Conference Center Reality

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I sent off the following Letter to the Editor about the story 'Busy spring at convention centre' that appeared in the April 29^th Bulletin. Unfortunately the story is only in the hard copy and not on the Bulletin website. While it is all well and good to look at world through rose coloured glasses it is also good to take a step back and look at reality. Until one is willing to look at things as they really are then it is impossible to look at means of making them better.

Re: Busy spring at convention centre

Anyone reading this story might assume that the VICC is on the right track and doing well; a modicum of research however shows that this is not exactly so.

First off the story states that 30,000 delegate days are expected this year. This is exactly the same number that was being hyped for 2011 and yet we see that only 13,980 delegate days, less than 2.5% capacity, actually were achieved.

Secondly it is important to note that included in delegate days are those of the weekly Sunday Church service the ‘Meeting Place’. At an estimated 150 people attending per week this accounts for 6500 delegate days during the year, almost half of all delegate days in 2011. If, a really big if, the 30,000 proposed delegates do materialize this year it would still account for more than 20%.

A quick perusal of the VICC website will show that for the last six months of this year, other than the ‘Meeting Place’, only one convention and one other event are scheduled.

Half truths expressed through stories such as this do nothing in moving this facility forward. We must stop looking at the VICC with eyes wide shut and dreams of a hotel as the only option of salvation. Only by openly recognizing the facilities flaws can we then move forward to rectify them.

As published: Delegate numbers fail to tell full VICC story

 

Conference Centre update

T'would appear that when counting delegate days at the Convention Centre they count the numbers of those attending the weekly church, The Meeting Place, which account for 125 delegates per week.

A little basic math: 125 x 52 = 6500 = 21.6% of the 30,000 delegates expected this year.

If you think of the 16,000 delegates they said they had in 2011 the Meeting Place would have accounted for 40.6% of these.

Below is a story about a conference that actually put the facility at capacity for a couple of day.
March 17, 2012 VICC hits capacity next week

I unfortunately deleted a couple of stories I had saved with regard to the conference Centre and its projected numbers for this year, 30,000 delegate days. In 2011 it had been projected that the conference centre would see the same 30,000 delegate days but only reached something in the effect of 16,000 or 2.5% overall capacity. In the event the centre does see 30,000 delegates this year it will only reach 5% capacity.

Will attempt to find the stories, as it is amusing to read the comments attached to them, and will post here when I do.

Conference Centre hits capacity

VICC hits maximum capacity next week March 17, 2012
Some excellent comments on this one.

In some effect it really puts into question City Council's obsession for a new hotel for the conference centre. If a conference the size of this one can find enough accomadation then why can't others?

To Confence Or Not To Conference

The issue that never dies.

Conference Centre remains a solid investment for the city
Some excellent comments:)
"It doesn't sound like much, but for the struggling facility it's a landmark on the way to calling the project a success." At a projected 5% of capacity if this projected number of delegate days holds up and does not itself drop 50% as in the past we would still be looking at decades before we could ever call it a success.

One also needs to look at where these delegate days are coming from. Do they count the members of the church that holds services every Sunday at the conference Centre? Do they count the number of people at council meetings? If so what percentage of those numbers are accounted for in the delegate days tht we have had.

Also the $380ish dollars they say a delegate would spend would not forth coming from events that are held by groups already in the city. We, the taxpayers, will be paying for this for years to come.

Conference centre should post record year for bookings
More great comments on this story.

"But bookings have failed to meet the predictions of industry experts." Obviously!

One has to note that the so called industry 'experts' lobby for convention centers. The foremost expert on convention centers in North America, not part of the lobby group, warned back in 2004 that there were only 2 centers inn North America that were not heavily subsidized.

Last year at this time there were also 30,000 delegate days talked about which obviously did not happen and puts the ratio at 50% not the 25 spoken about above. Even were we to reach 30,000 that would equate to only 5% capacity.

We cannot and should not be focusing on a hotel but need to focus on other means to attract usage. The recent change to the liquor designation should help but with the cost of usage approximately double that of other venues it will be a tough slog..

More updates on various issues

Nov 3
D/N
Get to know the 26 people running for seats on Nanaimo City Council
Interesting take on providing information about the candidates. You click the name of the person then get a bio and video link to the 5 questions asked.

