Capitol rally showcases passion, misses plan
By Melissa Ray
Arts Editor
August 29, 2007
 After many years of fluctuating
In an article entitled “Capitol boosters to rally,” written by Craig Pearson and published in the August 21 issue of the Windsor Star, MP Brian Masse states that, “Once there is a permanent resolution to what’s happening now, I’ll certainly champion this as a cultural institution for the whole area. We’ll have to start looking at what the Capitol intends to be and what types of services and grants are available.” A subsequent rally held outside the Capitol Theatre on August 23, served to elaborate on some of Masse’s inquires but neglected to clearly outline what sort of “permanent resolution[s]” are in the works.
Nearly 300 citizens, artists and activists attended the event organized and hosted by the community action group Citizens for the Capitol Theatre (CCT). Signs stating, “I love the Capitol Theatre” and “Stop Capitol Punishment” cluttered the corner of University and Pelissier as organizers gathered to relive their memories of the Capitol Theatre and hopes for its reinvention.
After the Capitol’s closing in March, CCT formed to “help facilitate the re-opening and ongoing use of the Capitol Theatre and Arts Centre in a sustainable capacity as an established public trust.” Not only has CCT organized public rallies, but have circulated petitions aimed at reopening the theatre and also been in communications with city council.
Using the petitions and rally as a way of keeping the Capitol Theatre in the community’s eye, while also keeping the pressure on city officials to reach a permanent resolution, has proven to be moderately successful.
Influential figures such as Brian Masse, Brian Crozier, Eleanor Piotrowski and Sandra Pupatello all spoke out on August 23 against the closing of the Capitol. In his address, Masse told the community: “I want to be very clear [about] this: the Capitol Theatre is a jewel in this community and it is very important that it remains a jewel in this community. I do agree that it is the heartbeat of downtown.”
Delivering his thoughts with an undeniable vigor, he went on to say that, “I also want to be very clear that city council is taking extraordinary steps in this case [and] I assure you as a city politician that I will work my damnedest to assure that the Capitol theatre remains open.”
In a similar address, Windsor MPP and Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Sandra Pupatello professed, “I have one thing that I need to say and that is: Windsor needs the Capitol Theatre. We know that we have a bump in the road but when we all pull together with the kind of support that’s here tonight, we can get past this and move on. We want partners with every level of government: with the city, with the provincial and federal governments, because culture matters in our community.”
While both speakers communicated a strong desire to see the theatre reopened, many of the details revealing how the community and local government were championing the Capitol were only vaguely discussed.
As keynotes speakers took to the stage one after another, the image of the Capitol as the metaphoric heart of Windsor’s downtown continued to resurface. Demonstrators cheered and clapped as speakers recounted their fondest memories of the theatre, but amidst the affection that Windsorites might feel for the theatre, many of the other speeches also failed to include some of the definitive steps that should be taken regarding how the community can contribute to the process of getting the theatre reopened. Activist Eleanor Piotrowski began to touch upon these definitive steps in her address, which stood out as one of the most concise and effective discussions of the rally.
Piotrowski began by recapping the long history of the Capitol Theatre, saying that “When you’re up against it, the Capitol has been up and down over the years. I think that this might be the fifth reincarnation coming up. It has been many things over its years [but] we are here to talk about the next steps.
"In 1991, we took possession of this building and at that time, we had a recession, we had a desperate situation in this city; people were out of work. Guess what? Here we are back again. It was almost 17 years ago today, that we got [the Capitol Theatre] reopened. We succeeded and the Capitol did not fail. There is no lack of support, there is no lack of passion and heart and love. It is important that we know what is stopping us and today it is not the City of Windsor, I don’t believe that. I believe that they are doing their very best to get this theatre back and open.
"Here are a couple of things if you want to get the theatre back open and running- the first is go on the website (www.citizensforthecapitoltheatre.org) or take a sign and go demonstrate in front of the trustees office-they aren’t going to make money out of this deal. That is not right.”
August 23 proved that while there is no lack of community passion for the reopening of the Capitol Theatre it might take more than heart to see it happen. Those interested in preserving the Capitol Theatre for the generation to come should take Piotrowski’s advice and move to action.
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