Toronto Street Festival 2007 is cancelled

[ferkel]

Thank David Miller for crying poor

Lastman's `Celebrate Toronto' scrapped despite audience support

Apr 15, 2007 02:30 AM
John Spears
city Hall bureau

Toronto has quietly killed a summer festival that was one of former mayor Mel Lastman's legacies to the city.

The Celebrate Toronto festival, which took over five major intersections along Yonge St. the weekend after Canada Day each year, has been scrapped.

The effort has been rolled into one of Mayor David Miller's favourite festivals, the revelry of Nuit Blanche, an event featuring outdoor and indoor theatrical performances.

This year's event is to start Sept. 29 at 7:03 p.m. and continue until dawn.

The decision stands in stark contrast to a staff report that raved about Celebrate Toronto's "overwhelming audience support" and "international acclaim."

The festival, said the October 2005 report, attracted more than a million people – 20 per cent of them tourists.

Lastman initiated the festival in 1998, the year Toronto was amalgamated into a megacity. The various locations had concerts, midway rides, food and street performers, each with a different theme.

"For people who don't have a cottage, it was a great weekend to be in the city," said Councillor Karen Stintz (Ward 16, Eglinton-Lawrence), who said she enjoyed the events.

But the festival had run its course, said Councillor Kyle Rae, who chairs the city's economic development committee.

"There was a feeling it may have served its purpose and its life expectancy, and there was now a new cultural event that was more dynamic," said Rae (Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale).

"There's a greater breadth across the city than Yonge St. There's a better cultural project that the city can present, and it's Nuit Blanche," Rae said.

Councillor Joe Pantalone (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina) agreed.

"The city has limited resources and we thought we could achieve more" by going in a different direction, Pantalone said.

But Stintz noted the festival was in line with the city's green aspirations. For one thing, it was held in car-free zones.

"We have cut out an extremely important street festival ... and there was no discussion about it," she said.

The staff report submitted in support of last year's festival called it a "high-profile" event that showcased 490 local artists.

The festival, it added, was "well positioned for continued international acclaim."

But the city's operating budget, which goes before city council on Friday, now recommends axing the "City of Toronto street festival" – not even deigning to use its formal name.

The $721,000 budget, which includes $400,000 of city money plus private sponsorships, will be given to Nuit Blanche.

The inaugural edition of Nuit Blanche attracted about 425,000 visitors, compared with Celebrate Toronto's 1 million.

With files from Jim Byers

[The_Professor]

That's disappointing......my wife and I have gone for the past four years and enjoyed ourselves. It had a great atmosphere, great fun for kids, and the weather always seemed to cooperate.

[YLSF]

yeah.. that sucks.. Used to go every year also.... (well, at least for the last 3 or 4)...

There seems to always be something going on though... Like, Luminato now which has been great so far.

[Firebot]

I never even heard of Nuit Blanche. Yet another Miller goof up.

So basically all that Miller has done is eliminate stuff people want, such as a Toronto Island bridge, giving the boot to Fantino and now one of the good events that Lastman has brought to Toronto. Meanwhile he votes himself and his cronies a hefty pay raise while at the same time cry poor that there's no money for the city.

Can anyone name 5 things that Miller has done in his tenure that was a positive for Toronto? Heck, even 1?

[vrus]

:mad: . this was one of my favourite shifts to work at. Everybody was cheerful. Nuit Blanche is an artsy event and I hated that shift. It was damn COLD working overnight.

[ferkel]

One festival is a tourist draw, the other one is a one night affair that is not family friendly.. the number 425,000 visitors to Nuite Blanche is a joke... the true number was probably 20,000 if even... how did people get around with no public transit after midnight? :cheesygri

[IronMac]

I didn't even know that this was still on and I live ten minutes' away from Yonge and Dundas by walking!

[flypretty]

it's sad that this traditional event will no longer be held. i agree with previous posters..it was something for everyone and its in the summer so everyone gets outodors.

sept 29 and at night? good luck on show up! the kids are sleeping and the eldery are resting. this doesn't look attracting for the city we live in.

[infinite.chaoz]

Mel is not gonna be happy with what Dave did to his Toronto. I enjoy street festival. So much cool stuff. Especially the Jays and TML booth, and they guy who stacks rocks to make amazing sculptures.

