WINNIPEG:

KELVIN COMMUNITY CLUB DEMOLISHED:

Molly blogged quite frequently early last year about the closing of the Kelvin Community Club, just south of where Molly lives. Despite the efforts of local residents at the time the doors of the Club were closed, and last Wednesday, April 16, the wrecking crews moved in. This was despite the efforts of the Manitoba Metis Federation earlier this year to save the club by offering their own financial support for its re-opening. The City rejected the offer of the MMF, and stuck by its plan for demolition. This event precipitated one of the usual exchanges between Lillian Thomas, the City Councillor of Elmwood and Sam Katz, the Mayor. Councillor Thomas suggested that she may run for Mayor in the future to "make up for the damage he has done" because she is "so pissed with this guy". Katz responded with even snarkier comments, saying that such a move would be "the best thing that ever happened to the people of Elmwood-East Kildonan. That would hopefully mean that they have a chance, an opportunity, to finally get a councillor who would represent them". Here it's time for another of Molly's hairballs. Cough, cough, cough, gack, gack plahhh ! Oh, that's relief !!! I suppose that selling the frontage of the now-extinct KCC will be "in the interests" of people residing in this ward ? This is grist for the old "there otta be a law" mill. Perhaps there should be a law that says that any developer who is sold city land at a reduced price should NOT only have NEVER been associated in a business sense with ANY of the politicos who voted to offer such land for sale, is NOT presently associated with same and will NOT ever be associated with same for at least 20 years in the future (ALL these deals are done by informal contacts within the social circles of the ruling class- put a tiny, little restriction on such things). Criminal penalties should be applied. If you steal millions from the public you should face at least the same sort of sanctions that somebody who breaks into a house and steals a $500 piece of electronics does.

Unfortunately such justice will never happen. In the interum the ruling clique at City Hall has put forward a proposal to fund "sports participation" on the part of inner city kids (though one can bet that the lion's share will go to the suburbs in the end). Oh great ! There is considerable debate about whether such "organized sports" actually reduce the crime rate amongst youths. One thing is certain, however, it fits the world view of the ruling class that the underclass has to be disciplined and organized. Militarized in other words. When it was operative Kelvin was a locus for far more than sports, especially "organized sports". There was a chess club and a film showings amongst other things.

Molly has a particular bee in her bonnet about this. She suffered through the one and only effort on the part of the local Legion to organize a hockey team in her home town. It lasted all of one year, and it was never repeated, though the efforts of said Legion to enforce a curfew at the local hockey rink persisted several years until they were abandoned. We won in other words through shear persistence. Militarization !. Molly lost at least two teeth on the rink in the local games. Neither incident was so exquisitely painful as being forced to perform in public before an audience. The word "terror" hardly expresses what I felt then. Later in life, after the old man had retired and we moved to the city, Molly was one of the best players on defense in the informal football games that we put together without the obtrusive and obnoxious organizing efforts of the adults. Well, I'm half Russian, and I was very good at rushing.

Informal !! That's the key word. Despite the illusions of the ruling class that all the scummy little poor buggers need is a little discipline, and despite the illusions of their leftist collaborators who are salivating at the prospect of more remunerative positions for their ilk, the sort of personal dignity that actually prevents crime can only come from the individual themselves. I doubt that kids today are very much different than they were when I grew up, even if the temptations of anti-social behavior are far greater. This sort of personal morality is contradictory to the "gang mentality" that is taught by adult-organized sports.

All that adults can do is stand back, provide a variety of opportunities to youth, and not try to direct the kids' lives. This, of course, assumes a faith in the potential of free action that neither the ruling class nor "the left" has. So I conclude... let kids be kids. Don;t close down their gathering places and expect that your army-like "alternatives" to substitute for their free action. But, of course, liberty is one thing that both our rulers and their leftist imitators fear.

A COUPLE OF LOCAL EVENTS OF INTEREST:

Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 21st the Kelvin Community Club (see many previous posts on this blog) will be holding its Annual General Meeting from 7- 8:30 pm at the club. This meeting will elect board members, ask for volunteers for various functions and canvass opinions as to the options for the future of Kelvin. interested residents who cannot attend the meeting can phone 669-7470 for information on the meeting and volunteering.

Speaking of clubs Molly and wife had a great time at the St. Patrick's Day bash at the Irish Club, and Molly even got to lobby Premier Gary Doer about declaring St. Patrick's Day as Manitoba's winter holiday, just like Newfoundland already does. Yeah, Molly DOES occasionally speak to politicians without throwing a convulsion. Look to this blog for an extended article on St. Patrick's Day- long in the writing.

Finally, this Saturday, March 24th the Winnipeg branch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (see also our 'Other Interesting Links' section) will be holding a public event at the Bird's Hill park NE of Winnipeg from 9:00 pm to 11:30 pm. The viewing from this location is great as Molly can testify from other events held there, and a laser sky tour and other demonstrations will be presented. A number of telescopes will be set up for the viewing public. In particular Saturn with its rings will put on a great show.

