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& MRA: @ " T a‘“ slffl 11% â€" 1W RAIbLE llfll. W- M J ‘M\s\? 0.' E'l 0 o o e o o o o o o o o o 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o e e e e e e :I’; \: ...............l.......... C\ LIVE HARNESS RACING POST TIME 7:25 P.M. </4 â€" 12860 0_ ACCr C‘ Ou,"town Kjtc\\e“e CKCCO Hot Air Balloon Ride Grand Prize Draw . 3ewalk Sale MoNDAYS AND FRIDAYS @OMY Entertainment _ Magic Show on Saturday Pop A Balloon To Win Downtown Dollars _ Sidewalk Art Free On Street Parking _ ParkFor a Loonie in City Garages S fl; [ o n“g’\“;’ pual mer %\)\1\ 1% p,, ¢ * ywngs" Up «n 9933 â€"26 n sTiN G N‘E(.\““e L. 9c would have to break even, or show a profit to have the city‘s contnued backing In response to the city‘s financial concerns, fesuval organizers, in partnership with Universal Concerts Canada, had come up with an ambiâ€" tious plan that would have seen the concert promoter underwrite all of the costs of this year‘s music portion of the festival, including advertising and security. It would be a "turnâ€"theâ€"key" operation where the city would be paid for rent of the park, while the promoter assumed all the risk. The city was also off the hook for its annual grant to the festival. SIIence'I (Continued from page 1) Emmanuel Patterson, a Waterloo resident organizing the concert tour for Universal, said the direct economic impact would have been in the $50,000 to $75,000 range as the tour hired on local sound and security outfits to set up the show. His formula didn‘t even include the economic spinoffs of having 5,000 people in Waterloo‘s uptown on a sleepy Sunday in June. The festival would also have addressed the city‘s concerns about keeping up its commuâ€" nity focus by having a day of programming for children and families on Saturday, while the Stardust Picnic was to be held on Sunday. There would also have been a festival stage on Sunday highlighting some of $paulBat 7244921 FOR INFORMATION AND DINING RESERVATIONS CALL (519) 669â€"8036 ELMIRA RACEWAY "They (Universal Concerts) were going to walk in and do it all, with zero risk to us, zero risk to the city and zero cost," said Mohr. "It was a perfect fit, and we somehow couldn‘t conâ€" vince the city that it was a good thing.The money it would have brought for local busiâ€" nesses and suppliers is lost with not doing Sounds of Sumâ€" mer this year." the best local talent in Water loo and surrounding areas. While the festival board‘s business plan was greeted with optimism on Dec. 3, Mohr told the Chronicle that the city sat on the proposal until February. The working relationship between the board and the city deteriorated over the following months until the city rejected the plan in late January. When the city asked for another proposal, board memâ€" bers felt there wasn‘t enough time to line up acts with the same impact as Blue Rodeo They felt they couldn‘t live up to the city‘s mandate of breakâ€" ing even without having a firstâ€" class draw to the annual festival. "We couldn‘t get any botâ€" tomâ€"line numbers out of them," he said. "We kept givâ€" ing and extending deadlines... and it just dragged on to the point where we said we couldâ€" n‘t wait any longer on this. "We couldn‘t nail down what the city is really responsible for, and what it‘s going to cost." There were also concerns about the proximity of a big rock show to the retitrement community of Luther Village on the Park. McFarland said there was always a number of complaints about the noise from nearby residents. "This was going to be another mega highâ€"powered rock and roll show that came right into their living rooms," he said. he said. "We had concerns of doing a highâ€"powered show like this in the middle of the city. But Bob McFarland, the City of Waterloos head of recreation and leisure, said his departâ€" ment wasn‘t convinced that the plan was financially viable. Waterloo city staff turned down the Sounds of Summer volunâ€" teer board‘s proposal to combine this year‘s restival with Blue Rodeos Stardust Picnic, thereby bringing an end to the annual Waterloo event. What do you think? Call us at 886â€"2830, ext 220, eâ€"mail us at wehronicle@sentex.net or fax us at 886â€"9383 Your response may be published in next week‘s Chronicle "We had concerns of doing a "But, again, I live here too ghâ€"powered show like this in _ and I wish we were doing it in e middle of the city. Waterloo." & What do you think? Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #136379 Published every Wednesday by The Fairway Group A division of Southam Inc June 23, 1999 28 synNoFn AVE SsOUTH WATERLOO CHRONICLE "Sounds of Summer was getâ€" ung louder every year and we were getting more complaints every year." The scaling back of commuâ€" nity involvement was also a concern brought forward by the city. Staffers thought the new format took local volunâ€" teers out of the equation. "We always felt that was what made it so unique and part of the community." The city is forming a comâ€" miltee to come up with another format for next years event. Representatives of the BIA, council and other interâ€" ested parties will be asked to reinvigorate the idea of music in the park. But Mohr doesn‘t think she‘ll be a part of it. She thinks the city has lost the vision it needs to restore the Sounds of Sumâ€" mer festival. "One of the reasons we weren‘t as enthustastic about it was because Sounds of Sumâ€" mer was always a handsâ€"on community kind of event," said McFarland. "Although there still would have been an event, there would have been very little, if any, direct comâ€" munity involvement. "Personally 1 don‘t think it will come back in anything like it has been in the last several years," said Mohr. "They can bring it back next year. but they‘ve lost the momentum They‘ve lost everything we‘ve built." It‘s especially frustrating 10 see the enthusiastic reaction the concert stop got in Guelph Most of the 5,000 tickets were preâ€"sold to the event by last week. "That‘s one of the most frusâ€" trating parts â€" the idea works," said Mohr. "The Starâ€" dust Picnic is aâ€"very similar type of concert to what we would normally have at the Sounds of Summer." "I feel privileged that 1 will be involved with Stardust Picâ€" nic," she said. Mohr knows where she‘ll be this Sunday.