North Bay City Council received the final numbers on this years 'Summer in the Park' by Chairperson Derek Shogren on Monday evening.
With initial concerns about the cost to taxpayers and the disruption to the city looming over the festival’s future, the lengthy report detailed by Shogren put those to rest.
The long awaited report revealed that it was again successful this year, netting a surplus of $27,000.
The event that once again highlights big name musical acts and festive family activities won over the heart of North Bay.
An estimated 42,000 people attended the festival over the course of the weekend including Lee Park and the paid concerts at the waterfront. This resulted in positive feedback from the vendors, sponsors and partners of the event.
The Summer in the Park Festival was a joint effort between the Chamber of Commerce and the City of North Bay. The chamber provided board members and staff to assist with the coordination and planning of Summer in the Park, as well as the application for grant funding, assistance in the recruitment of volunteers, on site coordination of the event and the Canvassing of Chamber members to support the festival.
This year, the festival saw the return of the Northern Ontario Country Singing Contest and the presentation of musical concerts on the waterfront stage. Entry to the concerts required a paid wristband.
In total, 6040 wristbands were sold on line and at the event, bringing in $131,598.41.
Next year's festival is a solid 'go' as of Monday night with a unanimous vote by council to forward the surplus from this year's activities.
Council also approved an initial budget for the 2012 Summer in the park of $437,800 with a city contribution of $40,000 and the surplus generated in 2011 to be allocated to the 2012 event.
“When we have success like this, everybody likes to back a winner,' says Shogren.
At one time, there was concern for the future of the event as it underwent name changes and lost the musical drawing card.
“There was concern, obviously, when we went into full scale concerts, that in the past, those days were risky,” says Shogren. “Anything worthwhile involved some risk, but for the fifth consecutive year, we have a surplus.”
Some disappointments were raised regarding the poor return on beer sales and the lack of lead time that last year’s festival had in order to prepare and sell this year’s event.
However, with the overwhelming success of 'Summer in the Park 2011' it's clear that to the City that the event organizers have a formula that seems to work.
“It was nice to see all ten councillors back, not only putting the surplus from this year into the budget for next year, but making a commitment right now for the 2012 budget so that the committee can start the planning process,” says Shogren.
While many fine details and larger ones such as weather, staging and the availability of acts may still cause fluctuations in the quality and reception of the event, the city seems committed to having it as its tourism centerpiece.
“I think that 'Summer in the Park' provides a great economic benefit to the city in the tourism dollars that it brings into the community,” says Councillor Sean Lawlor.
“By all accounts, it was a huge success.”
In addition to making a financial commitment to next year's festival, Councillors noted how important it is for young people and former residents to know that the event is on year after year bringing families far and wide together in the city for the holiday weekend.
It is, as well, a key weekend for the hospitality and service industries around the city and most importantly, a time when people can let loose and relax and enjoy the beautiful surrounding and people of North Bay.
