One of the reasons cited for the closure of the Bloedel Conservatory is its operating subsidy of $250,000. I thought that was a reasonable investment in a public amenity but it seems some of my colleagues on the Park Board and City Council disagreed. So it was of great interest when I received the answer to my question about the grants other civic amenities received in 2009:
HR MacMillan Planetarium - $524,398
City Archives - $900,000
Museum of Vancouver - $746,500
Maritime Museum - $410,710
Van Dusen Gardens - $1,166,800
Art Gallery of Vancouver - $2,167,500
I wonder what's next on the chopping block?
Good information Stuart. I'm glad to see you enter the fray. We need you & you have an important perspective. Your info does beg the ?, WHAT REALLY ARE CORE SERVICES? It seems to me from my experience this 'core' analysis is an inappropriate tool. The results prove this.
ReplyDeleteSo let me get this straight... Van Dusen needs $1.16 million a year from the city just to stay open and now we're dumping another $6 million into it, yet we can't afford to keep Bloedel open?
ReplyDeleteBloedel could easily be breaking even if it was properly promoted. This is so disappointing.
I'm flabergasted by the stupidity of this decision. Especially in the light of this information on the level of grants. Van Dusen in particular is very purely run for that level of support.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong they are all valued ammenities.
This conservatory is such a rare jewel in Canada let alone Vancouver.
It makes me weep. When I consider the obscene waste of resources on the winter olympics.
How much does the Park Board subsidize ice rinks and swimming pools.
ReplyDeleteWe keep building new Community Centres and to my knowledge none make money so using the Vision logic why not close them.
You see the Park Board wants things to be sustainable on their own yet still take my money in the form of taxes.
You Can't have your cake and eat it too!
My money is on the Maritime Museum.
ReplyDeleteI now understand the Park Board wants the Community Centre Associations with whom they are "partners" to hand over their money so effectively cancelling the Joint Operating Agreements.
ReplyDeleteToo bad the politicians do not realize that Community Centre Patrons are also voters. Kiss
Vision goodbye!