THUNDER BAY -- Backers of a proposed $33-million waterfront Thunder Bay Art Gallery on Monday asked the city to chip in $5 million toward the project.
Council was given a March 2017 deadline to make a decision, and despite the tight timeframe, agreed to take the next step in the process, advising administration to prepare a report on the funding request and the impact the John Patkau-designed gallery could have on the community.
It was welcome news to Thunder Bay Art Gallery director Sharon Godwin.
“We have been working with the city for many years toward this project. We’ve made commitments, they’ve made commitments and we’re just all moving ahead with those commitments,” Godwin said. “Obviously the decision wasn’t made tonight and we didn’t expect it to be, but we wanted to make sure we could make our request in more than enough time.
“We understand it’s a difficult budget this year. It’s always difficult to find money for culture, but it’s very important that we do that in our community.”
Money was at the root of dissenting questions asked by council, who nonetheless voted unanimously to move forward with the report.
Council heard the federal government is being asked to invest at least $15 million in the project, while the province, through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, is being asked for $5 million. An additional $2.5 million would be raised through a capital fundraising campaign in the community. The federal money cannot happen without the city’s commitment.
McIntyre Coun. Trevor Giertuga wanted to know the contingency plan should funding from senior levels of government not materialize.
“There are certainly a lot of balls up in the air,” Giertuga said. “I like your optimism, but I don’t necessarily share it.”
Neebing Coun. Linda Rydholm wanted to know how the facility would impact the city’s bottom line.
“If we’re going to spend millions of dollars, I would like some people to assure me it’s going to be an economic driver,” she said. “We’re hurting right now with our budget.”
The $5 million isn’t the only cost the city could be on the hook for, council learned.
There’s also up to $2.2 million needed for site infrastructure, including sidewalk extensions and additional parking, not to mention possible site remediation.
Current River Coun. Andrew Foulds reminded his council colleagues the report was not a commitment.
“We’re not making a decision tonight,” Foulds said. “I think everybody around the table wants to make a decision based on information. Let’s get the report and make the decision based on information.”
At-large Coun. Iain Angus agreed.
“I think we owe it to the Art Gallery and to the work they’ve done, and the money we’ve spent,” Angus said.
The $5 million would likely be taken from the 2018 capital budget, though council will consider splitting it over two years.
A decision would have to be made, if the money is approved, whether or not to take out a debenture or use existing funds.
The report will be presented by the end of February 2017
“It would still give the Art Gallery the month of March,” said Gerry Broere, the city’s acting manager of community services, acknowledging the deadline.
Godwin said if all goes well, the new Art Gallery would move into its waterfront digs in 2019.
