Toronto, Canada: City Purchases Outdoor Cinema System; Saves Thousands on Outdoor Movie Events

Outdoor Movies in Toronto, CanadaBuying a giant inflatable movie screen, projector and sound system for $12,000 will save taxpayers' money in the long run, Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker says. Toronto has rented outdoor cinema equipment for years in order to show outdoor movies for the community. Rental fees, over the years, make a purchase of the equipment well worth the investment. City Councillors and community members agree that the tradition of outdoor films is well worth it. He and Councillor Joe Mihevc split the cost for the equipment that will be used to host free outdoor movie nights in their wards. De Baeremaeker said it used to cost $1,500 per movie night to rent the outdoor cinema equipment, and another $1,000 for licensing fees, though corporate sponsorships reduced the cost. He said he's "confident" a local company will step in and pay for the equipment retroactively, so that the councillors only have to pay for the licensing fees to show the films in public. Where once five movie nights set taxpayers back up to $12,500, now they'll only pay $5,000 in licensing fees. "We will save taxpayers thousands of dollars every year," De Baeremaeker said, noting he thinks the free movie nights "build communities," and provide an opportunity for residents to talk about local concerns with their councillor. Excerpt from "Screen purchase will 'save thousands'" by Bryn Weese -The Toronto Sun. Read full article at: http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/05/05/9351361-sun.html.

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