This could be Year of Playing It Politically Safe

THE ARMCHAIR MAYOR (COLUMN) — The closer we get to a civic election, the more the performing arts theatre is losing steam.

A year ago, a highly successful public-input session was held at the Tournament Capital Centre. Excellent turnout, enthusiastic crowd, great roundtables.

There was a feeling of momentum. Not so today. This could be the Year of Playing It Safe.

City council is nervous about committing $260,000 for studies that would make the project referendum ready. They’re so focused on keeping this year’s budget below the magical two-per-cent increase that the performing arts centre is looking dispensable.

It’s not a popular project in some circles, but there’s no denying that it’s the next big thing, amenity wise. No denying that it’s long overdue, and that it would bring both economic and cultural benefits to Kamloops.

Mayor Peter Milobar has been a champion of the performing arts centre. He knows it’s been on the books way too long, practically since he was in short pants. If it succeeds, it could become his legacy.

During the last election, he included the performing arts theatre in his platform. He stated it as a priority again in his swearing-in.

But when Coun. Nelly Dever asked some fairly pointed questions of parks, recreation and culture director Byron McCorkell at the council table a couple of weeks ago, nobody at the council table exactly leaped to its defence.

I thought the question of whether we needed this had been answered long ago. That’s why it’s in the City’s strategic plan. The plan that says the goal is to build it by 2015.

A decade ago, the estimate for building a centre was, I think, around $15 million. Two years ago, it was about $30 million. Now it’s $35 million.

In January of 2013, Milobar announced at the annual Mayor’s Gala that he was appointing a committee to lead Kamloops to a new performing arts centre.

The committee did its job. But instead of grasping the gold ring, council hesitates.

When the study money comes up for decision in a couple of weeks, at least five members of council will have to be willing to put up their hands in favour of making an investment.

Pat Wallace will vote for it. Maybe she can persuade enough others to follow her.

There’s an easy compromise — cut the baby in half. Commit to $130,000 this year, and the same the next. McCorkell says it won’t slow progress because good planning takes time, as we learned from the Tournament Capital Centre.

Council spent $4.8 million this week on a property on Seymour Street, probably one of the smartest real estate decisions it’s made in recent years. Now it needs to be smart about investing a little money, and some political capital, to bring the dream of a performing arts centre closer to reality.

AROUND THE TOWN — If you think I’ve been posting to The Armchair Mayor News starting a little later in the morning recently, you’re right. My Internet connection is down and I’ve been driving into town to borrow a computer. Just one of the joys of rural living… Spotted environmentalist Tony Brumell at Oil Sands Karaoke, the opener for the Kamloops Film Festival. Didn’t get a chance to ask him what he thought of the film’s depiction of the oil patch… The City’s Ben Chabator was telling me about the Many in Motion campaign. I was supposed to get up to the TCC for a look but didn’t make it. Hopefully next week… Speaking of next week, I’m getting together with Kevin Krueger for Coffee With the Armchair Mayor. Haven’t talked with him since he left politics, and am really looking forward to reconnecting… Getting hold of City Hall middle managers can be a chancy business, but the guys at the top, like Dave Duckworth, Dave Trawin and Byron McCorkell get it — they answer the phone when it rings. Thanks for that.

armchairmayor@gmail.com