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Written by Bruce Strachan
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 |
On Aug. 25, Prince George city council will hold a public hearing on the question of allowing the Chances Good Time bingo hall to move from its current downtown location to the Treasure Cove Casino at the intersection of Highways 97 and 16.
As a downtown resident, I say let it go, and the sooner the better.
Plus - and given the evidence - any other decision would appear to be flogging a dead horse.
Owner John Major wants to move the operation. The Bonanza Charities Association is in favour of the change, with both parties saying bingo revenues are down at the current Quebec Street location.
Major makes a telling point when he says, “The change will enhance opportunities for downtown.”
Absolutely. If we want to develop a better, livable downtown, there are far better uses for this property than running bingo games.
Look at the site; it’s a new building, it has a heated 154-stall parking lot, plus it’s a short walk to the Civic Centre precincts, the Coast Inn, the Two Rivers Art Gallery and the Bob Harkins branch of the Prince George Library.
Tell me, how many bingo players at Chances Good Time would be inclined to drop their daubers and nip over to Winston’s for a $100 nosh washed back by a glass or two of Chateau Margaux?
Or stroll over to the Two Rivers Gallery?
A bingo parlour at Seventh Avenue and Quebec Street is a bad idea, particularly if we want to focus on the area as a site for a high-end entertainment experience; high end in the sense of residential development, quality restaurants and perhaps a performing arts centre.
Now don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against bingo players.
I’m sure they’re a charming group who just had the misfortune to miss math class the day they were doing probability theory.
Plus, we have to thank bingo players for their ongoing and unselfish contributions to our provincial coffers.
However, in bingo -- as in all other games of chance where the house makes a profit -- there are far more losers than winners.
Having lived just a block away from the former bingo hall on Vancouver Street, I’ll also tell you those losers can get really grumpy.
Moving them out of downtown and over to the Treasure Cove - with the rest of the grumpy gamblers - is a great idea.
Coun. Brian Skakun voted against holding the public hearing. He says, “I got a lot of calls and a lot of people talking to me on the street and a lot of people downtown, they don’t want to see that gaming centre move.”
Opposing a public hearing because people are talking to him is a curious twist of logic on Skakun’s part. Perhaps he’s tuned into voices the rest of council can’t hear; kind of a high-frequency dog whistle thing.
But I digress. Move the bingo hall; it doesn’t fit at Quebec and Seventh.
City councillors, spend some time downtown.
Get a sense of what’s going on, then vote: under the G - gone.
* * *
Corporate PR 101.
Fortress Canfor didn’t make too many friends when it announced it would not rebuild the North Central Plywood mill. At issue, the profound corporate discourtesy Canfor showed to our community and city council.
In contrast, and by way of a quick primer on good community manners, take a look at the way Tolko Industries handled a similiar decision when it announced it would not rebuild its Louis Creek Sawmill at Barriere. The mill had burned to the ground in the 2003 McLure forest fire.
First, Tolko gave the Thompson-Nicola Regional District a 24-hour-advance heads-up. At the time, Barriere was an unorganized community with no elected government.
Second, Mike Harkies, Tolko operations manager, met with the 200 Tolko employees at a community hall and gave them the news first hand.
Tolko offered a severance package of $5.5 million, 40 per cent over the requirements of the collective agreement. The company also set up a portable office to provide information on retraining, relocation and the availability of short-term jobs.
To the head-office charm-school grads at Canfor, I found this out by spending about 45 seconds on the Tolko website, then calling a buddy of mine who lives in the area.
Clearly, managing a tough business decision is not rocket science.
Canfor could also benefit by looking at the lead line in Tolko’s mission statement which reads; “Respect for people is the foundation for all our business practices.”
What a concept. Respect for people. Over to you, Canfor.
Bruce Strachan is a former B.C. cabinet minister and Prince George city councillor. His column appears Thursdays. E-mail:
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 August 2008 )
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