Cittaslow propaganda
Slow ‘Alice’ wants to ‘Save Bright’ with Cittaslow
Oh here we go, it’s started. This comment below from someone calling herself (or himself as the case may be) ‘Alice’ and claiming to be a “visitor to Bright” was made earlier today under the post “Should Bright become a Cittaslow?”
How surprising is it that ‘Alice’, who claims not to live here, is all in favour of Bright becoming a Cittaslow?
I was going to delete the comment but, instead, I’ve decided to highlight it to get you prepared for the type of anonymous propaganda, crap and deceit you’re likely to see over the coming months as this small pressure group led by none other than that wonderful community-minded group Save Bright attempts to create the illusion that there is widespread support for this retrograde idea.
My response appears below the comment:
I visit Bright every year and i think the cittislow idea is fantastic. The whole reason we visit Bright is because of the hills and the river and because it is a nice small town with beautiful trees.
You are incorrect about cittislow towns not being able to have supermarkets or having to eat local produce. Cittislow is just an over arching idea to protect traditional processes and give towns a plan to work with and toward.
Reading through this blog, you seem very sure of yourself about what tourists want. I can assure you that i don’t want Bright to have any Big Box development. It will ruin the towns charm. Many of my friends also visit and i’m pretty sure they’d feel the same way. I applaude the residents resolute enough to fight it tooth and nail and i hope they prevail.
Maybe the fact that you live in Bright means you can’t see the forest for the trees. It is horrible what is happening to so many other towns and i love the idea of Bright being the place to slow down.
Bring on the slow development.
Alice
Response:
Thanks Alice for your ‘independent’ perspective on this issue. How did you hear about it? It only became public knowledge via this website a few days ago when I wrote the post. Prior to that the Cittaslow idea was a well kept secret between Save Bright, the Chamber of Commerce and the Bright Citizens Association, who had been having secret meetings with the Alpine council giving them the false impression that there are many people in favour of Bright going “slow”.
So which group are you from? You’re certainly not a “visitor”. No visitor would even be aware of this matter and would not throw in the key catch-words of “supermarkets” and “Big Box Development”, which interestingly enough, is the headline from Save Bright’s website. It reads:
“Save Bright from Big Box Development”
Hmm, I think I’m on pretty safe ground to suggest you are a Save Bright member.
Anyway, you’re right when you say Cittaslow is “an an over arching idea to protect traditional processes and give towns a plan to work with and toward” because it certainly is about towns that have meaningful traditions, like the very ancient towns in Italy from where it originates.
How that fits in with a non-traditional town like Bright though is a bit of a stretch - we’re not exactly a centuries old slow-paced country town reliant on agriculture.
So what are Bright’s “traditional processes”? I can answer that:
Bright is a “traditional” commercial tourist town that only exists to service the normal everyday (fast-moving) commercial tourist trade.
And I don’t see how slowing it down and focusing on growing organic vegies, inhibiting growth and turning back the clock will enhance its main function one little bit.
And the town already has “a plan to work with”. It’s called the Bright Future Project, which is a masterplan to upgrade Bright’s CBD and surrounds and to enhance its livability and attractiveness to tourists. THAT is the plan we need implemented not this anti-the world Cittaslow idea.
Why can’t you just be open and transparent about what it is you want? (And why don’t you use your real name?) You want to close Bright down because you don’t like tourism and you don’t want any more people to move here.
You see, what Cittaslow is really about is turning the town in on itself, rejecting commercialism, rejecting new buildings, rejecting new arrivals, curtailing the tourist trade and working slower … and a lot less.
And it does not suit Bright.
Wally says: I'm taking y'all to VCAT, Woolies. Go on, git! Git out of 'my town'.
Contact: alpineopinion@gmail.com
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Wow! i wasn’t expecting my post to get this amount of attention.
Actually, i found your site when searching for the save bright site. A friend who was in Bright a while ago told me about the plans for a supermarket. she had bought a badge to support the effort.
