Spooner Calls for Economic Development Plan
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The recently named “Citizen of the Year” Spooner is an employee of the Prince George Free Press.
Spooner is a resident of Cluculz Lake, and doesn’t pay any taxes in the City of Prince George. He says 10 years ago he and his wife returned to the region but wanted to live on the lake. “It’s been a wonderful decade, we thoroughly enjoyed it, and it hasn’t stopped me from being involved in the City.” He says he and his wife will be moving into the city “because I don’t like driving back and forth in the City during blizzards.”
On the matter of the Performing Arts Centre, he says is a member of the Arts Council, “I go to every show I can get to, as far as a performing arts centre is we need one, as soon as we can afford it.” He says the Performing Arts Society should have been raising private funds to show there is support for the project. “Frankly I think we need to rethink. Do we need another $50 million dollar building?. I’ve been on a lot of stages that didn’t cost $50 million dollars.”
“The capital cost of the performing arts centre should not cost the city more than 10 to 15% of the overall cost.” He says that contribution could come in the form of land contribution.
He says if elected , he will be giving up his post at the Free Press. “Trust is a matter, I believe, a matter of communication.” he says he will have an office in the city, as a commitment to be available to the public so the public can talk with him.
Spooner says he has already scouted out office space, a move some might consider overly confident in the election results. A former boxer, Spooner says “You don’t get into the ring unless you are confident you can win.”
He says one of his primary concerns is economic development. “There are a lot of hopes and dreams around Boundary Road, will the city get a return on its investment? In time.” he says the City is not doing what it needs to do to get industry to locate in the Boundary Road area.
Spooner says there is no current economic development plan. “We spend a million dollars a year on IPG, back when Gerry Offet was here, and when Tim (McEwan) was here we had a current economic development plan” He says the most current economic plan is four years old, developed in the last year of the term of Mayor Dan Rogers. Spooner says a home is not built without a plan, “We need a current economic development plan that has the buy in of the people, the buy in from industry.”
“My approach to business, I’ve been a CEO, I’ve negotiated contracts before, my key word is ‘fair’ , is it fair to me, is it fair to you, can we go to work tomorrow and look each other in the eye and feel good about it?”
He says there is a need to look at the business needs in the City and try to attract two or three families at a time.
Comments
“He says the Performing Arts Society should have been raising private funds to show there is support for the project.”
How much in private funds has the PAC Society raised so far?
@PG,
None.
For some reason they are not trying to raise funds.
I’ll give the Arts society some advice. Charge a 2$ user fee on every ticket for every performance. Not just TNW but all other Arts related events (given the Arts Society can govern this) and in no time they will have a pool of money showing support, directly form the very people who want this.
A PAC is absolutely necessary, I agree with Roy when he says 50 mill is big. I suspect something similar to the theater in Kamloops could be built for much much less. Not too mention a smaller facility would cost substantially less to run.
If the city is to be on the hook for operating costs then they can sell naming rights. “The Canfor Centre for the Performing Arts.” Who knows how much the contract would be worth but i would say it could easily be upwards of 300-400k a year. That would offset the op costs by quite a bit.
I think I went to school with Roy in P.G. I think we need to revamp IPG I can think of better ways to spend my tax dollars but what about severance packages and how many? Roy was lucky he did not have to focus on the so called homeless that are coming here in great numbers and the effect it is having on our Hospital
,and our downtown and area. If you get in Roy I hope you will focus on Healthy Safe neighbourhoods and listen to the people living in them. I hope you won’t transfer the problems into neighbourhoods as that’s what has been happening.
You think Canfor would pay $400k per year to name a PAC? You arts folk really do live in a dream world.
@interceptor
I am hardly a “arts folk” I recognize their value to a community.
in this world, 400k is nothing. Canfor would write the whole damn thing off.
You are telling me that these companies wouldn’t bid each other up to get their names on a BRAND NEW gorgeous building? I think you need to re-think company values.
Also, if you want to lower the naming rights the fine. More bidders would come in. I wouldn’t put it past ICU to want a piece.
All I am saying is people are so set against the PAC for one reason. $$$
The arts society needs to come up with creative ways to generate money. Once they do that, I’m for it. It will help prove to perspective citizens that we are a diversified economy.
CN only pays 86k per year for the entire multiplex per year. 400k is about ten times what even a large sponsor would come up with for a PAC, IMO. Having said that, I agree that the PAC should be all over these types of opportunities regardless of what numbers we argue over. The sit back and wait for government handout approach is what a lot of people dislike about the PAC.
Maybe IPG and NDIT could buy the naming rights. Then we could call it the
Initiative’s Prince George, Northern Development Initiative Trust, Performing Arts Centre, or IPGNDIPAC.
Should be IPGNDITPAC
Pileopu……..go back to sleep
Meh another one who wants to “plan” but doesn’t sound like he has the “getter done” attitude. The PAC is the last thing we need right now in PG after infrastructure repairs, proper snow removal budgeting,co-ordination and implementation , civic facility repairs and upgrades** (**replacing Fire Hall #1). None of the incumbents and candidates have any fire in the belly when it comes to getting the voter’s attention on the real City issues.
Your village called, they want there idiot back.
Prince George First (anything else is second place)!
ImFrank. I will go back to sleep as soon as you start talking or posting.
It’s pretty simple.
Anyone including spooner who belongs to the Shari green gang needs to go.
No support for anyone associated to that group. Plain and simple.
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