They sacrificed a VirginFest last Saturday. When The
Tragically Hip pulled out of the outdoor music festival due to a family
crisis, concert promoters offered a free show instead. In a summer
conspicuous for its abundance of both rain and big concerts, the
free-ticket offering seemed sure to at least guarantee a full house.
But still the fans weren’t pleased. The festival hoped to sell 25,000
tickets to the Citadel Hill venue at $75 each. Actual attendance was
somewhere from 9,000 (Chronicle-Herald estimate) to 18,000
(Virgin’s number), all unpaid.
Power Promotional Events, which is putting on both this Saturday’s
Paul McCartney concert and next week’s KISS show, has to be wondering
whether the gruesome commercial death of Virgin Fest foretells their
own future. The Common is a bigger and more controversial venue than
the Citadel, and ticket sales are obviously slow. The “early-bird”
price for McCartney is still in effect, and Ticket Atlantic says there
will be plenty available at the door for walk-ups. Which means a lot
depends on the weather gods.
Whatever the eventual crowd, a city of selling and songs is being
built on the north Common to contain it. The massive stage is so close
to Tony’s Donair that Sir Paul will almost certainly salivate at the
smell of our famous mystery meat. Soon he will belt out “Let it Be,”
bringing middle-age concert goers a hallucinogenic trip back to the
past, and allowing their sons and daughters to get a taste of a time
where life was better, where there was hope and there was music that
would change the world. Remember…donairs will be there.
The city slowly forms. On the Saturday before, there are only
strings of plastic pinnies delineating different staging areas with a
few Source Security personnel keeping the area secure to announce the
upcoming rock invasion. On Monday there is stadium seating and the
beginnings of a gigantic stage. Each day the city grows and the time
approaches.
The concert stage will be 25 metres wide, 18 metres deep and five
metres high, with more than 100 tonnes of equipment. Baseball players
and suntan enthusiasts will have to wait until July 22 to use the North
Common again—it will be locked down from Cogswell to Cunard to North
Park Streets. But during the brief pause between sweet-tongue McCartney
and long-tongued KISS, paths will be opened up to restore some public
access to the Common.
On concert days, those green fields will also host gigantic screens,
to show the performers so that even the people furthest from the stage
will “be able to count McCartney’s nose hairs” according to Greg Cox of
Power Promotions. “This takes a lot of work.”
An army of workers from music technicians to the guy who sells the
overpriced popcorn is needed to make a music metropolis. This will be a
city with almost 400 guards, and potentially more than 100,000 fans
spread out over the two concerts. There will be enough food, booze and
clothing to survive a siege. Consumers are expected to pay an average
of around $55 on merchandise alone.
One fan is particularly excited to see his idol in his own
backyard. Peter MacDonald plays in Abbey Road, a Beatles cover band
which has opened for the Beach Boys and toured Canada, playing his
favourite childhood songs. To say he is a McCartney fan is an
understatement.
“I have seen him four times now,” says MacDonald on his cellphone at
Stanfest, legs covered in mud, everything covered in mud. “I was in the
Plains of Abraham last year watching with 250,000 people. It was
mind-boggling. Each time I saw him was a new and cool experience. He
knows how to be smart about his enormous musical catalogue, he plays
the songs people want to hear. There isn’t a better show to see in the
world. His band is amazing too. Of all the live bands I have seen, he
has dudes who he has been playing with for 10 years, who are probably
better players than The Beatles were in their day. I think Halifax is
going to be slammed by it. Totally a show worth going to.”
The province has donated $300,000 to the cause and the city has
donated $130,000 in services, providing ambulances and police to survey
the scene. Mayor Peter Kelly and premier Darrell Dexter also posed in
an embarrassing Abbey Road album cover re-creation to show their
support. Events Halifax says the concerts will pump $12 million into
the local economy.
“I don’t think the same type of live show exists in the same way
anywhere else in the world with the unfortunate passing of people like
John Lennon and Michael Jackson,” says Cox. “Paul McCartney came out of
the UK in 1963 and changed the face of music forever. He is the
largest-selling music musician of all time. Britney Spears, Eminem,
Michael Jackson—all of that music can be traced back to when The
Beatles broke out in 1963, coming out of Germany.”
Not everyone feels the same about McCartney. A person using the
cyber username expatboy left this comment on the CBC website:
“While I support anybody’s right to choose to see this guy in
concert, I am disgusted that HRM is stealing my taxes to offset the
bill. This guy is a billionaire! And what does it say about our
municipal governence when a convicted dope smuggler who trys [sic] to
destroy the lives of thousands of maritimers is welcomed with open
arms. Anyone who goes to this concert is supporting terrorism. He
belongs to the most dangerous of animal right organizations.”
Other complaints are less ideological and more practical and, well,
more reasonable. For one it will be a pretty penny: 60,000 general
admission tickets will be available for $125 taxes in with a $11
service charge added on; 5,000 VIP tickets will also be available for
$305. If you do the math that’s a lot of money for Power Promotions, if
this all works out.
The question on Peggy Cameron’s mind is: What price
will the people who use the Common pay?
Cameron, of Friends of the Halifax Commons, worries that the Common
is being taken away from the people who use it and that the city is not
respecting their citizens’ right to greenspace. In March 2007, city
council signed a Memorandum of Understanding which said that the Common
must be used for the common good of a significant portion of the
population. Cameron wonders how much of the actual public will be able
to afford to go to this concert. The city says the Rolling Stones
concert disrupted the Common for only three days. She argues it was
more like six months.
“Why couldn’t they do this on the parking lot next to Pier 21, why
not the Garrison Grounds, some place there isn’t a gigantic field of
grass? The Commons was out of commission for four to six months after
the Rolling Stones concert, because it happened late in the season,
late September or October. Then it was really problematic to have the
turf repaired, it was cordoned-off most of winter into spring time.
