Now that the dust has settled and Cochrane’s new mayor and councillors have been sworn-in, an oldie but a goodie comes to mind: when is the proposed arts and cultural centre going to get back on track?
According to Kathy Dietrich, senior manager of planning and engineering for the town, site selection for the would-be expansive, multi-faceted centre is slated for 2014.
“I feel like our council is still really supportive of an arts centre,” said Dietrich, adding that the facility is on the Ten-Year Financial Strategy 2013-2023 for the town, estimated to open sometime in 2018.
With an estimated cost between $22-$25 million (according to the Cochrane Arts Centre Feasibility Study of 2010), the same fundraising model will be used for the arts centre as what will be used for the next-in-line aquatic centre, followed by the curling centre: one third from various government grants, a third from municipal dollars and a third from private fundraising.
Of the municipal dollars, part of the funds from the Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) — dollars from the provincial government for improvement of Cochrane’s downtown area in and surrounding the Quarry Site — are intended to go toward the arts centre; this is in the ballpark of $3 million.
With respect to possible locations, Dietrich said there are several up for consideration, but was not able to specify at this time where those may be, but did add that the town would like to see the arts centre within the boundaries of the CRL.
Brian Fitzgerald, president of the Arts and Culture Foundation of Cochrane (ACFC) has been a big advocate for the arts centre since the inception of ACFC in 2008.
Even though an original site selection was slated for 2011, Fitzgerald said the group is looking forward to working with the town and does not wish to dwell on the delay.
“Once a location is finalized, then the vision for the centre can be established with input from all key stakeholders. Critical activities such as building design, programming and fundraising would then follow,” explained Fitzgerald, adding that this would be the time for other stakeholders and individuals with a passion for the arts to step forward and help the vision become a reality.
According to Suzanne Gaida, senior planner for the town, fundraising for the arts centre would continue to be held off until a site selection is made.
The estimated cost for the aquatic centre is $32 million and $12.5 million for a new curling facility; both are to be constructed as an extension of the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, with an estimated $9 million in the schematic design for the town for parking and landscaping solutions.
The 2010 feasibility study identified a lengthy list of potential stakeholders and user groups for an arts and cultural centre from Cochrane and surrounding areas, including local schools and churches and most visual and performance groups.
According to a report commissioned by the Government of Alberta in August of 2005, the arts sector in Alberta has “a significant impact on the Gross Provincial Product of Alberta with a value-added impact of $153.2 million.”
Dietrich said that the Old Town Hall Site (one of the original preferred locations for the arts centre) has been identified as a ‘gateway to the community’ and the town will look at this site as multi-use, including green space.
For more information, the Integrated Downtown Action Plan (Sept. 2013) and the CRL can both be viewed at cochrane.ca.
The 2010 feasibility study for the arts centre can be viewed at artscochrane.ca.
