It's a several-million-dollar draw that could fill a hole left by Capilano University, mayoral candidate Rob Kirkham told the audience at Squamish's first all-candidates meeting.
With Capilano having backed away from the Oceanfront development, Squamish should focus on attracting the likes of Emily Carr University of Art and Design, the mayoral candidate said at the Squamish Arts Council (SAC) municipal election candidates' forum on Wednesday (Nov. 2).
Discussion at the meeting, attended mostly by members of Squamish's 35 arts organizations, quickly turned to the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corp. (SODC).
Original plans for the project included a property swap that would place Capilano in the centre of 64-acre district land parcel. Since the global economic downturn, Capilano has backed away.
Now that Emily Carr which according to a Vancouver Sun opinion piece turned away 48 per cent of its qualified undergraduate applicants and more than 80 per cent of qualified graduate applicants in 2010-'11 is looking for a new home, Kirkham said it's time Squamish put out the welcome mat.
With the exception of council candidates Eric Andersen and Nate Dolha, most of the candidates were in favour of Squamish's Oceanfront plans to develop a theatre on the now-vacant peninsula. Andersen's nay vote was on principle, he said, noting he wasn't going to support any idea just so the district could get the project through.
Dolha questioned the logic behind such a move. If the community wants the downtown to be a hub, then future plans should reflect that, he said.
Although in favour of the theatre idea, council candidate Susan Chapelle said the 250-seat facility that's currently proposed isn't big enough.
"Two-hundred and fifty seats is not economic development," she said.
With the new theatre plan years down the road, the arts community should capitalize on the SODC's Blue Barn, council candidate Peter Kent said. Once the former wastewater treatment plant is remediated, the SODC has stated that it will transition the building's use over to community organizations, including arts groups. The professional stuntman said the District of Squamish needs to capitalize on its location by working closely with the B.C. Film Commission.
All candidates agreed Squamish needs better branding. Council candidate Jeff Cooke, a former marketing manager with Kraft Foods and Kellogg's, said Squamish needs to embrace an idea that is all-encompassing, such as nature. The more focused the branding, the more powerful the message, he said, adding that it's one of the biggest tools to grow business. Businesses could build on the "celebrating nature" idea, he said. In turn, this would help maintain and improve Squamish's assets, Cooke said.
"Make [nature] a part of the economy that you can't get rid of," he said.
Mayoral candidate Auli Parvianinen comes from a Finnish family who was involved with woodworking, she said. Growing up, Parviainen said she always appreciated the arts and understands how they intertwine with a culture and community. Arts can help governments think outside of the box, Parviainen said.
"We need to push the barriers if we want to become a leader," she said.
To create innovative change within Squamish, the community and council should create a culture in which people are not afraid to throw out "crazy" ideas, incumbent Coun. Patricia Heintzman said. If such an approach is embraced, it could trickle down to all aspects of life, she said.
Incumbent Bryan Raiser noted there are ways council can ensure that the arts flourish in Squamish starting with bylaws regulating what is permitted on Squamish's sidewalks.
When candidates were asked whether they would support an arts advisory panel or ratepayers' association, incumbent Doug Race warned such an organization can add another layer of red tape.
"There is no reason not to get together to lobby council or provide council with [information on] these issues," he said.
When it came to money, all candidates said they hoped to keep the current funding level. At the same time, candidates said they realized that finding additional cash is no easy task.
With municipal infrastructure bills looming, the arts community needs to reach out to the provincial and federal governments and local businesses, council candidate Rob Weys said. "We can't afford to do this all ourselves," he said.
Council candidates Uffe Hansen, Ron Sander, Larry McLennan, Geoff Dyer and Terrill Patterson did not attend the forum.
