NCRA post: "A Big Step Forward at CKLN"

dev.ncra.ca/news/a-big-step-forward-at-ckln

Wed, 2009-07-29 12:54 — kmatthews

Thanks to local volunteers, and the facilitating work of two NCRA volunteers, CKLN is one giant step closer to restoring itself as Ryerson University's campus radio station, and taking back its role in supporting local arts, culture and information.

CKLN has been struggling under the weight of strife over its governance - uncertainty over who actually runs the station - compounded by financial and other problems. On March 6 of this year, the station's space was locked and their funding frozen - held in trust by the Ryerson Students' Union until such time as the station community could work out their governance situation. It appears that time has come.

John Harris Stevenson of the NCRA Advisory Board, and Tom Richmond, NCRA Treasurer, facilitated the meeting on July 24, which resulted in the fair election of four volunteers as the CKLN Board of Directors. They are about to begin some important and challenging work.

CKLN serves an important local and student community, and has long been a prominent member of the NCRA in the past, as Toronto's "voice of the underground." There is still a road of recovery to travel, but we have renewed hope that CKLN can be restored to a vital position in Canadian campus and community broadcasting.

The NCRA is proud to have been able to offer some help, and relieved to see progress made. Canada and Toronto were on the verge of losing the station, which would be a real blow to community broadcasting and the many thousands of us who love it.

Statement from CKLN Board of Directors

Dear Members,

Over the past four weeks we (The Board) have been working on gaining access to the station. RSU and The Palin Foundation locked the doors in February due to an incident at the station with the old board.

We as the newly elected members of the new board have been told that the doors will be opened to us, but a new lease agreement must be put in place before the doors to the can be opened. As of this date no agreement has been presented to us, four weeks after we were elected. We were informed that by a date in mid August an agreement would be ready however that date has past and we are now told to expect this agreement in the next few days.

From the time we were elected we have expressed the importance numerous times to RSU and Palin Foundation of having the station back up and running ASAP.

The CRTC has express concern about the station and it is vital that we meet our promise of performance.

The board has held off making any statement in the hope that we would have something more positive to report to the members. We wait in anticipation of the agreement and gaining access to the station.

As soon as this happens we will inform you ASAP.

Yours truly,

The Board

CKLN Radio 88.1fm

55 Gould Street

Toronto, Ontario

M5B 1E9