Could they not have the repairs done in a shorter timeframe? The
overall issue of the timing, in the MOU events would be held later in
the season. By putting it in the middle of July, impacting recreational
use of the Commons during the summer, that’s what the Commons are for.
The timing seems a bit odd because they are bookending the jazz
festival with McCartney on the first Saturday and KISS on the second.
You don’t think that might affect their business? Shouldn’t we be
spending our arts money locally? There are a lot of artists in Halifax
that have trouble making enough to eat,” says Cameron.
Cox says he was unaware of any MOU that prevented Power Promotions
from holding the concerts now. The MOU says that concerts should be
planned for September and October, and that no concerts should take
place in April, May or June. July is not specified. Cox wonders why
anyone would want to hold a concert in September when weather starts to
get colder. He also points out that most of the damage from last
August’s Keith Urban concert came from a particularly expensive mat the
city purchased to protect the grass. This turf protection carpet cost
$96,973.84 and was “less than effective” according to Cameron. This mat
has been replaced by a pylon road.
“This has been done in a lot of other venues, put plywood down,
drive a semi on it, you don’t have tires sinking down into mud if the
ground is wet. The distance that the trucks have to go is very short,
after Cunard Street about 150 feet,” says Cox.
Cameron worries that the concert will make the Common all but
unusuable for the majority of the summer. She also questions why so
much city funds was contributed to what is a private, for-profit event
and so little has been given to making the Common a better place for
the people of Halifax.
“We are giving millions to rock ‘n’ roll: $250,000 to the Rolling
Stones, $300,000 to Keith Urban. Why is the Commons not a priority? Why
not proper paths, water fountains, places where people can recycle?
There is a high percentage of people in the north end who do not have
yards, the Commons is their yard, their green space. There are supposed
to be 20,000 more residents on the peninsula and there has been no
effort on the city’s behalf to keep existing green space. The city does
not seem to be putting much value on what the Commons means to the
common people. A lot of people cannot afford $125 tickets and aren’t
getting the greenspace their taxes pay for.”
Cox says he is also a friend of the Common, though he had no idea of
the group’s existence. He also believes the damage to the Common from
McCartney and KISS will be minimal, judging by the impact from the
Rolling Stones.
“You hear people talk about damage to the Commons, and you go by the
Commons now and you don’t see the damage. That concert rained from the
beginning to the end.”
We’ll know soon, because the city on the Common is about to fill
with people and merchandise.
Tom Martin, operational director of Source Security, will be in
charge of keeping up to 60,000 people of varied levels of intoxication
safe, coordinating with the police, using his certified mediation
skills to make sure that everyone has the best time possible. Martin
will be taking me into the concert and I will be reporting from inside,
to show how a concert like this really happens, how a city rises and
falls in a week. I hope it doesn’t rain.
This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2009.
Since when is the Commons considered the North End? Even the north commons is still pretty much central/downtown/quinpool territory in my mind.
peggy cameron and others like her need to get a grip and just rise above it and enjoy the sights and sounds…bitching never solves a problem,(if there is one )and remember that the commons are for EVERYONE’S USE,not just people who drive in from their suburbs to play a game of baseball or people leaving their dogs shit everywhere…just grow up and act ilke a BIG CITY for once,not a hillbilly town…
A real journalist would be better off looking at the hotel occupancy data for the previous years before giving any credence to the $12,000,000 spin off bullshit. When the Stones were in town data for the same weekend 1 one year prior showed the city was sold out with no concert. Ergo, any data re spinoff from the Stones is BS. The Tourism department has hotel occupancy data for every day of the year, and each hotel, inn etc files the data on the !st of each month.
Just move the damn concerts over to Shearwater and build a semi permanent facility. Lots of parking, lots of space and more accessible than downtown. And no room for freeloaders.
Its big events like the McCartney and Kiss concerts that make places better to live in and add some excitement to the summer season. Every major Canadian city has a few big musical events every summer and you dont hear any of them complaining. They are tons of fun to go to and residents need to appreciate them, especially a major entertainer like McCartney.
Although I do think the promoter might have gotten a little greedy with the price. He hired local bands to open (which im not saying is band) but he probably isnt paying them much. I saw McCartney a few months ago at Coachella where tickets for the day were 100 dollars and out of that they band about 50 other top notch bands as well (attendence was also 50,000). So do the math, someone is making a ton of money, my guess is the promoter….
Mike O
I use the Commons daily, year round. I initially was a fan of the concerts; I had a great time enjoying The Stones from my nearby house and I liked the idea of having outdoor concerts in the city. I liked the concept. Since The Stones, I have lost my enthusiasm. Contrary to HRMs PR newsletter that was left in neighbourhood mailboxes recently, the Commons has never been restored to its original pre-concert state. The sod (The Stones), then grass (Keith Urban) has never thoroughly taken; there are bald spots throughout and once again, the mangy grass will be destroyed and possibly replaced with a mud field. The nasty smell of animal based fertilizers used after the concert last year was around for weeks, only to entertain our noses once again in the spring as the snow melted (no, that wasn’t thawing dog shit, as a city official claimed). It has taken until now for the Common to look reasonable again, albeit a tad beaten and the smell is gone. Do these concerts, of such a scale, really have to happen in an area that is used daily, year round by the residents of the Halifax, especially in the summer? Is there not a more ideal location nearby, but not so urban and disruptive? I’ve lived in Halifax for almost 15 years and I’m starting to feel that City Council is more interested in what people THINK of the city from the outside and not so concerned about the quality of daily life for those who live here.
When a friend visited last year and asked what had happened to the park I had to answer “Oh there was a Keith Urban concert a month ago.” He said, “That’s horrible.” To which I explained “I know, you can’t even use the space at a…” “No I mean Keith Urban. He’s horrible.”
