Two non-profit groups, who have both applied to operate their programs out of Harmony Hall, have been asked to mediate their dispute in order to get a lease extension from the Town of Gibsons.
Harmony Hall, a building in Gibsons owned by the Town, is currently run by the Gibsons Seniors Society (GSS). Another recently-formed group, Suncoast Harmony Entertainment Society (SHES), would like to run evening events of dancing and music for those seniors who want it, but their plans have been rejected by the current executive who prefers to offer mostly day-time programs for their members, aged 40 and over.
Six town-owned facilities in Gibsons, including Harmony Hall, are currently being occupied by non-profit groups. In the past month, all the organizations have been asked to submit proposals for permission to continue using the buildings.
At the Town's corporate services committee meeting on Tuesday, Chief Administrative Officer Paul Gipps explained that the Town undertook an asset review in 2008 of their municipal buildings and lands in order to assess their condition, anticipate repairs and their return on investment. In some cases, the occupying groups have been maintaining the properties at their own expense.
Gipps summarized proposals from all the groups that occupy town-owned facilities and gave his recommendations for renewal.
He noted that the two groups had applied for the use of Harmony Hall, and he recommended that the occupancy agreement for Harmony Hall be extended to the GSS. He noted that the building has been well maintained, and that the seniors had put money into its upgrading, thus making very little impact on the Town's budget.
"There's some ownership here for this society," he said. "They've put some sweat into it, but at the end of the day, it's still a Town facility."
His recommendation also included a condition that the five-year term of occupancy would be subject to the appointment of a mediator to make recommendations on how the two groups could participate in the use of the facility to their mutual satisfaction. He added that he didn't want to see the Town involved as mediator.
GSS president Lorraine Goddard told the committee that Harmony Hall was built by seniors, and though on paper it belongs to the Town, it is the seniors who operate it. She said that at a special general meeting of the membership on Monday, 100 members turned out to vote on a motion that the GSS cooperate with the entertainment group. But the motion was defeated. Goddard said this indicated that the GSS membership did not want to work with the Harmony entertainment group and that the GSS wanted to maintain control of the building.
Graham Wray, representing the SHES, reminded the committee that members of the new group were also members of the seniors group and that they had formed their own society to put on evening entertainment at their own cost and risk. He said their group was in favour of GSS continuing to manage the building, but he pointed out that it stands empty some weeknights and on Saturdays when it could be used for music or entertainment.
"I recognize the wisdom of the appointment of a mediator," Wray said, "so we can work things out."
The committee voted in favour of the recommendation, including the mediator condition, and it will be forwarded to council for further discussion and a final vote on the matter at this Tuesday's (May 4) council meeting.
