Project Niagara - Canada's International Music Festival

...now we can just hope for a performance space of international stature for all these new Canadian artists to perform in........online

$26.2. million for downtown arts school Brock University gets funding from province Updated 2 hours ago

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A Brock University arts centre is getting $26.2 million in funding from the province, setting the stage for what some hope will be downtown revitalization.

St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley announced Wednesday morning that Ontario will provide the money over four years to help build a new home for the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

The school, currently on Brock's campus, will relocate to a new home within the Niagara Centre for the Arts, planned for downtown in the Canada Hair Cloth Building.

"Our investment in Brock University will help support St. Catharines' vibrant arts community, attract more people downtown, and generate economic development for the entire Niagara region," Bradley said in a statement.

"Many of you have waited with eager anticipation — some more patiently than others," said Bradley, hinting at the amount of lobbying and support from both Brock and the community.

"That advocacy has been heard."

Bradley's announcement was greeted with cheers and sustained applause from the roughly 200 people who gathered in the weedy parking lot of the former industrial building in downtown St. Catharines.

The school will house 500 full-time students and faculty members and will include space for a theatre, rehearsals, teaching and research studios.

It's considered an integral feature of the city's larger plan for a performing arts complex on St. Paul St.

The funding — the full amount requested by Brock — is part of the McGuinty government's new five-year Open Ontario plan to create new opportunities for jobs and growth.

In May 2009, Canada and Ontario each committed a maximum of $18 million under the Building Canada Plan to support construction of the Niagara Centre for the Arts.

Brock president Jack Lightstone said the next step is the hiring of the project manager — expected to be announced in three weeks.

...positive arts news from the shaw festival....sound management, patrons and ticket sales pull through tough times....

Shaw Festival Eliminates Accumulated Deficit

Media Release #2

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, January 29, 2010….Members of the Shaw Festival Theatre Foundation, Canada, gathered at the Festival Theatre today to celebrate the 2009 season and to receive the annual reports of the officers.

Keith Mosley, Treasurer of the Board of Governors, reviewed the Shaw Festival’s financial position and officially declared that The Shaw has eliminated their accumulated deficit, thanks in large part to a remarkable bequest from long-time Shaw Festival patron Mona Campbell. The Shaw Festival has been in a deficit situation for the past five years.

In accepting Mr. Mosley’s report, Executive Director Colleen Blake stated: “Prudent budgeting and cost-savings during the 2009 season, buoyed by significant bequests and gifts, helped us to weather these turbulent economic times. We look forward to 2010 and to our 50th Season in 2011 from a positive financial position and with a strong new Strategic Plan.”

Mr. Mosley’s report also included details pertaining to the 2009 audited statements. He noted the unfortunate timing of a global economic meltdown which coincided with the early ordering period for Shaw Members in the fall of 2008. Despite this relatively slow start, sales began to climb once productions began previewing. Significant marketing grants from both the Federal and Provincial governments also aided in a major increase in sales. Annual revenues from all sources were $25.86 million, with expenses of $24.10 million, resulting in a surplus of $1.76 million. The 2009 revenue came from box office (57%) fundraising (31%), government grants (7%) and other revenues (5%). Mr. Mosley also noted that the Shaw Festival Endowment Foundation now manages investments of almost $18 million.

In remarking on her first season as Board Chair, Janet McKelvey praised The Shaw Company for their unparalleled quality of productions and applauded Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell’s leadership and programming. She went on to thank the late Mona Campbell for her philanthropic leadership and to acknowledge the generosity of the Slaight Family for their commitment to expanding the activities of the Academy – the largest gift in The Shaw’s history.

Reflecting on the 2009 season, Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell remarked on the Festival’s glorious Nöel Coward celebration and went on to note: “2009 saw us matching external challenges with bravery, artistry and vision. With an expanded Slaight Family Academy and another rich, provocative playbill, we look forward to a 2010 season that will clarify and contextualize the madness with as much wit and verve as Shaw would have himself.”