[ferkel]

Mel is not gonna be happy with what Dave did to his Toronto. I enjoy street festival. So much cool stuff. Especially the Jays and TML booth, and they guy who stacks rocks to make amazing sculptures.

Miller can never be half the Mayor Lastman was... Mel got things done! He got the city covered in Moose, the army to come and shovel snow, and gave the key to the city to the Spice Girls. I can't name one thing this BFG Miller has done.

[IronMac]

Miller can never be half the Mayor Lastman was... Mel got things done! He got the city covered in Moose, the army to come and shovel snow, and gave the key to the city to the Spice Girls. I can't name one thing this BFG Miller has done.

Mel...what a clown. Made us the laughingstock of Canada with his "oh, it's snowing" lament.

[The_Professor]

While I agree Mel was/is a clown, the fact remains he did a good job while mayor.

[Think]

They gave a $100 000 grant for a small minority group (gay community) , based on the false premise of millions of dollars of gained revenue and the illusion of it's popularity. So why not just cancel all events and have just the one condom day instead?

[Firebot]

Mel...what a clown. Made us the laughingstock of Canada with his "oh, it's snowing" lament.


Mel certainly was a character, but he was the mayor on duty for many of Toronto's crisis, including the blackout, SARS, and indirectly 9/11. He also became mayor at the time Toronto was amalgamated and had its budget severaly cut from the top, a very difficult situation. He also spearheaded the Olympics bid for Toronto, made way for a bridge to be built to Toronto Island to revitalize the downtown core, and brought in an annual event to celebrate Toronto and bring pride to the city, among other things. So he called the army for a snowed in Toronto, shook hands with the Hells Angels, and made a crude African tribal joke during the Olympics bid. He's not the world's best public speaker and a fossil when it comes to political correctness.

What can be attributed to David Miller other then cancelling the Toronto Island bridge and costing the city millions in penalty, blame the US for guns, raising taxes, cried poor while in the same breath voted himself in a huge pay raise, and cancelling one of the most popular tourist events in Toronto?

I'll take the goofy Mel Lastman over socialist David Miller any day of the week. At least we knew that Mel Lastman loved Toronto and was always looking towards the city's best interests.

[Think]

Mel...what a clown. Made us the laughingstock of Canada with his "oh, it's snowing" lament.


That's true but I would rather have a Mel then a Miller who controls the Police Board, the unions and has resorted to taxable extortion - reminds me of Chicago's hey days of organized crime.

[billdozer]

Mel certainly was a character, but he was the mayor on duty for many of Toronto's crisis, including the blackout, SARS, and indirectly 9/11. He also became mayor at the time Toronto was amalgamated and had its budget severaly cut from the top, a very difficult situation. He also spearheaded the Olympics bid for Toronto, made way for a bridge to be built to Toronto Island to revitalize the downtown core, and brought in an annual event to celebrate Toronto and bring pride to the city, among other things. So he called the army for a snowed in Toronto, shook hands with the Hells Angels, and made a crude African tribal joke during the Olympics bid. He's not the world's best public speaker and a fossil when it comes to political correctness.

What can be attributed to David Miller other then cancelling the Toronto Island bridge and costing the city millions in penalty, blame the US for guns, raising taxes, cried poor while in the same breath voted himself in a huge pay raise, and cancelling one of the most popular tourist events in Toronto?

I'll take the goofy Mel Lastman over socialist David Miller any day of the week. At least we knew that Mel Lastman loved Toronto and was always looking towards the city's best interests.

Post of the day. Agree 115%

[Blunt]

made way for a bridge to be built to Toronto Island to revitalize the downtown core, and brought in an annual event to celebrate Toronto and bring pride to the city, among other things.

What the hell are you smoking?
First of all Mel did none of these.
The revitalization of the downtown core can be attributed Barbara Hall when she re-zoned the downtown area now know as Entertainment District from warehouses/workspace to the condos, bar, clubs and pubs. She also push the regentrification of Toronto, by sparking the condo boom, with loft conversions and the development of unused land in downtown TO.
The bridge to the island has not been built yet, so how can you say "made way for a bridge to be built to Toronto Island to revitalize the downtown core".

