The Squamish arts community is one step closer to having an arts space to call its own, and now it's up to locals to determine what it will look like.
Residents packed the Squamish Arts Council (SAC) building on Cleveland Avenue Monday (March 29) to discuss the 15,000 sq. ft. Blue Barn, a component of the Oceanfront development that's been donated to the Squamish arts community.
The Blue Barn could be available for use in the coming weeks or months pending government approval, said Trevor Dunn, one of the principals of the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC) project.
Those attending the packed meeting at the SAC agreed the Blue Barn would act as a type of test to assess the community interest in a local arts space.
"In my experience I've found that the more an arts community grabs onto a place, the better it turns out," said Dunn. "If this venue is bursting at the seams, obviously it will impact how we design or re-design many elements of the Oceanfront plan."
"Let's see if we can build some sort of momentum in the arts community at the Blue Barn level," said Mayor Greg Gardner.
The project would be a temporary facility with a lifespan of 10 to 12 years, and an immediate way to give the Squamish arts community a place to display their creations.
The structure itself is comprised of larger spaces to house larger pieces and small upstairs lofts to house painting supplies or small workshops. There's also a large crane inside Dunn suggested "could add character to the building or be used to move large sculptures."
The meeting generated enthusiasm, however a few SAC members pointed out a walk-through of the building would help with the visioning process.
"It's hard to know exactly what we could do with the building until we've actually seen it," said SAC member Angela Heck.
The building had been used as a treatment facility for ground water contaminated with mercury from the peninsula's former site for the Nexen chemical plant. It hasn't been used in five years, since another facility took up the work, according to Dunn.
The SODC has made an application to the Ministry of Environment to decommission the building for its use as an arts space.
It will cost approximately $300,000 to remove the water treatment infrastructure, and Dunn said they would also have the building insulated, heating installed and up to fire code before they turned it over to the public.
Residents were intent on learning what sort of timeline Dunn had placed on the Blue Barn project, but without some concrete ideas for the space, he said he can't move forward or make accurate assumptions. If he gets the approval to move everything out, then he needs to have a plan ready to pitch.
Residents decided to meet April 13 at 10 a.m. in front of the SODC offices at 37321 Galbraith Rd. across from the Blue Barn, when Dunn will provide a tour of the building and the area.
Gardner gave his analogy of the situation to those in the room.
"Basically what Trevor is saying is 'Tell me what you're going to do with it and I'll find someone to give you the key.'"
Squamish Arts Council Chair Krisztina Egyed said the meeting was only the initial stage and having a meeting in the Blue Barn is "the next step."
Residents also had a number of concerns about the proposed Oceanfront master plan, and cited most of them in a handout compiled by SAC and provided to attendees.
The size and location of the proposed arts and cultural centre and the threat of the Oceanfront lands becoming an exclusive enclave due to a proposed hotel's prime location were uppermost concerns.
Resident Eric Anderson said the SODC should consider that Oceanfront plans may be impacted by the other peninsula properties owners, Westmana Development and 小蓝视频 Rail Properties.
Dunn said on that issue, the district's bases are covered.
"The district will make sure that what develops won't hinder our side."