Highlights of a recent Economic Impact Study conducted by Enigma Research were also revealed at this meeting. Among the many points, it was noted that:

· Total economic impact of The Shaw Festival is estimated at $76.6 million annually

· The Shaw Festival attracts an estimated 78,300 tourists throughout the season nearly half travelling from outside Canada

· The Shaw Festival supports hundreds of jobs – an equivalent of 1150 year-round jobs in the Niagara Region – and also supports $20.9 million in tax revenue at all levels of government

· Of the Festival attendees surveyed, 100% of respondents rated their experience as excellent or good.

These important findings, combined with a three-year Strategic Plan developed by the Shaw Festival Board and Senior Management put The Shaw in a positive position as we approach our 50th Anniversary season in 2011.

In the spirit of George Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival provokes the mind and stirs the soul through a theatre experience so compelling that, year after year, ever-broadening groups of artists, audiences and supporters are drawn to our work in Niagara-on-the-Lake and beyond.

Financial statements and further information may be obtained by contacting:

Odette Yazbeck Public Relations Director (905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 ext. 2222 odette@shawfest.com

Jenniffer Anand Public Relations Coordinator (905) 468-2153 or 1-800-657-1106 xt.2224 janand@shawfest.com

...more about the traffic management plan...online

http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/communities/Niagara-on-the-Lake/article/287974

Town, Project Niagara team up for parking plan

Published on Nov 27, 2009

Town Council will be working with Project Niagara and members of the community on a traffic and parking plan.

Councillors adopted a resolution at Monday night’s council meeting calling for the town’s parking and traffic committee to work with Project Niagara and their consultants, Town and Regional staff and concerned residents to develop a terms of reference for a traffic parking management plan.

Concerned members from the community and stakeholders will be added to the already existing parking and traffic committee while this plan is developed, explained Coun. Jim Collard.

Project Niagara, the proposed 17-week music festival, is an initiative of the National Arts Centre and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Announced plans for the festival has been met with criticism by some members of the community and this resolution, proposed by Project Niagara itself, is an effort to resolve concerns about traffic and parking that some residents might have.

In the letter to Town Council, written by Robert Weese, chair of Project Niagara’s board of directors, he reiterated the findings of this summer’s Traffic Impact Study.

“Although it has been confirmed that Project Niagara is a feasible addition to Niagara-on-the-Lake from a traffic perspective, we recognize there is still much work to be done,” he wrote.

“We understand that, regardless of the feasibility of the additional traffic, work needs to be completed to address how traffic and parking will be managed in order to respect the existing ambience and heritage nature of the Town.”

Don Smith, CAO for the Town, recommended that citizens from the Chautauqua and Garrison Village area participate in the committee, as well as representatives from the Harmony resident group - a group of residents opposed to the project. http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/communities/Niagara-on-the-Lake/article/287974

...coverage of the traffic management discussion in this week's advance...online...

Town to help with music festival traffic study Posted 20 mins ago

Town council has unanimously adopted a resolution to work with Project Niagara on potential traffic problems.

Councillors will also be working with residents who are concerned about possible traffic and parking problems that could result from the proposed 17-week international music festival, and will direct the town's traffic committee to develop terms of reference for a traffic and parking management plan.

"This is the breakthrough we needed," said Bill Falk, Project Niagara board member and resident of Niagara-on-the-Lake. "This is the middle ground where the residents, the town and Project Niagara can work together. How parking and traffic is managed is of fundamental importance to us."

A traffic study conducted by Delcan Corporation and presented to residents in July determined that the existing road network in and around Niagara-on-the-Lake could handle extra traffic for the festival, but several people opposed to the project protested the study did not cover enough ground.

That same study also recommended a number of measures to alleviate traffic on nearby roadways, including reducing the number of parking spaces at the proposed site from 2,000 to 1,500, and said more work is needed on several issues.

In a letter Lord Mayor Gary Burroughs received earlier this month, Robert Weese, chair of the Project Niagara board of directors, said he recognizes there is still much work to be done on traffic and parking and how it will be managed "in order to respect the existing ambience and heritage nature of the town."

Weese acknowledged the concerns of residents in the Chautauqua and Garrison Village nieghbourhoods regarding visitors using their streets as shortcuts and as convenient places to park.

In his letter, Weese asked the town to work with Project Niagara to develop a plan that will meet everyone's needs.

