The last few days have been a little shocking for me. I have Det Schumacher’s voice ringing in my head saying ‘Shame on Band on the Run’.
I naively had no idea that there was such negative sentiment floating around about Band on the Run. I would very much like to address this before it gets out of hand.
It seems that we are being perceived, hopefully not by everyone, as some big, bad corporation that comes sweeping into town for one day with only our own interests at heart, our eye on the bottom line and a total disregard to the impact we have on ‘real’ local businesses. The fact is that we are also a local business – and hopefully one that complements the existing ones.
We (Melissa, Rob and I) have spent the last five years building up Band on the Run out of genuine passion for the event and a pride in showcasing our community. It has always been our hope that local businesses will leverage our event to have the type of weekend that they have with Girlfriend’s Get Away Weekend. Our goal has also been to introduce race participants, from out of town, to Huntsville as a destination in June – and put it on their radar as a place they would like to visit again.
Band on the Run has grown from 300 people to 2500 through a sustained marketing effort. That marketing effort relies heavily on leveraging the location of the event. All of our ads broadcast the same message over and over again – come to this event in beautiful Huntsville, Muskoka. Not everything can be brought down to dollars and cents, and I don’t think it should be, but over the last few years we have spent over fifty thousand dollars marketing Huntsville as a tourist destination. Of course the primary objective of those ads has been to grow our race registrations but our town of Huntsville and everyone that benefits from visitors to Huntsville will have benefited as well. And we genuinely delight in that fact. We live here – we want Huntsville to thrive. It is everyone’s best interest.
It has never been our intention to take business away from anyone or to have any negative impact on anyone’s livelihood. That could not be further from the truth. We passionately believe that contributing towards a thriving and dynamic community will benefit everyone!
We have recently gone through the process of changing our race routes due to construction. It was certainly not a choice we would have voluntarily made. Working closely with the Fire Station, the OPP and EMS illustrated exactly what a wonderful community we live in. Steve Hernen and John Graham in particular went way above and beyond in exhausting every possible route option in order to ensure the safety of the 2500 participants and thousands of spectators as well as trying to manage the least amount of inconvenience to local home owners and businesses.
I say this to address in particular the ‘shame on Band on the Run’ comment that Det Schumacher felt it was appropriate to make in a televised Council Meeting. In order to maintain routes for emergency vehicles the race route needs to go on West Street South. I feel confident that Steve Hernen will be happy to explain why in detail and attest to just how hard we tried to use Centre Street as an option instead. We require the entire length of Main Street to accommodate our start and finish area. If you picture 2500 people plus spectators all grouped together with all the amenities (water, food, port-a-potties) that runners need before they start and after they finish a race then I’m sure you can appreciate exactly why we need all of that space.
We were not afforded the opportunity in Trisha Markle’s deputation to council to present the fact that we have gone to great lengths to find a solution that would benefit the 100k market. This included lengthy telephone conversations with Trisha as well as Scott Aitchison and Rob (Horton) spending the time to identify alternative locations. All of the alternative locations put the market in the midst of over 2000 people. The other alternative that was proposed was to keep the market on West Street South with a delayed start. That part of the route can be opened for use by the market by 10:30am. The 2500 runners would be finishing literally on the doorstep of the market. We certainly recognize that this situation would require change and adapting to a unique set of circumstances but surely when balanced against the increase in the sheer number of people visiting the market – it would be worthwhile? All of these alternatives were presented before the deputation. Instead of fairly acknowledging that we were striving to find a solution Trisha Markle instead chose to present us as a big fish intent on swallowing a little fish. Det Schumacher felt we should be shamed.
My intention here is to present the Band on the Run perspective as sensibly and unemotionally as possible. The reality is that it is extraordinarily difficult not to have an emotional response. Quite simply we have worked very hard to build a business in the town of Huntsville that sheds a lot of positive light on the town and has a significant economic impact on the town. I believe that words spoken in a public domain, like council, should be chosen with care and that perhaps should not be spoken at all without a comprehensive understanding of all the facts.
Band on the Run succeeds as well as it does in large part because so many amazing Huntsville citizens go out of their way to make it an outstanding experience for the participants and visitors to the town. A few months ago we received a wonderful email account from a participant who ended up in a conversation with another runner during a Disney half marathon about how much fun Band on the Run was. Think about that – two people were in Disney World talking about how great Huntsville is! Scandal makes the world a more interesting place. It’s fun to be a spectator at some contrived battle between the big bad race and the poor little market. The problem is that kind of media only hurts Huntsville in the long run. We’re not a big bad race – we are locals who want to find a solution where everyone benefits.