They did however get my age wrong, I am actually 53.

Sisterhood contemplates sale of lakeshore grove

Great idea for a city purchase though if the Tennis Club is allowed to make their member only restaurant into a open restaurant club there will be no more tranquility.

City will force smokers to butt out in parks
This is one of those things where I think the City has gone too far. For one it is unenforceable unless of course the City proposes to hire quite a number of police. Most smokers are respectful of others and tend to smoke downwind or far enough away that the rising smoke does not go near others. If the city wanted to ban something around parks it should be vehicles as they cause far more harm than a few smokers.

Smoking as an addiction is extremely hard to quit but it is something most smokers contemplate doing.

Bus service aims to attract more patrons to downtown bars
Good idea. Not only will it bring them in it will also take them out. should see a bit iof a drop in the petty crime in the area and less garbage not to mention the potential to save lives.

Letter: Tax relief the start of headaches for taxpayers
An excellent letter regarding the tax break for hotels, especially related to the convention centre. How will these tax incentives be paid for? By you the Taxpayer, that’s how. Dumb move on the part of the current council; it will make it even harder to keep taxes down in the future.

Bulletin
Council votes down motion to freeze Uplands project.
Believe I commented enough on an earlier story from the Daily News. Good news and good on council.

D/N
Nov 2
Taxbreak proposed for hotel project
A lot of BS going on here. What is the current vacancy rate for hotels and motels in and around downtown? Is not giving them the property to build on enough of an incentive? How much will
the "apply to any development or re-development" end up costing
taxpayers?

Hotel or no hotel the convention centre will always need to be subsidized. Has the license been changed yet from food primary to liquor primary? Instead of focusing on conventions lets get on with utilizing and encouraging its use for
other things.

Minimumwage hike draws mixed reaction from Nanaimo businesses and workers
It seemsthat every time the minimum wage is raised the same concerns are
expressed.

By increasing the minimum wage it could help lift some out of abject poverty to just plain and simple poverty and the added benefit of the raise will mean that some have a bit more money to spend at city businesses.

What is also needed is to increase assistance rates and provide those on assistance with a bus pass so that they can look for work instead of spending all of their time just trying to survive.

Opinion: Raising minimum wage a balancing act
Not a bad column.

Bestwick says he's sorry if fellow councillors were offended by remarks on housing strategy

"dishonest at best and deceitful at worst." Not true.

I have stated often, and despite being in support of Supportive Housing and Nanaimo's action plan on homelessness, that the communication process has been flawed. This said it is flawed when it comes to most issues and that primarily because what communication is done is
to the bare minimum required.

When the Homeless Strategy was in development community was invited to get involved in
the process, very few chose to do so. It is the same with much else and it is only when something is believed to have a direct effect that citizens get up in arms. A direct result of the current
processes used by the City to inform the public.

A sad aspect of the whole housing thing is that a few people through fear and misinformation can galvanize so many. On a positive note the city can learn from it.

Information whether fact or fear can be gotten to the public relatively easily and doing so
well before the issue becomes an ISSUE is paramount

Nov 1
Proposed delay for low-barrier housing turfed by council
"I am not convinced there was any great flaw in the procedure and process and I certainly think we should carry through with the commitments we've made,"

Yes, it is about time that we moved forward as this will now allow us to work on the other aspects of housing proposed in the Homelessness Strategy. On the first part of Councillor Holdom's
comment I have to disagree.

The great flaw is exactly how the City communicates in order to get community involvement, not just on this issue but on all issues. Sadly a couple of notices in newspapers does not exactly encourage community participation in the Civic Planning.

Was there communication? Yes, but only to the minimum required. This has to change so that the City actually works to encourage community participation.

The blatant threat by the Concerned Citizens of Nanaimo to actively seek to have people not vote for candidates that support the issue of Housing the Homeless is sad to say the least. To not vote for someone simply because they disagree with you on one issue is of great concern.

Sitting on City Council is no easy process because at times it does require compromise. Voters need to look beyond a single issue and look at what those running have done in and for the
community. Take off the blinders, research the candidates, and when you vote make it an informed choice and not one out of anger.

