THE FUTURE OF THE BARGE

WE MUST NOT TAKE "MUSIC ON THE BARGE" FOR GRANTED - OR WE WILL GET WHAT WE GET! POSSIBLY NOTHING AT ALL!!!!

THE BIGGEST SINGLE PROBLEM WITH THE "MUSIC ON THE BARGE" PROGRAM, AT GRAVENHURST'S GULL LAKE PARK, IS "THE MANAGER." THAT'S RIGHT, AND I'M WILLING TO BET HE KNOWS IT TOO! AND HE'S BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROBLEM FOR DECADES. NOW THIS SAME PROBLEM IS AT THE MIDDLE OF A WEIGHTY, CONTENTIOUS ISSUE, ABOUT WHETHER THE BARGE HAS A FUTURE OR NOT.

SO HERE'S THE REAL PROBLEM THE MANAGER HAS CAUSED FOR TOWN COUNCIL……., WHEN CONSIDERING THE FUTURE OF THE BARGE SUMMER PROGRAM. STRANGELY, IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH EFFICIENCY, ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY, ATTENTION TO DETAIL, PRE-PLANNING, EXCESSIVE PREPARATION, CONVULSIVE WORRY, UP TO AND INCLUDING FOOD AND BEVERAGE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PERFORMERS AND VOLUNTEERS! HOW MANY ENTERTAINMENT MANAGERS, OF HIS TENURE AND EXPERIENCE, GO SHOPPING FOR INDIVIDUAL FOOD ITEMS FOR PERFORMERS, AND VOLUNTEERS, (ASTUTELY WATCHING FOR SALES ITEMS TO STAY ON BUDGET) INCLUDING ALL THE FIXINGS, SUPPLYING A TRAIN OF COOLERS, WITH A FULL ARRAY OF BEVERAGES TO KEEP EVERYONE HYDRATED? CAN YOU IMAGINE THEN, WHY THIS WOULD EVER CONSTITUTE THE CREATION OF A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM. WELL HERE'S THE REALITY OF FRED SCHULZ, MANAGER OF "MUSIC ON THE BARGE."

There are very few council members, over the decades under his stewardship, who have ever thought it was important enough, to ask Fred Schulz, even out of general interest, what his preparation work for the summer concert series involves. When does he start planning The Barge entertainment for the next season? How many phone calls, e-mails, and general correspondence does he make or send out, when he is interviewing new acts, and re-booking ones from the season before? How much will it cost, and how can he stay on budget when many quality groups, (he would love to have on-board) cost hundreds (thousands) more than he can afford? Does he have any worry about getting the quality acts? What does it feel like to gamble on a group that the public may dislike? Does he worry about Council cutting his budget, or think about the structural problems of the Barge, and how shows might have to be re-located? Simple answer. Fred starts worrying about The Barge's very next season, the day after the annual Good Brothers concert in mid August (this year on Sunday, August 14th). Although he admits he enjoys a few months after the summer season, the truth is, Fred never really stops worrying about what's up-coming for The Barge. For those who have known Fred for any time at all, this is habitual. It's the way he is. A worrier. Someone who can't stand the thought of a loose end, an "i" not being dotted, a job left half-done. So here's the big problem the legendary manager has caused Town Council. They have no idea what this man goes through in a year to keep this short but greatly appreciated summer program afloat.

So why blame Fred. Well, it's like this. He has been so thorough and persnickety all these years, managing to a fine point, and doing so diligently and effectively, that councillors and municipal staff have been sheltered from the reality of the job he has held all these years. Seeing as Fred hates to impose, and would rather deal with a majority of problems himself, he has almost completely masked what rigors the job actually demands. I think it is the reason, that when he does raise an issue, or present a conundrum he simply can't handle on his own, council and staff seem almost perturbed by the requests for assistance. Fred has routinely sought out and found solutions, and counted dearly on the faithful troop of volunteers, limiting the number of times he has to make any requests from the town whatsoever, other than what is routine. Due to his amazing efficiency, and his attention to even the smallest detail, it is understandable, that town officials don't fully appreciate the work associated with this concert series. It's only ten weeks after all! Right?

The fact that few if any would have interest in trying out his shoes, to see, feel, and labor through one or more of the summer concerts, seems to me, to be the biggest hurdle now, when it is imperative that Fred negotiate for the future, particularly the rough estimates being bandied about for needed restoration to the platform and supports of the aged Barge superstructure. Councillors and town staff, have little idea of the terrible frustration Fred is dealing with, at this moment, after having had such a rough start-up, due to needed upgrades to the ramp bridging to The Barge. The lengthy delay to correct the instability issue, necessitated a re-location of the first two concerts, to the park's Rotary Pavillion. It would have been much more difficult to accommodate the larger groups coming up in July, if the walkway work hadn't been completed as efficiently as it had been by contractors. Still, the worry about letting patrons and musicians down, was all he could think about. For a persnickety guy, who is always on or slightly ahead of schedule, it was hugely difficult to pre-plan much of anything. He was doing what a good entertainment manager does! Plan and execute. And down ant-acids by the fist-full.

