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MasterCard pays for Toronto rinks to open in December
nice!
I especially like the 'no strings attached' (aside from the publicity...and hopefully the city takes the initiative and puts up little signs or something?) and that it seems to be genuine goodwill.
/idealism
| quote: | Oct 12, 2007 02:10 PM
jim byers
city hall bureau chief
Sharpen your skates, Toronto - the rinks will be open for the holidays after all.
The city of Toronto earlier this year had said it didn't have eough money to open its outdoor, artificial ice rinks in December, as it usually has in the past, and that hockey players and skaters would have to wait until January.
But MasterCard Canada rode to the rescue this morning, sending Mayor David Miller a note and offering to provide the $160,000 the city needs to keep the rinks open over the Christmas break.
Shortly thereafter, Miller told reporters he was happy to take the company up on its "very generous" offer, which comes with no strings attached in terms of advertising or other benefits.
"I called MasterCard and told them we're very thankful for the offer and we'd be delighted to acccept it," the mayor said. "It does illustrate, though, the fundamental problem we face. You can't fund public services through charitable donations.
"We're very pleased that donation has been offered but we face fundamental fiscal challenges in this city and I think this offer highlights that," Miller said.
In his letter to the mayor, MasterCard Canada Inc. president Kevin Stanton said his family moved to Toronto from the U.S. in December, 2003.
"One of our earliest and fondest memories of this city was watching neighborhood kids playing shinny at the outdoor rink in a local park," he wrote.
"For me, that image exemplified the Canadian experience and the community warmth of Toronto. MasterCard would like to help ensure that Toronto children and families continue to have the opportunity to make full use of the outdoor skating rinks this winter, particularly during the holiday season."
Stanton's letter made it clear that his company isn't asking for "branding or other considerations ... in return" but that it simply wants to "make a contribution to an important city service."
That being said, the company also surely realized that the offer would generate a large amount of publicity that some might describe as, well, priceless.
The city of Toronto is facing a budget shortfall of perhaps $400 million to $500 million next year. Miller is hoping city council on Oct. 22 will endorse his plan for new taxes that would raise up to $250 million. |
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/266260
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