Businesses take differing views on Occupy Nanaimo's impact
I think the predominant view is that the occupiers are working well towards maintaining
the site to the mutual benefit to all in the Downtown. Kudos to the businesses that are actually
contributing.

Bulletin
Nov 1
City can't afford to save west Linley Valley
Certainly the City could afford to save some if not all of the property. How much will the 10 year Tax deferment the City just gave to Hotels that choose to renovate cost us? What about City Park reserve funds?

There are growing questions being asked about the New City Annex and other City expenditures such as borrowing $22 million for the proposed $65 million Water Treatment Plant.

When choosing to spend the taxpayer’s money better choices need to be made. Choosing to purchase all or the majority of land in Linely Valley would actually benefit the City, its people and the potential for tourism.

Let’s protect the assets we have instead of focusing on grandiose schemes destined for failure.

Bulletin

Oct 28
Lantzville aims to clarify urban farming issue
I think a lot of clarifying will be done by the vote in the upcoming election and if they really want to clarify they will reform the committee that worked on the bylaw, making it more balanced, and rewrite the bylaw so that it is less discriminatory. At a minimum the allowed usage per lot should be 60% though 75% would make them more viable.

Election candidates featured at meetings
Two interesting links to sites mentioned in this story, http://democraticnanaimo.blogspot.com/ & http://www.nanaimochamber.bc.ca/ . The first requests input for its All Candidates meeting the second will link through sustainable cities to the answers to questions posed to the candidates.

Oct 31
Editorial: Mixed message worth hearing
One of the best editorials I have seen dealing with the occupy movement.

Reality demands public participation
Many years ago I chose the red pill; sometimes wonder if it was the right choice? In reality I do
believe my choice, well over a decade ago, to get involved was right; I have much more fun than I ever did back in the days of choosing other options.

D/N
Oct 31
Lantzville Council delays implementation of cotroversial urban farming bylaw
Probably the best move they could have made. The bylaw as it stood was literally a piece of crap.

Korpan Shenannigans

Also on the public hearing agenda tonight for rezoning are properties at the head of Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo. When the whole conference centre process was started they were offered to the developer as enticement to build the centre. Prime waterfront real-estate they were slotted for the development of 2 26 story Condominium towers and resulted in the demolition of the well loved Civic Arena as well as the Foundry, a one of a kind heritage building.

If approved; City councils return of these properties to park designation at Maffeo Sutton Park will be in my opinion one of the best moves they have made in the last three years. While the news is good the property could still be at risk in the future and it would be nice to see some sort of covenant that would make it impossible for them to be taken away in the future.

This letter to the editor Not building condos will cost taxpayers dearly written by our former mayor. What he does not mention in it is that while the properties were being 'sold" to the developer the City had agreed to purchase 150 parking spaces from said developer at the cost of $50,000 per space or $7,500,000.00. If I am not mistaken this was far more than the city would have received for the purchase of the property so in effect we would have ended up giving it away.

Our ex mayor seems to have nothing better to do these days than continue his law suit against citizens Tony Parkin and Angela Negrin with regards to the infamous FREE NANAIMO FROM KORRUPTION bumper sticker and write the odd, very ‘odd’, letter to the editor.

I was given permission to print Mr. Ricker’s letter, below, in response to Korpan with the following proviso: “Feel free to put it on your blog with an appropriate notation that the Daily News continues to operate with a blacklist despite the prescriptive advice of the BC Press Council, which was rendered after I lodged a formal complaint against the admitted blacklisting policy of the current editor of the DN.”

Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 10:57 PMSubject: Gary Korpan, Philip Wolf and the final (?) bathos of the 2004 referendum plan

To the Editor:Perhaps it is merely a coincidence that defeated mayor Gary Korpan's angry letter in response to city council's decision to preserve as park land the area beside the Pearson Bridge, previously designated as part of the gift package to would-be hotel developers Triarc/Suro/Millennium, appeared the same day as another instalment of Philip Wolf's prolonged and amusing send-up of Mr. Korpan's downtown hotel/conference centre dream (August 25).

Mr. Korpan has no credentials as a city planner, yet he prattles on about high rises overlooking Maffeo Sutton Park as essential to achieving the city's population target for the downtown. Lewis Villegas, a reputable planner of some considerable experience, came to the city late in the 2004 referendum campaign and effectively demonstrated that this population target could be achieved by means of low-rise construction supported by a sensible overall plan for the downtown.

