Honest John also generous in final days...
It appears that John Hamm, who made "honest country doctor" his schtick, was just a politician in the end. On his way out the door he tossed a little boney to his old friend, Celeste MacNeil and his Magic Valley Fun Park:
And a gift is indeed what this money is - there is plenty of indication that the government knew it was dying with little hope of revival. Right from the park's 2005 business plan that called for $3.7 million from the government to this bleak assessment by the tourism ministry (emphasis mine):
The highway bypass referred to was the twinning of the local highway in 1999 that moved it further from the park. So at least as far back as 2003 the government knew that this park was not viable and unlikely to be able to pay back current outstanding loans, which amounted to just over $200,000. I say at least because the government had not received any payments on that loan since 2000.
Go read the article if you're interested in the rest of the sordid details - and there is worse; writing about it is making me kind of sad and that's no way to start a sunny day.
The Hamm government approved a $350,000 forgivable loan to a Pictou County amusement park last month despite bureaucrats’ concerns dating back to 2003 that the park can’t make a go of it, newly released documents show.I'm not sure what the difference between "fogiveable loan" and "tax-free gift" is in the case of a dying "fun" park, but that might be related to my ignorance of people to go to for such "loans".
And a gift is indeed what this money is - there is plenty of indication that the government knew it was dying with little hope of revival. Right from the park's 2005 business plan that called for $3.7 million from the government to this bleak assessment by the tourism ministry (emphasis mine):
"Visitation is stagnant and at an insufficient level for debt repayment or to provide a suitable return on the owners’ capital and time investment. Based on its financial history, Magic Valley will be unable to raise the necessary capital to add new experiences to the park, to adjust to the highway bypass or to prevent the existing facilities from deteriorating."
The highway bypass referred to was the twinning of the local highway in 1999 that moved it further from the park. So at least as far back as 2003 the government knew that this park was not viable and unlikely to be able to pay back current outstanding loans, which amounted to just over $200,000. I say at least because the government had not received any payments on that loan since 2000.
Go read the article if you're interested in the rest of the sordid details - and there is worse; writing about it is making me kind of sad and that's no way to start a sunny day.
As near as I can tell, a 'forgiveable loan' seems to be the government saying, 'here's some money, pay us back if you can, but if you can't - that's okay'. That's neat - how do I get one of those?
Posted by
Dan |
Thu Mar 16, 10:15:00 AM
My question exactly. In the article they also mentioned a few other details. First, that payments on the previous loan were changed somehow to be tied to income, and that means if you're losing money, that loan also becomes free.
And secondly, while the business plan "called for" $3.7 mil from the gov, he could "get by" on $2 mil if it was also free money.
So could I!
Holyfuckholyfuckholyfuck.
Posted by
kevvyd |
Thu Mar 16, 11:00:00 AM
It's not even that much of a fun park. A bunch of miniature Mother Goose storybook houses with none of the characters, some bumperboats and paddleboats, a pool, and, um, I'm trying hard to think here. It's not far from our cottage and the kids always prefer to make their own fun on the beach.
Posted by
Ted Betts |
Thu Mar 16, 11:08:00 AM
Yeah, I think I've seen it - the kind of chintsy, sad thing that only appeals to families who've been driving for 8 hours straight and need any excuse to get out of the car.
Posted by
Dan |
Thu Mar 16, 11:28:00 AM
...if it has a bathroom.
Posted by
kevvyd |
Thu Mar 16, 12:33:00 PM
Of course. Not to knock these places, despite what I might have said about sad - humble might be a better word. Back when I was a kid, and we would go up to Quebec to visit our family - I can remember stopping at a few of these along the Trans-Canada - one especially that sticks in my memory was in New Brunswick - I do believe it was a concrete animal 'nature park' - I remember there was a really odd statue of a horse outside. They're little gems, and I'd rather see them than a Disneyworld or another Walmart - but the hard reality is that they're not tourist attractions by any means, and they exist solely by highway traffic - and the honest thing the owner and the government should have done when the highway was twinned was close up shop - maybe give the owner some money to compensate for the business loss caused by the government's action and to pay severance for the workers, if any.
Posted by
Dan |
Thu Mar 16, 01:27:00 PM
I think I know the one you mean, Dan - it is down near Sussex and has a donkey with Trudeau's head.
Posted by
kevvyd |
Thu Mar 16, 08:52:00 PM
Yep, that'd be it..
Posted by
Dan |
Fri Mar 17, 07:57:00 AM
It is, or was, called Animal Land. There was also another park up the road with concrete dinosaurs and, for some unknown reason, a 60' replica of an Apollo rocket. It closed down after a couple of years but I think they left the dinosaurs in place. Just to add a little surrealism to NB.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Fri Mar 17, 01:29:00 PM