| Buskers back at Eau Claire
The new owners of Eau Claire Market have backed off on plans to eliminate buskers from the building and are denying that they ever planned to do so.
Eau Claire Market has had buskers operating out of the facility since the building opened two decades ago. However, after new owners took over the facility on July 1, at least one busker, violinist Karen Sim, received a letter from the market’s event co-ordinator, Erin Pushie, that stated the company would be ending the busking program.
"The new owners are very eager to re-brand, redevelop, and revitalize the property, turning it into a destination that Calgarians can be extremely proud of…. As a result of this ownership/management change, the Eau Claire Market will no longer host the busker program, effective Friday, August 13, 2004," says the letter written by Pushie, which Fast Forward has obtained a copy of.
The letter goes on to say, "We have appreciated your performances and entertainment over the past while. Should you wish to continue busking in the city, there are other opportunities available to you."
The letter then suggests Sim should get in touch with the Calgary Downtown Association for information about busking along Stephen Avenue and Barclay Mall.
Sims says she’s the only person she knows who received the letter, but she told several other buskers about it and she says all her colleagues were very upset about the potential loss of a popular venue.
Despite the letter, Pushie says there were never any plans to cancel the busking program.
"There has been a miscommunication," she says. "We’re just going to be changing the format. We’re not getting rid of it all together…. It will be announced to the buskers very soon what is happening."
Pushie says the owners of the market received numerous complaints from people who had heard of plans to eliminate the busking program.
"People are really supportive of the buskers here and I guess we underestimated that," she says. "Just the outcry from the public was amazing."
Sim says she has problems believing there was no intention to end the busking program, especially because there was a date stated in the letter when the busking program would end. However, she says she’s relieved she will still be able to perform at Eau Claire.
Benefit for King Eddie staff
The Shamrock Hotel is holding a benefit blues jam for former staff of the King Eddie bar on August 21.
The Calgary Health Region condemned the King Edward Hotel last week due to mould contamination. The hotel was home to a popular, longtime blues bar as well as apartments.
The 99-year-old building is owned by the City of Calgary. Shirley Popdiuk, spokesperson for the City of Calgary’s corporate properties and buildings division, says city council had asked her department to look into transforming the building into affordable housing and to report back to council this September. Popdiuk says it’s estimated it will cost $800,000 to rid the historic building of asbestos and mould. That’s not including the cost to renovate it. The building is classified as a heritage building by the Calgary Heritage Authority.
The fundraiser for unemployed bar staff will be held on Saturday, August 21 at 3 p.m. Bill Dowey will host the jam. For more information, call 230-5350.
Auburn Saloon needs artists
Auburn Saloon is looking for performers to share their talent at a fundraiser for PAL Calgary on Sunday, August 22 at 8:30 p.m.
PAL Calgary is a registered charity that offers assistance to people in need who have been involved in Canada’s professional performing arts community.
For more information, call Frank Proctor at 264-4049. |
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