I can’t wait until they open those gates on saturday and let tens of thousands of people inside, only for them to realize that there are magic mushrooms currently growing rampant all throughout the concert grounds… all that fertilizer and damp weather has made for a strange silver lining that should be fun to watch.
very well stated, Urbanite… my thoughts exactly.
i love the idea of outdoor concerts, especially if we could get more local, and other musicians from across Canada, to come to our city and perform at outdoor venues – BUT, these LARGE events do NOT belong on the Halifax Common.
what i’d really like to see is the city get together with some investors and have a serious discussion about acquiring a piece of land and building a world-class venue where concerts and other types of outdoor events can be hosted. the location should be easily accessible (via public transit) and NOT be (practically) on people’s doorsteps/backyards, like the concerts on the Common are now.
if we do this right – build a state-of-the-art facility/venue… artists/musicians, et al will WANT to come here and perform, plus it will bring in the tourists from out-of-province.
it’s frustrating that the dinosaurs running this city seem unable to THINK beyond their noses. pardon the tired-out cliche, but city officials need to start thinking outside of the box, for once.
To Urbanite— I must say, that the good of the populace is on the mind of the councilors that approved this move. Think of this: we are a city that thrives on tourism. This is McCartney’s ONLY (read: 1) tour date in all of Canada (that I am aware) and an act like McCartney has significant pull. The economic benefits outweigh the disruption. I’m sorry if you don’t like it; but there are other “green spaces” in HRM, that are within a 10 minute drive/40 minute walk/30 minute bus ride from the area of the Commons. It’s people like you and the attitude you have that keep this city in the rut it’s in.
Techcafe— The idea of a large outdoor venue for concerts/CFL games/anything else that goes in a stadium is a great idea, but it hardly fixes the problem at hand. I’d say it’s a locality issue. There’s nowhere that it’s how you describe it: easily accessible to transit and not in anyone’s backyard. The only place in HRM that kinda fits the bill is Shannon Park, but that is hardly accessible to the residents of west-end Halifax and Bedford. So, that said, something has to give. We’ve got to get rid of this NIMBY attitude we seem to have.
I wonder if the folks in 5th Avenue complain when Pavarotti is playing Central Park?
IMO Halifax can’t sustain a large stadium. First of all, I doubt a CFL team would be supported, so then you’re left with a huge stadium to maintain to solely use for concerts. The financial math doesn’t work.
@ Dr Fever – great, so let’s just hand the Halifax Common – our PUBLIC land – over to the concert promoters and other PRIVATE interests each & every summer. it’s not like we, residents and the public, have any use for *what’s left* of the Common, right?
then, when the day eventually/ultimately arrives (and it will happen) that the Common is completely commandeered & fenced-off for most of the summer – closed-off to the public to host private events – don’t coming bitching to us about it, ok?!
@ Cranky – have you actually set foot in Central Park? i have, which is why i can say to you with some confidence & authority (having been there several times myself, after all), that your comparison b/w the two is utterly ridiculous. CPNYC and the Halifax Common share absolutely nothing at all, well… in common. they are entirely *different* things, but nice try on your part though, albeit kinda dumb.
for one thing, Central Park is over 800 acres, with thousands of trees, lakes & ponds, public gardens, playgrounds, walking paths, skating rinks, wildlife, a zoo… yadayadayada. the people of NYC (and tourists) routinely visit CP to escape the noise & chaos of the city, which is what the urban park was originally intended for (not private rock concerts/events). and since its inception, Central Park has actually GROWN in size. (2)
whereas, the Halifax Common (which used to be 235 acres of public land) has since been reduced to *less than a third* of what was originally granted “for use of the inhabitants of the Town of Halifax – FOREVER.” (1)
btw, Pavarotti performed ONE time in CP – for FREE – as ALL of CP’s Great Lawn events were – FREE to the PUBLIC. (3)
and speaking of Central Park’s Great Lawn, here is a quote (taken from the centralpark.com website):
“However the lawn had never been designed with this amount of use in mind. By the 1980s the Great Lawn could just as easily have been described as the Great Dustbowl. Overuse had all but obliterated the grass and the earth was as hard packed as asphalt. Finally the entire space went through an extensive renovation in the mid-90s and has been rigidly overseen ever since to prevent the same abuses from taking place.” (4)
so, Central Park vs Halifax Common – invalid comparison, a red herring argument, at best
sources:
1. http://www.halifaxcommon.ca/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Park
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luciano_Pavar…
4. http://www.centralpark.com/pages/attractio…
Maybe when Hurricane Juan blew over all those trees in Point Pleasant Park, it was giving us a hint.
@ GlenJM – i have an even better idea – tear down that ugly fort on top of the citadel and build an amphitheatre there instead – or even build right over top of the fort – preserving its ‘historical significance’ (ahem).
imagine the tourist dollars that a world-class venue like that would generate – atop of the citadel, no less!
we could even construct an underground parking lot – inside the base of the hill!
and no, i’m not joking… i can’t stand that ‘war museum’ on top of the hill.
ok, so let’s hear it… what an idiot, blahblahblah, i am for even uttering such a profane suggestion.
Every time one of these bozos from Power Promotional opens his mouth he says something stupid. This Mr. Cox says you can’t see any damage now from the Stones concert — three years ago! Wow, what an amazing recovery! Notice that he *doesn’t* say that you can’t see the damage *his* company did after the Urban concert last year. As others have pointed out, almost a year later and the grounds are still not back to pre-concert condition.
And he’s full of it blaming the “carpet”. The worst of the damage was done by the trucks and forklifts driving across unprotected ground — same as on the Garrison Grounds with the Virgin concert last week (another PPE production).
Spot on, Urbanite. Council thinks bringing these big names here makes Halifax “world class”, but what makes a place world class is how it treats its citizens, how it develops livable spaces, how it grows and sustains local businesses, etc.
Thousands of people use (or would use) this space every day, especially in the peak time of July, and here we’re closing it off and handing it over to private business, one with no stake whatsoever in protecting the grounds, and no interest in minimizing their impact on the neighbourhood (lack of access and 24/7 noise for 3+ weeks).
