City Sets Stage for Sesqui
Prince George, B.C.- Council has approved providing $50 thousand in cash or in-kind donations to have “Sesqui” in Prince George .
Sesqui is a major project being designed to celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial in 2017. The Federal Government has provided $9.5 million dollars to the project which will feature three ‘domes” that will travel the country and present a 360 degree film of Canada from coast to coast to coast.
In a recent news release, “Sesqui” is described as ” an interactive media touring festival” that is designed to ” engage millions of Canadians through its 360° cinematic experience, immersive content, live events, online activities and education programs showcasing the best in Canadian culture and innovation”.
Film making is already underway for “Sesqui”.
The show will build on the experiences of Expo ’67, as it will feature three domed “pods” for its presentation. Because of the area needed for the “pods” the show is expected to set up in the CN Centre parking lot.
Admission to “Sesqui” will be free.
Comments
City doesn’t have money to fix their equipment needed to run the city but they always seem to be able to find money for the wants (not the needs),parties, sports, booze and renaming things..
Maybe someday someone will have a close look at the way all government accounting and our money system are related and just why that’s so, bcracer. In the meantime……, we just pay, and pay, and pay again for what’s already been paid for. For ANOTHER 150 years?
I think that celebrating our country and 150 years is a good thing, have some national pride.
I remember the centennial train stopping in Prince George, it was a memorable experience for a schoolboy.
metalman.
If you’re on a fixed income, you’ve seen your property taxes increase by about $500.00 over the last 5 years, if you have an average house.
So what does that mean to that person. 100 times they can’t go to A&W or Timmies. Not affording basic cable vision. Not able to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Not being able to have a cell phone like everyone else.
My point is these $50,000 parties start to add up after awhile. It was just a couple of weeks ago they authorized $200,000 for CNSC to bid on a major cross country ski event – but it’ll be more like $50,000 they say.
So the heels of a 3.3% tax increase we have yet another $50,000 for a feel good event. And don’t forget the recent trip to Ottawa to get a selfie with the PM and some hardware for an award no one has heard of, or cares about.
Wasn’t that long ago the Mayor was looking for Ipads for search and rescue. Hart Ski Hill which keeps a lot of kids good and tired and out of trouble, almost had to shut down for lack of funds. It’s difficult math I know, but if you have twenty $50,000 parties, suddenly you’ve wasted a million dollars – and now we’re talking real money.
When the city can provide core services, and keep it’s budget within inflation, like the rest of us have to do, then maybe we can throw some parties, but until then, $50,000 means 25 homes paid taxes so that a bunch of people can watch a film.
You make some good points, Ski.
The topic of wasted tax dollars has interested (infuriated?) me for many years. Like many, I don’t mind paying my share of taxes, we do enjoy some benefits from that. But seeing the various levels of government waste large portions of their budgets should stir all of us to protest.
Perhaps the Feds should cover the entire cost of the sesqui celebrations. That would seem only fair, the intent of the celebrations, I assume, is to build national pride, sounds more like a national affair, as opposed to a locally funded fete.
In any event, I still think that recognizing 150 years since confederation is something we should all take pride in.
metalman.
metalman, you suggest that perhaps the Feds should cover the entire cost.
With all due respect, I’d like to remind you that the City gets it’s money from us, the taxpayer! The Province gets it’s money from us, the taxpayer! And the Feds, well, they also get their money from us, the taxpayer!
Asking the Feds to cover the entire cost is like asking Mom for some spending money after Dad says that he doesn’t have any cash. It all comes out of the same bank account!
One could make the argument that these whole thing is offensive to our FN friends as we are celebrating 150 years of systematic genocide both through active and passive methods all set in place by our colonial founders the British. So if I was FN, I wouldn’t be opening a bottle of bubbly for this event.
And Hart Guy, you missed a taxpayer. He’s called the TYTBB. Taxpayer yet to be born. He’s the ovum and sperm that have yet to meet, but by deficit spending he will break into the world with a yoke of another’s making. I’m not talking about deficit spending to build roads, hospitals, bridges – stuff that serves future generations, I’m talking about the stuff like this, where you use debt to fund a party. Long after the tables have been cleared this poor little guy will awake to a hangover of another’s making.
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