NDCC: For YOU Cheap!

Continuing the post immediately below.


You just can't have everything you want! I mean - where would you put it?
                                                                          The Llama Parlour
                                                                                       Kathy Lette


Business - simply - is an exchange. An exchange of goods/services of one group for the money of another. One group supplies - the other consumes. Because of their interdependence the assumption that they would work hand-in-hand is reasonable. An understanding based on mutual respect and benefit. Ideally!

Money!
But with money the great motivator: inevitably greed kicks-in on the supply-side, and to find ways to satisfy this greed suppliers congregate in their local Chamber of Commerce (CC) to scheme for more. This expert association systematically guiding members in the pursuit.
Not to be too obviously one-note about this: it often cloaks its schemes in righteous community-this-and-that efforts - while the fixed goal behind it all without fail remains more profit for its members.

Just as inevitably - a CC sooner rather than later will attempt to control the whole local show nudge-nudge wink-wink. And - all branches jointly - the provincial and national.

There are over 450 CCs/Boards of Trade across relatively sparsely populated Canada. Then there are Canadian CCs (CCC) in foreign countries. All feeding at the same trough.
If you - for instance - are concerned with bad-bad-bad China flooding the Canadian market with cheap goods - thus eliminating jobs by killing production and what-not nationally: your concern is misdirected. Because the CCC in China - a huge affair in several cities - is making all arrangements necessary for this to happen as expeditiously as possible. Chinese don't manufacture on spec - they're getting orders for stuff from Canada, with the trans-Pacific toing-and-froing facilitated by CCs there/here - all interconnected by following the same manual. Often merchants of misery - literally. 
The more money is involved - the less morals are an issue.

Local money!
The Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce (NDCC) is a small part of that - a part nonetheless. The modus operandi is the same.
Business in Nelson superficially means Baker Street - as does Shop Local! - and when we are consistently told by the NDCC and (current) Mayor Dooley - its champion - that supporting this (small) area by all/any means will automatically have significantly more tax-revenue gush in and create significantly more jobs: all hogwash!
If services/goods offered in Nelson - period - are filling needs of a large enough group, are of good quality and reasonably price - there will be profit and employment. Empty store-fronts on Baker only signify poor business acumen, a diluted/changing market or the proprietor moving on! They are not indicative of a sluggish local economy, needing to be nursed on Baker (only) by City Hall, on taxpayers' time and money. But made to look that way by the NDCC - to get more tentacled concessions out of the City! 
With all that disproportionate attention - the downtown business group has developed an attitude of entitlement. Only taking - never giving.

Very local money!
The coming election is an opportunity for the NDCC - a wealthy old-boys club - to solidify its place at the local feeding-trough by - this time - semi-transparently attempting to insert its man into City Council.
Oct. 8
Justin Pelant, NDCC Prez, also Board-member of the Economic Partnership - flaunts these jobs as qualifications in his candidacy announcement. A connection thought rather too chummy for the comfort of many non-business locals - particularly what with financial arrangements between Chamber and City. Possibly leading to the appearance of City-provided funds indirectly/in part used by the NDCC to get Pelant elected. 

Surely a conflicting moral issue at least - but moral whatever!

 

Oct.21
And despite Tom Thomson - the NDCC's enabler - announcing once to me and Frances Long, City Hall - only, never publicly! - that Pelant took a leave of absence from the Chamber for the duration of his campaign - according to Pelant himself: he didn't!
Oct. 22
Seeing that the same Pelant is the very present center-fold in an onslaught of Nelson Star coverage, in praise of the NDCC's and Economic Partnership's come-on. Four whole pages impossible to get through. And live to tell.
Oct. 29
And the very same Pelant - in the Star's Q & A with Nelson's council candidates - still/again posturing with I have served on the Chamber of Commerce Board for six years, as well as Nelson's Nelson and Area Economic Development Partnership...

  

On the money!

Clearly - somebody at the NDCC is untruthful: is he or is he not actively involved in the Chamber during his campaign? This is raising questions about motivation and means-to-an-end in all the NDCC wonderfulness paraded by the Star - ever so generously facilitated by Chuck Bennett, publisher and recent president of the Chamber.

Could it be that this never-before push into City Hall (legitimately!) is furthered by the worry: what if Dooley isn't re-elected?! Could it be that Pelant is positioned from within the Chamber as a Doug Ford - with the real candidate being the NDCC and Thomson its mouthpiece?!