In approving a town recommendation to convene council's parking and traffic committee to work with Project Niagara, council also voted to have concerned residents involved in the study.

Project Niagara proponents are hoping to receive funding from the province and the federal government for the next stage of the design, development and construction of the festival, with an opening target date of 2012, on the condition that a traffic and parking management plan will be completed to the satisfaction of the town.

Weese also promised residents' concerns of concert noise from the Parks Canada Lakeshore Road property will be addressed.

Copyright © 2009 Niagara Advance

...report on Monday's council meeting.....online

NOTL and Project Niagara working together! Tue, 2009-11-24 14:40. Rick Fleming

Niagara on the Lake Town Council has adopted a resolution to work with Project Niagara on a traffic and parking plan.

The resolution is seen as a "breakthrough" to resolve residents concerns about traffic and parking from the proposed 17 week international music festival.

Council has directed the Town's Parking and Traffic Committee to convene quickly and work with Project Niagara, their consultants, town staff, and concerned residents in the development of terms of reference for a traffic and parking management plan.

Project Niagara's Community Relations Committee is delighted with the Council's decision.

Janice Thomson says the thoroughness of the process shows Council's commitment to balance the needs of residents with what could be a great economic opportunity.

A detailed feasibility study presented to Niagara on the Lake Town Council last December estimated Project Niagara will generate annual economic activity of 93 million dollars and create hundreds of full time jobs.

Project Niagara is an initiative of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the National Arts Center.

Organizers aim to launch the 17-week festival during bicentennial celebrations marking the War of 1812 on the shore of Lake Ontario (on part of 268-acre Parks Canada Lands on Lakeshore Road, west Old Town).

For more information go to http://www.projectniagara.ca/

...this week in the advance.....online

Slight majority of Chautauqua survey responses opposed to Project Niagara Posted 10 mins ago

A survey distributed in the Chautauqua area shows that 43 residents, or 57 per cent of those who responded, are opposed to having a music festival as a neighbour.

Of 225 households in the area, 75, or 33 per cent, returned the survey.

Buddy Andres, president of the neighbourhood association, says he believes the results and the comments will be helpful in discussions with Project Niagara representatives and politicians when they ask how the community feels about the summer concert series that is being planned for the Parks Canada property on Lakeshore Road.

Chautauqua residents, particularly those who live on Shakespeare Avenue, will be the most affected by the concerts, a joint project of the Toronto Symphony and the National Arts Centre.

Of those who responded to the survey, 33 per cent support the project and 10 per cent said they were undecided.

Those in favour listed the economic benefits as the main reason for their support. Others endorse the use of the property for concerts and the jobs that will be created.

The vast majority—91 per cent—of those opposed cite traffic and parking as the reason for their objections.

They also have concerns about noise and the cost of the project, and expressed unease for the ecology of the area.

In summarizing the survey, Andres said, “it is clear to the executive that the majority of Chautauqua Residents Association members and residents of Chautauqua are opposed to Project Niagara for a variety of reasons. The CRA executive does not believe that Project Niagara is a "done deal" and we will be conveying the position expressed by our members and the accompanying concerns to whomever and wherever necessary.”

Tom Braybrook, a Chautauqua resident and outspoken project supporter, says the only conclusion that can be drawn from the survey is that 43 residents need to be appeased

There are no statistical grounds for drawing conclusions regarding the community as a whole—only that 57 per cent of the 33 per cent who responded are opposed, he said—the sample is not representative of the population.

“You can only draw valid conclusions, make assumptions, etc. if the sample is representative - a term applied to a random, unbiased sampling of a population of a specific number of a population—which this survey wasn't.”

He also questions the way the survey was distributed and collected—residents were asked to return it at the annual neighbourhood picnic on Labour Day or to the home of Andres.

He questions what might have been said to people as the survey was distributed.

And since most people in the neighbourhood know how Andres feels about the festival—he has said he is trying to remain neutral, but has some real concerns about traffic and parking—neighbours supporting the survey might be reluctant to hand it to him at the door or at a family picnic, Braybrook says.

He faults a “biased executive” for not including information to educate people about the project, and for not having the survey conducted by an unbiased third party.

In the past, the residents association executive has stayed away from politics, Braybrook says.

