Plan to relocate Vancouver Art Gallery gets mixed reaction at public meeting
Should the Vancouver Art Gallery stay in the Robson Street courthouse or move into a new purpose-built home on an empty city-owned block at Georgia and Cambie?
That debate was the focus of a panel presentation and public forum held on May 20 at Robson Square Auditorium.
VAG leaders argue the Robson Street building is too small to house a growing collection of 10,000 works. To solve the problem, they want to create a larger, iconic replacement on the site of a former bus depot at an estimated cost of $350 million.
During the forum, architects, officials, art lovers and others shared a mix of opinions on the future of the gallery.
“The VAG can get an expanded state-of-the-art facility by staying on its present site or moving,” said Andrew Gruft, a UBC architecture professor who was in the audience.
But, Gruft explained, it would be in the interest of the city for the gallery to remain at its current location in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
He suggested the building could be substantially rebuilt and expanded underground at a cost that would be roughly the same as creating a replacement elsewhere.
However, Michael Audian, a VAG official and panel member, discouraged the idea, saying it had already been considered. He said the gallery would have to be vacated for at least two years to accommodate that kind of expansion.
Ian Wallace, an artist and panel member, embraced the proposal to build a new world-class gallery at the Cambie Street location.
“Let’s not let too much planning and too much hesitation hold back the momentum,” Wallace said.
Meanwhile, Joost Bakker, an architect and panel member, maintained that it’s important to consider Vancouver’s overall cultural needs in any discussion of the gallery’s future.
“We’ve all got challenges and we all need to think where we’re going in this city,” Bakker said.
The City of Vancouver has not made a decision about allowing the VAG to use the former bus depot site.
Comments
8 Comments
Krystle
May 21, 2010 at 9:15am
What about the courthouse? If the VAG is going to move to Cambie street, then what will become of the courthouse? Will it be demolished/restored to accompany more empty condos (ie, woodwards)? Or will it just sit there, abandoned?
Curious Observer
May 21, 2010 at 10:08am
I don't understand why or how the VAG wants to move away from the heart of the city to a very expensive new building when their staff are still working with a 5% accross-the-board pay cut. If they have to reduce their expenses at the expense of their staff, how can they expect to raise money and interest for their very costly move?
artsyfartsy
May 21, 2010 at 1:46pm
The VAG is such a fabulous building in a great location...hopefully there is some way to expand. If it moves to georgia & cambie it won't get the walk-by traffic & tourists will have to look for it...
East Ender
May 21, 2010 at 3:27pm
As a downtown eastside resident, i feel that moving the art gallery to the Cambie/Georgia location is a great idea. The old courthouse is already a destination with or without the art gallery and any new development on the East End of Downtown is badly needed.
Tanya
May 21, 2010 at 3:33pm
I really hope they don't move, it's just a wonderful location, nothing would quite capture the essence of what the art gallery is all about. The building it a piece of art itself, but that's just my opinion! DON'T MOVE!
Mr. Wombat
May 21, 2010 at 8:21pm
If the VAG wants to do something, maybe it should look at its admission rates. I think they should lower them and for that matter let old people in for a dollar!
Art Lover
May 22, 2010 at 12:21am
Its unfortunate that the current location is too small, as it really is such a beautiful location. However also looking at museums like the MOMA and other modern museums around the world, a new museum is extremely exciting in terms of what it will add to this city architecturally.
It's too bad we can't keep the old site for traditional artwork and build the new site as a modern art museum. Now THAT would be something wouldn't it?
Paul Paquette
May 24, 2010 at 12:37pm
The existing location should be retained for the permanent collection and the city could appropriate the casino (former BC Pavillion) on False Creek as a contemporary art exhibition space. It offers a nice existing building, spectacular waterfront location, high pedestrian traffic, and the Plaza of Nations. The two gallery solution worked for the Tate/Tate Modern and Louvre/D'Orsay... and taking advantage of an existing building would cost the taxpayers a lot less money. Paul.