A penny for your thoughts!

Oct. 31

The Star - front-page/above the fold - below Election 2014, where else - runs Businesses support fiscal responsibility. Another lengthy NDCC campaign item - thus more accurately Business supports...

Oct. 29

The very same article is already brazenly run online in the Election 2014 section.

Oct. 31

Then it is moved from there into News (more accessible - while not quite so campaigny!) under Business community champions planned, sustainable growth. 

And to the front-page under the heading above above!

Different place, time, heading - but all the same and surely not done by the Star on its own. But in a huddle to accommodate! With/through/by/about Tom Thomson (of course) instead of Justin Pelant (of course). Thomson and Pelant seemingly out-of-sync with each other on basic who-is-what: this can't help either one - thus their cause.

Thomson here essentially repeating positions floated locally on current issues off and on. With all this finagling trying to play it safe towards the center - votes for the Chamber, don't you know! Nothing new - and any concerns he mentions now could/should have been addressed by him/them over time - but weren't, are props only. Campaign blather!

Seeing there are several more Stars to shine before election - we have more of the Chamber's adjustable-to-fit-any-situation mantra to look forward to - but don't.

                                                                     

Nov. 12

Three days! before election - the NDCC will run a debate with the three candidates for mayor, at the Prestige Inn.

According to the Star The questions posed will be prepared by the chamber and local media, including the Star.

Right!

Tom Thomson - NDCC; John Dooley - City Hall; Chuck Bennett - Nelson Star. 

All for one - one for all!

VOTE INTEGRITY!

  

ELECTION: Pelant's Pushy Partners

The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men 
(and women). 
                                                                   Samuel Adams
                                                                                                    1775

Oct. 8
The Nelson Star publishes Justin Pelant's candidacy announcement for City Councillor. Background information there has it he is President of the Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce (NDCC), Board member of the Nelson & Area Economic Development Partnership - and he runs a local business. All this while raising a family.
So I wonder - as do others: clearly very busy already, how can he possibly have enough time, energy and focus for the substantial work-load of a conscientious Councillor? Even just preparing for becoming one!
Oct. 16
I message Will Johnson, reporter of this announcement, expressing my concern with the possibility that Pelant's top-level NDCC/Economic Partnership involvement could lead to conflicts of interest - making public clarification necessary.

Oct. 20
Revisiting issues in this Council's unimpressive past - I also raise that of Pelant's candidacy to the Committee Of The Whole (COW) at City Hall. Councillor/Chair Macdonald - who loves attention guaranteed with the position of Chair: here from the present Fire Department and Library yet - won't touch any of it. Still - those in the "audience" hear my concerns: they usually are more my target than the habitually unresponsive Council - safely on the fence.

Oct. 21
I raise the Pelant-issue again in post
City Hall - The Next Generation!
immediately below.

Oct. 21
Tom Thomson, NDCC, sends me an unsolicited clarification stating Justin Pelant is taking (not has taken as of) a leave of absence from the Chamber Board during the election campaign. When (not: If) he is elected on Nov. 15, he will formally step down from the Board and his CHAMBER APPOINTMENT (my capitals) as a member of the Nelson and Area Economic Partnership coordinating committee.

Sooo - Pelant is not-or-what taking leave of absence from the Economic Partnership. Why not-or-what becomes clearer 2 days later!
Anyway - here Thomson does not address why this info to me is not in the candidacy announcement - thus creating the appearance of a conflict of interest. With this explanation seemingly prompted only by my COW presentation and/or blog-post - I must wonder at its timing, intention, even accuracy, breadth of dissemination and let him know - in the same response asking why he (his handler?) and not Pelant contacts me.

Simply - Pelant personally should have - officially and publicly - distanced himself from all involvement with these 2 groups from Day 1 and for the duration of his campaign - instead of this involvement itself (not so) slickly having been turned into the campaign!

The clincher: What with both groups already very comfy at City Hall, and at least the NDCC financially well-supported by it - meaning the taxpayer!

Oct. 22
I message Councillors Kozak/Kiss with my concerns, because both are City Hall's umbilical cord to the Economic Partnership. I expect a soonish response, but understandably - while inexcusably: nothing! After all - Kozak is running for mayor, and Kiss is just about outa here. Bigger fish to fry!