“They’ve been happy to work with council and let council look after the issues,” he says.

“This executive is drifting toward a political stance and based on an invalid, deeply flawed survey is taking a position contrary to that expressed by council.”

Andres, who was meeting with the executive of the association last night to discuss the survey, said he has talked at length with Braybrook about the way the survey was carried out, including the lack of educational component.

“We’re simply a little neighbourhood association. But we’re going to be living beside this giant project, and we wanted to get a pulse of what the neighbourhood feels about it,” says Andres. “That’s all we did. How can anybody criticize that?”

Andres said the executive will discuss what to do with the information in the survey now that they have it, but he expects it will be made available to politicians, the media and anybody else who wants it, including Kari Cullen, spokesperson for Project Niagara.

And a 33 per cent response, to anybody who knows about polls and surveys, is a great return, he says.

“I think it’s a pretty good result. How we interpret that is up to our executive to decide. But I think we did the best we could with the resources we have.”

While Braybrook understands some of his neighbours, especially those on Shakespeare, might have concerns about the impacts of traffic and parking, he also trusts the town and the proponents of the music festival will be able to mitigate any impacts.

And he isn’t buying Andres’ assertion that it is just a “little neighbourhood association survey” —not when it’s likely to be used to battle Project Niagara proponents as representative of Chautauqua neighbourhood opinions.

People are opposing the project based on “supposition and speculation, not on facts or evidence,” he says.

Copyright © 2009 Niagara Advance

...this week' news.......online....

Project Niagara opposition considers traffic study ‘first step’ only Posted 10 hours ago

A traffic study conducted by Delcan detailing the effects a world-renowned music festival will have on Niagara-on-the-Lake doesn’t look at some of the underlying issues, says the Harmony Residents Group.

At Monday night’s council meeting, Randy Busbridge spoke to councillors about the concerns his group has regarding Project Niagara.

He claims the study was only a first step, and that there are more questions that need to be answered.

“Unfortunately, the study has been misrepresented. Communications leading up to the publication of this study set an expectation that this study would be comprehensive–the final answer,” said Busbridge.

The report as discussed at the July public meeting by Project Niagara supporters and as covered by the local press was also presented as a complete answer, he said.

But the report only analyzed access to the Parks Canada Lakeshore Road property by the main routes. It didn’t look at or analyze exits after the concerts, when everybody would be leaving at once, or traffic on secondary routes, Busbridge said.

It also didn’t deal with traffic and parking in the Old Town, or the impacts from shuttle parking lots at locations that have yet to be identified.

“To understand the full impacts of Project Niagara traffic, we need a comprehensive traffic management plan,” said Busbridge.

“Since some of the possible strategies – such as barricades and speed bumps – will have an impact on our quality of life, we should debate them.”

Busbridge told councillors they should create more of a plan to answer critical questions regarding access to the property.

“Neither the businesses nor the residents of this community can afford to be wrong. We cannot risk waiting until after opening day to discover problems or costs.”

He questioned how the park-and-ride will work and if it is realistic to assume, as the traffic report does, that 37 per cent of concert goers would arrive by bus or shuttle.

He added he also wants council to lay out approval criteria in order for the process to be completed.

“The study clearly states that emergency services need to be addressed, that traffic infiltration is a potential problem, and that traffic management plans need to be developed,”said Busbridge.

“So much work remains to be done.”

Councillor Jim Collard said some of the recommendations should fall back onto the Harmony Residents Group’s shoulders.

“You continuously ask council to move forward. Shouldn’t you at some point be saying do this and that and then ask if we are okay with it?”

Collard went on to say Busbridge’s group needs to “do some homework as well” and mentioned that Lewiston’s Art Park concert series runs all summer long with no major disruptions.

Busbridge replied that traffic problems are already here in NOTL and will continue to get worse even with No Parking signs and barricades.

“There’s not many days, including winter, that people don’t ignore the No Parking signs in front of your house and mine,” said Busbridge, who is one of Collard’s neighbours.

“We want to be reasonable and create a plan that has opportunity to create some dialogue.”

He said he has conducted a petition which shows there are 659 residents of Niagara-on-the-Lake opposing Project Niagara as it currently stands.