I certainly am a visitor (of 18 years!), and would be heartbroken to see this type of thoughtless development go ahead in the town. I’m sure many others would feel the same.
You know I don’t really have set opinions about this, but I though you might like to read what Melbourne based writer and food critic SM King had to say about it.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2169061.htm
Thanks AWOL. SM King sort of puts it in the right perspective. i.e. While the concept of slow-food is good the implementatrion has been poor.
To me that article confirms how ridiculous it would be to brand the whole town a Cittaslow and give ourselves so completely over to these politically motivated “I-know-best” types.
They (the slow food/Cittaslow believers) need to understand that their beliefs are but one small segment of daily life and if they want to be accepted they must first concentrate on their own niche markets – instead of trying to ram their slow food and slow culture down our collective throats.
“I certainly am a visitor (of 18 years!)”
Sorry “Alice”, I don’t believe you.
Do you give everyone the third degree? I won’t be sending photos to prove it (even though i have many). hmmm…..i don’t think you get the slow food thing.
I haven’t given you the “third degree”. In fact I haven’t asked you any questions. I just don’t believe you are who you say you are. I believe you’re from Bright and connected, most likely, to the Save Bright group. Look at what you’ve said, only general ‘feel good’ statements about the Cittalsow idea, but not one reason to support your beliefs.
I certainly DO understand what Slow food & Cittaslow is about. The food bit is fine, but the “movement” is about enforcing the narrow cultural & social views of a few radicals on an entire town. It has Marxist overtones. It’s dictatorial. Go away – we don’t want it.
…well Alice is not my real name if that’s what you mean.. But who cares?
The “movement” as you call it is just about identifying the process in making slow food. You can’t have one without the other. It’s no biggy, and nothing to be scared of.
And you’re not a “vistor” and you’re much older than 18.
And declaring the town a Cittaslow involves a lot more than just “identifying the process in making slow food”.
If that’s all it is then why don’t you just cook away to your heart’s content and leave the rest of us alone?
I think you’ve misunderstood my post. I didn’t mean i was 18, i meant i have been visiting for 18 years.
Not sure what there is to be worried about though?
Ray, the tought that people outside Bright do exist may seem strange, but I assure you, it’s true!
I like visiting small country bright, it’s a lovely small country town. People who like visiting small country towns like them to stay small country towns. I don’t think I’d want to live in Bright though… too much of a small country town.
Thanks for that insight Kieran but I can assure you “Alice” is from Bright and in fact from that group you seem to like – Save Bright.
Umm, just consder this: “Alice” claims to be a visitor for 18 years who just happens to support Save Bright and just happened to be searching for them on the internet when she/he just happened to find my site at the very time I had posted about the Cittaslow issue, which Alice just happens to agree with – even though Alice can only say things like “It’s fantastic” and “I can’t see much wrong with it”.
Like I said, thanks for the insight.
Its funny how people say they are against “big box development”
I wonder where all the protesters were when the large IGA was built, or maybe the old historical miners cottage got buldozed to make way for a modern chemist. Its funny, there is not one single “historical” or ‘charming” building in the entire town – even the houses look like they are straight out of a Melbourne housing estate like Melton or Werribee. Towns like Rutherglen, Beechworth and Corowa at least retained a few old beautiful buildings – Bright has none. I think a Coles would add to the landscape, not make it any worse.
Kind of hard for me to defend myself here… i used to love the miners cottage, and the antique stores. I think many did. Bright has changed a lot, not totally for the better either. Once you have a big concrete box built there though its charm may well be lost.
I live in Melbourne, Diamond Creek to be exact. We now have a modern shopping complex that is functional but ugly. It is all about carparks not pedestrians. Don’t let that happen to Bright. Hurstbridge, just up the road has retained its small retail strips and the town has a much better feel about it.
Slow food and the ideas behind it are all the rage down in melbourne. We have the will here but not the location. Bright is the perfect marriage of the two.