A vibrant city needs good events, and if there’s an interest in these nostalgia shows, then find or build an appropriate facility. It’s more than a minor inconvenience to take away 80% of the public recreational space in the heart of a city, where most people don’t have yards. Maybe some of the users of from off the peninsula, but most live nearby and walk or bike there.
(I realize halifaxmentor is probably a troll, but I have to ask how anyone can think that fencing off the entire area and charging people $150 to get in is making the Common available for everyone use?)
techcafe, take a break, I was kidding. Save you breath to save a seal or something. You lost me after “authority” btw, so save your time next time, k?
Paul is a vegan…he’s not going to Tony’s Donair….meathead. :p
@Cranky – ‘authority’ was not really what i meant (but i think you knew that already)… i probably should’ve used a more appropriate word instead, like ‘certainty’ perhaps. and i apologize for my abrasiveness… i get a tad emphatic at times (about some issues that concern me). no hard feelings, i hope.
Although the Paul McCartney show will be one of my most memorable concert experiences, this was the most disorganized event I have ever attended and as a result, I will never attend an event on the Common again. Some of the issues as follows:
Stage placement – was on the narrower end of the commons – resulting in a narrower cavity for those standing which meant people couldn’t stand as close to the stage as we did for the Rolling Stones which had a much wider cavity for those standing. The few trees there are in the interior of the Common were at the stage side of the Common and again, blocked the view of the stage. The trees would not have obstructed anyone’s view from the other 3 corners of the park. The medical tent, Coca-Cola and Rodd Hotels tent, and the ATM 1/2 tone truck & van were all placed in the prime folding chair seating area and directly in front of the stage, thus obstructing the view of potentially thousands. (The police had the Rodd Hotel tent taken down at 8:45 pm and the ATM vehicles moved at 9 pm but this was far too late – the tents should never have been allowed to be in the centre stage viewing area anyway.) At the Rolling stones, the viewing area was unobstructed by tents of any kind as all the tents were placed on the far parameter of the Common.
Access to the stage: If there were VIP exclusive paths to the VIP stages, there was mass confusion in this regard as may VIP ticket holders were walking up and saying, “I paid $300 or $600 – why do I have to stand in line with all of those people?” Others would stand in line for up to 30 minutes to get to the extra interior stage gate to be told that they were not allowed to bring in their chairs. This should have been communicated in advance to avoid that frustration – as well there could have been better marked access points indicating which paths were for VIPs and regulars etc.
There were not enough vertical paths to enter toward the stage area which created huge unnecessary congestion and chaos. There should have been horizontal paths created and sectioned off between the folding chair areas to allow the flow of people to walk more quickly and effectively to the various access points to the stage. Because of this and the ridiculous location of the Rodd Hotel tent, 100’s of people would walk up to the tent to find out they were blocked from moving vertically so hundreds of angry and aggressive people would push horizontally through those seated. This was a huge safety issue as those seated were getting stepped and pushed aside. People started policing their areas so these irate people wouldn’t step on them. We had to get a security guard so he could advise people they had to walk several meters to the back of the park only to then stand in line with the masses all trying to go down the centre path to the stage. There were many near riots due to the poor placement of the Rodd Hotel tent and insufficient pathways toward the stage area. Eventually, it took six skilled police officers to handle the potential breakout of many arguments, fist fights and near riots from the thousands of frustrated fans.
Promotional items for sale: A more minor detail but one worth mentioning…There should have been a sign listing the items and prices of the items for sale. Instead, there was only one entrance to a small table selling promo items. Many stood in line for over 30 minutes only to find out that the item they wanted was sold out.
The medical tent could and should have been placed at the parameter but there should and could have been one main medical pathway which was clearly marked and supervised as such. If this tent and the Coca-cola tent had been removed, thousands more could have been seated to view the stage. I personally had one gentleman attack me physically and pushed me aside to barrel through 10 seated fans so he get a short cut to the main centre pathway and line up.
In short, the constriction of the people flow, insufficient access point pathways, the poor stage location, the location of the centre tents and ATM truck/van were all a result of the ineffective foresight and planning by Power Promotions who try to say that this event was a success?? Maybe they need to survey those that paid lots of money to view a professional concert before they make this hasty presumptuous statement. If professional, skilled event planners had been hired to manage this event, all of these issues would have been avoided. The only positive comment about the management of the concert is that the HRM police did an outstanding job!!
Techcafe— Don’t give me this “it’s public land” argument. It’s tired and makes no sense. How long will it be before the people of this city realize that there are other people in HRM other than the ones who live in the so-called north end? I wonder how many people at that concert were from Halifax? There’s no law that states that everything that is held on the Commons requires it to be free. I’m sorry if you were inconvenienced because your shortcut to work is gone for a couple of weeks.
techafe, your arguments are painfully and obviously contrived to make yourself appear to be the sympathetic champion of extreme liberalism. Unfortunately, unless you need a history lesson, Halifax was built for the sole purpose of a defensive structure for the British claim to what we now call Canada. While it was a brutal time, and the British were probably the most brutal, it is still the basis of Halifax’s history and to get rid of the “war museum”, would be irresponsible
I used to be all about the ‘no public money for private profit’ and admit that I used to jerk off to the documentary about Noam Chomsky (Manufactuering Consent) but then I lived a little bit longer and now here I am, living in the real world.
I somehow doubt the Commons is going to be barricaded like East/West Berlin. Sheesh.
Where is all the revenue going?
