After a lengthy, spirited debate, Amherstburg town council will be keeping Open Air Weekends in the same 14-week format and it will stay that way for the next two years.
The remainder of the current council term has been covered off by the motion, which saw it pass in a 4-2 vote.
Mayor Michael Prue, participating in the meeting via Zoom, was in favour along with Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb, Councillor Linden Crain and Councillor Don McArthur.
Opposed were Councillor Diane Pouget and Councillor Molly Allaire.
Councillor Peter Courtney, also participating in Monday night’s town council meeting via Zoom, was not present for the vote.
Debate on the issue took place in two parts – the first being due to a delegation from downtown business owner Carolyn Davies. The second part came after council dealt with other matters before getting to the report from administration on Open Air survey results.
Davies said her argument in favour of Open Air Weekends was in three parts, which were healthy communities, a healthy economy and long-term sustainability.
Open Air brings the community together including long-term residents and newcomers to Amherstburg who are wanting to be out in the community, Davies indicated. She said people can get out and enjoy the event and not be at home isolating from each other, something she said has positive mental health benefits.
Davies added when Boblo Island Amusement Park closed about 30 years ago, downtown businesses suffered. She credited the tourism department for helping to build it back up and that Open Air Weekends has assisted with that. She noted the administrative report stating that over 104,000 came through in 2024.
Businesses should develop “creative ideas” for how to capitalize on Open Air, she believed, adding that “success is not just profits.” She believed the event creates a positive vibe in the downtown core.
“It’s joyous down there,” said Davies. “People are having a good time.”
Open Air Weekends has been positive for her business, the Bondy House Bed & Breakfast, and guests book rooms just to go to Open Air.
“Open Air is good for the businesses. It’s good for the citizens and it is the right thing to do for our community,” she said.
Courtney questioned her on the negative impacts some businesses in the footprint report having, with Davies suggesting they “think outside the box” and figure out how to take advantage of Open Air. She said they dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and if they adapt for that, they can do it for a festival.
Measures she suggested, under questioning from Councillor Molly Allaire, was to have hairdressers offer discounts or offer trims on the street. She said offering “a taste” of what they do could bring people back.
How much is too much, Courtney followed up with, and wondered if the event loses its lustre going on for 14 weeks.
“We have Christmas for 14 weeks in a row,” he said. “Do you think it’s too much and a balance might be needed?”
Davies said Open Air “is a joy” and reiterated her belief it is good for community health. She believed having it every weekend allows people to plan for it and know they can enjoy it. Davies added the event is just getting started.
“I think it’s just beginning. Word is getting out,” she said. “People know every weekend there is going to be a party downtown.”
People don’t necessarily want to eat or enjoy music inside, she added, and may want to do so outdoors.
“We’re suffering from a lack of joy in a lot of things,” said Davies.
Courtney asked if Davies believed if Open Air was “a saviour” for the downtown core and if she would be willing to pay for it if a Business Improvement Association (BIA) were to ever be founded. Open Air is one of the saving graces for the town’s downtown, Davies replied.
“No one thing is ever going to do it,” she said.
Davies added she would be willing to pay her fair share if a BIA were ever to be founded.
“The town is offering us a gift. It’s our job to embrace it and not accept the status quo,” said Davies.
Allaire voiced support for going to once a month for Open Air Weekends, said that would still provide consistency for businesses and the people who want to attend. Allaire noted the concerns of some of the businesses and called for “a fair compromise.”
“Not once councillor said they don’t want Open Air,” said Allaire. “It’s just the frequency.”
When the report and public survey came back before town council, both Allaire and Councillor Diane Pouget questioned if there was a strong enough mandate to continue the event in its current form. Discussion went back-and-forth between Pouget, Deputy CAO/director of development services Melissa Osborne and other council members on numbers in the survey and how they were tabulated. One of the more talked about questions centred on a portion of the survey which asked if business owners liked the current Open Air footprint. Twenty-five voted that they liked the footprint, 17 said they did not while seven had no opinion. Pouget said “it was very, very close” and said 70 per cent of people wanted no closures, but Osborne stated that 70 per cent was of the 17 per cent that didn’t like the footprint, as asked in the previous question.
Osborne said there was no recommendation in the survey, but Pouget outlined a line in the report that stated that Open Air continue as 14 weeks and that Open Air is a unique attraction that creates revenue. That line also stated Open Air embodies placemaking, but Osborne said “that is a statement in the report, not a recommendation.”