PS don’t you ever check up on towns you visit regularly? i don’t think i’m that weird. If everyone else seems odd, maybe it’s you?
Sorry “Alice” I still don’t believe you live in Melbourne.
Your love of “slow food” is just a bit over-the-top. Besides, how does it justify Bright becoming a “Cittaslow”? They are two different things. If you and your fellow Save Bright members want slow food then all that has to happen is for a few places to start producing it.
Sorry, you’re not mounting an argument for Cittaslow here, you’re only talking about one aspect of it.
Alice must have never seen our “big box” IGA building on her various trips to Bright. We might be a “small town” but people still need groceries, we still like competition, which is why the majority of the towns population shop at Coles in Myrtleford…..
….it certainly seems very small over here!
I have been reading this very interesting blog for a while, and this has finally made me want to comment.
I moved to Bright for the lifestyle…yes, I am typically one of those people that Ray has described as potentials to move to the area. Not been a local ( one who was born here or has been here for over 30 years or so) I just thought the save Bright issue and all this Chittaslow stuff was fair enough as – assuming that that was what the majority of “locals wanted” and that they would know best – I never questioned it, and left it at that…until I came across this blog….
Well, what can I say – what a freak’n eye opener. Yes, I find myself shopping in Myrtleford because of over priced groceries at the local IGA. That is a 65 km round trip because there is no competition in Bright and IGA have the monopoly. Again, thinking this was normal for a small tourist town like Bright to be over priced…I put up with it as part of the package and didn’t think much of it. In addition – it’s not only the prices…it’s the lack of choice too.
And now that you have got me started – lets talk about Chittaslow and local food. I have avoided (what little available) local food like the plague because of some shocking practices that go unregulated that are rumored to be used in this area…that is the over use of pesticides and chemicals that is used by small operators. On top of that, the surrounding valley is virtually toxic from years of tobacco farming – so tell me Chittaslow people – where is the nice clean fresh organic soil in existence anywhere around Bright and region that will support chemical free local foods.
And what local food are we talking about…Chestnuts – illegal pesticide ridden apples – jams…maybe some chemically poisoned veggies? That’s a great diet! I’m sure the tourists won’t get turned off by that. From what I have observed there is nothing organic about this area I’m afraid – yes it is a great place to live – nice lifestyle etc but the “locals” who produce food here are not what you would call organic or eco minded – that mindset just does not exist here period. This is not Byron bay here – totally different crowd with different history and mindset…you know – rip the ground to pieces a hundred years ago for gold – poison the ground until last year for tobacco, fill the air full of smoke with unregulated and wanton burning of rubbish and leaves. This is not an organic lifestyle here and disguising Bright as one with a thin Chittaslow veneer will not hide the truth.
Sorry – but Chittaslow and save Bright does not wash with me now that I know how we have all been hoodwinked.
PS.
Alice – you are full of it….you are definitely not from Melbourne so stop the crap and wake up to what you are doing to destroy Bright and district with your lemon Chittaslow agenda…and I could not give a stuff how much of a local you are here!
Didn’t realise i’d stumbled across all of Brights whingers in one spot (apologies to the nice people here). If anything would put people off visiting it’s you lot!
…don’t see what’s so scary about wanting to encourage a return to old methods and good cooking, but each to their own. Power to those up there with ideas for a healthy town.
bye for now
You didn’t “stumble across” this website ‘Alice’, you’re a Save Bright member. Interesting that you concede you have little support for this Cittaslow idea though.
don’t see what’s so scary about wanting to encourage a return to old methods and good cooking
That’s not what Cittaslow is about Alice and you know it. It’s about retrogrades taking control of the town, particularly in matters of planning. But just on that aspect you mention, why is it any of your business what people eat? Each to their own. Why are you trying to ram your old world concepts down our throats?
Vic, welcome to this blog and thanks for your interesting comment. I bet most Save Bright members have no idea about the ‘local produce’ and probably don’t even eat it themselves. I saw one key member the other day stuffing a sausage roll into his mouth. Oh, it was locally made I guess, but I doubt the ingredients were grown around here.