Mel singlehanded killed the Olympic Bid with his African Cannibal comments that was carried around the world.
So, that inself is a massive failure.
Mel was not a hero of SARS, the top Toronot Health person was (Dr. Sheila ... I forget her name).
I have no idea what Mel did for 9/11 or the Blackout, so I don't even why you bring that up. Yes, he was mayor when those things happened... so what, I don't even know what he did.

The only thing that Mel did was create the Sheppard Subway line and we all know 'great' that is.

[Firebot]

What the hell are you smoking?
First of all Mel did none of these.
The revitalization of the downtown core can be attributed Barbara Hall when she re-zoned the downtown area now know as Entertainment District from warehouses/workspace to the condos, bar, clubs and pubs. She also push the regentrification of Toronto, by sparking the condo boom, with loft conversions and the development of unused land in downtown TO.
The bridge to the island has not been built yet, so how can you say "made way for a bridge to be built to Toronto Island to revitalize the downtown core".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Port_Authority

In 2002 Toronto City Council, while Mel Lastman was Mayor of Toronto, amended the tripartite agreement to permit a fixed link and approved the construction of a lift bridge to the Toronto City Centre Airport.

A direct link to the Toronto Island Airport where people could reach the downtown area directly by plane was a huge step in establishing Toronto as a world class city. Don't know what you're smoking as this plan did happen on Mel's watch.

Mel singlehanded killed the Olympic Bid with his African Cannibal comments that was carried around the world.
So, that inself is a massive failure.

Do you seriously think that Mel cost the Olympic bid with his comment? LOL. It was a media circus affair, nothing more. The bid decision was made long before this and Toronto had no chance of winning versus Beijing. If you think that Mel's comments made or broke Toronto's bid versus Beijing, in the most populated country in the world at a time when Asia was due for an Olympics, you have issues.

Mel was not a hero of SARS, the top Toronot Health person was (Dr. Sheila ... I forget her name).

Never called Mel a hero of SARS. The city did handly the issue appropriatly however.

I have no idea what Mel did for 9/11 or the Blackout, so I don't even why you bring that up. Yes, he was mayor when those things happened... so what, I don't even know what he did.

When 9/11 happened, all American international flights were redirected to Toronto and all the passengers had to be accomodated. Mel worked to ensure this went as smoothly as possible.

The only thing that Mel did was create the Sheppard Subway line and we all know 'great' that is.

The Sheppard line happened under Barbara Hall's watch, when Mel was still mayor of North York. As it has turned out over the past few years billions in development has occured over the line, ensuring that it will have increased ridership.

[ferkel]

I think we can agree that David Miller was the wrong choice for Mayor, but the citizens voted him in for two terms. However, I'm not sure if things would have been better with John Tory in charge either.

[Blunt]

A direct link to the Toronto Island Airport where people could reach the downtown area directly by plane was a huge step in establishing Toronto as a world class city. Don't know what you're smoking as this plan did happen on Mel's watch.

HAHAHAH.. the link was never built. From wiki:
WIKI: In 2002 Toronto City Council, while Mel Lastman was Mayor of Toronto, amended the tripartite agreement to permit a fixed link and approved the construction of a lift bridge to the Toronto City Centre Airport. The current mayor of Toronto, David Miller won his election, at least in part, on a high profile promise to prevent the bridge being built. Miller's stand made this one of the major election issues in the 2003 mayoralty election.

So, how did this link "revlitalize" downtoron when it was never built in the first place!!! ???


Do you seriously think that Mel cost the Olympic bid with his comment? LOL. It was a media circus affair, nothing more. The bid decision was made long before this and Toronto had no chance of winning versus Beijing. That comment was the turning point. Toronto was a front runner because countries was still against China and their human rights issues. Also, to have that comment played on CNN and all over the world made Toronto a laughing stock. My main point is Mel made us look like fools.


When 9/11 happened, all American international flights were redirected to Toronto and all the passengers had to be accomodated. Mel worked to ensure this went as smoothly as possible.
ALL the American international traffic??? Sorry, Gander, Newfoundland was the hero city that took in alot of the international flights.

