July 31, 2007
Amputating Limbs At Wakestock
Billed as Canada's largest action sports and music festival, Wakestock is the type of event that courts stereotypes, despite the obvious talent of its athletes. It brings to mind Oakley-wearing Mystic Tan addicts drunkenly drooling over bikini-clad booth babes and to whom marketing companies like to throw obsolete lingo like "x-treme" and "epic" at. It's noisy, irreverent, polluting, and expensive.
But what wasn't so charming as Wakestock wrapped-up last week was an apparent act of vandalism during the freestyle motocross event. As reported by the Toronto Star, the dirt bike course seems to have been built without properly considering the vertical, which meant that riders were periodically hitting some of the branches of Toronto Islands' grand, aged trees.
Now, low-hanging branches seem to be a rather appropriate added element to an, er, "extreme" sport, but not this time. Some brainiac official thought it would be a good idea to send someone up a scissor lift with a chainsaw to chop-out the offending limbs. On City property. In a public park.
Torontoist's Carrie Musgrave confirms the alarming incident, stating that the crowd watching the De La Soul set were apalled to see "the very large tree branches coming down." Indeed, so was one of the De La MCs, who angrily pleaded, "Do not cut down any more fucking trees!"
So, chalk up another stereotype for Wakestock to administer. We're hoping organizers get charged appropriately (and significantly) by the City for the vandalism, and that there will be some serious reservations over granting Wakestock another contract next summer.
Photo by j_p_ from the Torontoist Flickr pool.
|
Disgusting.
That should be the end of Wakestock anywhere near any trees in the GTA. Send them packing but make sure they pay for the damages. Replacing trees of that age and size is very expensive and it can be done. Wakestock must pay.
I'm sure they looked at it as easier and less cost to just go ahead and cut those trees, apologize later and pay off someone than to ask permission. These are corporate sponsors who play by no one's rules but their own, and we as the public, need to stop compaining and start taking action.
Well, the website has a list of sponsors, hot-shot logos and all, so I guess the first place to start is to contact them or boycott them.
Now, if the city had any money and sponsored this, the trees would still be there....but here is the problem of all the money belonging to corporations. They don't HAVE to act responsibly (fines? Are you kidding?). All they have to do is throw a festival and watch the sheeple fall in and spend their money...no questions asked. THEY aren't using that park, except for one day. THEY won't miss those trees. The decision to cut those trees probably came from a thousand miles away. Grab a Budweiser, some Oakleys and enjoy the view in your' new park.
i have to agree with you guys on the above. As for paying, hmm, significant and appropriate are not always the same. i would go with appropriate personally.
I'd like to see how much they cut off. Flickfr link, anyone?
The fucking idiot Wakestock people should have just put the thing exactly where it was last year.
And the fine, if it's even issued, with be like $200.
Interestingly, the Toronto Star was also one of the event's sponsors. Surprising that they actually mentioned the tree vandalism.
There were two quite substantial branches cut off, from what I saw. The main sponsor of the event was Telus, so if you're going to complain...
Other than the branches from the motocross event, the grounds seemed to be kept pretty clean and it wasn't hugely overcrowded. I actually thought overall it was well-done.
I don't think that Wakestock is going to be held there again (from what I've heard).
Corporations and event promoters should be subject to much more punitive fines for antisocial behaviour than the puny ol' vandalism/littering/dumping fines. An event like this is insured as well, so it's not like they're too worried about paying some nominal fine.
Btw, regarding the stereotype of drunken kids, girls in bikinis, etc...the crowd was no different than your average concert-going crowd. In fact, maybe I missed it, but I didn't even see a single place you could buy alcohol!
I'm certainly not standing up for the tree-cutting behaviour, but the event really isn't as terrible as it's being made out to be here and on Spacing (and other places). The only thing I'd do away with is the motocross...it's cool to watch, but not so cool for the environment (keeping in mind they also tore the grass up quite a bit).
did they chop WHOLE TREES DOWN, or a COUPLE of branches? It's kinda ambiguous as to what exactly happened. If it was just a couple of branches, then relax and enjoy the crazy motocross event. Ideally, the course would've been selected properly in advance without the need to "modify" the trees, but I'm sure the riders are glad they aren't going to clothesline themselves and break their necks, mid-jump.
What I want to see: People tying themselves to trees during Wakestock as a protest. Would be even more hilarious if a motocross rider ran into'em by accident.
Two things about the above comment:
1) Chopping limbs off living trees can kill them.
2) It's illegal to go around chopping limbs off trees in City parks.