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Well done Band on the Run!!! Your efforts have been so positive for all of Huntsville, showcasing our town in the most positive light with the well organized and well supported run to the amazing after party/concert. Such a unique event and very memorable for all of our guests that stay at our B&B and family that comes up to participate. The Shame should be on those that make comment without the facts. I have volunteered for many running, skiing and other sporting events and this is the most respectful of races with everyone’s well being considered. If only the Ironman could take a page from the Band on the Run’s book regarding safety, and community support. This organization even donates a major portion of proceeds to a local charity. What gets more locally minded then that. Come on Huntsville get behind this group that does so much for all of us.
I don’t understand? I’m sure there are enough streets in town so they can move the market to a different street for one weekend? Or even down to the River Mill park for one weekend?
“Shame”? on the councilor for using the word in public. He doesn’t know the meaning or weight of it. It is so far from what Band on the Run, its inventors and volunteers do for this town that I’m embarrassed to even be writing this.
Hey, this should be a win for all involved. Most of my friends and many family will either be in this event (we’re the slow ones, can’t miss us) or cheering-and hanging around all day downtown, concert venue etc. If you get an alternate location for the market, I promise that all of my group will join many of the 2000+ others there and buy something-so stock up!
BOTR was my first running race, and for my 4 month-old, too. Without this local event–running and catching top notch music, what?! Sign me up!–it’s likely I wouldn’t have started running.
True story.
I see this as a bit of an overreaction to being under appreciated. The BOTR organizers are amongst a large group of proactive Huntsville citizens that make lasting contributions to the amazing and progressive culture of our community. They also happen to bring in much needed tourist revenue to a town that relies on tourism. The largely volunteer efforts of these folks need to be celebrated not slighted. Without the efforts of individuals such as these Huntsville would be a very pedestrian and regressive community.
You would hope a local politician would have some diplomacy skills and be focused on finding a solution everyone benefits from rather than engaging in useless dramatics
Justine, this is an amazing article comes out a time in which people such as yourself, Rob, & Melissa are trying to create a grassroots and homegrown event with an amazing event experience that highlights our incredible community, it’s businesses, it’s facilities, and it’s natural beauty.
One element of your article that I don’t think you touched on is the fact that your event, similar to the event that our club runs two weeks after your race (the TriMuskokan), is the fact that it has promoted physical literacy to our local community of every age from five years old up to 95 years old. This has resulted in a sustained improvement of the health and well-being of our community in a time where obesity, for both children and adults alike, is on the rise. As a medical professional, this is an incredible achievement that could not possibly be done in a larger centre or have the same emotional impact that would happen if a company from outside of our community comes in to run an athletic event.
So beyond tourism dollars and tourism marketing, the impact it has within each of the homes here in our community is immense and should not be overlooked. Where the 100 K market is promoting the arts, crafts, and produce from our local resources often which impacts a healthy lifestyle, The band on the run should not The band on the run should not see he seen as competition, rather it should be seen as complementary.
I’m sorry that the market feels a bit put out, but your point is well made that this could be either seen his competition or could be seen as an opportunity for the market. When else would you have 2000 to 2500 participants plus the average 2 to 3 spectators per participant with in the downtown core during the time that a local market is going on. This should be a opportunity that market that takes full advantage of.
It is events like yours and ours that set our community apart from many others creating a place that is a vibrant to live, to work, and the play in.
I have long heard of Band on the Run, I had never heard of the 100K market, until now though, thanks to Band on the Run. Although not really sure what the 100 k market is, but now I am going to Google it and find out!
Band on The Run makes a huge contribution to Huntsville, as does the Market. We don’t need a fight about this and it is a shame that BOTR has been put on the defensive by an ill advised public remark. Our town thrives partly because of the huge efforts of volunteers in all aspects of our community life. Surely we can find a solution that will suit both parties without further angst and without pitting one against the other.
I was at this meeting, and I don’t feel that Det made this comment out of any kind of disregard for your race. It was agreed on that an alternative solution to the problem was to be undertaken. Young people and racers aren’t the only part of this, these vendors also rely on their market. I think your ready into the commment the wrong way!
It’s too bad the ‘market management’ did not approach the race organizers directly, and ask the simple, yet strategic and progressive question, ‘How does the market and its vendors capitalize on the event? How can we place ourselves so that vendors have the most interaction with attendees and enjoy a fabulous day of sales.’
I’m sorry your race crew is faced with this. Hopefully all will work out in the end.