A children’s art gallery is being proposed for St. Albert’s downtown, but NABI would have to move out of its Mission Avenue headquarters for the proposal to become reality.
Carol Watamaniuk, a former city councillor, Arts and Heritage Foundation director and city cultural director, approached city council Tuesday night with her vision of a new “art gym” for children that would reinforce the downtown’s cultural bent.
But the Northern Alberta Business Incubator (NABI) building, known officially as the Percy Page Building, on Mission Avenue is the best location for such a site, Watamaniuk contends.
“I feel very strongly that a business development centre belongs in a business park,” Watamaniuk said, adding her proposed gallery would fit in with the downtown.
“I think we just need to think ahead and what are we trying to develop downtown? Obviously we want to put people in the downtown.”
Watamaniuk’s specific request of council wasn’t to build the gallery immediately, but to consider not locking itself into a long-term lease with NABI.
“That would be a perfect spot for a children’s interactive art gallery,” she said. “We prefer to call it an art gym. It’s where children are totally involved.”
Watamaniuk said she has been dreaming of a children’s gallery for years and is pursuing this idea on her own with locally generated support.
This isn’t the first time a children’s art gallery has been proposed for downtown, nor the first time such a gallery has been proposed at another group’s expense. In 2010 the Arts and Heritage Foundation released plans for a children’s gallery on the site of the St. Albert Community Hall. However, the foundation had not consulted the community association about its plans.
Dar Schwanbeck, managing director of NABI, said Watamaniuk’s plans are news to him. He admitted NABI is looking for another space, but said that will take time.
In the interim, NABI will be able to automatically renew its lease at the Percy Page Building for another five years later this year.
That makes the proposal moot, according to Mayor Nolan Crouse, who said he does like the idea.
“I kind of like the spirit of it,” Crouse said. “I have been to many children’s museums and galleries and they are always fascinating and well-attended and it certainly would fit with our community in terms of attracting young families.”
The idea has been discussed at the city’s cultural services department, said director Kelly Jerrott, but a lot of work has to take place first. The city, in partnership with Arts and Heritage St. Albert, will be putting together a list for the 10-year capital plan that might or might not include a gallery.
“It’s part of what will be looked at over the next year or so, to look at what facilities are needed and desired by the community,” Jerrott said.
Watamaniuk said her vision is of a space with both indoor and outdoor uses that could be used to teach children about art in creative ways, like showing children about pointillism – creating shapes with numerous dots of colour – using large pillars with coloured dots at their peaks that could be reflected in a mirror.
But the first order of business, Watamniuk said, is getting the building.
“I’m not doing anything if (a long-term lease with NABI) is a given,” she said. “There’s no point in proceeding.”