The cutting of the limbs of the trees is just the act, and while it is a heinous act, for me, it's the attitude of these sponsors who feel like they can do whatever they want. That's what bugs me more. Was there an attempt to get permission? Now, let's say these trees had some historical, or even sentimental, value (first date/kiss under that tree). What if, say, one of the trees was the oldest tree in Toronto or Canada. It's the attitude of, "it's just a tree and we're spending money to throw a festival" They just killed somehting that has been alive for hundreds of years for a one day event. Now, if they do it to a tree, what could be next? What if your' house is in THEIR way. Now, say a bulldozer were to "slip" and they took out someones' house "by mistake". At some point, these jackoffs have to learn that this is NOT their world for them to take what they want. And that there needs to be some serious repercussions to these selfish actions. If your' a parent, you wouldn't let your' kid act this way. And if you had a friend who behaved like Budweiser/Telus did, you wouldn't remain friends long. "Dude, I wanted to park my car on your' lawn, but a tree was in the way, so I cut it down, hope ya don't mind, oh, and I peed on your front porch, can I have 10 bucks?."
Why is everyone blaming the sponsors? The sponsors do not control the event they write a check and maybe setup a booth with hired kids to hawk their products but the DO NOT control the event in any way. The blame goes directly on the event organizers.
People always blame the big corporations because it is easy. How about blaming the "Wakestock" organizers who are probably people a lot like you.. young people who like to party, wakeboard hang out, probably act before they think too hard.. They are the ones to blame.
But what REALLY amazes me is that there must have been a ton of Toronto Police at the event and I would assume people from the Parks department (if not then the city is severly lacking in judgement!). Where were these people when this was happening?
"The main sponsor of the event was Telus, so if you're going to complain..."
hahaha for once Rogers hasn't sponsored an event in which tey can be universally vilifed for every single issue in the universe! Go Big Red!
Isn't this the same headline I read at Spacing yesterday?
Carrie> I'd say the tone here is a little more smug (usual irrelevant/irritating hipster smugness/snobiness this blog propagates) than other places. But mostly from commentors.
Guest #14 - You're right, the event organizers are the ones to blame, however, Telus and the other sponsors are the reason an event like this can be put on because they're the financial backers. Complaints should be voiced to both groups, IMO.
Also, no, there weren't tons of cops all over the place. People really have a major misconception about what Wakestock is, it seems. Musicians were even asked to sign a contract not to swear on stage (at least on the Indie stage)for crying out loud! The event itself is well-done, there was just a really, really jackass move made by the person who decided that cutting tree limbs was an okay thing to do.
"Carrie> I'd say the tone here is a little more smug (usual irrelevant/irritating hipster smugness/snobiness this blog propagates) than other places. But mostly from commentors."
- Um, sez you #16 (IF that is your' REAL name)
"People always blame the big corporations because it is easy"
- No, because THEY are the ones to blame. No money, no show. And whatever kind of "show" you end up having, When these creeps pay the ta, you have sacrificed way to much, this time around, it was some publicly owned trees. And do you honestly think some "young people who like to party and wakeboard" went to Telus and Budweiser and said, "Yo, dude, we want to have, like, this festival, but we need some money, can you lend us some?"
Pretty naive.
Toranna, I'll turn that around: Do you really think they got permission from Telus before cutting down the trees? Do you think there was a Telus rep, leaning against a tree, lighting a cigar with $100 bills saying "Fuck that tree, more room for the bikes muahahhahahaha"?
Come on. I'm ALL for holding corporations accountable for their actions, but they're merely a sponsor here. They didn't have ANYTHING to do with this vandalism. You CAN tell them that you won't support companies that support events that cut off tree branches, but good luck with that.
And yes, indeed, that is how most of this sposnorship goes. You can actually approach these companies for sponsorship, make your pitch, and get some dough. Even TOist could, if they decided to have an event. Not saying TOist is small, but surely its a smaller organization than Wakestock.
My band played a SHITTY(notice the capitals, please) "Battle of the bands" that was really poorly run, and they had got their $5000 grand prize from Rogers. All they had to do was ask, and put up a Rogers sign, put the logo on all the handouts, etc. And they even put the sign somewhere where hardly anyone could see it, no one from Rogers was checking.
So, my wish is that corporations paid closer attention to what they were sponsoring.
People have to take responsibility for their own actions. It's hard to imagine that people would stand around and think its a good idea to cut down limbs of trees for entertainment. But it happens and each of them, including the sponsors, should feel some kind of shame.
As for taking responsibility, TOist should acknowledge when it skims a story ideas -- I read about this on Spacing and watched the comments grow, and then today I see your little tirade. Just simple courtesy if one of your competitors beats you to it.
I didn't read the Spacing entry until now (which was based solely on the Star article linked in both our entries), but they were tipped-off by Torontoist's Jonathan Goldsbie in the first place, for the record.