@ BRoc – hahaha! ‘extreme liberalism’ (as if such a thing was even possible)
oooh, we scary ‘liberal extremists’, terrorizing your venerable war-era institutions
next thing, you’ll be calling me a ‘liberal insurgent’
i prefer to think of myself as an ‘insolent iconoclast’
anyhooo, thanks for the laugh, dolt… i enjoyed that
but still, the hill, it’s just a glorified war museum and a bloody waste of space, imo
@ ‘Dr Fever’
don’t you have WKRP re-runs to watch or something?
comfortably ensconced in the late 70s, are we?
judging by some of your commentary, i’d say so
meh, fuckit, ya know what…
let’s just pave-over the Halifax Common and be done with it.
public green space be damned!
sell-off what’s left of the Common to the highest bidder
$ CHA-CHING $
Techcafe— Hey drop the “green space” buzzword, eh? I’m not against the Common, but honestly, it’s a public space (as you say) and the people that live around the surrounding area (which seems to be the main source of the griping) need to realize that it’s not yours to dictate what happens to it. It’s technically not your property, as much as the Public Gardens are not your property. Get over it.
Dr Fever, you are grossly misinformed, if you actually believe “the people that live around the surrounding area (which seems to be the main source of the griping) need to realize that it’s not yours to dictate what happens…”
where do you come up with this BS, anyway??
there are MANY citizens all over HRM that use the Halifax Common on a regular basis (not just locals cutting through or walking their dogs), and still many others who are concerned about its future, whether they live near the Common, or not.
the Halifax Common is PUBLIC land, it belongs to ALL of us, thus we all have a say in what happens to/with it
so NO, we won’t just “get over it”
hmm… ironic, that you would call us ‘dictators’
Techcafe, YAWN!!
Well, not everyone is going to agree with everything the city does, or doesn’t do. The fact of the matter remains that enough people WANT to have concerts on the Commons. I’m thankful to live in a city that can successfully host an act like Paul McCartney.
Oh Techcafe, you may want to check out my bitch over in LTWWB, entitled “Halifax Commons Argument Ended!”
Yes, Techcafe, you do have a say, and the majority of Haligonians went and enjoyed the concert. I imagine that many people will enjoy the Kiss concert too. It would seem to me that yes, the majority has spoken.
ok, so i can’t say that i’ve studied the issue of The Public Common vs Private Enterprise to the extent that i should, but… viscerally-speaking, i don’t like what i see happening now.
it was back in 1991 that the city really started laying waste to the Common, when they amended the Charter to permit auto racing (ugh yuck) around the perimeter and then charging admission to gain access to the Common (public land which WE OWN). understandably, there was outcry over ‘commandeering and alteration’ of the Public Common (an urban PARK, keep in mind), only to be used as part of a ‘race course’ for some private (closed to the public) event (grand prix racing). unfortunately, there are also those (BRoc, Dr Evil, er Fever) who don’t give a damn about the future of the Public Common (or what’s left of it) – if $$$ can be made by exploiting the life out of public land, then to hell with responsible management & stewardship. better cash-in while ya still can, eh boys.
what’dya say we bring back Grand Prix Racing too… oh wait, i know – how about one of those monster truck events?! hmm, we might have to build a ramp or something over the public fountain though… that’ll be f’ing cool, eh?! ahh fuckit, just tear the fountain out, it’s fenced-off to the public anyway. yeah, sooo there might be a ‘little bit’ of noise & environmental pollution… meh, we can just hand-out earplugs and breathing masks – $CHA-CHING$
moving right along… i’ve taken a look at some of the (YAWN) historical documents relating to the Halifax Common. ugh, not exactly how i had hoped to spend my friday evening.
alright, so here we go… either read documents or some of the highlights below:
1. Halifax Common Background Report
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
The Parkland Plan, approved by City Council, stated that the ‘design and function’ of the Halifax Common, deemed a ‘major urban park’, was a priority… thus, the public was invited to submit their input (see the Public Meetings document).
in sections 1, 2 and 3, Population, Recreation/Leisure Trends and Demand for Space/Facilities – the report acknowledges the need for more “active space” to accomodate the trend toward/increased demand for recreation and leisure activities. the report goes on to define “prime time” use of the Common as running from May to October, weekday evenings after 5:30pm, and Saturdays/Sundays from 8am till dark. interestingly, the report also mentions that organized recreational events (sports teams/leagues, etc) have been “more conservative in their use of the facilities *during wet weather* to REDUCE DAMAGE” hmm… maybe we’ll get ‘lucky’ again this weekend, and it won’t rain, huh? otherwise, the grounds are gonna be one huge mess of mud and puddles the size of small craters.
also in section 3 of the report, “The Halifax Common must be viewed in the context of the city’s overall parkland system.” historically, the North & Central Common have always been in high demand for recreational and cultural activities – free and open to the public. whereas, private rock concerts are another matter altogether. is commercial exploitation of the Common, or what remains of it, the future direction we want to take? i don’t want to go there, and many others don’t either.
the report recognizes the Common as being an “integral part of the city life,” and refers to its unique landscape as providing memorable “vistas and visual experiences” for the thousands of Haligonians, residents and visitors who use the Common on a daily basis.
in section 4, Protection and Recapture – City Council explicitly asks that the study look into the matter of “protecting the integrity of the Common and opportunities for recapturing areas formerly part of the Historic Common.”
section 5, Private Use – even though there have been some private events (paid admission) on the Common in the past, there is still NO PLAN, nor consensus for that matter, on how to “achieve the principles of ‘common’ use.” now, in case anyone is still confused, ‘common’ in this context means for the benefit of the ‘public’ – ‘common’ does not mean private enterprise.
section 9, Beautification, Landscaping and Historical Recognition – acknowledges that “much can be done to recognize and promote the Historic Common,” and that landscaping, street & park furniture, lighting and so on could be used to promote the idea that people are entering a “special and historic space,” and that “connections to residential neighbourhoods and important commercial districts be enhanced.”