Molly

LATEST CITY MOVE ON THE KELVIN COMMUNITY CLUB:
The other day the City of Winnipeg made a surprise move that may indicate that they intend to break yet another promise and close the Kelvin Community club even before the threatened end of the season. The City gave notice that the Lacrosse club who store their equipment at Kelvin have until tomorrow, Thursday the 15th, to retrieve it. While this may be a random move on the part of the City bureaucracy it would still fit with a consistent pattern of broken promises on the part of the clique presently in power at City Hall. Mayor Sam Katz's "promises" have been detailed previously on this blog (see Jan 20th), and his trumpeting of "promises made:promises kept" on his website sound rather hollow in terms of his previous "commitment" to "no forced closures" of community clubs.





Meanwhile long standing civic activist Nick Ternette has echoed the proposal to have the community club turned over to the community in a letter to today's Winnipeg Sun. He also points out that there are nine other community centres in this city which may face closure in the future. One can bet that none of these will be affluent areas of Winnipeg. One of those in the ward of Katz's best hatchetmen, councillor Steeves, is receiving further support, a matter that has angered Elmwood residents.





Molly has previously advocated on this blog that the idea of turning the community centres into cooperatives (what Ternette calls non-profits) is the best and most sensible thing to do. The simple fact is that the community clubs as they are presently constitute are not "community" at all. They are the property of the City of Winnipeg and whatever clique controls the City essentially owns the clubs. The local residents of an area will support an institution such as a community club to the exact extent that they have real property rights in that institution. The larger the political organization controlling the institution the more diluted such rights become by the real control exercised by the controllers of the organization.





The situation of the Kelvin Community Club and other such clubs in Winnipeg is a microcosm of this dilemma. People will commit to an organization, group or institution very much and sometimes only to the extent that exercise real control over that organization, group or institution. Sometimes this commitment can be inflated by hidden elites, but over the long term "real property rights" count- at least in terms of voluntary commitment. The way that state socialism collapsed in Eastern Europe is a case in point. No matter what the rhetoric, supported by a vast propaganda machine and a secret police apparatus, the reality that this "socialism" really meant that the "socialized property" was the actual property of a bureaucratic ruling class meant that very few people actually believed the lies in their heart of hearts.





Similarly in Winnipeg. Mayor Katz and his development friendly cronies are actually very skilled game players. They either run in wards distant from Winnipeg's poor neighbourhoods that may indeed benefit financially from diversion of City funds to the better off, or, like Katz, they wish to solidify their voting support by bribery of middle neighbourhoods (while giving the lion's share to the affluent) by taking from people who hardly vote for him anyhow. Good gamesmanship !





One wonders if a move to close Kelvin down even earlier than announced would be a move to "kick the bastard while he is down so he can't get up again" ie to close the whole matter before further support can be organized for Kelvin and-especially- before a different vision of how community centres should be run in this town can gain traction. It's a distinct possibility.
Molly

