Saturday, November 17, 2012

Albion Balcony Down Successfully, Nice Day Missed For Opera House


I'M JUST SAYING - OH BOY, WE LOST A GREAT WEATHER DAY FOR ROOF REPAIRS

ALBION BALCONY REMOVED QUICKLY, EFFICIENTLY

     PLEASE FORGIVE MY OBSESSION WITH THE PARTLY FINISHED ROOF AT THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE. BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. IF YOU HAD A RE-ROOFING JOB ON YOUR HOME, AND IT WAS RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE, NOW PAST MID NOVEMBER, WOULD YOU EXPECT THE PROJECT TO GO AHEAD EVEN ON WEEKENDS? WOULD YOU DEMAND WORK BE DONE ON ANY CLEAR DAY THIS LATE IN THE SEASON…..EVEN AFTER CHURCH ON SUNDAYS? I'M ASSUMING MOST OF US, WOULD BE PRETTY AGITATED, IF A PERFECTLY GOOD DAY WAS LOST, WHEN, IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY, WINTER IS SNOWSHOEING OUR WAY. I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT THE CONTENTIOUS BALCONY ISSUE, AT THE ALBION HOTEL WAS RESOLVED TODAY, WITH VERY LITTLE FUSS OR MUSS. IT WAS THERE ONE MINUTE, AND GONE THE NEXT TIME I DROVE BY…..WHICH MAY HAVE ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF HOURS. NICE CLEAN JOB. I'M NOT COMPARING THIS COMPANY'S LIMITED JOB TODAY, WITH WHAT THE ROOFERS HAVE HAD TO CONTEND WITH, UP ON THE OPERA HOUSE ROOF; BUT I MOST CERTAINLY FIND MYSELF DEEPLY PERPLEXED, AT THIS KEYBOARD TONIGHT, WHY THE ROOF WORK WASN'T GOING ON TODAY AS WELL. IF I READ THE NEWSPAPER CORRECTLY, LAST WEEKEND, THERE WAS A CREW ON THE VERANDAH ROOF REMOVING SHINGLES. I REMEMBER READING ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE IT WAS NOTED BY A VETERAN, AT THE REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY, THAT THE WORKERS WERE RESPECTFUL ENOUGH TO STOP REMOVAL, DURING THE BRIEF CEREMONY AT THE CENOTAPH IN HERITAGE SQUARE.

