Posted by Kirsten@SparkEvents on July 27, 2011 at 11:35am
Hi everyone,
I've been asked to help coordinate this year's Drupal Camp Toronto and wanted to get a discussion going to share ideas. Our first item is to secure a venue so I will post my findings here to get your feedback.
Also if anyone has contacts that they can share please let me know. We are looking for something downtown that can accommodate 250-350 for keynote presentations with 3-4 breakout rooms for smaller sessions.
Will post my stuff later tonight!
Comments
Thanks Kirsten! Just to
Thanks Kirsten! Just to update everyone else on the points we shared with you for venue selection:
Hey I just noticed there is a
Hey I just noticed there is a one day training session called Drupal in a Day at UTM August 8th. I remember we talked about connecting with some training opportunities for new users. Do you think its worth approaching the individual organizing to see if we can do some cross-promotions?
Drupal Training
Kristen -- I just got this email and I help coordinate the drupal training at Drupal Schoolhouse. we would love to help out.
Let me know your thoughts - feel free to email direct anne at drupalschoolhouse.ca
:) Anne
Hey Anne! Thanks for getting
Hey Anne! Thanks for getting in touch. I'll definitely contact you as we get closer to the event date about coordinating!
Just a note that Do It With
Just a note that Do It With Drupal is October 12-14 in NYC. Not likely too much overlap considering it's a paid conference and 10 hours away, but good to be aware of.
A question
One thing I've noticed in the time that I've been in the Toronto Drupal community - it seems like with each year's DrupalCamp, the search for a location starts fresh, with no mention of the possibility of using any of the previous years' locations. Is there a reason for this? Have the past locations we've used, like the Metro Reference Library and U of T, had major problems with them that make them unsuitable to be used again?
From what I understand, the
From what I understand, the
Library is no longer an option due to cost, and obtaining rooms at a University is only possible during the summer semester.Venue responses so far
I've heard back from a few venues so far, here's what I've got:
Toronto Reference Library (same venue at last year) has the following dates available
Oct. 7 & 8
Nov. 4 & 5
Nov. 18 & 19
University of Toronto 89 Chestnut has space but it sounds pretty costly:
Room Rental Sliding Scale- Main Room
$2000.00 room rental per day is based on a minimum of 250 persons with a minimum spend of $30.00 per person for food services.
$3000.00 room rental per day is based on a minimum of 250 persons with a minimum of $25.00 per person for food services. If the per person food charge and the minimum number of persons is lower than stated above a $6000.00 room rental will apply.
Breakout Rooms
$400.00- $1000.00 per breakout room pending room size and time each day
Ryerson says they do not rent space on weekdays during the academic year
George Brown School of Design sounds promising, just trying to get some more information from them.
Ontario Bar Association also may be a possibility. Still gathering more details.
Does anything stand out on this list?
Have we considered a movie
Have we considered a movie theater complex, like maybe the Carleton Cinema? I know they probably don`t have a large enough room for the keynotes, but they can probably broadcast the keynotes to multiple screens ....
I`d be happy to approach them if people think this is a decent idea ....
+J
Sounds like George Brown can
Sounds like George Brown can only accommodate us on a Thursday/Friday of their reading week October 24-28.
What do you like about this option or what obstacles may come up?
Some of us folks from out of
Some of us folks from out of town really appreciate having the meat of the Camp on Saturday.
I second @DBC's preference of
I second @DBC's preference of weekend dates.
Connections
Also does anyone have contacts at any of these venues who we may be able to approach for sponsorship?
Update?
Hey everyone,
Just wondering if there are any updates and if there is anything I can do to help out.
Please let me know, I'm happy to lend a hand!
Thanks!
Seb
Hi Seb, I know Andre had just
Hi Seb,
I know Andre had just heard back today from the Toronto Reference Library with:
"Long story short: They won't budge on their catering preferred vender b.s. - but they'll let us record the event ourselves.
But we'd still have to use/pay for their in house AV.
In a nutshell - Nothing changes in the quote they provided - and our hands are tied if we use them."
