[DUG-TO] Drupalcamp...the continuing story of an event trying to happen

[Julian Egelstaff]

Hello again everyone...after attempting to move this event into a high 
gear just the other day, I now have to ask everyone for some sober 
second thought, because I've learned from MaRS that the hard costs are 
about 75% higher than I thought they were.  Frankly, I don't think 
that's a good way to spend our money, assuming there is even that much 
sponsorship money out there, and that seems doubtful to me.  But this is 
an open community so I don't feel it's my decision alone to make....

Short version of the long story...when Drupalcamp had no venue and no 
momentum at all, I thought I'd make some inquiries to see if I could 
find anywhere to have it.  An old contact I had at MaRS came through 
like a dynamo, and managed to get them to agree to provide their main 
auditorium complimentary. 

And there was much excitement.

Then, after we here managed to settle on a date, I went and talked to 
MaRS about the logistics, and to see what the space was like, and that's 
when I learned that they were prepared to provide the space for no 
charge, but they required their janitorial and technical staff to be on 
hand for both days of the event, and we would have to foot the bill for 
that staff time.  That's when I started adding everything up into the 
big budget that some of you might recall seeing when I posted it to the 
list a couple months ago.  Since the costs were mounting, the plea was 
for sponsors.

And there was not much excitement.

So due to the declining momentum and the approaching date, myself and 
others began to think about a stripped down event...cut out the major 
costs, no catering, no shirts, just the hard MaRS costs to bear, and 
even with the short window until the event (less than a month now), if 
there was still enough interest, a small event could be a success.  So I 
"took the pulse" earlier this week, as Alex and James put their heads 
together to pull the website out of nowhere, and when Jane said she'd 
tweet about it, I was pretty sure we could get enough interest for a 
decent small event.

So I, at least, was getting a little excited again.

Then, I just learned via e-mail that the complimentary auditorium space 
only includes one complimentary projector and screen.  If we have the 
auditorium divided into three separate spaces, which seems like the only 
logical configuration for this kind of event, then we will be charged an 
additional $1680 for another two projectors and another two screens!

So, before I learned this, we were expecting to pay $1819.30 for the 
MaRS staff time, and that would have been the only cost for Drupalcamp.  
Considering what a prime location and top quality space it is, I think 
that's a justifiable cost.  Free is better, somehow we got free at UofT 
in the past, but not this year.  So under $2000, well, it is what it 
is.  Since there were no other possibilities for a Drupalcamp in the 
near future, it seemed like the cost of doing business if people really 
wanted to have an event, at least that's one justification.

And I was pretty sure that donations and sponsors would be able to cover 
that amount.

But add another $1680 for projector and screens...we could practically 
buy projectors and screens for that much and have money left over.  The 
total cost goes up to about $3500.  That's about half of last year's 
Drupalcamp, but this time there would be no food, no shirts.  I have to 
wonder if it's good value for money...put it another way, if as a group 
we could raise $3500 through donations and sponsors, would we want to 
spend it on what is essentially rental costs for space for Drupalcamp, 
or would we rather spend it on something else? 

My gut is telling me "something else."  Nevermind the fact I think $3500 
is more than we can expect to raise (but prove me wrong lurking sponsors 
out there!).  And $3500 is a lot of money and I have to believe that as 
a group we have found much better ways of spending that much money in 
the past.

So is this the end of the rollercoaster ride of Drupalcamp Toronto 
2009?  Only you can decide!  This is just one person's opinion, and talk 
is cheap on the internet.  Reply and have your say.

Here's a thought....the good folks at Seneca are trying to kick start an 
event in October this year called Toronto Open Source Week, that will be 
bookended by Ontario Linux Fest, and the Free Software and Open Source 
Symposium (FSOSS).  You can read a little blurb about it on the FSOSS 
website:  http://fsoss.senecac.on.ca/2009/

That's about all I know about it, but maybe that's better timing for 
Drupalcamp Toronto 2009?  Who wants to follow up on that?  Considering 
how poorly my efforts have turned out, (and how insanely busy I am at 
work now), I can't recommend myself for the job.

Or, maybe we need to strike a real organizing committee and start 
planning now for Drupalcamp Toronto 2010, and make sure it's the most 
amazing Drupalcamp ever.

--Julian