Mr. Korpan also continues to believe in offering gifts to would-be developers, even though all there is to show for his previous efforts is his spectacular failure to deliver the goods.

News story: Plans for towers adjacent to Maffeo-Sutton park could soon be shelved

Conference Centre in the News

Nanaimo's illustrious fiasco the Vancouver Island Conference Centre has been in the news a fair bit lately. On one hand you have a reporter talking about how it has been responsible for a positive impact on the Downtown PNC changed the downtown, "People have criticized the decision to build the $75million Port of Nanaimo Centre, calling it a giant waste of money, but when you look at the impact this facility has had on the downtown and this city, the skeptics don't have much of an argument anymore." " Without a doubt, the number of pedestrians in the downtown has increased with the opening of the Vancouver Island Conference Centre."

On the other hand you have reporters not so supportive, see links at end of post.

When I read the above story I was blown away by the bullshit and so sent in the following letter;

I strongly disagree with Derek Spalding’s synopsis of the Vancouver Island Conference Centre effect on the Downtown of Nanaimo.

He states “the number of pedestrians in the downtown has increased with the opening of the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. And every year this award-winning facility has shown growth in the number of delegates coming to the city,” ludicrous to say the least.

While it has suffered growing pains since changing from the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership to the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association it is the many people and businesses involved in the downtown that have contributed to increased foot traffic. More open businesses on weekends and the ever increasing number of events have far more to do with increased pedestrian use than the VICC, it also being there is just mere coincidence.

Recently it was announced that conference centre usage was down 20% from last year and an earlier story in the Daily News mentioned a 68% decrease. Based on projected delegate numbers, when compared to delegate space, the VICC will only be operating at less than 2,5% capacity. How this equates to growth I do not know.

Certainly while the VICC now sits empty there are more and more people coming into the downtown; yes if/when uses for the centre are broadened then and only then will the VICC have an impact.

Above as published August 31st, PNC has not had an impact on downtown . Another letter I had published a few days prior also touches on the conference centre City has great potential to create prosperity

It is time that the truth was told and the folly admitted to by those responsible for the huge expenditures that taxpayers of Nanaimo are paying, and will for years to come, for the Conference Centre. Blame it on the lack of a hotel or the recession but the reality is and always was that these types of large facilities will always be a drain on the citizens of the communities they are in. The only way to mitigate this drain is to allow for other uses and make it possible for those uses to take place.

This in and of itself is another issue that the city and management of the conference centre have failed at doing, Liquor licence delay cancels body painting

August 31: Letter: Dan Appell Many reasons are behind downtown revitalization
Sept 7Taxpayers dole out big bucks to operate public facilities
August 25Unlikely profits mean conference centre hotel a long way off
Philip Wolf: No hotel, no big surprise

Convention Centre usage plummets

The story below, from a few weeks back, shows how bad things are with the NNC and simply reinforces the information I put out in the last post on this subject

Conference Centre usage plunges a whopping 68%

Dead On

Every once in a while and editorial will come out in a Nanaimo paper that is dead on. If you have any idea about the happenings in Nanaimo you need to read this, they don't get much better

Nanaimo politicians might want to aim a little higher

Conference Centre Cop Out (re-edited March 11th)

Updated, on 11th, and corrected some figures.

This in the Dailey News. Conference Centre could get another helping hand

These particular comments pissme off; "Incessant criticism, however, will only hurt the facility and is ultimately a self-fulling prophecy, should more people subscribe to such a way of thinking, according to VICC manager Denise Tacon." "We have a much stronger momentum coming out of this recession and this community needs to embrace where we're going," she said. "Negativity breeds negativity and we will be deciding our own future, if that's the approach we take."

What a cop out and utter bullshit, blaming those that were against the NNC in the first place for its continued drain on the Taxpayers of the city.

The reality is that it is Denise Tacon’s job to get bookings and if it is not happening then it is her failure and not that of the citizens of Nanaimo. The other bit of smoke and mirrors in this story is when they talk about delegate days.