THERE ISN'T MUCH EVIDENCE THE TOWN HAS ANY CONCERNS ABOUT ROOF DELAYS

     I wish I had their confidence. I most definitely wish I possessed their courage. If I was a councillor, sitting around that honking big table this week, I'd be panting and slobbering myself into a stupor, wondering how everyone else was so freaking calm, about the slow pace of repairs on the Opera House roof. Short of being tranquilized, to abate my teeth-gnashing concerns, I don't think anything or any comfort words, would resolve my present fears, that the historic building, to council, is simply not worth worrying about. The "Ah it'll be okay," attitude, makes me nuts! I want to get up on that roof myself, and finish the project. I worry about it, and possibly you do too, but as far as Gravenhurst Council goes, they've got nerves of steel over there at town hall. What's it like to be so fearless, staring at another short work week, with a partly finished roofing job? I don't get these people. I don't get the community press either. There's definitely a news disconnect, and for a newspaper, that's not good at all. How else can you miss this main street story, like a giant red throbbing thump pointed up in the air for everyone to see. How can our councillors be so calm and uninvolved in this very late activity, to fix the roof on one of our most important historic buildings?
     The Opera House has a busy week coming. There's rain predicted for Tuesday. Event bookings are going to limit what work can be undertaken, and this includes the CBC production of the "Vinyl Cafe," with well known story-teller, Stuart McLean. On Friday evening, before the show opens, there is supposed to be a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, I believe, to mark the Black Friday shopping event in Uptown Gravenhurst. As I have been watching (no, studying) progress on the roof, which did have a good week's advancement, thanks to hard, painstaking work by the roofing crew, and great weather, it just seems so preposterous today, nice and dry, to not have workers back to sneak in an extra day; even just to counter-balance the coming stoppages expected this week. If it was my roof, I think I would have made it pretty clear, all non-rainy days are roofing days. Would you agree? Would we be the kind of pain in the ass clients, who would have insisted on making up time on dry weekends? First of all, how many would be having roof issues this late in the season? Our town has a roofing issue, and it's heading well past the point it was expected to be completed, and it seems unreasonably risky, to have allowed it to go this long into November, without some type of intervention……or hurry-up offense, so that we don't wind-up with a huge snow-load on a potentially leaky, partly finished roof.
     I thought it would be grand if the roof was finished in time for the Vinyl Cafe's two night stand, this coming Friday and Saturday. We've got two sold-out shows to see Stuart McLean, with folks coming from all over the place to our fair town, to take part in the Vinyl Cafe Christmas Show; which if I'm correct, is the first of the cross-Canada seasonal tour. Imagine that? The Christmas festivities for our nation, start right here in Gravenhurst, and are going to spread all over this country before December 25th. I think it's an important occasion in the Opera House year, and the roof should have been done by now. One misguided projection, from the town, was that it would be completed by the end of the first week in November. More than a month ago, I predicted it wouldn't be done, and speculated it was only going to be partly finished by time the CBC rolled into town for the big show. Two right for me, but I don't feel good about taking any credit, for being ever-watchful and curious. I'd really like to think our councillors are just as curious, and just as watchful, but I can't say that with any assurance. I don't know. You don't know either, unless you're town hall staff or a councillor reading this blog. As it hasn't been in the press, or in any press release that might have made it to the electronic media, we haven't heard or read anything that speaks to the delay, the recent closure of the Opera House to the public, a month ago, or what can be expected on that roof top, by time Friday arrives, possibly at the same time as a heavy rainfall.
     I'm just going to throw this idea out there…..for the benefit of our elected officials. Minus the cliches and clever comments, about the project "moving forward" (at a snail's pace), it would be stunningly clever, if our leadership issued a press release, explaining to the fine constituents of our town, why it has taken so long to fix the Opera House roof. No baloney. No fudging. No generalizations, or evasive responses. Just tell it the way it is. This isn't a case where this writer blames the roofing contractor for the delays. I don't. I wouldn't. I couldn't. Nature doesn't answer to mankind, or schedule its inclement weather for our benefit. The buck stops at our town council, and they have very little interest in sharing anything with us…..even though there is a newsletter from the mayor's office…..which could in fact be used to relay such information…..but alas, it is seriously lacking in this regard.
     I don't suggest to you, that there is anything with this project that is extraordinary, or being purposely withheld because of any fear of constituent backlash. I just think it's more of what we've seen in the past, where addressing public concerns, in a timely fashion, with the honesty we expect, isn't a pressing issue for these people. Why should they put together a press release, explaining the project's complications and collateral issues? Yet they get their shorts in a knot when some ratepayer accuses them of being secretive and lacking transparency. Here's a case in point. I'll ask councillors the same question I asked you folks at the beginning of this blog. Are you concerned about the delay of the Opera House re-roofing project, now that it is nearing the back side of November, with a lot of work yet to complete? Was this the way the project was intended to operate, and when was the anticipated completion date by contract? Has there been any damage to the interior of the Opera House, caused by a leaking roof since construction began? What is the contingency plan, in the event a major snowfall was to occur, before the roof is complete?
     I was thinking of offering a mid-term report card on the accomplishments of the present municipal council. Then I thought, well, you know what? If they truly believe they are a transparent, democracy friendly government, they will issue a press release to the local media this week, to update the constituents of our town….owners of the Opera House, revealing answers to the above questions. Not because I'm making a demand from the bleachers…..but because they are obligated, as our representatives to answer for their actions……or inaction. They will be held accountable, eventually, so it makes sense to offer, ahead of the curve, a public statement to explain what is currently being questioned, by a lot more people than just me. I would certainly, and I give my word about this, be very impressed that they thought enough of constituents, to acknowledge their rights to this information……thusly to be offered in a timely press release to the local media. As they don't care for me, I don't need a press release personally. But I do need to know that they value the media for news coverage, as much as they benefit from it, when getting their pictures in the paper, for those many, many smiley-face grip and grins, I see published most weeks…..on those same news pages……that could, if the information was available, enlighten us, with what we wish to know.
     I hope we haven't degenerated, in this town, to having a lame duck council for the next two years; occupied by elected officials who don't intend to run for office again…..who feel enquiries like this are just an imposition and nothing more. This impasse doesn't have to remain an obstacle. It can be removed by simple information sharing. This is up to Council, here and now. Why would they deny this most basic request for information? 
     Even if I'm the only person keeping vigil, over the Opera House these days…..a chap without portfolio or elected mandate, I'm going to do my best to report on progress. Love me or hate me, that's the way it's going to be. But as a person of great faith in my fellow citizens, and even in our elected officials, I'm hoping the town will be pro-active, even as it's ironically an overdue issue, to keep the public informed, as we were all promised by ALL candidates two years ago.
     Thank you for visiting today's blog. I appreciate your support, and I'm so pleased you care so much about Gravenhurst, as to worry along with me……that somethings aren't going so well, as we have been led to believe. Please come and visit again soon.
     SIDEBAR: I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE INFORMATION ON THE DECEASED PUPPIES FOUND ON THE DOCK AT MUSKOKA WHARF ON WEDNESDAY. TALK ABOUT GNASHING OF THE TEETH. NO WONDER I'VE GOT TMJ (JAW DISORDER) TO THE EXPONENT OF TEN. I'M PRAYING THE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS HORRENDOUS ACT, OF ALLEGEDLY SMOTHERING THESE PUPPIES, AND THEN PUTTING THEM ON DISPLAY, WILL SOON BE APPREHENDED. IT WON'T MAKE US FEEL ANY BETTER ABOUT THE PUPS, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW SOMEONE WILL PAY FOR THE CRIME. GETTING AWAY WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT…..MEANS MORE CARNAGE IS A SPARK AWAY FROM A FATAL RE-IGNITION OF RANDOM CRUELTY.

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