Oct. 22
And wouldn't you know it: here comes the big one! The NDCC/Economic Partnership partnership is running a 4-page self-contained spread in the Star about its totally wonderful, life-giving doings for everybody and everything - featuring a large for-public-consumption photo of Justin Pelant as its poster-boy, holding a wrapped present - gosh-darn, just for me? - in the very center of its front-page and Pelant-this and Pelant-that all over everything. Nelson's savior!

Paid (for) by whom? The NDCC Pelant supposedly took leave of absence from (with the public left uninformed!)? The same NDCC having appointed him to his position with the Economic Partnership - from which he did NOT-OR-WHAT take leave of absence? 
Whatever - as per his candidacy announcement - to the general public he is the/a top-level official with the NDCC/Economic Partnership. And seeing that these groups ran and paid for the surely very expensive spread in the Star - from which he was not removed: he must have signed-off on all of it. Taking me back to: Paid (for) by whom?   

His candidacy announcement is this spread in a nutshell - and the spread is the candidacy announcement in expansive detail. Clearly it all has been of long preparation by a group of people; so Pelant here getting ever so timely star-billing for it - while politically advantageous - is disingenuous at best.
Plainly - their election-construct for/of/with him is anchored in wanting to broaden the business sector's profit-margin - via City Hall.

Seemingly - Pelant's re-invention as City Councillor is indirectly and in part financed by taxpayers - including the other candidates!

The NDCC/Economic Partnership ultimately is about funneling the general public's money into its! members' pockets. That's business! And in a marvelous twist - the presumed-gullible spending public is expected to legitimize more of this by voting for it! Or him!

Big-city politics in Smallishtown! Councillor what? In the COW I mention my concern about the possibility that this election may turn into
City Hall - The Reality Show!
Only a few days later - we're well on our way!

VOTE INTEGRITY!

     

                                         

 

Image:
Masaaki Nakayama

Any information within this material or this material as a whole may be used publicly: first agreed on and with source-acknowledgement. 

City Hall - The Next Generation!

Clarification
Following is my presentation to the Committee Of The Whole (COW) - 20 Oct, 2014. With some clarifications added here: seeing that an individual member of The Whole is only allowed 5 whole minutes - once a month - to state a case to Council. Altogether 15 whole minutes tops for 3 - and if there are only 2 or just 1: it's still only 5 whole minutes per. After a presentation any Councillor may respond with whatever he/she wants - while not necessarily allowing the presenter a reply to it. Particularly when the original topic is inconvenient.
And this is pretty much how far our elected Council will interact with individuals from among those they no longer are a part of - once given the job. By same. The greater part of The Whole!
Democracy in action.

As will be the upcoming local election - and here's how some of it is shaping-up-or-not at City Hall.

COW Presentation
The City of Kelowna traditionally has prepared those even just considering to run for City Council to be somewhat familiar with what they may be getting into.

This has never been done in Nelson - and orientation-meetings for the new group - nobody-knows-when next year - will be of dubious merit. Because the faster they then will have to go - the behinder they then will have to get!

Clarification
Can't you just see them: breathless and bewildered from the start! No wonder the 2 "new" Councillors say: it takes about a year to get used and into it. It probably wouldn't have to with mindfully measured preparation. Even though the "old" ones talk about hoping for fresh blood, new energy and ideas in a new Council: fresh blood, new energy and ideas present a threat to City Hall's ("old" ones, any "old" ones there) status quo. So wearing the "new" ones down - making them feel dependent - is the way to go. Whatever fresh blood, new energy and ideas brought along largely used-up rather soonish - just to survive. And then fit in.

COW Presentation
Proactively connecting with the electorate ought to be of high priority to Councillors - but never here! True: they have been bogged-down in paper-trails and meetings. Also true: this has left them with no appetite for direct contact with the great unwashed. Although all of it is THE job: the old-timers just stick to their routines - while the 2 now "newish" ones are leaving after one term. They clearly didn't know what they were in for when they tried to walk their idealism on the 2nd Floor.

In fact - with them - now the 3 most recent additions to Council quit after a single term.

So if the incoming babes in the woods are not adequately prepared: this may turn into a bigger problem than ever - seeing there are more of them this time. This probable problem should have been anticipated and - once and for all - addressed. Experience and integrity ought to have dictated the need! The bigger picture! Nelson! But - no! So there may be drudgery - and 1 additional year of that - for at least some of the new "new" ones!
A meeting of individual would-be-candidates with a Councillor of his/her choice - while helpful, what with City Hall not rallying at all - is bound to be subjective.

