THUNDER BAY - Funding for the construction of a new art gallery on the city’s waterfront is just 10 per cent away from its $33 million total cost following another commitment from the federal government.
The project received $3.5 million through the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, bringing the total amount raised to just over $29.7 million.
“We are a go,” said Katie Crowe, chair of the community capital campaign, following the funding announcement on Monday.
The investment from FedNor is in addition to $11.5 million through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund pledged last July.
“The art gallery is going to provide so many things for this community,” said Minister Patty Hajdu. “It is going to allow the gallery to display its significant collection. It’s going to provide an opportunity for emerging artists and established artists to share their work.”
The 37,000 square-foot facility will be located on the city’s waterfront at Prince Arthur’s Landing and it will include six exhibition spaces, a 3,500 square-foot environmentally controlled storage space, as well as an expanded gift shop, and café.
The $3.5 million from FedNor will primarily be used to support site preparation, landscaping and construction costs, as well as purchasing equipment, furnishing, and specialized art storage and monitoring systems.
Other funding has come from the city of Thunder Bay, kicking in $5 million, and the province, which committed an additional $5 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.
“We are very thankful,” said Sharon Godwin, director of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. “In a community of our size, it would have been very difficult to build this kind of building without that government support.”
A community capital campaign has raised more than $2.2 million and Godwin said the campaign goal of $2.8 million has now been raised to $3.5 million.
“It’s not that we haven’t been working, but we had many people approach us,” she said. “We know there are many people on our list that we haven’t talked to yet. We need as much help as we can get from the community.”
Godwin added they have already received quite a few donations from the community and the campaign is still seeking naming sponsors for parts of the building.
“We are feeling pretty good,” she said. “We still have $3 million, but we have a plan. It may take a little while, but we are going to get there.”
Both Hajdu and fellow MP, Don Rusnak, said the new gallery will not only enrich the community, but also serve as a way of drawing people to the city and the region.
“This facility is going to be a great draw for families and other people looking for these types of spaces,” Rusnak said. “This facility as other facilities across this country mean so much more to a community than just art hanging on the wall. It really is a cultural space for the city of Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.”
“It increases the value of life here in Thunder Bay,” Hajdu added. “It provides the community another place to gather, it attracts new comers to the community, and it will improve our opportunities to promote our region as a centre for tourism.”
For Godwin, art galleries have so much more to offer a community than a space to view and share art, which is something she hopes people in the city of Thunder Bay will come to understand.
“We are a lot more than what you see hanging on the wall,” she said. “We do programs with the Alzheimer’s Society, and with youth in need. This helps with crime reduction. We have lots of youth programs that I think do that. They inspire youth and give confidence in youth.”
