This is in reply to Alan Murdock’s letter “Visual arts centre talks have been in consultation with city, groups” (Gazette, July 28). Since I am one of those folks who is “aggrieved,” as Murdock puts it, I feel compelled to reply.
I’m sure the Gazette must have been mistaken when they published the design drawings, supplied by the Arts and Heritage Foundation (AHF) showing how a new visual arts centre could look by expanding Profiles Public Art Gallery into the St. Albert Community Hall. And, I guess they were also mistaken when they quoted Murdock in the accompanying article as saying, “a major part of the design plan involves using the community hall as a children's gallery and the AHF and the city have talked about the possibility of the city purchasing the site.”
Murdock also states, “discussions between city hall and representatives of the board of the Community League have been taking place,” despite the fact that Vic Charlton, president of the St. Albert Community League, says the community league hasn’t had a meeting or any discussions with the city in two years about the community hall, although the city did provide a letter to the league in April 2009 and conducted a structural review of the facility. I guess that Charlton is mistaken too. I was pleased to learn that in the two years since the meeting with the city and since the structural review, the Community League has almost raised sufficient funds to address the “structural difficulties” Murdock refers to in the community hall, including the replacement of the roof.
However, I am now heartened to learn the AHF’s interest, according to Murdock, is in preserving St. Albert Community Hall. Seems we’re on the same page here because I too believe the community hall and the valuable services the Community League provides to its tenants and the residents of St. Albert should be preserved in that building on the existing site.
I am further heartened to learn that, according to Murdock, “we (the AHF) were not asking the city to construct, own or operate the visual arts centre building. That is a separate undertaking which the Arts and Heritage Foundation is embarked upon.” This is excellent news that the AHF does not intend any taxpayer dollars be used for this project. With this in mind, it will also allow those who feel strongly that a new visual arts centre and children’s art gallery are important for St. Albert an excellent opportunity to contribute directly to the purchase of a site and the construction of the facilities.
Jim Starko, St. Albert