Below is what has happened and is estimated in terms of delegate days. Even were they to reach the 16,000 expected for 2011 that is roughly only 2.5% of the total possible. This is by no means anything to ber proud of and one can expect with numbers like this that we will again be subsidizing to the tune of over $1million.

Yes we need to figure out means to increase the numbers of events and conferences, yes we need to look at means to bring in local folk, we are paying for the damned thing so it is a no brainer that something needs to be done. To blame those who criticize this for its ongoing failure is ludicrous.

First on my list of improvements would be to make eliminate a little waste in the administration department of the NNC, first being Denise Tacon. Heads should roll and hopefully come the next general election folk will remember just whose heads those should be.

Delegate seats (and future bookings) at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, 2008-2013:
2008 (sixth months): 9,800
2009: 15,900 = 2.5%
2010: 12,400 = 2.0%
2011: 16,000 = 2.5%
2012: 28,000 = 4.5%
2013: 24,000 = 3.8%
SOURCE: CITY OF NANAIMO

Percentages based on a maximum capacity of 1720 persons, excluding the 400 from the Newcastle Lobby and 143 from Museum Level, per day utilizing available conference rooms. Total yearly 627,800 in rooms, 146,000 Newcastle Lobby, 52,195 in museum meeting space.

On Empire, HST, VICC and Affordable/Social Housing

Empire days letters
May 19, 2010
Empire Days opposition is insulting, ridiculous
At least she doesn’t call him a professional activist.
Changing events name will create opportunities

May 20, 2010
Time to bring an end to the use of term 'Empire"

HST
Good outline of the process and what could happen.
May 20, 2010
HST: is the Recall Act designed to fail?

Conference Centre
Ya gotta read this.
Philip Wolf: Vicc gets some press

Affordable Housing
Have been discussing affordable housing with a number of people lately and usually what comes up is how one defines it. I came up, literally, with these two definitions that I think put it quite succinctly.

Affordable Housing:

Housing, whether purchased or rented, that cost no more than 30% of a person or families monthly gross income.

Subsidized/Social:

Housing, whether purchased or rented, that is supported by Municipal/Provincial/Federal subsidies and cost no more than 30% of a person or families monthly gross income.

More on Millennium and the PNC Hotel

The issue of our non-existent hotel for the convention centre has taken off, much like I believe Millennium will ultimately do. In the Globe and Mail story, Stalled hotel….., current Mayor Korpan states "This is not a white elephant. Even without the hotel, this is going to be a success," he said. "I understand the operators have adjusted their marketing for smaller events and all of the areas are pretty much booked to the limit." He also states further on that, “Millennium has "reconfirmed" its financing several times in recent months, and changing developers could delay the project for another two years”.

I have a few things to say about this. If the PNC will be a success without the hotel why worry about the hotel being delayed even longer if we change developers? Make up your mind Gary which is it? While it is stated that the PNC is booked to the limit, how many of those bookings are City sponsored events? It’s nice to see that we as taxpayers are being hit twice in building and utilizing this venue.

It is time for the voters of Nanaimo to really look at this fiasco. Get out and vote and let’s see a total change on council.

Hotel issue should change the political landscape in Nanaimo

Stalled hotel weighing on mayor

City not on hook if hotel deal falls apart

Letter to the Editor re: Millenium Hotel

Preamble
It is important to remember that the hotel was to be an integral part of and completed at the same time as part of the Convention Centre. This was later moved to its proposed site, expanded from 20 to 24 then 37 stories, many floors of condos included, and then because financung couldn't be arranged scaled back to 18 stories of hotel space only. As part of the enticement to get the American company Triarc, Canadian subsidiary Suro, and their Developer Millenium to build Council approved lands at Maffeo Sutton Park to be sold to the developer for roughly 9 million dollars so as to build a couple 24 storie condominiums. While the price of the land was fair the idea of butchering Maffeo Surron Park was not. Also the city agreed to purchase 150 parking spaces at #30,000 a pop, total 4.5million. Great for the developer bad for the taxpayers of Nanaimo. Anyway, Triarc and Millenium have missed so many deadlines and with Millenium needing a $100 million bailout by the City of Vancouver for its Olympic Village development, it has become less likely that the hotel for our convention centre will ever be built by Millenium.