Of particular concern - for us on the outside anyway - is the very real possibility of a complete change of elected administration. None of the would-be-Councillors really know their way through today's City Hall culture - and current ones will hardly talk about that - with total strangers, anyway.

Clarification
Their basic introduction to it all - before formal orientation whenever, once elected - would benefit the would-be-mayor-from-outside as well. Many of the same issues and getting to know each other: some of them eventually colleagues.

COW Presentation
What has increasingly colored my view of the current administration's performance - thus my concern now for timely and comprehensive orientation for the new Council - are cases of blatant conflicts of interest within this administration - and Council looking-on.

Personal interests along the 2nd Floor being rather different from professional interest in the electorate as a whole. Will the next Council eventually be instructed from well-entrenched routine or personal responsibility? Who would instruct the possibly new mayor? The CAO?

3 examples of conflict:
1.
The Japanese-earthquake help benefiting only the egos of a very small unfocused group in Nelson and their decisive 2nd-Floor guidance - with Council looking-on.
2.
The parking-variance put in place for Nelson Commons before even applied for - with Council looking-on and promptly granting it.
3.
The drawn-out free P.R. effort on the City's website by quote/unquote staff for Nelson Landing - with Council looking-on.

Now there's a possibility of conflicts of interest reaching inside Council itself. Justin Pelant's - if continuing - presidency of the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce (NDCC) would conceivably put him in frequent conflict in and possibly beyond the Council Chamber. He already has made this presidency part of his campaign - although he should have resigned from it as soon as he announced his candidacy. Even if not re-elected as NDCC President in December - aside from a very-grey-indeed-area overlap - he would still be on its Board.

From another angle: with his work for the NDCC as either/or; also on the Board of Nelson and District Economic Development; all this on top of running a business full-time to support a family: how could he possibly give focused attention to the endless minutiae of a Councillor's work?

Wheels within wheels?

On one hand the idea of a whole new elected administration is very appealing for obvious reasons - on the other hand scary: this may turn into 
City Hall - A Reality Show!

Only 3 out of 6 Councillors are present at this COW. 2 of those absent are the ones leaving (anyway) - the 3rd is running for mayor against the current one who is present and will seek re-election. Awkward!
Although this is an important meeting insofar as the Police Board is present full-force to make its pitch for the Provisional Police Budget For 2015.
This minimal-interest Councillor-attendance is the old glass half-full or half-empty thing. Councillor/Chair Macdonald says small but strong - giving it an unconvincing half-full spin. There will be 3 more meetings of this here Council - and one must wonder about possibly ever-diminishing Councillor-attendance in them.
And then there were none!
Glass empty!
Sorreee...!


To some degree it matters who's in office, but it matters more how much pressure they're under from the public.
                                                                             Noam Chomsky




 

Destination: Nelson! (Part 5) - The Sound of Color

This is the 5th and last in a series - the focus of all on breathing life into downtown Nelson: turning beige apathy into exciting experience - exciting at any time of the day and year! Simply by applying bright color in paint and light.



Destination: Nelson! (Part 1)
6 Sep, 2014
Destination: Nelson! (Part 2) - Festival of Lights
13 Sep, 2014
Destination: Nelson! (Part 3) - The (Extra)Ordinary
24 Sep, 2014
Destination: Nelson! (Part 4) - (Trans)Formation
4 Oct, 2014

  

The preceding posts have largely been looking at downtown-lighting - particularly important as Nelson pretty much turns it and itself off - period - by about 7pm: thereby missing-out on an opportunity to engage tourists and locals late into the evening. An alive environment providing a much-needed go-to destination - with sustainable economic benefits for the city.

Appropriate core-lighting comprises: street-lighting during much of the year needed am/pm; festive lighting; highlighting architectural aspects. No break-down into special-purpose functions necessary - if the design as a whole is exceptionally inclusive: for a Nelson alive 24/7!

Downtown - literally the heart of the matter and darkness - now remains curiously unaddressed by the Sustainable Waterfront and Downtown Master Plan. Anyplace but - the planned Hall St. appendix just more unremarkable sameness - while downtown should be the center of (re)development from which all else radiates outward.

For the day color must be provided with paint - this after dark complemented by/complementing lighting. What with daytime downtown-dinginess much of the year: the need for a more stimulating environment is crucial during the day as well as in the evening. As simplistic as it may sound: color via any medium can make that happen.

