Benefit of cultural attractions grows with easy access
Museums and events bolster tourism, boost the economy
I haven’t checked out the Remai Modern yet. It’s not a case of disliking the mixed uppercase and lowercase letters in the logo, but rather that I don’t like being jostled in large crowds. One of the things cancer has taken from me is my balance.
I enjoy most of the cultural events that Saskatoon has to offer, and I’m sure the new art gallery will meet my expectations.
One thing I would like to see happen is the creation of something like the Parks Canada pass for Saskatoon cultural venues. Every Mother’s Day, my boys (financed by the Bank of Dad) take their mom out for brunch before we head north to Waskesiu, where we stop by the park office to buy our annual pass. This allows us access to not only Prince Albert National Park, but also Grasslands, Banff, Jasper and all other Parks Canada parks.
Why not a cultural pass for Saskatoon? Let me buy an annual pass for the Remai Modern that gets me into the Western Development Museum, Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Diefenbaker Canada Centre, the new Children’s Museum, as well as Fort Carlton (the site where Treaty 6 was signed).
Maybe toss in some discounted tickets for Persephone Theatre and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra to help get people hooked on some of the best cultural opportunities Saskatoon has to offer.
What good is it to have cultural attractions that are unavailable to parts of the population? For all of the talk of attracting tourists to see the Remai Modern, we have a surrounding population of more than a quarter of a million people who do business, shop and play in Saskatoon. Let’s make it as easy as possible for everyone to enjoy the cultural community that Saskatoon and the province has built.
The advantages of opening these facilities to more people is obvious. First is a more culturally educated community. Learning to appreciate modern art, western Canadian political history, theatre, music, and the arts in general is good for our community. It’s why we built and continue to run these facilities.
Locals take friends and family to these cultural hubs when they’re in town. For me, no trip to Calgary is complete without a visit to the Glenbow Museum, in part because I grew up going there.
The same needs to be said when people come to Saskatoon: “I had to take in Remai Modern” or “I stayed a night to take in the opening of a play at Persephone.”
Those traditions start with a single visit and grow from there. Making it easy to do that pays off for years to come.
The other reason to make it easier for people to attend these venues? There’s something great about a place that attracts a crowd.
I know some in the business community love to complain about a lack of parking, but that means people are there. If they’re downtown for a show or a gallery opening, there’s a good chance they’ll spend money on a meal or shopping. The more things that get visitors out of their hotels, the better for the local economy.
Over the last few decades, Saskatoon has done a great job of building cultural attractions. Now it’s time to show them off — not just to the world, but to those of us who call Saskatoon home.