TIFF co-founders Bill Marshall (L) and Henk Van der Kolk (R) make a pitch for a Trenton film festival on February 1, 2016. (Photo: Nicole Kleinsteuber / Quinte News)
After months of debate and closed door meetings, Quinte West council has opted to support local film festival initiatives opposed to hosting a national film festival with key players from the Canadian Film Industry.
Monday night, council approved marketing services and financial support to the The Movie Years Today Film Festival and Hollywood North Film Festival at a cost of $20,000.
Developed by Bill Marshall and Henk Van der Kolk, two of the founders of the Toronto International Film Festival, the Cinema on the Trent plan requested the city contribute $100,000 of the overall $1.6 million cost to get the plans off the ground with the remainder raised through grants and sponsorships.
Mayor Jim Harrison said council didn’t want to invest big dollars for the international festival. Harrison provided no details as to what was discussed behind closed doors but hinted that those involved in the international festival may have pushed too hard.
During the meeting, Councillor Sally Freeman who has always been in support of the local initiatives, said there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered before council hands over any funds.
Before the festival receives any funding it must go before city’s financial and corporate services committee.
Meanwhile, plans to build a new $10.1 million OPP headquarters in Quinte West are moving ahead.
Council has approved a plan that would see the City work with Infrastructure Ontario to use a parcel of city owned land and build a new headquarters just west of the existing one in Trenton.
Mayor Harrison says he wants it to stay as a stand alone detachment but he’s hoping to attract some interest from the province as to what they may house out of the new facility.
According to the plan selected by council, the approval process could be completed by spring 2017 with construction beginning in 2018.
Also at the meeting, council decided to take advantage of a second chance to secure Canada 150 Community Infrastructure funding.
Quinte West is submitting three projects for funding including: renovations to the Trenton Town Hall; a waterfront trail extension from Fraser Park to Research Castings International and the Centennial Park redevelopment.
Mayor Harrison says he recognizes that renovations to the town hall has been a controversial topic due to the high cost, adding they have to be done.
Harrison says he believes council has a very strong application this time around.