                                                                              

                                                                                           

Tanya Tagaq - an Inuit  throat-singer - recently wins the Polaris Prize for Animism as best Canadian album - period - of the year. Much of her work - while structured - is intuitive-improvisational and often performed a capella. She does not read/write music in the traditional sense.

The Kronos Quartet is a US-based chamber ensemble - best known for its work with minimalist/new music written by outside composers. While members are highly disciplined, accomplished "professionally trained" musicians - their work often is improvisational/interpretive in collaborative efforts with musicians from other genres and performers of/in varying disciplines.

When Tagaq and Kronos decide to collaborate on creating a piece of music - Tagaq its center - they need to establish a language which allows them to "technically" structure musically - without the traditionally accepted means she is unfamiliar with.

So Kronos devise a very basic musical language "written" on individual same-size sheets of paper: single dots of different colors in their center. 

They lay-out these sheets side-by-side and discuss with Tagaq the order they might be in musically for the piece they all are about to give life. Relating to color emotionally/intuitively - Tagaq immediately wants blue and black placed next to each other and red at the very end because that's when I freak out!

The piece they create is Nunavut - available on:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjoLZZYASpg

The expressive quality of a soprano coloratura in usually operatic works is very light-fluttery-florid - probably the extreme opposite of Tagaq's bare-footed Urmensch style. Coloratura stems from the Latin colorare: to color.

  

Holi is an annual festival in India and today much of the world: a time of renewal and shared good-times - rekindling the warmth in relationships neglected too long or gone cold and celebrating the coming of spring in all its explosiveness after dull winter. 

This awakening of all alive symbolized in everybody using all colors possible to throw at each other - dry/wet and washing-off later - while wandering along the streets in groups playing music, singing and dancing.

Color

of

Sound

of 

Color

Imagine the awakening power, influence color can have on Baker Street, downtown, Nelson-as-a-whole and the emotions of people there - so busy-busy-busy! that they can't wait for street-lights to change!

Images:

mvrdv hometown

mangotomato.com

 

Co-op: Banking On The CBT!

This follows
The Co-op After Extensive Consultation
27 Sep. 2014

AGM
The Co-op AGM, 24 Sep.: many have been looking forward to this, expecting to - at very long last - hear hard facts about the Nelson Commons project. With none forthcoming over the past 2 years - all Co-op member-owners(M-O) have been receiving: a steady stream of repetitious superficial sales-pitches for condos. Provided they signed-up for the electronic newsletter especially created for them.
So who knows!
This after the Co-op declares in the Common Ground, May 2014 issue that there has been extensive community consultation on the project. A whopping 20 of those in AGM attendance are concerned (non-co-op) members of said community - 74 are M-Os.

But not even M-Os have been consulted - so when one of them asks almost immediately to have the topic moved into the AGM proper for a by now very necessary back-and-forth: Board President Brynne quashes the idea just like that! While this topic is what most have come for!

Putting a deciding spin on the proceedings: this - plus a right away literally falling-apart public-address system (an omen?) and the room's heating turned to just-having-to-sweat-it-out tropical!

The accountant presents whatever accountants present; then Board Director Pigott continues with financial report number-columns-forever, using a hand-held microphone - while audience-members are left to their own devices - none! - when they have a question. So they can't hear each other - meaning the Board/Management (B/M) can't hear them either. They - here obtusely deaf to the problem - (habitually) don't facilitate two-way communication!

This at-arm's-length AGM: showing no respect for M-Os and non-members-although-possibly-store-customers! Or even those maybe here for a condo!

Incidentally - with a clear lack of interest within the general community and despite the in Common Ground touted 12.000 M-Os - only 2 outsiders are running for 3 Board vacancies. One of them makes it in - the 2 incumbents are promptly re-elected: Pigott one of them. The status quo comfortingly maintained!

Back at the AGM: after a long stretch of Pigott only, he sort-of does share his mic with audience-members; eventually someone turns-off the heat.

CBT
But by now our brains have been thoroughly fried - well done! - so when the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) pops-up among financial providers/partners on an overhead-projection - acronym only, no context of its own - this finds no immediate response from the audience.

Though many discuss it after - fresh air to breathe and at a distance from the AGM: what could the CBT possibly have to do with a totally for-profit, non-co-op, non-social-housing development? Seeing that it is generally known for providing financial assistance to community initiatives, social agendas, artistic expressions. Need-based issues wrapped in ethics!
But this???

