New VAG may compete with housing, transit for gov’t funds
Posted April 23, 2013 3:44 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The new Vancouver Art Gallery is likely to get the thumbs up when city council votes tomorrow, but the project still needs a lot of money before it can go ahead.
The challenge may be finding financial help at a time when there are so many other local projects also looking for funding.
Mayor Gregor Robertson says the new Art Gallery would be on a list of requests.
“We have a lot of other projects like the Broadway subway, housing needs that are on the table, and this is another piece,” he points out. “It definitely becomes part of our collective ‘ask’ to provincial and federal governments.”
The plan would need $100 million from Ottawa and an additional $50 million from the province. The provincial government has already committed $50 million. The gallery would also have to cover any budget overruns, as Vancouver refuses to cover any additional costs.
Asked what responsibility he would take if funding commitments fell through, Robertson says the pressure can’t all be on him. “It’s expected that we’ll get support,” he says. “The Vancouver Art Gallery is going to take the lead in terms of fundraising, and I know they have a great team … with lots of good connections. I’ll certainly be very supportive, doing the work I need to do speaking with other levels of government.”
“I think it’s a great investment in our city and we’ve seen similar scale investments across the country… it’s time for that to happen in Vancouver,” Robertson adds.
Construction estimates are around $300 million, of which the gallery will have to raise $225 million inclusive of government support.
Robertson has put his support behind a new facility, though, and the city has offered a whole block downtown at the corner of Georgia and Cambie.
