Summer in the Park 2011 to be expanded – Council votes

Owner of Cecil's Eatery, John Lechlitner, and Chairman of Summer in the Park, Derek Shogren, speak at the regular City Council Meeting Tuesday night to hear the vote for expanding SITP. Photo by Devin Size

Months of grueling advocating and budget planning finally pay off, as Summer in the Park is decided on. Chairman of the board for SITP, Derek Shogren, made his final, successful plea to City Council at Tuesday night’s regular meeting. With a vote of 7-3 in favor, including Mayor Al McDonald’s support, three main aspects of the festival will be restored:

1.The expansion of concerts to a waterfront stage, for two nights at a cost of $20 per wristband. Acts still to be announced, but with an increased budget from last year’s festival, Shogren says bands and local talent should be promising.

2.The return of the Country Open singing competition in Lee Park.

3.The garden variety attractions and activities similar to events held in past years, held in and around Lee Park. Most of these are offered at no charge to the public, the exceptions being the obvious such as Midway rides and Helicopter tours.

Many of the doubts from Council previous to reaching this decision that Shogren’s committee faced, were acknowledged and debated around the table, unfortunately it became an agree to disagree situation on some factors. Although Shogren had hoped for unanimous consent, he’s looking forward to continued progress now that the vote has passed.

“It’s not just my dream, it’s something everyone in the city has worked hard on to expand,” said Shogren. “I was hoping for unanimous support, because it sends a strong signal to the city, but they all said after it passed they would jump on board.”

“Basically, ever since it’s gone to committee, we haven’t stopped. We’re having a meeting now on Friday to discuss bands. We’ve been working forward this whole time hoping it would pass. I really appreciate the positive comments we got from Council tonight, and now we just keep moving forward to make this the event we all want.”

All of Council wishes the best moving forward with this decision, and will all be volunteering. To start the demonstrations of support from local businesses was the owner of Cecil’s Eatery, John Lechlitner, donating $3000 to SITP.

“I hope this is the start of many great years of Summer in the Park,” said Lechlitner.

Amongst the three councilors to vote against, was Mike Anthony (the other two being Councilors Koziol and Vrebosch-Merry) commented after the meeting, that although he’s all for increasing the capacity of the festival, he’s just afraid of losing the gamble in the end – a sentiment shared by all three.

“I just think it’s too soon to expand this much,” explained Anthony. “These volunteers are doing great work putting this together, and have for the last four years – once we got rid of the risk of concerts off the tax payers backs. I fear we’re headed back in that direction. I want the event to grow, I want to bring the buzz back to the city, but I’m just afraid of the hangover after the buzz. I feel 120 days is a short time to sell that many wristbands.”

Shogren’s budget allocates the sale of only 10,000 wristbands to break even, which is less than 20% of North Bay’s population, not including attracted tourists.

Ed Deibel – “I’m Pro-North.”

Leader and founder of the Northern Ontario Heritage Party, Edward Deibel, had only five minutes to speak at the meeting, so he didn’t hold back any punches.

“I’m worried for the future of Northern Ontario’s education,” said Deibel. “President of Canadore College, George Burton, should be forced to resign immediately, to ensure that these program cuts never take place. We need a college president with a pro North attitude.”

After hearing about the several programs cut at Canadore, Deibel said he read the reports and interviews with Burton. The impression he received from it all was that students were being encouraged to attend these programs at schools further South in Ontario. Deibel said he realizes that Burton is facing a deficit, but is just cutting education instead of fighting for more funding.

“The Ministry of Education is allowing George Burton to make these cuts, and he’s saying that we have the money in Southern Ontario schools, so students can go there now. We don’t accept that. I plan to make education in Northern Ontario our platform come election time.”

The NOHP was formed in 1977 by Deibel, to campaign for provincial status for Northern Ontario. No member was ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, therefore the party disbanded in the early 1980s. The NOHP was re-registered as an official party by Elections Ontario once again in 2010.

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The next regular Meeting of Council will be March 7 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.