Lots of things are illegal. A writer on some other site made a point about how many of the fans were dumping their cigarette butts into the water, and chucking beer cups everywhere but in the garbage.
It's a damn tree branch. Hippies.
If it was your tree branch on your front lawn that someone cut off without permission just to make way for some temporary bike jump, I'll bet you'd be pissed—especially if that aged tree became diseased or died because of it.
Because it's on public property, it's my tree, and that pisses me off. It's also no less an offense than dumping beer cups and cigarette butts in the water, which happens at all large events and is also repulsive.
I was there covering the event for blogTO and can tell you this has been way overblown. It might make for a juicy sensationalist title (I do like it) but it was a one metre branch on a giant tree and not the whole tree that was felled or even a major part of it. The tree won't die, nobody else died and as soon as the crowd and band yelled the cutting stopped.
Unwittingly, commentator 24 provides tacit support for the Coase theroem, namely, that when property rights are widely held or dispersed among a number of holders (in this case, the public's "ownership"* of the tree in the public sphere), violations of such property rights are more numerous and enforcement and management of those property rights becomes prohibitively expensive.
As commentator 24 states, if someone owned the tree or it was on private property, the limbs wouldn't have been cut off (which also explains the greater vandalism and graffiti on public property than private).
*re: ownership: this concept seems to get mistated all the time. Its not your tree. You have an indivisible interest in the whole of the tree as a member of the city of Toronto, an interest which can't be transferred and can't be used to exclude others from "using" the tree. This is not an ownership interest in the tree. It is political membership in the city of Toronto, by which you share in its property. This is further illustrated by the fact that you have no remedy against those who injured the tree, but can only urge the city to exercise its remedies. Given the amount of digital ink spilled over public sphere issues here, it is an important distinction to keep in mind.
The difference between the ability to police things like graffiti or cigarette butts in "shared" public spaces and some Wakestock official taking a branch down is that Wakestock had a contract with the City that makes them responsible for what happens during their event. Even if one of their subcontractors or sponsors approved the order to go up in a scissor lift with a chainsaw and hack away at the tree, Wakestock is still ultimately responsible for that.
For those complaining that it's only a few branches, at one point does it become not OK? Four branches? The top half of the tree? The entire tree?
Are you guys kidding me? You are bitching about a tree branch .. or wait sorry two branches that were cut off for rider safety. I would love to see everyone here that is complaining about the act of 2 branches being trimmed off a tree start walking everywhere they go. If you're so worried about the "environment" then I hope you swam over to the island for wakestock because that ferry, judging by the amount of exhaust it puts out is not very environmentally friendly. I can't believe you are trying to say these sponsors think they can do whatever they want and this and that. I would rather see people whinning about some branches being cut down then to have to read about one of the worlds top Motocross Rider being killed due to branches at Wakestock 2007. I am sure that would go over well with the city of Toronto and the world at that. Why dont you give it a break, big deal some branches were cut down, what about all the grass then? That was trampled on by over 39,000 people? I don't remember seeing any tree huggers at this event, and if their were sorry you had to witness such a tragedy. Worry about something more then 2 damn tree branches ... anyone wanna comment on the homeless people greeting everyone coming off the ferry? In a world where we as Canadians should be thankful for so much, we tend to bitch about the littlest things. Congrats Toronto on making us so proud that we have to whine about 2 branches being cut down to make sure our fellow extreme athletes did not become victim to a tree branch that decided their fate.
Um... if the tree branch was in the way of one of the "wikkid" high jumps on the motorcross circuit, why couldn't riders have just slowed down and not jumped so high before hitting that part of the course? They still could have had their little race without vandalizing public property if they had just used a little common sense.
Or, you know, they could've put it where THERE WERE NO TREES! It's kind of a no-brainer, really.
And #25 (Roger, I'm assuming), uh, it was more than a metre, and more than one branch. Clearly it was enough to make De La Soul take notice and comment about it...for over a minute or two.
Not jumped so high? Hell why not next year do they just have the motocross riders going around in circles all day long ... but of course on top of a wooden track or something so they do not damage the grass ... this complaint is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Honestly, go find something to bitch about somewhere else. Lets talk about world issues such as suicide, hunger, AIDS, poverty, etc ... oh wait, no I have an idea ... lets talk about 2 branches that were cut down at Wakestock 2007, what an issue that is ...
i live beside high park and they cut down trees for safety reasons all the time. at first i though WTF, but now i see large branches come crashing down on neighbours cars with some regularity. sometimes old trees need a little pruning. does anyone know if the branch was even still alive? know the guy/girl who did it? know for sure he/she didn't know what they were doing? know whether they city disallowed the cutting in the first place? coulda been one of the sponsor CEO's up there having a little too much fun.