You see, this Cittaslow idea is not really about “Slow Food”. It’s about forming an official sub-committee of council made up of little dictators and extreme political types that will have a (strong) say in just about every decision the council makes.
I’ve researched it all over the world and there is no doubt what drives Cittaslow is the desire of some people to impose their narrow views (anti-corporate, anti-development, etc) on others via the back-door at the grass roots level of local councils.
Any council that signs on to Cittaslow is either made up of extremists (usually unemployed themselves) or councillors too naive to realise they’ve been hoodwinked. Take your pick as to which category our councillors fall under.
Already in Katoomba the Cittaslow committee is diverting into the more radical issues over which a council has no real jurisdiction. I think you’ll find that the Blue Mountains council will distance itself from this dumb idea pretty soon.
Alice, I’m all for healthy cooking, healthy living, healthy town…that’s why I eat mostly organic produce…and do you know where I have to get that from – Coles in Myrtleford and the Organic Veggie shop in ALBURY.
Now as you know being a local that that is almost a 3 hour return trip. Organic produce does not exist in Bright – the area cannot support it (and does not really want to as proven by lack of existence of anything remotely organic in the IGA) because of the already toxic ground here – so as i pointed out…your whinging Chittaslow agenda won’t hide that fact. Yes power to those who walk the walk in healthy lifestyle – and number of us do it everyday here, at a cost because it is not possible to shop locally without compromising our health.
The local produce is poison…you should be utterly ashamed that you are covering up disgustingly unheathly and unearthly practices by pushing your pathetic Chittaslow and save bright movement that serves a minority of greedy ‘locals’ like you Alice who have plundered this area long enough. It is very clear that your Chittaslow and save Bright movement is only about protecting the monopoly of the Big Box IGA and a few “locals” who have no real interest in healthy living at all.
So stop whinging Alice and support real healthy living by convincing your local shop owner mates to import healthy organic food so we don’t have to travel hundreds of kilometers to access it (because Bright has and never will support a local organic industry – sorry your soil is to poisoned to do that).
You won’t get a straight answer Vic, this is how they operate:
Save Bright comes out (often posing as a tourist – here or on radio talkback shows) and makes sweeping unsupported claims. As soon as the flaws are pointed out and they are questioned they fudge around a bit and then go to ground.
Cowardice, sneakiness, untrustworthiness and deceit are the hallmarks of Save Bright.
Well said Vic, l have no idea how the older generation are surviving in Bright at the moment, some of them only get a few hundred dollars a week and to have to pay the added cost of petrol just to purchase cheaper grocery’s is terriable…
No argument with the “Boxes” the beautiful buildings have already been taken down and replaced with Boxes so what’s the difference in having another one… It seems some people are only worried about loosing money to local businesses because of Coles, yes this is true and having a Target in Myrtleford some businesses have suffered… But stop and think about the prices, why is it that grocery cost are so different between Myrtleford & Bright, the delivery costs surely can’t be that different… So is it that is a tourist town and shops think they can charge more, all well and good if you make a dollar at the end of the day, BUT not for grocery’s… I too own a small business and l do my best to keep my prices low, locals love to visit us and are always commenting on how much cheaper we are compared to other out of town shops, this makes me happy… You see at the end of the day these people know l am cheaper or the same price as somewhere else and will support us.. So again at the end of the day we are making more profit due to more turn over… Imagine if the prices of IGA were lowered to match Coles or even Foodworks, people wouldn’t have a need to visit Myrtleford and therefore IGA would make more money due to more customers… And just maybe there wouldn’t have been a need for Coles… Don’t mean to pick on just IGA but it does seem to be the one business that keeps popping up in conversation…
I love to visit Bright often with my children and love the park and river views… But wouldn’t want to live in Bright because of the higher prices.. Keep supporting the other side Ray and informing the locals with the other side of the argument, it needs to happen more as most people have no idea but will follow what is shoved in their faces day after day…
Michy
I support the bright community in their opposition to the Coles development. Mainly for the reason that we should send a message that beautiful buildings belong in beautiful towns. it is dissappointing that we dont see architects striving for beautiful civic buildings that will be admired by future generations.
