It’s time to sing out loud and proud about civic engagement, folks, because today we’re gathering all the need-to-know info about the City of Music.
What’s that? You may well ask, because based on some of the more difficult discussion related to this, not everyone in the city feels they have a part in it, or strong awareness of it. And, this week City Council (taking the form of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee before it levels up to Full Council on March 3) tackled the issue, led by Councillor Sam Trosow.
This story has been a symphony of municipal discussion, Engaged Citizens of London, Ontario, and I’m not one to keep silent when I can pump up the volume1 with a metaphor. And, not everyone was as much part of the choir as they might have been, so I’m going to try to put that right, and amplify some voices like an unwanted neighbourhood patio2.
Those all-important basic details
Almost all of council met on Tuesday as the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee. The full agenda is here and you need item 4.1, which includes a, b and c, importantly. This was a report-back from the London Music Office, seeking to get across the success of the UNESCO City of Music Action Plan, which ended last year. And the discussion ranged around, went to new places, and was generally a combination of congratulations and a push to do more, and better.
Jack at the LFP has it bang-on: this is about transparency. Trosow (whose views are there to read as item 4.1.c) successfully pushed for a staff report on public input and other important issues. It’s worth noting the word “governance” there - that’s what council needs to make sure is going well in an offshoot org like this.
Opinion Alert: This is council doing its job. There’s lots of great information available there, in an annual report, the recorded presentation and more, and council needs to make sure the music office is connecting with Londoners in the right way.
Quote from the Free Press:
“What I hope to see here is more transparency. I’ve heard time and time again from stakeholders in the music community . . . it’s difficult for people to get information, it’s difficult for people to get a budget for the music office,” Trosow said following the meeting.
The CTV coverage concurs, with a great headline about turning up the volume3 and some discussion about stories not being heard.
And the rest - some additional views
Now edited for absolute accuracy:
Despite some early comments of appreciation for delegations and a reference to communications received, the committee didn’t mention the two other written submissions for the item, which are on the agenda as 4.1.a and b.
Presumably all the council members read them and they formed part of the thinking. I’m going to share summaries of their submissions here (this involved some A.I. support). Call it spotlighting. Please take a look if you’re so minded.
I was concerned the committee didn’t vote to receive the submissions, but I’m now told that did happen as a matter of routine.
Resident’s questions about bylaws and fees
London resident Brendon Samuels raised concerns about how the City’s Sound Bylaw may affect local musicians, in a submission tied to the committee’s update on the London UNESCO City of Music Action Plan 2021–2025. The letter was submitted for inclusion on the February 24 agenda.
He sought clarification from Municipal Compliance about how the bylaw applies to independent music shows or rehearsals held outside approved patio venues and Community Events, questioning whether there is any mechanism to temporarily exempt live music on private property, such as backyards or garages, from noise complaints.
The submission states that the Sound Bylaw does not explicitly reference music beyond an exemption for election events, and that information on temporary permits is difficult to interpret. Samuels noted differences between references to “Temporary Sound Permit” on the City’s webpage and “Temporary Noise Permit” in the bylaw itself.
He also raised concerns about application fees. The letter notes a $75 non-refundable application fee and a $100 refundable temporary noise permit fee for certain events, suggesting the combined $175 cost could pose a barrier for emerging artists. The bylaw defines a Class 2 Community Event but does not define “patio,” the submission states.
Samuels suggested the City review the Sound Bylaw in light of the Action Plan’s goals to support incubation of local talent, clarify provisions related to live music outside commercial venues and Community Events, and improve communication to artists about permit options.
Note: Mr. Samuels also presented to Monday’s committee, calling for clarity on traffic calming application processes.
Midtown Community Organization wants in
Coordinators Warner Thomas and Deanna Brown, as representatives of the Midtown Community Organization4, expressed support for the Action Plan 2021–2025 update, citing the impact of the designation in drawing people to the core area.
The group highlighted Midtown’s historical connection to music education, noting the founding of the London Institute of Musical Art in 1919, its 1922 merger with the London Conservatory of Music, and its evolution into Western’s Don Wright Faculty of Music. The letter positions Midtown as a longstanding centre of music activity in the city.
In response to the report’s reference to partnerships with post-secondary institutions and development of a Creative Sector Hub, the organization called for collaboration with local secondary schools. It cited arts programming at H.B. Beal Secondary School and Catholic Central High School as examples of existing local talent development.
The submission also pointed to vacant buildings in Midtown as potential sites for a future music incubator, aligning the proposal with broader core area revitalization efforts. The organization requested a wording change in the report’s recommendations, asking that “catalyst for downtown vibrancy” be revised to “catalyst for core area vibrancy,” to reflect the City’s current strategic framing.
Consider yourselves telt
That’s a Scots word. Don’t worry about it. I’m merely indicating today’s update is done and I shall return to my cave and my cats. I have a few other possible pieces I may write, if my health improves, and you can expect a ROUNDUP of local news at the end of the week.
Cheers
- Mike
Putting the good stuff right in your heads.
That low creaking noise you can hear is the metaphor. Translation: sharing some missed details.
Look, this story is a gift and headline writers don’t get out much.
I was unfamiliar with the term “Midtown” being used in this way locally, but the org’s website shows it as an area east of downtown but west of Adelaide.