Part 6 – "11 Madison: Check the box.”
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
VanemadUuemad
wisdom from our mountebank30 Sep 2017 11:24
Again, Meiusi makes a short story long.
In this spiel, he's suggesting that the actors in this story are inept and; things would have gone swimmingly under the guidance of the wise observer on the sidelines - himself.
Meiusi got some help ....01 Oct 2017 07:38
... from a self-appointed Commissar of Public Enlightenment. Have yourself a good laugh as you watch him spread the b.s. nice and thick!
The Estonian House should be restored to its original condition; the Don Valley is for bird-watching; and a place where herds of deer can frolic in their natural habitat (after the Parkway is torn up?) Estonians are being hood-winked by "the developers, who don't live in the neighbourhood and are only out to make a buck".
Oh, the shame of it all! The only solution is to make Meiusi the final arbiter of everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
public editor01 Oct 2017 10:41
The 3-4'org PR 'expert' has failed, as have previous 3 projects with developers (throw-away of $250,000, same actors). Meuisi has skills, to say the least, to address what's at stake.

The invectives in the comments display the speakers' limits.
Ingrid Tanner01 Oct 2017 21:01
Interesting info ... and worrisome.

maybe we need to refocus on finding funds to keep the Esto House going!
Seems like a long road ahead...

Someone pointed out that the columbus centre offers many courses, has dedicated art space with a curator... and nowhere in the brochures do they speak of "italian" language or Italy.

The centre is open to all. And the fact that the proceeds of the centre assist the residents or the community ... that is the bonus for is all.

The current Estonian house could do the same... they could perhaps stop pushing the Estonian organizations on their web-site... we (Estonians) already know it exists... Thus one should instead show pictures from weddings, and parties... of other nationalities...and talk about who has rented our spaces...and get as many diverse people renting the spaces as possible... share THAT info online! And if you are not doing daily postings on-line then no one will see your marketing... since that is our reality with respect to marketing these days.

Did you know caterer's struggle to find venues for weddings and parties... since many hall insist on using the "authorized Caterers only. If it is open season for who can use the facilities.. one can get a lot more rentals. Ad on Craig's list or kijiji are free or small fees..

Do some real marketing.
Effective Marketing.

Mail flyers to all caterer companies... start to really market the Estonian House....

If you cannot market now.. how will you market any new location? Especially one with a mortgage that needs to be booked continually.

Finally,
Toronto Hydro would do an assessment of energy use and recommend solutions with a short term payback... meaning lower cost for utilities that have a short term payback period.
Evi Vahtra02 Oct 2017 10:41
Some people put way more effort and energy into dividing our already small community. Would be nice to see some support for those who have worked tirelessly for over 7 years to find a solution.
Too bad there are "super-estos" coming out of the woodwork that haven't lifted a finger for the benefit of EM until now.
Bake on!
Yeah right02 Oct 2017 16:28
Worked tirelessly to find a solution?

It is doubtful the many people who find this Madison proposal so troubling really care that you work hard. Maybe this really is too much work for you and the board since you always keep announcing how hard you have worked.

Solutions are placed on your lap by the community and they are ignored or rejected. Like the rejected initiative to repair the roof, and the completely ignored Latvian house offer. Open discussion of the true condition of EM is shut down. Your Madison proposal defies practical common sense so badly that people are suspecting that there is serious wrongdoing going on.

So maybe it is time for you reluctant workers to step down before we lose our community centre into bankruptcy. All we are seeing is arrogance from you. This is a travesty.
Being held hostage by bank03 Oct 2017 07:35
The present proposal to build on Madison is so misguided and this is what is dividing the community. It takes a leader to first find out what the community wants and needs before pushing through his/her own personal vision. It takes a leader with integrity to admit when he or she has been wrong and to then choose to alter his or her path. These leaders are acting like lemmings heading for a cliff. The “cliff” is that the choice to build on Madison will seriously inconvenience a significant number of the Estonian community. Parking is a major issue. Congestion is a major issue. Choosing an area that is less dense in its urban make-up as is Madison/Bloor will give parents peace of mind for their young children. I’m surprised that the organizers are still willing to ram this plan through, regardless of the cost to the community. It comes across as elitism.

Why are they so dead set against raising the money to rebuild the present Estonian House? It could become the most rad building, if we only dared to dream. Or why not go for a more peaceful space with parking options like building next to the Latvian Centre?

These project leaders also don’t seem to grasp that they have lost the confidence of the very people they will need to fund the Madison building project once the money quickly runs out from the sale of the present Estonian House.

***

To concede to the opposing view, I can see why the bank wants Madison. As I understand, it is hoping to set up shop at street level in Tartu College on Bloor and it is hoping to catch business from Bloor Street. But at what cost to the community? Must ETCU’s raison d’etre be the driving force of where the community centre is situated? This strong-arming seems like a “big bank” way of behaving. Shouldn’t it be the needs of the community that are front and centre?

If the bank is so set on setting up shop on Bloor, they can still come to an arrangement with Tartu College and do so, regardless of where the community centre resides. It can have offices in both a community centre at another location and have a location on Bloor. Please don’t hold the community hostage to your needs.
To Being held hostage by bank21 Oct 2017 09:46
Agreed. "This strong-arming seems like a big bank way of behaving". It might be worth investigating the history of influences/membership on the board, especially at the time of actions taken in this direction. We need a return to the cooperative tradition.

In the meantime other options, like the ones you mention, have not been explored.

Here is a recent example of cooperation from a smaller Estonian community. (Bigger is not always better). A reminder Toronto is not the Estonian "centre" for Canada, as was told the Globe and Mail recently by the folks at Tartu College. Other communities have organized (Alberta notably long before TC or EM.) Montrealers have kept their church in good repair, making it attractive to a fellow Finno-Ugric community. The church has historically functioned as a community centre and continues, in cooperation (MTLMES), to serve the community.

http://eestielu.com/et/sundmus...
Samalt IP numbrilt on siin varem kommenteerinud: public editor (10:41)
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