Ruth, the Bright community, by and large, is NOT opposed to Coles. The only opposition comes from Save Bright whose supporters number less than 100. And even those numbers are falling following Mr Phillips’ rubbishing of the town in the Herald Sun. Which “beautiful buildings” in Bright (apart from the handful of historic ones) do you admire? There aren’t many architect designed ones, none to my knowledge. The Coles building was going to be an attractive glass-fronted architect design (with Coles completely hidden from view) until SAVE BRIGHT made them change the plans! Yet they still complain.
Michy, unfortunately we’ve got a few “I-know-best” types ramming their views down our throats over here and most people are too polite (or intimidated) to object to it. It’s about time they pulled their heads in. Interestingly the loudest of those pushing the no-Coles & pro-Cittaslow ideas have only been here a few years themselves and have no idea of how the town functions.
I read with interest in todays Alpine Observer, in particluar the property section, that the Myrtleford Coles Freehold is to be Auctioned at Crown Casino on Wednesday 23rd July at 11.00am. I also was in the IGA at Mt Beauty last week (the owners/operators also own the IGA in Yackandandah), on my way to Falls Creek for a few days and happened to talk to an employee at the IGA (who I will not name for obvious reasons and I have known for some years), mentioned to me that the owners from the Bright IGA approached the Mt Beauty IGA owners approx a year ago, to see if they were interested in buying Bright IGA. Whether this is true or not – I am uncertain – but the conversation began by the employee asking me “what is happening with Coles in Bright?”
The owners of the Coles Freehold in Myrtleford are the Robertson Family, who have now retired and basically look after their farms. This family has been in the Supermarket industry for upteen years.
Is there movement in the station? Are they concerned about Coles in Bright, now that VCAT, should make their decision very soon?
I wouldn’t read much into the freehold sale of the Coles Myrtleford building. I imagine that the Robertsons have Coles tied to a long lease (usually the case) and that with such a strong tenant they see the timing as right to attract an investor at the highest possible price and then enjoy their retirement.
Ray I see in this weeks Bright Observer a letter from a member of the BCA.
It mentions Cittaslow and welcomes people to provide input on this and other issues.
I’m thinking of going to one of the meetings. Are you interested in joining me in this group oriented work?
That’s nice of you Wal (for a change). Unless of course you were being
sarcasticironic. Well yeah, I’d love to have my say in open forum and I’d even get to find out who you are. Maybe we have more in common than you realise.BUT, the only problem I have with the BCA is this: I went to the initial public meeting called by Ms Wilson in January of 2007 who had placed an ad in the paper asking ALL interested community members if they wished to start a ratepayers group.
I was one of about 20 others who attended and voted unanimously in favour of the idea of forming one. I didn’t really agree with some of the anti-development views that were put forward at the meeting and I particularly didn’t like it when Ms Wilson said the idea of the group was to keep Bright as it is, which sounded a little too pre-determined to me.
Nonetheless I kept my mouth shut because I knew quite a few people there, some of whom had worked with me under Vision for Bright back in 2001/02 when we DID do something worthwhile and saved Apex Hill from destruction. I thought, well they’ll be prepared to listen to all views and some of them even think I have a pretty good idea of what’s right for the town and what’s not.
So I put my name down on Ms Wilson’s list. I was told we’d all be contacted about the formalisation and subsequent meetings. But I was NEVER contacted. Not only that, I followed this up a few months later with one of the steering committee (Greg Withers) who told me they WERE having meetings but in PRIVATE. I gathered from the communication with Greg that I was not welcome to join their little exclusive and secretive club of anti-progress types.
The BCA was formalised last October and I notice in the letter you refer to they now claim to have meetings that are open and that everyone is welcome. Well that’s news to me!