Letter regarding a few recent stories in the paper
Show me the money! Millenniums' appearance before the Development Advisory Panel yesterday, November 6th, was a farce. They showed a hastily prepared rendering that completely ignored Downtown Development Guidelines and the character of the surrounding properties as well as at one point even touting that they would look to accessing Pipers Park and its redevelopment to meet their needs. The DAP did not approve moving forward the request for a development permit at this time, kudos to them.

Vancouver's City Council has apparently, in camera (ie.secretly), agreed to provide Millenium $100 million needed to complete the Olympic Village. Are we to expect the same from our council? When will Jeet Manhas admit that this is a sham and that council should pull out of this deal immediately as they justifiably can. When will the rest of Council do the same? I have to wonder just how much of the taxpayers money has been spent to keep this process going?

A special meeting of the current Council should be called and this project squashed. Don't leave this mess for a new council to deal with.

Hotel cash source secret

Panel rejects hotel plan

City officials stay silent on $100M loan for 2010 athletes' village

Local News Clip:

Letters to the Editor (part eight)

The following are some of my letters to the editor over the past couple years. I have found, since submitting my first many years ago, that this is a means, one widely read, to express an opinion on events in the city and realms further afield. I fully encourage people to write letters to the editors of what some fondly consider our local rags, though don’t be surprised when they appear and are edited by the paper. In one letter I submitted the editor changed one word, eliminated one sentence and totally changed the context of what I was saying.

2007
Re; Panel advocates housing homeless

Finally after years of saying just this, could it really be true, that Housing the Homeless will be a priority. If so the first thing that will have to happen is the will of all agencies and governments dealing with the issue to put aside their own agendas and recognize the agenda of the homeless, that of being housed safely and affordably.
One need recognize the homeless cannot be pigeon holed into any given category. Some are quite capable of living on their own, others may need a little support and still others support on a longer term basis. When we look at the homeless we are looking at men, women, children and families. We are looking at people with varying degrees of mental illness and addiction, those that have been abused and others that are simply unemployed. All have in common the need for safe affordable housing.
Like the different causes of homelessness housing also needs to be comprised of varying types. Shared accommodation will work for some, others may need varying degrees of support but the majority will be living independently. Single family homes can be purchased and converted to shared accommodation or by adding secondary suites to house two families. Purchasing a motel for instant accommodation as well as purpose built 10 to 15 unit buildings are other options. The point is to develop a framework which includes transitional, supportive and independent housing, ensuring that it is affordable to those who will utilize it.
Monies to accomplish this exist and can be added to further by the savings to government by actually housing people. Municipal governments can also add to the pot by requiring developers to contribute land or money to affordable housing plans. Let’s stop talking and do something, let’s house the homeless.

Re: NNC has been touted as a means to alleviate social issues

Since the $100,000 propaganda campaign, during the referendum, the NNC has been touted as a means to alleviate social issues in the downtown core. Most recently this was again brought up at the council meeting of February 12th. During question period I reiterated something I have brought up before, that being just how will the NNC do this. While hoping against hope that I would be hearing how the project would somehow help to combat, increasing homelessness and drug addiction or perchance the severe lack of affordable housing in the community, I was instead lectured by Councillor Brennan about employment opportunities.
There is no denying that a number of jobs have and will be created by the project. The problem as I see it is the construction jobs are primarily low paying labourer positions, which are temporary at best and the jobs created after construction will be predominantly minimum wage service industry, simply replacing jobs that were lost when the original businesses that occupied the site, prior to construction, were demolished. This to me alleviates nothing, least of all social issues.

If Council Brennan et. al. wish to get serious; Tiarc/Suro/Millenium’s failure to come up with financing for the hotel/condo tower has given them a golden opportunity to do so. Firstly, whatever company comes forward to build the hotel/condos should contribute a minimum of 10% of the market value of the Condos towards affordable housing or addiction services for youth, the later being in short supply throughout the province. Secondly, Maffeo Sutton Park properties should not be used as an enticement to developers but should remain, in perpetuity, a part of the park and improved accordingly for every citizen’s, as well as tourists, benefit. There are few enough free venues for those with low incomes to enjoy, our waterfront being one.

