What Are They Thinking?

Sometimes you read an article and it really makes you wonder! That’s what happened to me yesterday! I received a “Google Alert” that the City of Ottawa was proposing to eliminate the funding to its festivals in 2009. I don’t know the whole story, but if it true, I think that it is a big mistake! Festivals and events are the backbone of any community. Making it harder for festivals to grow and prosper is “wrong” thinking. Consider, for a moment, what festivals and events mean to a community. First of all, they bring a community together. They give the community and its residents a sense of pride and purpose, a sense of community. They make residents want to reside in their community much longer and to give back to it! Successful, well funded festivals bring new visitors into the community. If people are enjoying themselves, they will spend money, sometimes, lots of it. They go to restaurants, stay overnight in hotels and shop in local retail stores. If they really have enjoyed themselves, they might even want to move to the community and be part of it. Additionally, some visitors may feel that the community is a good place to invest their money! Some might want to relocate their business to the community. Anything is possible! All this means more wealth for the community and more taxes to the government. With healthy festivals and events, everyone wins! I hope the politicians and staff of the City of Ottawa take a deep breath and reconsider their actions. The heath of their community depends on them doing the “right thing”!
Other communities who are considering similar actions should take note! This is not the time to cut back! It’s time to step forward and be bold. It’s time to make your community the best that it can be!