Meanwhile my name & telephone number are still on that list and if they want to gain any credibility with me then they need to call me. Otherwise I’ll continue to criticise their “closed-minded” little group.
Well that’s being a bit negative dont you think?
Mr T states in his letter the benefits of group unity to communties. I’m all for this.
Do you think maybe they went a bit cold on you coming along because of your somewhat aggressive criticism of community groups and individuals?
It’s a pity you continue to promote division in the community rather than cooperation.
I would look forward to seeing you there, but something tells me you’d prefer to criticize than provide constructive input.
That’s rubbish Wal. A citizen’s association should be open to ALL views in the community – otherwise it cannot claim to be representative in any way, shape or form.
Besides, the BCA has already formed its view on Cittaslow. Heck, they held their little private meetings with Wayne & Save Bright and then went to the council to get support. NOW they want other input? Geez, talk about doing things the wrong way around.
And don’t give me that crap about “promoting division”. Save Bright has been the most divisive group this town has ever seen. At least Vision for Bright had overwhelming WRITTEN support from the community. You don’t, and nor does the BCA.
That said, my phone number is 5755 1375, just in case they’ve lost it.
Incidentally Wal, this is as good a forum as any in which to express your views. If you’re “all for” Cittaslow, as you seem to be, how about explaining how it would benefit Bright?
And how about answering some of my criticisms of this concept? Or would you prefer only to talk about it to the like-minded few?
As usual, whenever “Wal” is asked to explain, defend or elaborate he goes away. What a joke.
Ray, the letter from the BCA is SEEKING input from all sections of the community – thats that whole point of it.
It just sounds as though you find excuses at every corner not to become involved with community groups. Thats fine, its your perogative.
But it does get a bit rich when you then go and bag every Tom Dick and Harry who is trying to make Bright a better place, claiming that you are the only one who knows ‘whats best’ (which is what you do).
You DO promote division Mr Dixon, most likely to increase your reader numbers.
The door is still open for discussion on Cittaslow, in fact people in town are very eager to talk more about this exciting concept.
So come along, let’s see what you’re really about.
P.S. Umm 2500 objection letters from Bright residents and tourists against the Coles…..I’d say thats pretty overwhelming community support.
Wal, you are NOT trying to make Bright a better place. Your ideas are retrograde and they are not progressive.
You, Save Bright et al are responsible for the divisions in the community not me. You’re the problem here.
The letter is simply to give the council the impression they are consulting the community – when they are not. And there is no information about any public meetings so stop kidding yourself.
PS Wal. How about responding to the issue instead of diverting it (as usual) onto me. It’s not about me. You are part of this narrow Cittaslow “movement”, will you please explain specifically why you believe it will be good for Bright? Come on – you have the floor, use it.
Why will it be good for Bright? That’s an easy one Ray.
- Cittaslow’s goals include improving the quality of life in towns while resisting “the fast-lane, homogenized world so often seen in other cities throughout the world”
- Celebrating and supporting diversity of culture and the specialties of a town and its hinterland are core Cittaslow values.
You see, it would create another point of difference for Bright and hence enhance its overall appeal. Of course I’m not totally sold on it yet but the principles seem good and it sure beats the Clonetown of KFC’s, Subways, Maccas etc which you are so strongly pushing for in Bright.
Its good to see so many people concerned about such things. Drop the fear campaign Ray – come and have a chat with the rest of us!
Well let’s just have a bit more of a chat about it here first, Wal.
At least you’ve made a start but you’ve only quoted general ‘motherhood’ type Cittaslow propaganda that anyone can pick up from their website.
It’s all rhetoric Wal, give some specific examples please.
Btw, I’m NOT pushing for those places coming here, I’m saying that if they do then we have to accept them as part of our commercial fabric.
We are a commercial tourist town and we already have a “point of difference”. All that’s needed for Bright is (a) improvements to the CBD streetscape & public spaces (b) more promotion.