Another 300 people outside of the town have signed it as well, from the region and across Canada, he said, saying they were opposed to the festival at the proposed site. He estimated those figures to keep growing.

“We are not opposed to music and we understand that tourism is vital to our local economy. But, especially at the location proposed, we see problems,” he said.

“(Council) has the opportunity to show leadership by becoming proactive, by laying out a plan, by setting conditions. We understand you can’t be cheerleaders for either side in this debate, but you can act as referee.”

Chamber of Commerce executive director Janice Thomson, a Project Niagara supporter, noted that Busbridge said there would be no grounds for opposition to the project with satisfactory answers to three issues: that there will be no effect on the municipal tax base; there will be no impact on the quality of life for residents from traffic, parking or noise; and there will be no negative impact on the environment.

These are the issues that are the focus of the professionals who are examining the feasibility of the project, she said.

“The fact that Project Niagara is being developed by professionals seems to be overlooked. The items that Harmony is asking be addressed are basic elements that have been noted by Project Niagara since day one—there is no argument that those points need to be addressed,” said Thomson.

“By establishing a liaison committee between the Town, the Region and Project Niagara, the local and regional Council members are ensuring that due process is followed and that their professional staff members have every opportunity to review, comment and influence any plan to move forward.”

Council should be given credit for the steps they have already taken to ensure adequate oversight, she said.

Project Niagara is a joint initiative by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Ottawa's National Arts Centre Orchestra to create an international summer music festival on a portion of the Parks Canada Lakeshore Road property.

Copyright © 2009 Niagara Advance

...from the town crier this week ....online...

http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/communities/Niagara-on-the-Lake/article/270684

Kari Cullen, project manager for Project Niagara, listens to concerns from the public at a meeting held at Virgil Public School July 22. Citizens voice concerns at Project Niagara meeting Eddie Chau Published on Jul 31, 2009

More than 300 people packed Virgil Public School’s gymnasium Thursday with questions and concerns about a large-scale music festival proposed for Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Consultants and experts were on hand in Virgil to update residents about the progress on the development of Project Niagara, a proposed 17-week summer music festival eyed for the 260 acres of land along Lakeshore Road. The public meeting was the second meeting in a matter of weeks held by Project Niagara’s board of directors in an attempt to educate and update the community about the festival.

Thursday’s meeting revealed the results of a traffic impact study which recommended a number of options to minimize traffic concerns, including use of shuttle buses and reducing parking lot size. An acoustic engineer was on hand to discuss the impact of noise in Niagara-on-the-Lake should the festival be viable.

Kari Cullen, project manager for Project Niagara, said public meetings will be held once every few months to gather feedback and concerns from residents towards the project. The goal is to help further the project and refine its plans.

“We have to address new and evolving concerns. There will be a place for comments to be dealt with,” Cullen said. “There’s assurance that through the life time of Project Niagara to be a good neighbour and good part of the community.”

John O’Keefe, an engineer from Aerocoustics Engineering Limited in Toronto, discussed the impact of the acoustic environment of Project Niagara to its surrounding neighbours. O’Keefe noted that daytime performances would produce a sound level of 50 decibels while evening and night time performances will produce 47 and 45 decibels respectively.

Resident Joel Press was concerned about the noise impact. He asked O’Keefe whether it was possible to turn the amphitheater shell away from the residential area to reduce noise.

O’Keefe said doing so would curve the sound and reflect off the air and come down. Once studies are done and the noise levels are high, sound barriers can be put up to shield noise from nearby neighbourhoods.

Resident Ken Enns said he was concerned about traffic travelling down Niagara Stone Road and Concession 6. Enns told Nick Palomba, the consultant behind the traffic impact study that 40 per cent of traffic going through Virgil is not a good option.

Palomba said the festival will operate until 8 p.m. on a weekdays and assured traffic won’t travel through town during peak hours during the day. http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/communities/Niagara-on-the-Lake/article/270684

....you can find Project Niagara issued press releases online ...link...

....eight to date...

Recent press releases:

   * Dec 15, 2008
   * May 20, 2009
   * June 18, 2009
   * June 22, 2009
   * June 23, 2009
   * July 21, 2009
   * July 23, 2009
   * July 28, 2009