BUSKING BYLAW PETITION

PETITION TO ALTER OUT NEW AND QUITE SADLY FLAWED BUSKING BYLAW

Hello; my name is Mose Stephenson.  You might have seen me busking in front of Legacy Books; Bandito Video; and down in our harbour by the ice-cream shack over the years.  This year; our city council voted to re-introduce busking into the down-town core.  Having fought for an exemption and lost; when the original bill was passed under the Hamilton administration (even though I fulfilled; to the letter; what the city clerk's office asked of me!); I was delighted to see the city adopt a much more "progressive" attitude towards this issue!  However, I think their plan has a number of very unnecessary and fundamental flaws in it that need to be addressed before it "limps" into it's second term.

I have the permission of the business establishments you've seen me entertaining in front of; and when I fought the original bill I was asked to obtain the permission of businesses in the down-town core; which I did . . . though I was still not granted an exemption; and no reason was ever given!  I started Barrie's first folk society: "Performance House" in 1977; and it ran successfully out of the old Farmer's Market building until 1992.  I was also part of The Friends of The Fire-hall movement in 1976; which should have been our first Art Gallery; but a lack of "vision" saw yet another glorious old structure assigned to the garbage heap of this city's history!

When our cultural department came up with their "plan"; we;  the buskers of this city; were promised inclusion into the decision making process; but our suggestions were sadly and deliberately left out in the cold; and their extremely flawed plan was "rammed" through council before we had time to blink an eye!  If I hadn't been ill at the time the original bill was passed; I would most certainly have fought it; and probably would've won; . . . given that I had fulfilled the mandate asked of me!  And had I won; it would be a simple case of getting the permission of the store-owner; pay a small licensing fee to the city and that would be that!  Now we are forced to endure yearly auditions; judged by a panel of "out-siders"; monthly scheduling for which designated areas we will be "assigned" to use; a fee of $100 (which is $61.50 higher than Toronto's); and "maybe" only 4 or 5 of the places chosen for us by our cultural department are even worth showing up for!!!  I've seen our fire-hall bite the dust when it shouldn't have; I've seen the MacLaren almost lose funding over the "Rodin" issue; and you would think that my history of involvement with the arts in this city over the years; the fact that I was the only one to contest the original bylaw; and that it's been my dogged determination spring, summer, fall, and winter that's kept this issue alive; that my suggestions would've been given more credibility!  This is "Barrie-town"; people; "Rumourville"; "City By The Bay" and "Town Without Pity!"   We don't need yearly auditions; designated areas; and a fee that is higher than anywhere else in this whole country!  This should be between the busker and the store-owner . . . period!  Get permission; pay a small fee and that's that!  Please show your support for my cause by signing this petition!  Thank you for your time!