The Honourable Dalton McGuinty
M.P.P for Ottawa South
Queen's Park, Room 281
Main Legislative Building
Toronto, ON M7A 1A4
Tel. 416-325-1941
Fax. 416-325-7578
E-Mail: Dalton.McGuinty@premier.gov.on.ca
Date
Re: The Concert Hall at 150 Elgin Street

cc: Julian Armour, Executive and Artistic Director, OCMS

Dear Mr. McGuinty,

My name is (introduce yourself)

As a member of the Russian community of Ottawa, I am writing to urge you to support the Concert Hall initiative at 150 Elgin Street.

The need for this concert hall has been identified for many years. There is widespread support not only from over 30 user groups but from people who attend performances, presentations or lectures. As the hall would also be used for recordings, there will also be a spin-off for the entertainment industry. With so much interest in the project from both the performer and audience perspective, this project should go ahead. This initiative will enrich the quality of life in the city, and have far-reaching benefits. It will educate new artists, and introduce new music to concert-goers. It is not geared towards the elite, or the chamber music community, but will be an all-encompassing musical facility that will house the offices of many cultural organizations in Ottawa. It will be used for every style of music, including classical, jazz, folk, blues, choral, orchestral, country, and all styles from around the world.

Ottawa is the second largest city in Ontario and the fourth largest in Canada and has a strongly identified need for this facility. Even the National Arts Centre has written a letter supporting it and has indicated it will use it.

We need this hall, and I know that people will flock to it. This will be a boon to downtown businesses, hotels and tourism, so the spin-off effects are great. Even the National Arts Centre will benefit from the hall, which will take some pressure away from their very crowded rehearsal and performance spaces.

This is too good a plan to lose, as such an opportunity will not come along again. This is unquestionably the best downtown site for this complex, and once it is gone, it is gone. Please use your influence to ensure that this worthy project gets the necessary funding approval. There is no question that if this opportunity is lost, it will be decades before a similar proposal can go forward again.
You must act now.

Sincerely,

(Your name and contact information)