These reports lack any real facts or evidence to what -actually- happened. Without those facts, people really shouldn't be overblowing the situation. Sounds like something...I don't know...the Toronto Star would do.
Actually, Carrie, #25 was penned by Sookie, the writer covering the event for blogTO.com and not me.
I'd have taken a photo of this myself had I known about it at the time. Although I did hear the chainsaw over the annoying play-by-play coverage blasted through the loudspeakers by the Pro Wakeskate Best Trick event I was shooting at the time. But I thought it was just one of those noisy motorcross bikes.
I think the amount of corporate irresponsibility at this event was abhorrent. From the lack of planning (no recycling facilities for the thousands of Bud Light beer cans) to the lack of forethought (putting a motorcross run where there were trees) shows a blatant disregard for our environment.
Regardless of whether it was one branch or a whole forest of trees, the real problem here is the fact that organizers felt they could cut away trees with impunity. That's neither the right nor responsibility of the organizers, it's the city's. The most the organizers could legally do is request that the city take care of the branches, and if it were the city doing it, that would have been blatantly obvious.
Thank You, Robis, that was my point. The actual act with the trees is one example of the attitude. Like an undisciplined child, if they feel that they can just cut a branch and get away with it, what's next?
Anyway, it's a done deal. They did it, got away with it. A fine won't mean squat to them, they made their money.
For the people defending, who knows, maybe next time YOUR' tree or maybe your' car will be in the way.
Anyway, some people partied, got drunk, got laid, played in the water, they had their moment.
And really, that's all that matters.
If the sponsors are to blame because they "fund" the event then EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED is equally to blame becuase if you did not attend then the sponsors would not sponsor and event would not happen and trees would not be cut...
Wakestock is ultimately responsible for the people it employs. It's not that I think they shouldn't be there—these things are great for Toronto's economy and profile, and they're lots of fun—but it's more that anyone with two brain cells knows that you can't go around cutting trees. The City bends over backwards (or forwards?) when promoters wave money at them, but a condition of the contract is that they are supposed to return the site to its original condition and do no damage.
The bottom line is that cutting down tree limbs in a City park is illegal. Why defend it? I'm sure it was probably some low-level official that sanctioned it and not Wakestock as a whole, but as I said, at what point of the destruction of a 200 year-old tree does it stop being OK?
the Island is a peaceful getaway. i have no clue why we need to host stupid things like Wakestock and loud concerts on the Island.
The nonstop noise is obnoxious to everyone on the Islands - residents, boaters and day trippers. There's no way this kind of disruption would be allowed in any neighbourhood park, so why should the Island be the dumping ground for this?
Technically, Marc, it's not your tree, it's our tree.
Yup, exactly my point.
Walk to the nearest park carrying an axe or a saw and lop off a couple of branches and see just how illegal it is.
Tell the cop you were just doing some weekend pruning because when you ride your' bike through the park, you hit your head on a branch. Then explain to the city employee why you decided to do his job for him.
Then tell them that you have music, beer and hotties. I'm sure it wil be alright then.
The city's crawling with rich amateurs toting 70-200 f/2.8s -- yet none were enterprising enough to document this eco-outrage? [I was hoping to see a shot of the scene in HDR on Flickr somewhere. Alas.]
I am a photographer for a magazine and newspaper and alas .. I know I wouldnt take a photo of the tree being cut because as far as I am concerned they did it for rider safety, not because they wanted to cut down a branch for the hell of it. The fact is, Wakestock took place on the Toronto Islands and will return next year, as I am sure Toronto does not mind 40,000 people coming to one spot and thus generating revenue all around the city for parking, transportation, etc ... I will also send some money and a new tree to plant so everyone can stop crying.
Guest #45, you are so not getting it.
And by you're reasoning, I'm sure we could get 40,000 to show up to public executions, but hey, it would generate revenue right? So, of course, the magic words, "revenue" and "profit" justify any behaviour.
You know what, take down the tree's, burn the grass up...heck, make the park into a parking lot...who cares, right? Just some trees. Come on, let's generate some revenue!
Go down and chop a branch, and when YOU get arrested, and punished tell the cops, "But Wakestock did it, how come nothing happened to them?" Then I'll send YOU some money to stop crying.
Rider safety: I thought these guys were supposed to be extreme, bad-asses, the type with the "No Fear" window stickers in their 4x4s...What, are they afraid of a few branches?
"Fear Nothing!!"
send all your comments to: info@wakestock.com if anyone wants to get in direct contact with the organizers...it would probably be more effective than just griping on some blog...
What it comes down to is the atheletes saftey. You all can preach and preach and monday morning yer hoppin in yer escalades and rollin into air conditioned offices. get a life.
I'm pretty sure that most of the people commenting on Torontoist articles don't roll in Escalades. Just sayin'.