So it looks like Kirsten may be looking for a venue further out than the originally anticipated date (sometime in October). Also Erik has put together some preliminary ideas for a theme and I'm going to encourage him to join g.d.o to share those back!
Another venu in Toronto
I work at a Tyndale - a private University in northern Toronto (Steeles & Bayview - http://www.tyndale.ca/about/location). We do rent our facilities and have food services as part of our offering as well. We are busier during the school year but Fridays & Saturdays are usually quieter. We have some large meeting spaces and plenty of classrooms for breakouts.
If you could give me some dates, I will be happy to see what the possibilities are. As a not-for-profit educational organization we have benefited a lot from using Drupal and would love to host an event like this.
I can be reached at work at 416-226-6620 ext. 2714
Andy Smith
asmith@tyndale.ca
Other facility details
- Campus wide wireless
- Reasonable parking ($3 /day)
- Fairly close to TTC
Available
I did a quick check for availability on October 21st & 22nd (reading days on campus) and space is available for the large class room (capacity of 333 - http://www.tyndale.ca/sites/default/files/public/stock/van_norman.jpg ) and classrooms of various sizes. The large room is setup with dual projection - all other classrooms have a projector in them as well.
Tyndale venue
The Tyndale venue looks nice.
I recall discussions at DUG-TO that a downtown venue is ideal, especially if it's close to the subway. This was also to attract people from out of town because downtown is more interesting. Just as an example, I checked google maps directions from Union Station and it estimated 50 minutes. I'm coming from Hamilton so it matters not to me (and my urban scale is different). What do others think of the location? Is it close enough to downtown?
Andy, do you think the food services cost would fit DrupalCamp budget? Last year's venue was awesome but the catering was well beyond the budget and people had to find their own lunch. It would be great if we can have lunch on site as that is often a key time to connect with people.
+1 on the food services.
Tyndale is a little off the
Tyndale is a little off the beaten track but still accessible by transit - our students do it all the time. Getting down town after the event on Friday night would take some effort.
The food services on site are a contracted company. The saving could come through the facility rental fees - we have a lot more room to work there. I am really not sure what kind of budget is there - I am sure we can work out something. Are you trying to keep the same attendee cost as last year or would the cost go up with the addition of food services?
I understand if a northern location does not work out - but it is all I have to offer :)
For what its worth I would
For what its worth I would not be opposed to traveling to Tyndale (AND my travel would consist of 1hr30min Greyhound to Toronto, and then TTC travel).
trade-offs
I'm not the one to talk to about numbers but certainly if lunch is provided the ticket price can rise appropriately ($10-15/day?).
On-site lunch is really important to some so northern location might be an fair trade-off. Well it's an easy trade-off for me anyway.
Plus 1 for me
First: Andy, I really like the Tyndale site - nice Drupal work. I'd like to hear more about what your team is doing with Drupal.
I like the location but am coming from Mississauga - it would offer excellent facilities for the DrupalCamp. Maybe we can change the location of the Friday event to be more uptown and ease that concern.
Thanks - we switched to
Thanks - we switched to Drupal about two years ago from a home-grown CMS - it has been great ever since. I love the flexibility of Drupal - people keep asking for stuff and we haven't had to say no yet!
I don't want to be "that guy"
I don't want to be "that guy" and I know that options are few for a good venue. I have been to the campus before and IMO it is quite nice.
I do, however, wonder if some participants would be uncomfortable with attending an event at a Christian university? I know that I wouldn't care, but I would understand if others might.
Accessibility Consultant & Web Developer - Zufelt.ca
@ezufelt on Twitter | LinkedIn profile
As long as the camp is
As long as the camp is non-denominational, there ought not be a problem.
ecumenical
Technically, it says 'ecumenical', which means (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumenism) it's only Christian, not completely non-denominational.
But since Drupal is a kind of a religion for those of us who practice it, as long as they don't have a problem, I think it's kind of cool. Maybe we could pick up some tips for evangelizing the heathen (um, Joomla, Wordpress users, etc.)?
On a more serious note - Drupal does get a fair amount of use by church groups.
