Bluesfest Left Homeless

[bradm]

The Ottawa Citizen is running a story about the NCC's decision earlier this week not to allow the Ottawa Cisco Systems Bluesfest to return to Confederation Park.

Apparently the big concern is that, with Canada Day, the Bluesfest, and the Jazz Festival all in the same space and packed so close together in time (over the span of just a couple of weeks), there isn't enough time to get/keep the grounds in good shape.

Aloha,

Brad

[Mr. Musicface]

That sucks - I was there a couple of summers back when Blues Traveler was on the bill. I thought Confederation Park was a great venue for it, far better than the parking lot they had it in in London this summer!

Peace,

- Mr. M.

[Esau]

I got this email in from the blues fest community............

Dear Bluesfest Supporters:

As you may or may not know the National Capital Commission has decided that

Bluesfest will no longer be welcome in Confederation Park. This decision, at

this date, puts us in a very difficult position. For this reason, we are asking

for your support in contacting the National Capital Commission with your

thoughts on why this decision should be overturned.

Please send any comments to Marcel Beaudry, chairman of the National Capital

Commission:

mbeaudry@ncc-ccn.ca

and C.C.:

Mr. Mac Harb, M.P. (Ottawa Centre): harb.m@parl.gc.ca,

Hon. Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage: sheila_copps@pch.gc.ca, and

Hon. John Manley, M.P. (Ottawa South) Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of

Finance: jmanley@fin.gc.ca.

If you want more background information on this decision, please read the Ottawa

Citizen article in December 13th edition (front page) or go to

http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/story.asp?id=19C9267D-81EA-4A05-BB40-B07FE2035DF7

for the online version or visit www.ottawa-bluesfest.ca.

Although this decision has been made without public consultation, we feel that

with your help and a show of community support, the N.C.C. may reconsider.

Thank-you for your efforts and we will keep you posted.

Please feel free to forward this email to any of your contacts.

Mark Monahan

Executive Director

Cisco Systems Bluesfest

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What's the problem with moving it from Confederation Park? It was a horrible venue. Whoever thought music would sound good bouncing off big concrete buildings should get their heads examined. Not to mention the design of the site sucked, it was too small, and all the cheap city politicians were watching from their offices. Make them pay like everyone else!!

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