Kingsville Arts & Cutlural Development Association

Kingsville Council Update - If we pave paradise, let's pave it it green

2011-07-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Kingsville has a diverse, talented, sophisticated and well educated population representing a wide range of ages that offer both maturity and youthful vitality.

We are blessed by a thriving wine tourism industry and many fine restaurants and shops. One of the strengths of Kingsville is our heritage. Those generation old buildings in our downtown and stately houses in our neighbourhoods are more than physical leftovers of a bygone era. It's part of our culture.

Many years ago the Town's Business Improvement Association recognized the importance of a downtown with a beautiful streetscape filled with trees, colourful flowers, restored heritage buildings – all creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere for people to socialize, shop and do business.

By Council Resolution 186-2011 the Town of Kingsville allocated $1.8 million of the proceeds received from the sale of E.L.K. shares to fund community projects. The KACDA submitted a proposal for "The Kingsville Arts, Culture and Visitor's Centre" as part of the Kingsville Council's Strategic Planning process for 2011.

We are excited to see that the Carnegie continues to be a priority in the 2011 Strategic Planning sessions held to date.

But there is still lots to work out before we see a commitment by the Town to convert the historic Carnegie Library into a year-round Arts, Culture and Visitors' Centre. Currently we are working on a business plan to be sent to Council. We will keep you up to date.

In the meantime, we want to thank all the supporters who came out to Council's meeting last night to support the BIA's vision of a "Carnegie Arts, Culture and Visitors' Centre".

The anticipated costs to renovate the building, bringing it up to code and adding an annex with an elevator and accessible public washrooms in this annex was being presented as $322,875.00. What was not clear from the July 11 Council Agenda was the nature and extent of the renovations being urged by administration.

Key to the BIA's vision is the preservation of the green space beside the Carnegie. The parkette, surrounded by beautiful gardens and trees all combine to make this a landscape of universal beauty. The architect's report attached to Council's agenda continued to show 18 parking spaces in this wonderful area.

With your support the warning contained in Joni Mitchell's song, Big Yellow Taxi, was heard very clearly by Kingsville Council last night.

"Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot"

We want to thank everyone who came out to last night's Kingsville Council Meeting to demonstrate your concern that the "parkette" beside the historic Kingsville Carnegie Library might be paved and turned into 18 asphalt parking spaces.

Councillor Queen's motion made it clear that its green space and not gray space that Council desired. Deputy May Stomp spoke passionately about the importance of Carnegie moving forward quicker than it has in the past.

But Councillor Peterson is right. Parking will have to be addressed as we move forward in our discussions. Currently the spaces are required by the Town's By-law, although Council could change the requirements. We have an underutilized parking lot across the street at the moment. To the extent that on-site parking will be needed, we are urging Council to think creatively - if you will forgive the pun. We need to consider a creative, non-intrusive design and instead compliment the Carnegie's character. One such alternative is permeable pavement which allows grassed areas to be used as parking space. Let's explore an alternative which will lend pride to our community and define Kingsville as a welcoming place to live.

Come Celebrate Sidewalks Sales Creole Style

2011-07-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

Chuck Anderson plays acoustic & electric bass, Beate Williams plays the banjo-uke & scrub board, Mark Palms plays accordion & fiddle, Mike Zivsak plays fiddle & guitar, and Randy Markey plays guitar & banjo.

Creole du Nord’s sound can be traced to southwest Louisiana’s traditional music mixed with some crossover tunes such as in “Cluck Old Hen,” “Rueben’s Train” or some forgotten gospel song of the “Okay” label. When they say they play Creole and other traditional music, what they’re really talking about is some down home sawing or two-steppin’ on a sawdust floor.

So after a day of shopping for bargains, go get some dinner at one of our fine restaurants and joint us for the best bargain of all - a free concert in the second "Not Quite Carnegie" Concert on the grounds of the former Carnegie Library. Bring your lawn chairs, even do a little (or a lot of) dancing.

2011 "Not Quite Carnegie" Free Summer Concert Kickoff June 25, 2011

2011-06-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

THE KINGSVILLE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION PRESENTS

Our first in the 2011 series of “NOT QUITE CARNEGIE” COMMUNITY CONCERTS

THE JUNE 25, 2011 EVENT IS SPONSORED BY:

We thank the people of Box Office Video for their continued generous support of our efforts to enhance our community’s quality of life, and help shine a light on the need for a permanent home for a four-season “Kingsville Arts and Cultural Centre and Visitor’s Bureau”.

Please speak up for what you’d like to see happen with our historic Carnegie Library and this beautiful park-like venue. If you share our vision, please contact your council members, tell your friends, and of course continue to enjoy our presentations.

Our next event will be on July 22nd, here on the lawn at 7.00 p.m. featuring the band Creole du Nord with ‘Zedeco’ (Cajun) Music. What a great opportunity to shop the Kingsville Sidewalk Sales (July 22 & 23rd), have dinner in one of our fabulous restaurants and enjoy a concert in the evening! Other concerts will be a Battle of the Bands on August 26th (location to be announced) and on September 30th , back here at the Carnegie, we will feature all local entertainment in conjunction with Canada Culture Days from 6 – 9 P.M.

Our concert series kicks off with the Greater Windsor Concert Band. The Band is a not-for-profit group of amateur musicians from all walks of life dedicated to bringing concert band music into the community and providing a place for adult musicians to practice their craft. They play a variety of concerts throughout the year including our spring and fall spectaculars, our series of summer park concerts, festival concerts, and Christmas concerts. They also do liturgical music for Church services as a way to give back to the community. Contact our president Ric Moore at www.greaterwindsorconcertband.ca for more information on how to become a part of our dynamic band.

2011-02-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

Confessions of a Crazed Photographer

The Kingsville Association for Development of Arts and Culture (KACDA)

and

Shooters Photography Club (SPC)

are proud to co-sponsor Ethan Meleg on:

Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 7 – 9:30pm

at the Pelee Island Winery

Confessions of a Crazed Photographer is a presentation on the challenges and solutions of wild life photography from a professional photographer – Ethan Meleg. Originally from Kingsville, Ethan is a self-taught photographer, published all over the world in books, calendars, brochures, magazines and corporate ads. Credits include: National Geographic books, Ranger Rick books, Forbes Magazine, Canadian Geographic, Wyman Calendars, Lonely Planet books, Cottage Life, Birder’s World, Wildbird, National Wildlife, Nature Canada, ON Nature, Canoe & Kayak and many more. He is the humour columnist and a regular contributor for Outdoor Photography Canada magazine as one of Canada’s leading outdoor photographers.

This event features a audio-visual presentation by Ethan, followed by a wine and cheese reception. Tickets are $20 and will soon be available at various locations TBA. All proceeds from this event will be used to support arts and culture in Kingsville. We thank Ethan for his generous support.

Community Economics and Cultural Planning

2011-01-28T23:00:00.000-08:00

Kingsville has the potential to create an arts district around the vacant Carnegie library, and design a cultural plan to attract retirees and stem the loss of young people, London consultant Gord Hume said Friday.