WIKI: Subsequently, Lufthansa named one of its Airbus A340 aircraft Gander Halifax to thank both cities for their handling of rerouted travellers on 9/11. In addition, a book called "The Day The World Came to Town" was published by Reagan Books and several stories and segements about Gander's role during 9-11 have been featured on various educational and news programs.

The Sheppard line happened under Barbara Hall's watch, when Mel was still mayor of North York. As it has turned out over the past few years billions in development has occured over the line, ensuring that it will have increased ridership.

Sorry, but Barbara Hall was NEVER the mayor of Toronto after the almalgamation. Old Toronto's jurisdiction did not go up to Sheppard Line. The Sheppard Subway line is in North York. It was under Mel's jurisdiction. It is even in Wiki that Mel was responsible for it.
WIKI: Plans were developed in the early 1990s to build new subway lines along Eglinton and Sheppard Avenues. With the election of the Progressive Conservative provincial government in 1995, work on the Eglinton line was halted, but the Sheppard line was constructed. Some believed that North York Mayor Mel Lastman’s political clout (he was later elected Mayor of the amalgamated City of Toronto) was enough to ensure that his Sheppard line “pet project” was built. The Downsview station was added to the Spadina line partially in anticipation of the Sheppard project westward extension.

[moebius]

Old thread, but wanted to comment. The street festival was great the first 2 years when it was along Yonge from bloor all the way to Eatons. It had fireworks and some great bands in the evening. Not to mention fireworks on Yonge/Eglinton.
Then it got shrunk more and more to the point that the last two were crap. I remember it was during the world cup and all, but still it was just deserted. The numbers they can claim anything they want, but I know how big the first street festival was and how big the last one looked like. It was one tenth of the first one. It went downhill from the first one and they never figured how to attract more people. The festival has definitely run it's course. Too bad they didn't finish on a high(er) note.

[legendofxix]

Why the hell do we keep voting for this idiot (David Miller)?
All he does is spend and f- things up further.
Sure, Mel Lastman may not be the best guy to put infront of a camera but he got things done when the cameras were off.

[Cafe_333]

So, how did this link "revlitalize" downtoron when it was never built in the first place!!! ???He only stated that Mel "made way for a bridge to BE built to Toronto Island to revitalize the downtown core". Try not to take him out of context, the only thing he points out is that Mel made it possible for it to BE built. He never made any insinuation that it was built either.

Why the hell do we keep voting for this idiot (David Miller)?Well in the first election it was a close race. The people of Toronto wanted someone who they thought would be more of the people's person than some Financial District Bay Street yuppie type they couldn't relate with. David Miller won the second election because his opponents Stephen LeDrew and Jane Pitfield were no good. I guess people had no choice but to vote for the lesser evil? That or they didn't hate him enough yet.

[ferkel]

Haha.. read todays newspaper and David Miller wants to attract more festivals to Toronto. Hahaha.. I think he's does the opposite of whatever he intends to do.

[Pete Jones]

Since Miller was elected, he has made sure to cancel or otherwise remove any of the initiatives that Mayor Mel put into place.

Interesting to note that when Lastman started the street festival, it was done without any taxpayer funding. He was able to wrangle the whole thing using corporate funding.

Toronto has severely declined since Miller became mayor.

Aside from increasing taxes and decreasing services, what exactly has David Miller really accomplished since he was elected?

What will his legacy be?

Folks will someday stand on the new Toronto Island bridge and say, "Yup, this is the bridge that Mayor Miller made sure didn't get built."

I really can't wait for John Tory to become premiere so he can start fixing the Miller mistakes, albeit from a different position. Just think what might have been if John Tory had been elected mayor.

--Pete

[Narci]

That sucks.

Trade a family type event to an event for the artsy fartsy type.

I think the problem witht he street festival was that the events were spread out way too far apart. What they should have done is have the event on different intersections each year instead of the whole yonge street every year.

What I have seen so far from Miller has only benefitted Businesses and the type of people who live in Forest Hill/Bridle path.

What happened to family and community events?

[UrbanPoet]

shiet... cancelled?
I only went to it for one yr! happened to stumble upon it by accident/

[doraemi]

first 2 years of street fest was a blast, but then afterward, it got too commercialized.

before, there were so many free stuff to do and get, afterward it was all about making money.

that's why the number of vistors decreases every year