section 10, Special Events – unfortunately, those who did the study seem a bit schizophrenic over management & stewardship of the land. in the previous sections they discuss, at some length, the historical value of the Common and preserving its ‘integrity’ – yet, they also say “the future of using the Common for special events should be investigated to determine the feasibility of establishing more permanent facilities.” by ‘special’ events, are they also referring to ‘private’ events, like large rock concerts? if so, and more ‘permanent facilities’ are to become a feature of the Public Common, then we need to THINK about what all that is going to look like – careful consideration, planning and public consultation are absolutely essential. if Haligonians (and neighbourhood residents) decide that rock concerts are to become a permanent feature of the Common, then we must be careful to not allow the Common to be *trashed* everytime a group like Power Promotions wants to host some private event there. there must be a plan that explicitly deals with any/all post-concert damage (in a timely manner, days not weeks), which also respects the wishes & concerns of neighbourhood residents and the regular/recreational users of the Common.
imo, the Common is now being mis-managed, and has been in a state of decline for years. i’d like to see the city honor its committment to section 9 (above) and promote what we have left of the Common as *valuable* green space, for the use and enjoyment of the public, primarily for recreational activities, and FREE of admission charges. there’s no reason we can’t promote more recreation/sport and cultural activities on the Common and even attract/host participants/spectators from outside of the city/province. we could easily host other types of events (aside from paid-admission concerts) that are free and open to the public, while also generating revenue by attracting visitors/tourists to the city.
2. Halifax Common Public Meetings
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
section 4, Summary of Public Comments, regarding Protection, Planning and Decision Making – “A great deal of public comment dealt with the protection, planning and decision making process for the Common. MOST people felt that there was need for MORE protection of the land and regulation of use of the Halifax Common. It was felt that decisions are now made on an ad hoc basis with no overall plan or process to follow.” The decision to hold the Grand Prix auto races [on the Common] was cited as a case where “a better way of making decisions was required.” Most people felt that a clear vision, principles and polices needed to be adopted, covering all aspects of the Halifax Common, and that “this vision and policy should recognize the spirit of the original designation for PUBLIC USE, and the management of the entirety of the Common should adhere to the vision.” And, “where private development occrus within the Common, it must relate to the vision of the Common, adhering to the principles of Environmental stewardship, Culture resource management, Equitable use and access, Public use and common good, appreciation and understanding of the role/history of the Common”
Ideas put forth by the public regarding who should use the Common and under what circumstances, include: a) guarantee more equitable use of and access to the Common; b) the Common should be for public use and the greatest common good, as opposed to the good of a select group [or private interests]; c) everyone should have an equal opportunity to use the Common… and that raising fees may exclude even more people.
Many people felt that the City wasn’t making an effort to inform/educate the public about the Halifax Common, to encourage an appreciation & understanding of its history & role. it was suggested that the Halifax Common be protected through legislation, similar to that of the Dartmouth Common and Public Gardens, which were established to prevent any further degradation of the land.
In general, most people favoured the open vista of the North Common, and felt this aspect should even be improved upon with more landscape features, like trees, hills/knolls, benches, lighting and so on, etc… to provide for more passive/casual activities on the North Common, in addition to some of the organized sport/recreational activities.
the document is quite lengthy, and goes on to talk about issues like ‘recapturing open space’ and the disruptive nature of certain types of commercial events (Grand Prix, etc) due to increased traffic, safety concerns, excessive noise, denied access to city streets, playgrounds, and other public space for days at a time.
Also, it was generally agreed that if/when privately sponsored/special events were permitted ‘exclusive use’ of the Common, that FEES were to be paid to the city (by the private group holding the event) and the revenue go ‘back into the Halifax Common’, rather than some general fund.
and so on… read the document.
3. Halifax Common Plan
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
under Objectives and Policies, i quote, “First and foremost the Halifax Common is a PUBLIC place – private use and ownership is quite limited – and there is a diversity of activities and uses, largely for the public, which includes health care, education, sports, recreation, gardens and cultural activities. The primarily public use is in keeping with the provisions of the original charter, which call for the Common to be for ‘the use of the inhabitants of the Town of Halifax forever.” Key recomendations of the Plan were (a) maintain and increase the public nature and accessibilty, (b) permit private use within *defined limits*, (c) promote and protect diversity of activities and places. the document also acknowledges the “special character, history and beauty” of the Common and recommends that the “distinct character and integrity be recognized & strengthened and that special aspects of the Common be preserved, such as Open Space, Trees, Views & Landmarks, Historical Significance, Public Buildings, Wide Sidewalks, etc.” the Plan explicitly calls for the Preservation of Public Open Space, and that there be “no further loss of public open space.” the Plan also recommends “more landscaping & trees on the North Common, continue use for organized sports and provide space for more passive activities, and recognize that the area serves as a neighbourhood park.”
Relationship to Downtown and Surrounding Neighbourhoods states, “events, activities and attractions in the Halifax Common relate closely to the rest of the Downtown area and surrounding neighbourhoods. This plan recommends strengthening relationships to the rest of the Downtown area and surrounding neighbourhoods through strong *pedestrian* connections and other means.” if major rock concerts and other such private events were to become ‘common’ on the Common, then that kinda flys in the face of the Plan – which talks about stuff like, promoting public use of the Common through recreational & cultural activities, strengthening its (pedestrian) relationship to the surrounding neighbourhoods and downtown, and to preserve its special character/historical significance. now, some might argue that hosting private events and restricting public access to the common ain’t no big deal – but that wasn’t the spirit and intent of the original Plan. will we one day look back on all of this and think to ourselves… too bad we didn’t preserve the ‘integrity’ of the Halifax Common – while we had the chance? if groups like Power Promotions and other private interests have their way… i’d say we are in for some serious regrets down the road. if we get too greedy, we’ll end up forfeiting our ‘public stake’ in the Common – while private interests increasingly gain control over how the land is to be used. btw, are we really that desperate for money??
under Private Commercial Use and Funding, “a key issue is the private use of public land, and there was agreement that these events could be beneficial to the city” – IF approved by Council and it has been demonstrated that the ‘temporary’ event is for the benefit of the city and satisfies all goals, objectives and policies of this Plan.”