MORE ON THE KELVIN COMMUNITY CLUB:
The latest proposal from the residents of Elmwood is that the City of Winnipeg simply "sign over" the ownership of the Kelvin Community Club to the Association and let it sink or swim on its own. This proposal has been more or less supported by our local MLA, Jim Maloway, who has expressed the suspicion of many residents of this neighbourhood- that the property will be subject to a "quick flip" for commercial development. One should note that none of us will ever be invited to the Mayor's Christmas parties. The best that Molly can do in that regard is knowing one of the "contractors" (fucking literally) who helped build up the decadent decorations for Sammy's soiree. So it is just a "suspicion" that the property will be opened up for friends at a less than fair bidding process. I would never suggest such a thing as reality. People have, however, expressed this opinion on talk shows in this town, and Molly is merely a good reporter here.
What Molly can say is that this idea is the idea that she has promoted all along, that Community Centres should be independent of the ever tempting "free money" from government, whether it be city or otherwise. It is the only path to true security. The Mayor and his coterie have been on the media recently claiming that they have no plans to close other community centres in this city- just like Mayor Katz claimed in 2005 that there would be NO forced closures of any community centres(see previous posts on this blog for the references). Residents of Elmwood have caught him up in this lie. The next items on the list will inevitably be other centres in poorer areas of this city. The powers that be have, after all, "promised" to review the matter annually (can we say "plot" ?) to see what happens if this test case goes through.
WELL...Kelvin becoming an independent cooperative, just like other likely victims going the same route, would certainly save the City tax money. The only losers in such a case would be real estate developers who salivate over the prospect of acquiring such properties. But, of course, such people never socialize with the right wing majority on city council. Even if they do there would be no paper trail. Amazing what can be done over a glass of fine wine.
Well... if Kelvin closes Molly can expect a few things. Being well skilled in handling Rottweilers she has little fear of the increase in gang activity very close to her on the south. Molly is one nasty bloody cat, and she's lived in worse places before. She feels sorry for the kids who will be caught up in such things as the right wing of City Council attempts to correct it by more police, but it is minor. What Molly is really concerned about is the kids who have to trek east through a rough neighbourhood to get to the Chalmers Community Centre or have to trek north to the Bronx Community Centre just north of Molly's cathouse. So far my "window of excitement" on Henderson Highway is merely for vehicle accidents. As I have said before this happens at least once a month. I have no desire to watch kids trying to cross this goddamn speedway where nobody slows down for pedestrians and having them killed in front of me. To date many people have been killed crossing this road, but they have always been either to the south or the north. I've tended to schmucked dogs out on the median. I have no desire to tend to a schmucked kid. It's bad for my blood pressure. I've seen a lot of shit on this road, and I have no desire to see the potential increased by a factor of ten.
One kid quoted on the media said it would take him 45 minutes to walk from Kelvin to Bronx. I live just south of Bronx. I can get to a bit south of Kelvin in less than 30 minutes. On the other hand in my younger days I was able to run a mile in less than 4 minutes despite my tiny short little feline legs. Some 2o year olds could make it in 20 minutes, but these guys could also lift 200 pounds. I walk that sometimes to rent a car because walking is faster than waiting for a bus in this town...a little something to think about when you consider how kids are going to get up here to Bronx. Also think about wind chills of 40 below, But mainly think about crossing Henderson. It is one evil graveyard of a road.
Well, maybe Mayor Katz doesn't live on a major thoroughfare, and neither do his co-conspirators. Maybe they don't live a short distance from "gangland", and maybe they think that making rules about "panhandling" will address the issue of crime in this city. Maybe they think all sorts of things, and maybe they think that they can bask in the glory of Olympic athletes while undercutting the communities that produce them. Maybe they think that this is "progressive"- an ugly word if I've ever heard one. Progress to where and what ? Maybe they think that Olympians should only come from their own "good people", and that the underclass doesn't deserve such opportunity, small as it is.
This is the "cleanest" and simplest issue that this City has seen in decades. It's not muddied by issues of race, like much in Winnipeg is. Elmwood is very much a multi-racial community. It's not muddied by matters of special interests demanding fat easy jobs. It is starkly an issue of class, of the poor and the working class and small business people versus those who attempt to control their lives. It calls for the support of all ordinary people across this city, and the support of small business who oppose a corporate agenda for this city. Think about it. The bulldozer may head towards you next.
Molly

CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO CLOSE KELVIN:
After the Mother of All City Council Meetings, while Elmwood residents filled the Council chambers and spilled into the hallway- a very unusual happening for any meeting of City Council- councillors debated for close to six hours on the closing of Kelvin. Yet, in the end, the Mayor's circle held firm and the final vote was 11 to 4 to close the Kelvin Community Centre despite the fact that the "lack of volunteers" had long since been corrected and despite the fact that plans were afoot to raise the money for renovations outside of city grants. A motion to postpone Kelvin's closing under the expansion of the Bronx Community Centre was completed was also turned down. Emotional residents vowed that "this is not the end", and hopefully it will not be. More on this in days to follow.

