Who’s responsible? Claudy Levy, oval manager, 490-2343.
Remarks: Corporate sponsorship of events at The Oval is understandable; events like last weekend’s Master Speed Skaters’ Championship aren’t open to the public, so the public shouldn’t pay for them. But these ads have stayed up, even through the public skating Monday. City council, which sets the rules, has not approved corporate sponsorship of The Oval itself, and this opens up a whole can of worms about advertising on the Common. We say, emphatically: No ads for public skating! Levy hasn’t responded to a request for comment.
This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2011.
Who cares about the ads? So long as the money goes to a public and not a private interest. I feel like you’re really stretching for something to complain about today.
I agree .
After these Games are finished there should be no advertising allowed on the Commons. We should be entitled to an ad-free environment on the commons and at every other city park. People go to these places to get away from this crap.
If Mayor Kelly thinks ads on the Commons will help finance the oval then he’s in for the fight of his career!
I don’t know… I have mixed feelings about ads at the Oval. As someone who is in revenue development for a charity, giving a company something in return for the cash they’re donating is a pretty necessary to that way of business. Not only that, if they’re donating $100,000 or more to the upkeep of the oval, they’re a community minded business who DESERVES recognition for their work. Placing their name/logo on site is a little different than “advertising” a product, listing specials, etc, etc. It’s common practice in stadiums, arenas and more (these things can often be publicly owned), and if it’s what gets a beloved project off the ground for the community to enjoy, why not?
Would you rather NOT have the oval? Yes, I know, some people don’t want it – but those who do, if this is what will keep it…
PS: Yes, I know gov’t funds should pay for recreation, I agree completely, but sometimes it isn’t feasible. Yes, this is a small % of the HRM budget, but it’s not like they can fundraise for an overpass (ha, which they SHOULD). Rec departments are usually the first to get cut, and the last to get increased at budget time, and there may be 15 more projects in the can that have been waiting for approval for 2011. Transportation/public works is often the FIRST to increase and last to be cut… it’s the same everywhere. How can you ignore other projects that have been priorities longer? Well, but finding private funding.
Oh… and if you think about advertising on the oval, as shown in the image above, how is it any different than the advertising on the boards in every hockey arena and curling rink across the land?? It’s really not intrusive, and sometimes it’s the only way that they find the $ to put in a new heater, fix up the washrooms, build shelves in the changing rooms, or in the case of the rink I used to work in – supply seats. Why is it so different in the Commons? Are they that much MORE sacred than any other public skating facility? If they can’t be seen easily from the park, really, what’s the big deal? If we had an indoor oval, you can bet the walls would be lined with spronsors logos.
It’s either a park – and there shouldn’t be an oval in it to begin with, or it’s a skating facility with higher levels of maintenance required and sponsorship is a traditional way to pay for that.
/comments.
Sorry. Guess I thought through my argument a bit more. 🙂
Well ralmn, if you allow advertising on the Commons you must allow it in every other city-owned park and public space . Where do you draw the line? Do you want ads in high schools, public playgrounds and walking trails? Like it or not, allowing ads on the Commons opens up a mighty big can of worms as The Coast stated above. This could leave ad restrictions in other public spaces wide open to court challenges.
That’s what I mean, the advertising isn’t meant for the “commons” but for the “oval” – which is essentially an outdoor rink. If it’s funded by a company, they will expect recognition.
The ads above – ok, should move because they have sponsored an “event”, when the event is over, so is your recognition. I guess I’m replying more to an ongoing discussion (on twitter and elsewhere) about who will fund the oval in the future.
But hey, if the municipality will pony up the cash, then sure – there will be no ads and that’s the way it should be. But I’m saying, HRM will likely look for sponsorship, and the only way they’ll get it is by offering recognition on site.
I agree who cares about the ads, ignore them.
I was more bothered by the ads being broadcast through the air every few minutes through the PA system. At times I can even hear them in my house a couple blocks away! Surely we can come up with better music programming than just to rebroadcast a (crappy) radio station!