So the problem with The Barge today, is that the manager has been too efficient, too detail-obsessed, too dedicated to his job, and it has shielded the town from the truths of the job itself. When Fred faces roadblocks, some placed by the department he works with, or deals with an indifferent councillor or council generally, he doesn't fully appreciate that he has had a hand creating the deficiency of understanding. Many managers, faced with the same tasks, would have been hassling council incessantly, demanding action to problem situations. Councillors and town staff would have known more about the Barge and the Concert Series, because of these regular exchanges. Fred has internalized for decades, preferring not to bother council with little issues that he could solve on his own. The result of course, has been a desensitizing of council, and the town generally, to what The Barge manager actually does in a given week, month or year. Even councillors who should know, because they have seen his work up close and personal, seem genuinely miffed about certain situations which arise, and need town intervention. Some may even blame Fred, in some way or other, as if this astute manager created the problem just to get attention. Believe me, Fred detests problems, and has many times in his life, hidden his own day to day burdens, and sacrificed his personal freedom, to look after the good folks who enjoy the tradition of the summer season at the "People's Park," at Gull Lake. For years, as a primary care-giver for his mother, few but his close associates, knew the degree of difficulty he had, each and every week, arranging alternate care, so he could spare a few hours to run the Sunday concerts. Some times he'd have to excuse himself to handle a problem at home. Who knew? Who cared? We did. His friends cared. We saw up close, a level of dedication, and commitment to his home town, that proved to us he was not only the consummate manager of managers, but he was a deeply caring individual. Fred hates to let any one down. But in the mission to provide others with what they needed, he has on many occasions sacrificed his own plans and recreation.

Finally, after all these years of shouldering ninety percent of the burden of bringing concerts to Gull Lake, Fred is truly frustrated. He wants to share some of his Barge problems, and his concerns about its future operation, especially how it all might fare during the restoration debate this year. He'd like to look after those renovations himself, I think, but finally he has met up with a situation he simply can't handle on his own. He needs our help. He needs the town to take a good look at what The Barge Concert series has done for this town, for tourism, and the local economy generally, for so many memorable summers. He needs a councillor, or councillors, to take a closer look at what it has all involved for all these years, and the work that has been done on his dime, his time, that he has never been compensated for…….but then again, he's never made a big deal of it till now, when he's unsure whether he can carry on with the concert series. It's all about disconnect. It's not something that can't be resolved, but frankly, he doesn't see it that way. He feels that there are more and more obstacles getting pushed in his way by town staff, in part, because of the reality councillors generally don't go to Barge concerts, and don't show much interest, either way, in its operational dynamic. Simply stated, they have no interest in walking a foot, let alone a mile in his well travelled, leather-bare shoes. Yet, they may be asked soon to vote for or against restoration funding, that will ultimately determine the fate of the unique venue. Would they believe what Fred tells them about the history of The Barge, and what his workload involves each year? Or will they read a report, looks at some figures, talk to their contemporaries, and vote without even talking directly to Fred, to gather detailed information about all aspects of The Barge.

On Sunday, July 17th, the Hotel California tribute to The Eagles may have set an attendance record, breaking the one the week before, when Shania Twin appeared, (for the Shania Twain tribute), filling the lakeshore with hundreds upon hundreds of eager concert goers. The concert before that brought in a behemoth crowd, and it looks like a trend for the rest of the season. If the weather holds. Fred's nightmare is rain. He despises relocating or canceling a show. He knows that moving a concert indoors upsets many of the patrons, and I'm sure if anyone had a direct line with Mother Nature, it would be Fred…..begging a little consideration for ten Sunday evenings a year!

Our family are long time supporters of The Barge and The Concert Series, and our boys, Andrew and Robert, have literally grown up, working for Fred on these special summer nights at Gull Lake. And as it is part of our own summer tradition, in our cherished hometown, we plan on standing shoulder to shoulder with Fred, and friends, to help secure a future for The Barge, and his continuation as its general manager. We have walked in Fred's shoes. They're big. Real big. But we know what this kindly gentleman goes through each year, to satisfy his loyal audiences. He is a perpetual goodwill ambassador for this town, as well as a hell of a manager. But we still must acknowledge, truthfully, that it will be a huge undertaking, in part, due to Fred's policy of internalizing and minimizing problems, to convince council to fund Barge restoration costs ahead of the 2012 season. We're going to make a nuisance of ourselves pursuing this project. We're just a bunch of die-hard traditionalists, you see, who greatly admire folks like Fred Schulz, who are passionate about the preservation of heritage, old ways and nostalgic days, and deeply devoted to the promotion of community values. On any concert night, you can look out upon that huge crowd, and see friends and neighbors, tourists and wayfarers, coming together in celebration of the good life in one of the finest places on the planet.

If you don't have a clue what I'm writing about, then get down to one or more of the final concerts of the 2011 summer season, and find out what all the fuss is about. Still confused. Talk to me. Talk to a town councillor. Of course, you can always talk to Fred!