we maybe help it with some money? Hopefully reasonable heads will prevail.
Does the memorial to our soldiers have to be at the Memorial Centre site? Could Lake Ontario Park be the new site at which we honour our soldiers? Maybe the current arrangement and an alternative plan could be put to a referendum.
Regarding other local economic development plans, the proposal for the shopping centre along Division Street south of Highway 401 is slowly moving forward. The market and traffic assessment have concluded this area of the city has been underserviced for years.
Let's hope the anchor stores encourage not only their own business but community capacity-building, infrastructure and some quality jobs for this area as well.
The downtown sports and entertainment centre is taking shape a little behind schedule, but for such a project that's to be expected.
KCAL (Kingston Concerned about the LVEC) recently published statements concluding that "event bookings" for such centres are low.
KCAL assumes only summer bookings in reaching this conclusion.
This is testimony as to how little the organization comprehends or wishes to understand how multipurpose sports and entertainment centres work.
The summer months are traditionally not the event industry's prime time of business.
Typically, the fall and spring events capture the bulk of event business, which is growing by 10 per cent year over year.
To find out how these facilities work, KCAL should "begin" by actually reading the Kingston sports and entertainment centre's marketing and business plan. Then I would suggest they actually work (or get a job) in the industry before theY spout on about what little they REALLY know about LVEC's or their process.
LVEC 101 - I ask KCAL (again):
- WHAT IS DRAYAGE AND THEIR SIGNIFICANTS IN RELATION TO LVEC'S ? -
posted by LVEC EDUCATED at 4:09 p.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home