Once those things are in place sympathetic developments will naturally follow suit. We don’t need a set of rules developed in Italy to set the direction & parameters of our town. But if you think we do, please explain why?
Ray,
I’m not really interested in sitting here debating semantics and the small stuff with you. I dont know how busy you are, but I actually have a lot to do to help GET THIS TOWN BACK ON TRACK, and fortunately there are a lot of like minded souls out there.
The whole idea about discussing the Cittaslow concept is to have a look at the general principles, agree on whether or not they are good for Bright, and then get down to the nitty gritty of rules and what not.
Now, if you’re interested in contributing to the discussion AWAY FROM YOUR KEYBOARD, contact anyone of the groups involved (Council, BCA, SaveBright, Chamber of Commerce, ART) and come to a meeting. You and I aren’t going to make the decision here and now, and the more people involved in upcoming discussion the better.
Cittaslow, and the Slow Food movement provide useful guidelines for towns to enhance and support local produce and farmers. People want this point of difference, especially whilst on holiday and out of the suburban clone towns of the city. Thats the promotional aspect of it.
You seem content to lie down and let all the fast food outlets come into town. Fine, do that.
But dont expect others not to put up a fight to protect a special place from this insidious blandness that is killing off civic diversity and sucking prosperity from communities.
Thankfully many people would like to see Bright retain some charm.
Wal, at the moment this is THE ONLY public forum where it’s being discussed. As you can see by the comments here and on the other Cittaslow related posts, there’s not a lot of support for the idea. It doesn’t take long to put a few comments here and answer a few questions. I manage to do that and still get my work done.
You could save a lot of time by dealing with the issue instead of constantly attacking me. Look how long it’s taken you to finally get around to some kind of explanation & defence of the Cittaslow idea that YOU and a handful of others put to the council (in secret).
Sorry, you need to explain WHY we should even bother to look seriously into Cittaslow and you haven’t done that. Why should I or anyone else have to contact those groups to find out more?
Anyway, you’re doing a good job so far of letting everyone see that what I’m suggesting might be correct – ie that YOU want to impose a set of rules for the whole town to live by. And that YOU want to change the commercial direction of this town just because YOU don’t like it.
You need to better explain yourself or be prepared to have your Cittaslow campaign cut to shreds. I’m happy to accept SOME of the ideas but I don’t believe that the town should make application to become an official Cittaslow.
Ray, its a bit delusional of you to think this is the only public forum where Cittaslow is being discussed. You’re not serious are you? The Chamber, ART, BCA, SB and Council are all public groups that have been discussing this of late.
“Why should I or anyone else have to contact those groups to find out more?” You dont have to. That is, if you dont want to find out more. The idea of forming community groups is to discuss ideas like this. If you want to learn more, contact the people that are discussing it. Why should ‘they’ come to you?
I dont want to impose any rules on anyone. But I am interested in discussing ideas with others in the hope of benefiting Bright’s tourism prospects.
Wal, none of those groups are discussing it in a public forum. This is a public forum and, at the moment, it is the only one where it is being discussed. As I said earlier, you have the floor so please explain. Please explain and give examples of how making Bright an official Cittaslow is the way to go.
Second thoughts Wal, and to save you time, why don’t you (at some stage over the next day or so) write out in full your Cittaslow idea for Bright and your arguments in favour of it?
Send it to me by email (you have the address) and I’ll publish it as a separate post & topic for you.
Of course I’ll add my comment after it, but at least that gives you and your Cittaslow lovers the opportunity to put it out IN FULL to the community.
Don’t baulk at that please, I’m serious. I DO believe there are some things (not many) we can adopt from Cittaslow. But I want YOU and your handful of Cittaslow supporters to justify your position more fully. And you have an obligation to do that.
OK? I look forward to your essay.
Bit pushy there Ray.
Given your track record of twisting words and manipulation I think I’ll stick to the old fashioned way of sitting down and talking to people face to face.