MORE ON THE KELVIN COMMUNITY CENTRE:
In reference to my previous blog on this matter the councillor who "flipped out" on our dear and sacred Major Sam Katz was our local councillor for this area (Elmwood-East Kildonan). She was not actually the originator of the new name for loan-ducker Mayor Sam Katz. The term "sell out-Sammy" was yelled out by the crowd at the meeting concerned. Her rather alliterative term was " "mindless mincing minions" for the members of Katz's "cabinet" the EPC (Executive Policy Committee) who towed the proper line at the meeting. I'm sure they will get their proper reward, either in this present life as city councillors or in the future life when they do business with the City.
Thomas was, of course, called "unprofessional" by the winners of this little fracas. "Professional" is one of the great misused words in the English language. She actually "showed emotion"- the proper English term- because her constituents had been betrayed while her opponents were busy with the gloating of "got you now you son-of-a-bitch" which is, of course, VERY "professional". When the people you represent have been lied to and deprived of their rights then "emotion" is "not professional" while talking behind peoples' backs and gloating at a victory is quite "professional". "Professional" has come to mean very much the power to smile at some poor bugger while you screw them over. No emotion there, of course, because smug satisfaction doesn't count as an emotion in that ideology.
Of the members of the EPC only Mike O'Shaughnessey (Old Kildonan) voted against the proposal to close the Kelvin Community Centre. Many kudos to him, though I'm sure he will have to make it up to Sammy to stay on the EPC. For out of town readers the EPC is appointed by our local right wing Mayor, and it has powers accorded to it separate from the full City Council.
Molly has in her possession a copy of 'The Herald' written shortly before this atrocity took place. this, our local community newspaper, expressed some optimism that the decision to close this centre would be rescinded, but events have proven this wrong. The PLAN to build mega centres goes on even if we up the road DON'T want an expansion and even if the problems at Kelvin have been corrected.
The COST, by the way, awarded to some consulting firm that planned the consolidation of Winnipeg's Community Centres was $500,000. One wonders whether City employees couldn't have done this for the cost of their salaries. But maybe somebody wouldn't have received a favour then? One also wonders about the consistency of this present administration who are the first to point out the cost of "consultants" hired by former lefty Mayor Glen Murray (not that Molly defends lefty corruption either, but the old saying about "sauce for the goose" holds here). One should also note that the PLAN (like many of Stalin's five year plans) has an "estimated" cost of $43 MILLION. No "consultant" will ever be hired to compare this cost with that of keeping our present Community centres running.
Spokesmen for the 'Concerned Elmwood Neighbours' noted that the meetings of the EPC were held during working hours when many residents of Elmwood and East Kildonan could not attend, and that many of the residents of Elmwood don't own cars (a rather poor neighbourhood) necessary to take their children to the Bronx Centre. The spokesman also noted that this is part of a general plan on the part of the City to close centres in poorer neighbourhoods of the city.
The final vote on the closure will take place at a a general meeting of City Council on January 24th. Load voices are required and encouraged.
Molly Notes:
This is one of the sad situations that result when there is NO libertarian socialist alternative ready to present alternative ways of organizing society. the simple fact is that, as long as a government gives the money, you are dependent on said government. When the complexion of the government changes , as it has here in Winnipeg, you are simply shit out of luck. The usual "lefty" solution, advocated by those who have never seen a tax or a government expenditure that they couldn't love is no solution, as this situation amongst many millions demonstrates. The ONLY solution is independence for community initiatives, and no matter how much Molly may advocate the conservative option of preserving this or that community asset, she recognizes that this is not some sort of eternal and infallible guard-whatever leftists may say.
The real !!! guard would be a reform of tax law, federal, provincial and municipal, such that people could choose the expenditures that their tax dollars went to. Organizations such as the United Way already offer this option. It is not impossible. One could also say that contributions to this and that would be "deductible from income tax" as so many things are today. If your buying sports equipment for your child is a tax deduction under federal law(as it is now) then a contribution to a community centre should be as well.
Community Centres will never be free of external powers that impose their agendas for ideological reasons until they are financially independent. THAT should be a long term goal.

KELVIN COMMUNITY CENTRE TO CLOSE:
The news today is that the Kelvin Community Centre here in East Kildonan will be shut down by the City of Winnipeg. The rationale is partly that the buildings are "dated", though from what Molly has seen of them they are quite structurally sound, perhaps more so than some other public buildings here in Winnipeg. The second rationale is that said Community Centre has lacked volunteers in years past and has had to be run by a City department. This has NOT been true during the past few months since the City floated the idea of closing the Centre. Since the plan was unveiled the Kelvin Centre has attracted enough volunteers to become one of the more vibrant Community Centres in the city. But the City continues with its original plan despite changed circumstances.
A little setting is in order for readers from the other side of the world. East Kildonan is basically a middle level working class neighbourhood here in Winnipeg. It is part of a federal constituency that is considered one of the safest NDP (Canadian social democrats) seats in Canada. The further south you go in this neighbourhood, closer and closer to the dreaded downtown Winnipeg, the poorer the people get. The Kelvin Centre is located on the south end of this neighbourhood.
The City's plan is to close down the Centre and expand the more northerly Bronx Community Centre. Molly lives between the two centres, closer to the Bronx Centre. What hasn't been mentioned in the local news about this event-so far- is that many of us in this part of EK oppose the expansion of the Bronx Centre because the city plans to cut off the "back road" that we often use to avoid the traffic on Henderson Highway. People have been organizing against this City plan around here for over a year now, but it appears that they won't listen to us either.
So what you have is the City overriding a newly viable community group who want to keep their own community centre in order to expand another where the residents want no part of such expansion. Is this democracy ?
Apparently a local city councillor for this ward threw a temper tantrum at Mayor Sam Katz in the hearing today and graced him with yet another name ie "sell-out Sam". Sammy has acquired quite a few of such names in his career. Local representatives of the Kelvin group claim that Katz and his confreres on City Council have said two different things. In public he says that the age of the building and the old state of the community's lack of volunteers is the reason for closing the Centre while in private meetings without the media he admits that this is part and parcel of the City's "general plan". These community reps are calling on support from other parts of the city because this general plan is to close more and more of the local centres.
More on this as the story develops.
Molly