imo, large concerts that take weeks (not days) to setup and tear down – as has been happening since the Stones concert, restricting public use & access to the Common and bringing with it the potential for significant damage to the grounds, and disrupting the lives & daily activities of neighbourhood residents – doesn’t really respect the spirit and intent of the Plan, nor the original Halifax Common Charter.
historically, “common land has been subject to common rights including the right of FREE access for all commoners, and under these common land rights, the owner of the common land was prevented by law from erecting structures and obliged to leave the land open.”
our City Charter directs Council to manage the land “to and for public and common benefit of the City, and according to the true intent and meaning of the original grant.” “The Common was developed primarily for public use, either [public] buildings or open space. The type of development and the mixture of uses make this area unique. It is important to plan the ‘whole area’… and to cover the entire ‘historic’ Halifax Common.
according to the Plan, “There has been a history of placing public facilities and institutions on the Halifax Common in the interest of Public Good”
the City agreed to and adopted this Halifax Common Plan, but evidently, some on City Council need to be constantly reminded of their obligation to carry out the Plan’s stated objectives
4. Halifax Common Proposed Review
http://halifaxcommon.ca/pdf/info6halifaxco…
acknowledges the aforementioned Halifax Common Master Plan and the objectives and corresponding restrictions fo Halifax Common uses, and recommends the creation of a task force to oversee various aspects of the Halifax Common and its stewardship.
5. Friends of the Halifax Common
http://halifaxcommon.ca/
6. RPP Document Archive, HRM website
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
Again, Techcafe, YAWN!!
are you offering an opinion, BRoc…
or was that just another one of your inane brain farts?
Obviously, techcafe, no one cares about your rantings. That was my point.
After reading that tirade tech, I find a number of issues. First, you cite a number of times that the land is for public use. While I agree that that is the case, what you fail to realize is that the majority of the people in Halifax WANTED this concert right where it was. It seems however, that there is a small group of people that would feel that nothing on the commons should be used for private, commercial use. While there is a restriction on that in the “Plan”, these sort of public documents are always open for discussion and of course, interpretation. As well as the fact that it’s a political document, it’s meant to read in the most well-meaning of manners, I think that the truth is that the city will do damn well what it wants with the Common. I will admit that the concert/concerts will do significant damage to the common, grass and dirt can be repaired.
I find this whole argument smells of NIMBY, a terrible affliction that plagues Halifax. You mentioned before that the city required a real stadium to host such events; while I agree with you on that point, I feel that there would have to be someone in council with the balls to sit down and say: “we need to build a stadium. It will be built in Shannon Park/Burnside/by the South End container terminal, there will be no studies, and no public input. We will just fund a significant portion of it, and it will be built.”. I think the city should grow a set and just do something. Sadly, it would seem it would seem that Halifax is diseased with NIMBY groups like your “friends of the Halifax Commons”, which leads the city to study the situation for 10 years and then finally conclude that it will not be suitable, after spending 10 million dollars. These groups all have this political manifesto that is written for the “good of the people” but however, they feel that the only people worth caring about are the people within the group. I would hazard a guess that there are not too many people in that group are from Spryfield, Bedford, or Clayton Park West. If there are, it’s because they’re friends of the people within the group.
That’s it. I’m done. I’m just sorry that this sort of NIMBY attitude Halifax has will never allow us to move past being some shit-water burg.
for someone who does not even live in City, BRoc, you sure got a lot to say about what we do with the Halifax Common.
pffft, so what, some ‘wanker’ from Forest Hills doesn’t give a shit about proper management and stewardship of our city’s public land.
thankfully, there are those of us (who actually LIVE right here in the city) who DO CARE about the future of the Common.
Dr Fever says, “… this sort of NIMBY attitude Halifax has will never allow us to move past being some shit-water burg.”
point taken, Dr Fever, and those are often my sentiments about this city as well. we are definitely in agreement about that.
however, i don’t think public opposition to ‘concerts on the common’ is simply a “nimby” issue, being championed by only a “small group of people.” these concerns (over private vs public use of the Common) have been raised MANY times in the past, especially after the Charter was amended to allow auto racing around the Common. today, that kind of event would be unthinkable, i hope!
personally, i WANT outdoor concerts, even the big ones like McCartney, KISS, et al – but i fear that if we allow this trend to continue – the commandeering & exploitation of public land for the exclusive use of private events – then one day we will NOT have a Public Common to enjoy anymore. will it (one day) end up being fenced-off to the public, perhaps for much of the summer (to host private events) and/or become perpetually TRASHED to shit, from all the heavy equipment, vehicles, staging, etc – rendering the Common practically useless to the public anyway?
yeah sure, the grounds can be ‘repaired’, but at whose expense and for how long?? it’s not just a simple matter of laying down some new sod, repairs to the Common cost a substantial amount of money and TAKE TIME before the field is ready for use again.
IF a majority of Haligonians want to have these large concerts on the common, then we should figure out a way to MINIMIZE the damage, and also demand that the concert promoters PAY (out of their own pockets) to have the Common repaired & restored to pristine conditions, in a timely manner, over a period of a few days at most, not weeks.
if private corporations are to be granted exclusive use of public land, then we, the public, have a right to expect that these private groups pay the municipality to use it (not subsidized by the public), and that they act as responsible stewards of the land.
i don’t believe that’s asking too much, is it?
That’s the thing though, whenever the city does attempt to make it so that we don’t trash the Common or the Garrison grounds, some group like The Friends of the Halifax Common pops up and forces the city to research whether it’s feasible or not to build such a beast. Then after a 5 year, million dollar study and then we find that it’s not feasible and then we’re back to square one.
To the point of the promoters having to pay for the repairs, and for the space, in a way, they do. See, when the promoters bring in acts that draw large groups of people, the taxes and the secondary revenue from bars, hotels, and the like, bring more revenue than the promoters having to pay for the repair of the grounds. Problem with that is this; it’s really hard to quantify that sort of gain.
