GUELPH POLITICAST #421 – This is Not a Drill Hall!

At next week's Committee of the Whole meeting, Guelph City Council will look at the fate of the Drill Hall; staff wants to put it up for sale, but there's at least one group in Guelph that wants to do something with it now. It's an idea called the Guelph Centre for Visual Art, and it could feature exhibition space, artist studios, educational and meeting space, and so much more. But does city hall share their vision?

This is a tale of two long-term projects. The first is a story about creating a centralized arts building in Guelph. Nearly 20 years ago,  a group called the Guelph Arts Platform tried to create to create a collaborative art space with cheap studios, exhibition areas, and networking opportunities, but for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the Great Recession, the project fell apart.

That brings us to the second part of the story, which is the Drill Hall. Constructed in 1866 so that members of the local militia could run drills (hence the name), the hall outlived its purpose by 1911 when the Armoury opened across the street. Over 100 years later, we still don’t know what to do with the Drill Hall, which is why City staff will be recommending that council authorize them to put it up for sale, but there is one group that wants to put the Drill Hall to some practical use as an arts centre. Can it be done?

Former city councillor Mike Salisbury and Lise Anne Janis think so, and they're leading the effort to establish the Guelph Centre for Visual Art. They join us this week to talk about the plan, why this time will be different, and why the centre should be considered key in discussions around downtown revitalization. They will also discuss government support for the arts, the stakes at Committee of the Whole next week, and why an arts centre matters in the middle of these tough economic times.

So let's drill to the bottom on this Drill Hall debate on this week's Guelph Politicast!

You can learn more about the Guelph Centre for Visual Art at their website, and you can also follow them on Instagram. The Drill Hall will be discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday June 3 and you can see the report now as part of the agenda, which you can find on the council page of the City’s website. You have until Friday 10 am to sign up to delegate or to send a correspondence.

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