...and it's used by Christian
...and it's used by Christian Universities - http://www.tyndale.ca <- shameless
We really do have students from all faiths (and no faiths) attend - they love the respect for faith at the school and the small class sizes as well. Really, this would be just a facility rental anyway :)
Thanks for bringing this up &
Thanks for bringing this up & being that guy.
I'd have a pretty large problem if the camp was at Tyndale, in that the money for renting the facilities would be going directly into the coffers of an institution that embodies and promotes an agenda and worldview that I find appalling. I can't in good conscience contribute any funds, however small, to their organization.
If the camp was held at Tyndale I would not attend.
stay tuned, still other options
I'm sorry to hear that Chris but stay tuned, I believe there are still other possible venues in the hopper. Hopefully we can find one that works for everyone.
Cool. I don't know if
Cool.
I don't know if anybody's seen this site -
http://www.eventsource.ca/corporatevenues.aspx?gclid=CKy0oava46oCFYfCKgo...
It's entirely dedicated to event planning in Toronto. Has extensive directories of venues, caterers, event planners, photo & video companies, etc. Lets you search venues by capacity, type, location, whether or not they allow outside catering, etc etc.
Seems like it could be a valuable resource.
Christian Venues Unwelcome?
Really? It's an issue to consider a Christian institution for Drupal Camp TO? Would it be an issue if a Jewish community centre were available? What about the University of Toronto, if people don't support the increasing corporatization and commercialization of the University, or various decisions its made to crack down on student protests or allow Israeli Apartheid Week, etc.? Or a public city venue, while Rob Ford is mayor? Or while David Miller was mayor? Really, I don't think we should start playing this game -- especially considering non-discrimination is a basic open source principle. A facility rental isn't a wholesale endorsement of every single action or belief of an institution.
Tyndale's location is a valid reason to look at other venues, but I can't in good conscience watch an organization offering to contribute to the Drupal TO community be criticized simply for their religious beliefs.
Thanks for saying this. I
Thanks for saying this. I couldn't help but think that if this were being held in a different faith-based institution the resistance we're seeing might be significantly less. I am not Christian, but have been to many non-religious events (conferences, concerts, etc) held in churches or religious facilities ... I would be perfectly willing to go to Tyndale.
I also live just east of downtown Toronto (around the Don Valley), and would not be opposed to commuting to Tyndale for DrupalCamp. Just for the record, I guess.
I think it was only one
I think it was only one person who said that they had a major problem with that - it certainly didn't seem to be an overall consensus.
Personally, while I am not Christian, I don't care what the religious beliefs behind any venue are as long as they don't spill over into promoting an intolerant political agenda. I mean, if it was the Westboro Baptist Church, or some other similar organization that promoted hatred or discrimination against people they disapproved of, I'd definitely have a problem with that. But I don't care what anyone's religious beliefs are as long as they play well with others.
For me, it being in a location that's challenging to get to without a car is more of a concern. But if suburban locations end up being the only ones we can afford, I guess I'll have to deal. But in that case we should probably try to avoid scheduling anything crucial first thing in the morning - not everyone will be able to get there that early if there's a huge commute involved.
out of town guy
For out of town people getting into Toronto is difficult enough without adding a commute north of the city. Besides I'm allergic to venues inside 905.
D
Yes Tyndale is a Christian
Yes Tyndale is a Christian University - We do have students of all faiths attend - including those who proclaim no faith affiliation. There are many non-faith based events held on campus. Sorry I didn't mention that but I didn't think there was an issue there - possibly an oversight on my part
@DBC - Technically we are in Toronto and in the 416 area code - we are quite close to the border but we are 416. Personally I find getting into the downtown more troubling than getting to the north - it all depends where you are coming from I guess. We are close to the 407 and 401 and right off of the 404 - those driving will not have issues. Parking is only $3 a day which is peanuts compared to downtown.
I don't want to cause any arguments - I am just trying to be helpful - if it is a viable location I will do everything I can to get the pricing down to meet or beat the budget. If it is not viable - fine - I will be there no matter where it is.