Dr Fever, what “million dollar studies” you are referring to? are we still talking about the Common?? please elaborate.
Common Land (by definition) belongs to the PUBLIC – not private enterprise – THAT IS THE POINT! Restricting public access and charging admission to the grounds – Common Land – violates the spirit and intent of the original Charter and Plan – that the Halifax Common be for the enjoyment of the PUBLIC – forever.
and btw, the Halifax Common Plan, as agreed to and adopted by City Council, explicitly states that any revenue generated from (temporary) private events, go right back into improving and maintaining the Common (not into a general fund). That is important, but seems to have been conveniently overlooked.
and quite frankly, i’m astounded by the cavalier attitude that some of you have regarding the appropriate use (or misuse) of our public land. maybe it’s because those of you (like BRoc) who are practically calling for the land to be expropriated for private events (or simply don’t give a shit about the Common), don’t actually live in the city, and only commute here to be entertained, then head back to your suburban caves.
look, i urge people, especially citizens who actually CARE about the future of OUR Halifax Common, to READ the Halifax Common Charter and Plan. These documents make it clear, “first and foremost, the Halifax Common is a public place. Public use is in keeping with the provisions of the original charter, which call for the Common to be for *the use of the inhabitants of the Town of Halifax, forever*”
IF concerts on the common are to become a permanent summertime feature, then it can’t continue to be done in this ad hoc (and destructive) manner. a new Plan is needed, one that *respects* the Common, the neighbourhood, and the residents of Halifax, to whom the land was granted – for public use.
please READ the documents below:
Halifax Common Plan
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
Halifax Common Background Report
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
Halifax Common Public Consultation
http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning…
Techcafe, I am a taxpayer in the HRM, so that gives me equal right with anyone else (including you) as to how the Commons is used, and although the original charter may have called for the space to be used for public use, amendments can (and obviously have) be made. If you feel so strongly about this, let’s resolve it in a true democratic way, by vote. Do you want to guess which way it will go? Do you even want to go there?
actually, BRoc, i believe the land grant went something like this, “for the use of the inhabitants of the TOWN OF HALIFAX, forever”
i don’t recall seeing ‘Forest Hills, Cole Harbour, Dartmouth’ written anywhere
your “HRM tax payer” thing is red herring bullshit, and you know it.
and yes, actually, i DO want to “go there”
i’m pretty confident the people of Halifax will do what’s right for the Public Common
Technically, Halifax Regional Municipality is Halifax, and that’s a legal fact. So that includes Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville, Spryfield and every small community in between. You really need to realize this. The Town Of Halifax no longer exists as a political entity. The people of those community have just as much right to the area as you do. I really don’t think it’s a “red herring” as you call it.
i think it comes down to this… people like BRoc regard the Halifax Common as merely a “venue”
http://www.thecoast.ca/gyrobase/blogs/Post…
whereas many of us hold the Common in somewhat higher esteem – as Public Land that should be preserved & protected, to say the least
BRoc and i are fundamentally (and ideologically) opposed on the issue
so be it
I can appreciate the noise level based around commons for concerts, not the actual concerts, but the noise the neighbours have to put up with during construction; however how would you like to hear motorbikes being reved up 24/7 in your neighbour hood,
from spring until fall? Sounds like Halifax should take a learning lesson from Edmonton. Concerts and bikes are fine, it is just the uneeded noise, how does a person living on a busy 4 lane residential highway get use to bikes loud as hell constantly? Have some respect.
Techcafe, one thing I will certainly agree on, is I do agree that the impact to the Commons needs to be minimized. I know the area is a valuable recreational venue for people in HRM (not just Halifax). On the other hand, it does serve as a great location for concerts. Can we not have the best of both worlds?
BRoc, i’ll get to your question in a minute, but first, allow me to rant a bit more.
the Halifax Common belongs to the public, the citizens of halifax. so the way i look at it, we are the ‘landlords’ of that property, WE OWN it.
now as for the legalities and such, i have no idea really, i’m just a computer nerd, not a lawyer (good thing too). but imo, it is reasonable that we, landlords of the Common, should expect to be compensated when some private entity comes along (concert promoters and what have you), requesting exclusive use of our property (particularly when the grounds are fenced-off to the public for days/weeks at a time).
in other words, private corporations, like Power Promotions, et al, should expect to pay RENT (plus damage deposit) to use our land – for the privilege of holding their private/paid admission event(s) at such an ideal location (for them). and let’s face it, they are making a decent profit, otherwise they wouldn’t be booking these large events, right. they aren’t doing any of this stuff out of the goodness of their generous corporate hearts, after all.
now, you might argue that these events bring tourist dollars into the municipality. fair enough, i agree. but, the same could be said for any private venue that’s hosting concerts. the spin-off money is gonna flow into HRM no matter where the event is held. why should a concert promoter get to use public land for free, when they’d have to pay for/rent a piece of land/property anywhere else? actually, weren’t the latest concerts subsidized to the tune of $250,000+ of our tax dollars? didn’t we actually PAY the promoters for the privilege of using the Common?? i could be wrong about that, maybe someone with better information can clear that up.
anyway, to answer your question, about the best of both worlds – yeah, i think we can make that happen. but the Common deserves more respect, not to be trashed, and the public ought to be compensated for granting a private company exclusive rights/access to our public land, even temporarily. i’m not talking outrageous fees here, but an amount that is fair to all parties involved. and more importantly, all revenue that’s raised from ‘renting the common’ should go into a fund that is solely dedicated to maintaining and *improving* the Common – for the public mostly, but also making it more ‘concert friendly’ and ready to host such events, without being trashed in the process.
i can’t be the only one who looks at the Common nowadays and thinks it’s being abused & neglected, am i?? i actually have some ideas on how i’d like to see the Common improved, but that’s a separate issue altogether.
ok so i think that just about covers it for me, i’ve had my say on the matter… and then some.