Letters to the Editor (part seven)

The following are some of my letters to the editor over the past couple years. I have found, since submitting my first many years ago, that this is a means, one widely read, to express an opinion on events in the city and realms further afield. I fully encourage people to write letters to the editors of what some fondly consider our local rags, though don’t be surprised when they appear and are edited by the paper. In one letter I submitted the editor changed one word, eliminated one sentence and totally changed the context of what I was saying.

2007
Re: Mayor accuses Friends of Plan Nanaimo directors of slander

I find it pitifully sad that that our Mayor sees fit to accuse Friends of Plan Nanaimo Directors and Members of libel and slander, for the bumper sticker that reads “FREE NANAIMO FROM KORUPTION,” when in fact without concrete proof he could be considered guilty of the same. This is nothing but further grandstanding on the part of a Mayor who has in the past called members of FPN Neanderthals and Liars, all of which occurred in the public arena.

I hazard to guess that in so vehemently publicizing the above bumper sticker Mayor Korpan himself may be responsible for furthering the want of it by community members. This may make his quest to track down those displaying it and “suing them into the stone age” a tad more difficult. I have one thing to say to his eminence and that is “GET OVER IT,” if you can’t take the heat Mister Korpan get out of the fire.

Re: Demand return of fees from Triarc

Why is it that our City Council is not demanding the return by Triarc/Suro of all development and management fees paid to them prior to their default of the agreement as outlined in the following section of the partnering agreement?
Sec. 18.5 If the Project does not proceed through an Event of Default of Suro, including Suro's inability to secure financing for the Hotel and Residential Complex following satisfaction of the Condition Precedent provided for in section 5.2, it is understood and agreed that Suro shall repay to the City all amounts paid to Suro as a Development Fee and Monthly Project Management Fee from September 15, 2004 plus all of the City’s reasonable costs, charges and expenses.

Council should be demanding all costs back as they, as well as city staff, have admitted Triarc/Suro were clearly in default. Allowing another developer to come into the picture at this late date, with the same incentives given to Triarc/Suro, is simply ludicrous. By all means continue construction but look seriously at other alternatives for the NNC, as it has been stated when the design was brought forward could easily be accomplished. Use the funds retrieved to hold another referendum, if the Citizens of Nanaimo really want this then surely it would pass by a larger margin than the previous illegal referendum. And for the sake of the city, whatever you do, take the lands at Maffeo Sutton out of the equation.

Re: Council pay increases again. March 10, 2007

I must say I am extremely disappointed in Councilor Holdom’s comment, in response to the $800 increase to his pay as a City Councilor, that, “"Maybe I'll get a new pair of shoes." This is nothing less than a slap in the face to the poor.  

Despite the economic boom in BC the Nanaimo Region is ranked 5th overall for human economic hardship in the province, 1st for a region with a population centre the size of Nanaimo or greater. 8% of families in Nanaimo earn less than $10,000 a year, $833 per month and the majority of those on income assistance earn less than $800 per month.

I challenge Mr. Holdom to step off his pedestal, give up his apparent life of luxury, and for one month try to live on $800 dollars. Perhaps then he will have a greater appreciation of the wages paid to him by the taxpayers of Nanaimo

Re: Mayor Infrastructure Hotel and Taxes

October 9, 2008

Dearest Editor:

How nice of Mayor Korpan to try and put the squeeze on the feds for funding to the convention centre. This type of grandstanding is simply ludicrous when it would be far more appropriate for our Mayor, and Council, to be securing funds for much promised but never delivered infrastructure services to Green Lake Residents as well as other areas promised the same during amalgamation 30 plus years ago.

Equally of concern is the distinct possibility of Millennium Developments not securing funding for the long proposed but yet to be built Conference Centre Hotel? Councilor Manhas may not be worried but with ongoing issues past and present I certainly am. My guess is that even if the City did try to collect the penalties rightfully owed to us by Triarc/Millenium, for their past failure to build on schedule, they could possibly default on those as well.

Many believe the next big project should be a multi-plex sports facility. I have no problem with the idea but with city taxpayers on the hook for other over budget schemes of late the City’s only contribution should be the land it would sit on. Our taxes are high enough and we should not be burdened with even more.

Now is the time that Citizens have the opportunity to create change. On November 15th please get out and vote.

Gordon W. Fuller

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