Pouget added “with all the comments from people that are suffering because of Open Air, I can’t imagine how did we determine that’s going to be recommended.”
McArthur asked about the importance of consistency, with manager of economic development and tourism Jen Ibrahim stating administration is trying to create a brand that Amherstburg is a place to visit and they know what to expect with weekly events.
McArthur added the question about a BIA is a fair one, but also a “red herring” because there is no BIA in Amherstburg and previous attempts to create one has failed. He noted the 104,000 people referenced in the report and the provincial tourism formula which sees that number translate into a $4.2 million impact. He suggested, and it was supported by Osborne, that overnight accommodation like that provided by Hotel STRY would assist.
Financial statistics were also discussed by McArthur, with Osborne stating over $79,673 in costs were incurred with $57,185 in revenue from grants and other sources realized. That meant a cost to taxpayers of $22,488, or 22 cents per attendee.
Allaire said Open Air is great for some businesses while others suffer. She doubted some of the numbers in the report, noting as an event organizer she knows how to attract people downtown and wondered about some of the Open Air numbers reported such as an average hourly attendance of 668 on Friday nights.
Originally enthused with some “amazing ideas” this past year, Allaire believed the “novelty wore off” as the year went on. There were points where streets were empty, she said, and that hurts some business owners who where there for over 40 years. She added she does not want to sit and have a beer outside next to someone having a haircut.
Pouget said motions made at the economic development committee were “unfair,” adding “how dare anyone say we can’t vote on it for two more years!”
“We have one complaint after another. This is one of the most controversial council has had since the beginning of the term,” she said.
The numbers in the survey were “too close,” she added, and said Open Air leads to traffic problems on Sandwich St. S. and other side streets in the nearby area.
“This is not Open Air, it’s called closed streets,” she said.
Pouget also referenced empty streets, stating the event was good during the pandemic but not now.
“We are playing Russian Roulette with other people’s lives and businesses,” she said.
Accessibility and the ability to get to the waterfront were also issues Pouget had with leaving the event at 14 weeks. She added the event “loses a significant amount of money” and believed the town was sending a message that only the able-bodies people can attend Open Air Weekends.
Prue said his position on the event did not change, and that council asked administration for a report about what businesses thought and they received.
“Staff have gone out and done that,” he said.
A survey is like a Gallup poll, he suggested, where not everyone will participate but the survey will give a “flavour” of what people think.
“Most of what people are saying (at the meeting) is a rehash of what has been said the last few years,” the mayor added. “What I’ve heard are same old arguments.”
Prue called the discussion “another attempt to kill (Open Air Weekends).”
While travelling in Spain, Prue added he ran into people from town who thanked him for how “wonderful downtown has become.”
“To have someone contact you out of the blue like that was amazing,” he said.
Prue added he agreed with Davies earlier points, believing if businesses can’t adapt, they likely won’t do well.
“I’m quite exhausted by the discussions we have every single year,” said Crain. “If I had $1 for every time we talk about Open Air, I’d be a rich man.”
Talk should be on how to improve Open Air, Crain said, and believed the “numbers speak loud and clear” on why he supports it.
“I hope if the conversation comes back to council again, it is to make it even better,” he said.
McArthur agreed with Crain that the numbers support keeping Open Air as is and that 51 per cent of businesses surveyed like the event. He referenced a November 2023 survey which had 77.8 per cent of residents liking Open Air and supported Davies’ earlier point about it having social benefits as well.
“Amherstburg families come together,” he said, adding it allows a free outing for families in Amherstburg.
“I don’t want to take that away from people and I won’t take that away from people,” he said.
Gibb said 90 per cent of people he speaks with like Open Air but want to see improvements. He said it is heartbreaking for him to see council unable to “get away from these entrenched positions” and find ways to improve it.
“We all know the program is a success,” said Gibb.
The deputy mayor said residents “overwhelmingly” want it but the feeling is less overwhelming from businesses.
“The fact the seven of us can’t get together to work on this and improve it I find heartbreaking,” he added.
After an initial attempt to call the question failed, Allaire agreed with Pouget that numbers were close.
“All of us are fighting about consistency,” she said.
Allaire said numbers show 27 businesses want it every weekend and 27 want a change in frequency. Kingsville has gone down from ten weekends to five and then to three, she added.
Changing it to once a month would save tax dollars, Allaire added.
CAO Valerie Critchley said if town council wants to vote on it again during 2025 budget deliberations, a motion to reconsider would have to pass.
Open Air to stay the same after lengthy debate
By Ron Giofu
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