--Andy
I'm fine with whatever is
I'm fine with whatever is decided. I've too much traveling to do to get to Toronto and will be staying downtown as well. Just because I've no interest in traveling any further once I arrive is no reason to not have it up there. There's always next year. ;-)
The location works for me
I'm coming from the north so avoiding the downtown core with it's exhorbitant parking costs and congestion works for me. Whatever the location, can we organize something for carpooling? It might make the difference for some people. Has this been organized in the past? Is there any easy way to set it up?
As for religion or how that location is used at other times is irrelevant to me. It's difficult enough to get a large group to agree on something that I think it's valid to keep the number or considerations to a minimum.
Cost, location and dates are probably the main ones - the order of importance will vary for each person.
Tyndale venue and Friday evening
Afaik, Christian Campuses do not tend to have pubs. Personally i find this strange as most Christians I know drink more than tea. Maybe it's like legacy code from a previous version that hasn't fully been worked out.
Anyway...
This raises another point: If Tyndale campus works out to be the venue, then what do we do Friday night? I didn't get the impression that it is fantastically easy to find a place downtown either but does anyone know where to get a good beer in that area? Last year was a wonderful fluke event Friday night but i think people said we wanted to plan the party this time.
Ah yes... no pub on campus -
Ah yes... no pub on campus - sorry. I couldn't really help with locating one either - I work here then head (even farther) north for the evenings. I am sure there are plenty places around though.
Humber College
Another option?...
Humber College south campus has space available in October. In one of their buildings they have multiple rooms available, that accommodate a wide range of group sizes. Their biggest room can fit 300 people, and others can fit around 60 to 100. They have wifi (for a fee) and the campus is close to lots of restaurants, fast food, etc...
Although it is in Etobicoke...the 44 Kipling bus leaves frequently from Kipling station and goes straight to the campus, and the queen street car drops off right in front as well.
The lady I spoke with is named Anisa - her email is anisa.carrascal@humber.ca. Or the conference services dept can be reached at 416-675-5027.
Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Seb
I had a quick update from our
I had a quick update from our facilities manager stating that the room fees would be much less than what is listed on the page here and he would be willing to work within a budget - even give a group-rate for parking at $1.50/day :)
Let me know if you want to pursue this option any further - happy to try to accommodate.
Last DUG-TO meeting
Thanks Andy for the suggestion and stepping forward to help. I think there was more or less consensus at the last meeting that we wanted something downtown and on the subway. This is good for most people coming from out of town and arriving by bus/train. Plus, the downtown offers more opportunities for the social aspect of Drupal Camp (translate as beer).
Personally, I prefer that we can get there easily by transit--a less central location means a lot of unnecessary car travel. We should do what we can to reduce the environmental impact. The Reference Library definitely fit the bill as far as location, but there are still issues with their restrictive catering policy.
Hopefully Kirsten has some more news on the venue search.
http://cleaver.ca
Sounds like Tyndale may not
Sounds like Tyndale may not work. Not a big deal - just trying to offer other options.
Coming from someone that
Coming from someone that lives north in the city. Commute uptown is not a pleasurable experience especially for those who don't own their own transportation, I can only imagine the commute for the ones coming out of town. Downtown is the best option.
--
Lyemium
Planetarium Sleepover
Hey everyone,
So I've been looking into the planetarium sleepover. I had no idea until now that the McLaughlin Planetarium is closed. I guess I'm out of the loop. So I called the science centre. They have sleepovers, but the only opening they have is for the Halloween Sleepover on Oct. 29...where they accommodate up to 700 people...which as fun as that sounds I'm assuming that's not what we want. Private sleepovers are booked up until 2012.
Seb
Drupal Camp Venue
Is the issue of a venue still valid? I work for Rogers Digital Media and was told we may be able to offer facilities in one of our theatres. Please let me know and I can look into it.
Drupal Camp Venue
Is the issue of a venue still valid? I work for Rogers Digital Media and was told we may be able to offer facilities in one of our theatres. Please let me know and I can look into it.