While several organizations must wait to hear whether they’ll get city funding to offer festivals in New Westminster, council has approved funding for Uptown Live.
New Westminster city council has approved $28,000 in cash and $20,000 for in-kind city services to the Uptown Business Association to put on the Uptown Live street festival.
“Are you suggesting that you would want to give this organization, for a one day festival, $28,000 in cash? Is that what the motion is?” asked Coun. Betty McIntosh, the lone councillor to oppose the grant. “I have to speak against that.”
New Westminster city council tabled a report about festival grants at its committee of the whole meeting on Monday, but at that evening’s meeting Coun. Bill Harper asked that council approve the grant to the Uptown Business Association. Council previously approved funding for festivals such as the Arts Council of New Westminster, Fraser River Discovery Centre, Royal City Pride Society, Sapperton Business Association (Sapperton Days) and the West End Business Association (12th Street Music Festival).
“All those five – that’s five different festivals – they are only getting $25,000 in cash,” McIntosh said. “I believe $28,000 for one organization for one day is excessive.”
McIntosh proposed council give the Uptown Business Association a portion of the grant requested to stage Uptown Live, suggesting $12,500, as that’s the amount being considered for Fraser River Discovery Centre for RiverFest. She said she couldn’t support $28,000 in cash and $20,000 in in-kind to an organization offering a one-day festival on its own for the first time this year.
In its first two years, the Hyack Festival Association and the Uptown Business Association worked together to organize Uptown Live. The street festival includes musical entertainment on several stages, food trucks, displays and children’s activities.
Harper said Uptown Live has enjoyed tremendous support from businesses in the Uptown area, and draws a lot of younger people and young families to the area. He said some have estimated that 25,000 people attended last year’s event.
“I think it’s something that needs to be done,” he said. “We want to see it be successful.”
Harper isn’t convinced that the city’s in-kind contribution will be $20,000 if the event is held in conjunction with the Hyack International Parade.
McIntosh said she spoke with Bart Slotman of the Uptown Business Association and he told her the event wouldn’t be held on the same day as the Hyack Parade, and would likely be done sometime in the summer.
“The Hyack Festival Association is going forward with parade planning and an uptown street fair like they previously did,” she noted. “It (Uptown Live) is not being done in consultation with the parade, so I’m not sure council would suggest that.”
Harper, however, said he spoke to Slotman last week and was told the event would take place on the same day as the Hyack parade.
Coun. Jaimie McEvoy said he has some “discomfort” with the festival grants process, but supported the request. He suggested the city invite the Uptown Business Association to come to council and do a presentation about its proposal for Uptown Live.
“That’s ridiculous,” McIntosh muttered under her breath about council’s decision.
Slotman couldn’t be reached for comment by The Record’s deadline.