     
The bottom-line of my in-depth talk later with Investment Manager O'Doherty: at this point the CBT is neither in nor contemplating a partnership of any kind with Nelson Commons - there has been informational conversation only! Under given circumstances: this CBT mention in the Co-op's financial planning is totally inappropriate.
Thoroughly experienced in all manners of investing: the CBT sometimes does invest in commercial ventures but - only after careful all-around consideration and within their ethical parameters - never to just make a quick buck.

So what else and next and how secure(d) for real is financing-as-a-whole for Nelson Commons? Rhetorical questions: we'll never know!
What we do know: Pigott - having a refreshingly candid moment - admits to Plan B (store only - if condos crumble) thus far not having been financially planned for, because: we are confident there will be no need for Plan B.
Right!

The Co-op's Financial Manager is leaving after 1 year in the job.

The CBT is currently making the rounds to gather info on how best to serve the region in the future. An informal Nelson workshop - open to all concerns, ideas - will be held at
Rod & Gun Club
Wed. 15 Oct.
11:00am - 2:00pm/4:00pm - 6:00pm
For more info on how to participate in shaping the CBT's path:
www.ourtrustourfuture.cbt.org

 




                                                                                                        

                                 

The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity.

                                                                                Andre Gide

Common Ground

May 2014

The Commons - the story of our time

Two Local Examples

www.commonground.ca

   

Destination: Nelson! (Part 4) - (Trans)Formation

4th in a series of 5 after
Destination: Nelson! (Part 1)
6 Sep. 2014
Destination: Nelson! (Part 2) - Festival of Lights
13 Sep. 2014
Destination: Nelson! (Part 3) - The (Extra)Ordinary
24 Sep. 2014

Anecdotally and for ages - specific colors have been associated with specific emotions, states of being: red roses but also seeing red (no, the bull does not respond to the color but becomes irritated by the waving of the cape - who wouldn't!); from Mood Indigo to black moods; blue movies and purple prose; green for great expectations (on the far side of the hill) but also green with envy; the yellow ribbon 'round the old oak-tree; the grey area of pink-for-girls and blue-for-boys; virginal white; black widows' weeds here - while white for the grieving in Asian countries.

Tradition has it in Japan that a woman should not wear red after the age of 40; in China - for centuries - yellow was exclusively reserved (with deadly consequences - if) for the-only-son-of-heaven emperor.
When I was a child - wearing combinations of green/blue, red/pink, red/purple was unthinkable - worlds in collision! Only beige, blue, brown, green and grey were safe!

 

 

Scientifically it has been proven that certain colors can have a soothing-thus-healing effect in medical settings, schools. And prisons. I changed primary-care physicians here when my previous one moved into a wall-by-wall black and apple-green office without windows: DOA!

So - as we have come to know the transformational quality of color: it seems reasonable that an appropriately colored environment will also have a positive thus swaying influence on - shoppers! Downtown shoppers!

Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art!

                                                                                         Andy Warhol

Retail-therapy!

But first imagine downtown the way it will soon look for most of a year: no hanging flower-baskets, empty flower-beds used as ashtrays by a multitude of the aware, bare trees - and exhausted heritage-buildings. The whole not a problem for most Nelsonites: heritage-type mud-puddle colors form the local rainbow. Plus - for long stretches - pedestrians only look at their feet anyway: slushy-icy sidewalks!

Downtown is a getting-stuff-done habit - as opposed to being an all-around pleasurable experience.

 

So now imagine the same downtown during the same dead-zone phase - but bright, energetic, ALIVE WITH COLOR! Look up - look way up! Color in paint and light! And safe sidewalks connecting all!

No unremarkable "festive" twinkle up-and-down trees, lamp-posts: buildings themselves are painted/lit in competition with each other to draw-in customers, guests!

Wasting money puts you in a real party mood!

                                                                        Andy Warhol

  

 

Downtown becoming a destination: previously unconnected shopping-islets morphed into one conceptual environment - an infectious transformation for/with locals and tourists alike!

All images here are of only one building and one room in this building: the House of Light, headquarters of Skira D.O.O. Electrical Installation Design in Pula, Croatia. Treatment of the outside is a demonstration of Skira's work - the inside is a laboratory for experimental application of light on moods: creating and altering them.

Color-therapy!





Next/last in the series:
Destination: Nelson! (Part 5) - The Sound of Color