An open letter to EKN and the Estonian community.
Eda Sepp

I am sorry to see that Estonian Central Council (or perhaps its board members?) endorses a plan to build a “new community centre” which requires the sale of the old Estonian House in Toronto, the heart of the Estonian community since 1960 and a hub of language and cultural activity to this day. The destruction of this central historic home and monument of our major Toronto diasporic community is certainly going to please Putin and his friends.

There is no “feasible solution for a so called new Estonian community centre in Toronto” that “will be inclusive of all needs and organizations”, one that hopes to consolidate all Estonians. No meaningful consultations, no open dialogues with the Estonian community or its organisations apart from the boards involved and a few of their members have been undertaken and no alternate projects have been allowed.

The Estonian Credit Union, on whose Board are also members of the Board of Estonian House, has given a loan of more than $200 000 to the Board of Estonian House and its “Future Committe” to spend on three unsuccessful and failed projects, which promised, exactly as this new project does, sustainability and glowing results for our cultural heritage. The Board of Estonian House, with its paid project manager David Kalm, have used the $200 000 loan from the Credit Union, without achieving any results, and this has made Estonian House, which previously was debt-free, vulnerable to economic pressure. There is arguably a situation of economic duress or forcible exaction of what is demanded for our community.

It was never revealed how much money was to be used or borrowed from the Credit Union. Clearly there was conflict of interest between the Boards of the Credit Union and the Estonian House with shared members. Needless to say all this decision-making was done secretly. From the disclosure at the meeting on March 29 it became clear that the new proposed edifice will cost at least $10 million more than is received from the sale of the Estonian House. Where is this money coming from? How will it be financed? We were also informed that the project would be built in stages. What does that mean to the sale of Estonian House? Who occupies which stage and finances them? Will there be enough money? David Kalm, as project manager, will need his salary. Unfortunately his previous operations have not been very successful. Still we wonder where the missing millions would come from. Who will pay the mortgage? Who owns the new building?

Of course the upkeep of Estonian House has needed support from community organizations, Sihtkapital and the Bank as well as other rents. Our language and heritage studies are not cheap and will not be in the future either. So far supports by the Estonian Foundation has helped the language groups pay their rent. This is where their support has been used. But the new proposed edifice will be much more expensive than the estimated sale-price of the present Estonian House and with its millions of debt it will require much more from the “diminishing” (as has been described in the new proposal) community. Personally I have nothing against acquiring the parking lot and building behind Tartu College on Madison Avenue, but not with the sale of the present Estonian House, as it only meets part of the costs involved and the proposed edifice is much smaller, lacking the present parking options as well.

Hopefully the Estonian Central Council will be open minded, as its President Marcus Kolga states, and not limit its support to one very expensive proposal possible only with the sale of Estonian House. As the numbers now show it might well become the fourth unsuccessful project for the Board, or else put the Estonian diaspora under such strain that other heritage activities will no longer be possible.

So please add together the real numbers and listen to other solutions with an open mind instead of blindly following what appears to be trendy at the moment. And keep in mind, any diminishing of the Estonian diaspora will be happily welcomed by Putin.

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