Who will Stand Up for The Maritime Museum?
Recently I wrote in The Province about art and culture. I mentioned specifically the disgrace of our Maritime Museum, how it is starved of funds, how it ought to be a beautiful showcase for who we are as a maritime community.
Today, the Sun reports that the geniuses at Vancouver City hall have told the Maritime Museum to close its doors by the end of 2009.
Close before you have secured a new home.
Close before the 2010 party.
Close before you any firm plans for the future...not to mention regard for the past. Remember the past? We used to call that History. We used to have some interest in it.
The President of the the non-profit society that runs the Maritime Museum has placed considerable blame at the feet of Sue Harvey. He has called her dismissive and disrespectful.
You may not know of Sue Harvey.
But you should.
She is the Great Czarina of all things cultural in this hick town.
She spends your money and you have never heard of her.
Harvey is the city's managing director of cultural services.
And I can testify that Harvey is arrogant and dismissive and disrespectful. I've met with her. Once is more than enough, thank you.
But, you see, when you get to control an entire element of your community for years and without any apparent oversight by your employers, that's what happens...you become arrogant and dismissive and disrespectful.
Harvey's abrasive style and personality aside, the treatment of the Maritime Museum by this city, province and federal governments is a crying shame.
A pox on all your short-sighted, short-lived and short-armed houses.
