I am writing this letter is response to the uncertainty of the Garrick Theater at Bonavista.
I feel that ACOA should hold more responsibility for this project and not 'bail' out as it is looking to me and other residents of our Town. This theater was and still is the only source of entertainment for a Community that is losing it's "young people" very quickly. There's nothing to offer the younger generation and it's making an impact on their decisons to stay here or move.
ACOA went into this project to restore the exterior as well as the interior which meant that the inside was gutted out with promise of being a newly renovated theator. IF the inside was left untouched before the decision was made by ACOA to terminate their plans than it would be an acceptable decision to some extent. At least the residents of Bonavista could still use the Theater for mattinees and movies. The way it stands now, we have an attractive "face" but nothing inside to accomadate it! What does ACOA feel we should do with the building now..it's worthless the way it is!
I grew up in Bonavista and even then there wasn't a whole lot to do but at least there was something to look forward to on the weekends. Kids these days have nothing to do and nowhere to go to pass their time exept bumming around Town making nusences of themselves for Business owners who can't have loiterers hanging around. It affects their business as well. Not all kids are doing this, some are just going to friends' houses and there are more that are so bored they're turning to drugs and alcohol. If it wern't for the Salvation Army trying to bring the kids together for some fun on Friday nights, they would have NOTHING!! It's a shame that our kids have to grow up with the mind set that as soon as they're old enough to get out of this Town that they're gonna hop the first plane to do so.
It's bad enough when you hear adults complaining about the lack of entertainment in our area. But when it comes to kids saying it as well.....we have to take a look at what can be done to bring our community back to life again! Bonavista was thriving once and I know we can never get that back due to the lack of work in our area but at least we don't have to take away our fun as well!
It was a nice idea to build the Matthew and a building to store it in but with all the money that went into this project...where's the entertainment at? It's a fine spot for Tourists to visit sure but as for a resident of the same community, one visit is enough! We only have to look forward to Bonavista celebrations in the summer that is held in this area which is way too small to accomadate our population as well as it is in a dangerous area since it's located so close to the water. But that's a whole new issue in itself.
Bring back our theater, please. Let us have at least one place of entertainment in our Town that we can have pride and Joy over. We shouldn't have to travel out of Town to enjoy a performance in another Town when we have our own Theater in which can be used for it's sole purpose of showing movies and such. The Garrick Theater will attract not only our own residents but Tourists who want to spend time in our Town as well. Give them something else to take away with them when they go....a nice night out watching a good movie!!!
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter!
Yours sincerely,
Andrea Linthorne
cc:
Hon. Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Hon. Danny Williams, Premier, Newfoundland and Labrador
Hon. Tom Hedderson, Minister, Tourism, Culture and Recreation
Hon. Kathy Dunderdale, Minister, Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
Scott Simms, M.P., Bonavista Gander Grand Falls-Windsor
Roger Fitzgerald, M.H.A., Bonavista South
Paul Mills, Vice-President (Newfoundland and Labrador), ACOA
Mayor Betty Fitzgerald, Town of Bonavista
IP:142.163.66.1