Pushy? Me? You’re the one pushing an idea onto the whole town Wal – and you won’t explain why!
That is a cop out of the highest order. I have no intention of changing your words. I will publish your Cittaslow ‘manifesto’ and supporting arguments in full – without editoralising it or even putting a cynical heading to it either, if you like.
Naturally (as I’m a citizen with equal rights) I will respond, as will others no doubt.
Come on Wal, people are reading this and seeing that you are not prepared to fully explain your position and beliefs to the community.
Sorry Ray, I dont recall anyone else of note using this website to explain their position or beliefs to the community, so I’ll stick to a bit of good ol’ conversation.
The invitation to the meetings still stands though. (If you dont come, how could you say you’re fully informed?)
Umm Wal, are YOU “someone of note”? Maybe you are but you’re using an alias, which is fine, but how do you know that no one else “of note” has commented here?
FYI, councillors & council staff have commented here. Prominent business people have commented here too. Lee Rosser has commented here, is Lee not “of note”? Scores of community members have commented here, and many hundreds of community members have read this. Are they not “of note”. Are not these the people YOU say you want to reach?
The offer still stands. I’ll publish your Cittaslow manifesto & supporting arguments. As for your “invitation”, what meetings? There are no public meetings on this issue. In fact Save Bright is renowned for NOT holding public meetings, for not being open & accountable and for nearly always working in secrecy and using false names.
Until (and unless) you come out in the open – and that’s what I’m offering you – your Cittaslow idea is doomed.
Finally Wal, you are breaking one of the key Cittaslow principles here, which is the use of the internet to disseminate information. It’s paramount to their beliefs. Didn’t you know that?
So if you won’t explain your beliefs here why not at least put them up (IN FULL) on Save Bright’s website?
You’re not looking good on this thing, so far, Wal.
Come to the meetings Ray – its the best way.
I dont believe a word when you say “many hundreds of community members have read this” – prove it.
If there are any truly public meetings you can bet your house on the fact I will be there, but there aren’t any. The letter in the paper was merely designed to create the impression of open discussion. In fact it was published two days AFTER the BCA held their so-called meeting (with each other).
When are you going to comply with Cittaslow principles and put the whole case up on the internet Wal? Better tell BCA & Save Bright (same thing) that they need to do that.
Prove that many people read this blog? Oh, that’s so stupid Wal. Would you like access to my admin page that records the stats on every topic? This one has gone through the roof.
Btw, seeing as though you’re on your computer right now, how about responding to the email I sent you?
Remember Wal, Cittaslow DEMANDS that you use the internet to FULLY communicate information to others.
Ray, I’m not behind the push for Cittaslow. So dont hold me accountable for “putting the case up”.
Like you, I do admire many of its principles and would like to explore it further.
Now – BCA and Save Bright have no connection that I am aware of. OK? If anyone believed what they read on this site then BCA, SB, ART, Council and C of C would all be tiny one person organisations run by one person – Wal Willow. I am quite flattered by your estimation of my persuasive powers Ray, but for Christs sake, cant you see that quite a number of people are interested in Cittaslow?
Now, how about working with the wider community rather than against it? Contact any one of the above organisations, find out when they meet and come along. While you’re at it, ask them for ” the whole case” as you put it.
Cittaslow for Bright wasn’t my idea, but I like the sound of it.
Stop bugging me please!
Bugging you? You came on here of your own free will, Wal, but I’m sorry for responding to your comments.
No Wal, it’s only Save Bright & BCA that are practically one and the same. The Chamber is not, now that Wayne is out. I’m not sure where the Chamber is headed and what it stands for – and neither are they it seems.
As for ART, for your information John Kroeger & Andrew Wilson came around here recently to get my input on a few key matters. One thing we agreed on (among many other things) was that the Cittaslow idea is a lemon as far as tourism goes, and would not add a point of difference.
Wal, you are clearly involved in this. You are a Save Bright member and you have access to their website. Please put the case forward more fully.