The Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC) has just received $231,250 in provincial contributions to transform a former groundwater processing plant into an arts centre.
But as the SODC board awaits public comment before approving much-needed matching funds, the Squamish Arts Council's opinion (SAC) may become a barrier.
SAC president Krisztina Egyed questioned the logic of investing large amounts of SODC money into a project that will only last seven years as an interim arts venue.
"We're still looking at the business plan itself and the viability of the facility," said Egyed. "We're very concerned with the amount of money required to bring it up to proper functionality for arts and culture use, and that compared with the longevity of the building, considering it's going to be torn down in seven years, needs to make sense."
SAC's new reservations could impact the planners' ability to move forward because the SODC board's funding approval process partially hinges on the arts community's feedback.
SODC planner Trevor Dunn wasn't available to respond to SAC's recent analysis, however in an earlier interview he said he looks forward to their feedback.
"They [the arts community] are working to put a program together of what they would like and that's going to be a useful tool in trying to create an argument for spending the money on creating an arts venue," he said.
SODC planners have proposed that the structure known as the Blue Barn located on the Oceanfront be turned into a so-called "arts incubator" facility meant to be a community arts space during the Oceanfront planning and construction process.
Plans to convert the Blue Barn from a water treatment facility used to clean mercury-laden groundwater into a haven for the up and coming artists was first presented to the arts community on March 29.
The project would be a temporary facility and an immediate way to give the Squamish arts community a place to display their creations. The facility would be removed when Oceanfront construction reaches its location - planners estimate that to be 10 to 15 years.
The meeting sparked enthusiasm, and shortly afterwards interested arts community members went to the facility for a walk through.
But the initial excitement surrounding the Blue Barn appears to have died off.
"We're still bouncing around ideas because some people are in favour of it and some people are not," said Egyed. "Initially everybody was excited but there are various concerns that have been raised."
On Aug. 3, the SODC announced Blue Barn plans would be moving forward thanks to new funding under B.C.'s Brownfield Funding Renewal Program.
Brownfields are contaminated site that are believed to have great potential for redevelopment once cleaned up. The Oceanfront lands, once used by the Nexen chemical plant, have historically shown high levels of mercury.
The SODC is prepared to spend up to 30 per cent of the $150,000 needed for mercury assessment costs at the Blue Barn site, and may also match funds in for clean-up and reconstruction in the amount of $81,250.
Since so much of the funds are going toward clean-up, Egyed said also she didn't feel the funding was actually for the Blue Barn arts incubator at all.
"The money isn't to renovate the building for arts use in my point of view, it's still to clean up the site and hopefully there's something left," she said.
"Right now, if it was up to us to look for a site for an arts incubator, we wouldn't be wandering around the Oceanfront looking for a site, so for us to invest money there, we really have to consider why we would be investing that amount of money."
Since its initial proposal, Dunn said SODC planners have been moving forward with plans for removing the equipment but are waiting for the arts community's input.
Egyed said a site on the Oceanfront lands, which are yet to be developed and largely industrial, isn't an ideal location.
"Having an arts incubator out in the middle of nowhere on the peninsula is not practical for us right now or in the near future," said Egyed. "Right now being in the downtown is more important to us."
Removing the infrastructure still inside the building is their first priority, and Dunn said this is the most expensive exercise. They would also have the building insulated, heating installed and up to fire code before they turned it over to the public.
The site, along with the entire peninsula, needs to be remediated eventually and while SAC might be on the fence, the provincial government is pleased to announce the funding.
"Squamish has shown a strong commitment and desire to redevelop its oceanfront as part of its downtown community revitalization strategy," says West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre.
"The New Blue Barn Arts Incubator project, supported by a partnership between the province and the local community, will provide a new cultural amenity for tourists and Squamish residents alike."
Squamish's portion of the provincial funding comes from $800,000 available through the Brownfield Renewal Funding Program to stimulate land development and economic activity by encouraging Brownfield site remediation.
