Question file photo by Megan Grittani-Livingston

Music fans dance to the music at the Pemberton Festival in 2008. Members of the Pemberton Valley Utilities and Services Committee are still working to ensure that all the pieces are in place to facilitate the return of the festival in 2010, despite concerns that time may be getting short on ironing out details.

Local officials are continuing their discussions to help smooth the way for a return of the Pemberton Festival, seeking to address outstanding items and questions that have apparently been raised by Live Nation, the producers of the 2008 music festival that brought an estimated 40,000 people to the valley.

At Monday’s (Nov. 23) meeting of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District’s (SLRD) Pemberton Valley Utilities and Services (PVUS) Committee, local officials discussed the terms of the memorandum of understanding between the SLRD, the Village of Pemberton and B.C.’s Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) that is being drawn up to accompany the ALC’s conditional approval for the festival to return to its 2008 site on agricultural land. They also heard an update on some other items of concern for the festival producers.

While the officials reiterated their commitment to doing everything possible to address issues and show they want the festival back, some of the discussions in Monday’s meeting showed uncertainty about whether the event will return in 2010.

SLRD Chief Administrative Officer Paul Edgington told the lawmakers that his sense is that because of some of the issues of concern for the producers, a 2011 festival might be more likely than a 2010 event.

“I think things are still being planned to come back; it’s just a question, ‘Is it 2010 or 2011?’” he told The Question after the meeting.

He said if some of the concerns Live Nation has raised are requirements for the company to move forward with the festival, that could indicate a stronger possibility of the event returning in 2011 as opposed to 2010.

That idea comes “based on conversations I’ve had with Shane Bourbonnais, saying they would rather do it right than do it quickly, and they’d like to have all of the things that stand between them and profitability addressed in sufficient lead times that allow them to properly source and secure things like security and a host of other contracted services that they rely on,” Edgington said.

Edgington said he last spoke with Shane Bourbonnais, currently Live Nation’s president of talent for international music, within the past few weeks. Bourbonnais, the lead organizer of the inaugural Pemberton Festival and past local resident, was promoted earlier this year and is now based in London, England.

Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy said after the meeting that he wouldn’t speculate at this point about whether the festival would be back in 2010, and until the producers say the event won’t happen, he’ll keep doing what he can to create an environment where they want to come back.

“I am eternally optimistic,” he said.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, Edgington summarized some of the issues for Live Nation that have been expressed to him in recent discussions. These include questions surrounding liquor sales, policing costs, some conditions from CN Rail and some local businesses wanting buyouts over the course of events.

He and Sturdy, Electoral Area C Director Susie Gimse and Pemberton Councillor Ted Craddock discussed what they could do to address some of those concerns, including taking up the questions surrounding the liquor licensing with the Province and continuing to lobby for a reduction of policing costs.

In July, Gimse and Sturdy said local officials and stakeholders had been working together to address issues around the inaugural festival and send a message to the event producers that Pemberton wants the festival back.

Edgington said in Monday’s meeting that the draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) had captured everything set out in the ALC’s requirements for the festival, but Live Nation organizers had some concerns about the point in the agreement that refers to annual removal of festival infrastructure, stating that the commission and governments should ensure each year that the festival leaves “no footprint.”

“That’s straight out of the ALC’s decision,” Edgington said.

One year ago, the ALC granted its approval for the festival to continue on the same site as the 2008 event for up to 10 years, provided that conditions are met to help preserve the agricultural capability of the lands. The commission asked the two local governments to join it in an MOU to establish their roles and commitments.

Edgington suggested that the officials could recommend adopting the MOU as it is and then ask the ALC to consider changing that condition. He said he believes it would be fair to suggest a compromise such as a pre-approved plan of lower-impact infrastructure that could stay in place until the festival is no longer being held, along with paying a deposit to cover costs for a removal in case of a default.

Festival organizers had indicated their support for such a change in verbal and email discussions, he said, while ALC officials said it would be up to the commission.

Sturdy said he would be reluctant to move ahead with the MOU as it is only to find out that certain parts are showstoppers for the festival organizers. He said he would prefer to seek more feedback from the festival producer before giving it the nod.

“I want to do all I can to ensure that this community is providing clarity and surety to Live Nation and encouraging them to come back,” he said.

The committee eventually decided to ask SLRD staff to revise the MOU to try incorporating elements about retaining certain infrastructure and paying a deposit. Gimse, though, struck a cautionary note, saying she was concerned the changes might be contrary to the ALC’s intent.

Bourbonnais could not be reached for comment before the press deadline.

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