About 20 people, all involved with the arts, met at the Arts Building in Gibsons on Nov. 6 to discuss a vision for an area of town currently being called the "cultural precinct."
The irregularly-shaped piece of Town-owned land is bounded by South Fletcher, Winn Road and Holland Park, and it currently houses the Gibsons and District Public Library, the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives and a smaller building that two arts groups call their home.
Representatives of the two groups were present: the Arts Building group that puts on programs for all ages, and the Gibsons School of the Arts that leases the facility in summer for their classes.
Meeting organizer Clint Budd along with musician Graham Walker described themselves as interested volunteers, and they asked for an agreement from all stakeholders for a shared arts and culture vision on the site.
Gibsons Coun. Lee Ann Johnson assured the group that the recently enacted harbour plan gives stability and tenure of the property as a cultural area.
Budd encouraged stakeholders to step forward and produce a needs assessment for the space.
"We could report back to the Town as to what our needs are," he said.
"What's missing from the area now?" asked Manjit Kang, library chair. "The library is doing great. We need to hear from our customers. We don't know what those needs are right now."
Budd and Walker have conducted an informal poll to ask arts groups what they needed. One of the top concerns was storage: for costumes, musical instruments and for the burgeoning exhibits and materials maintained by many groups for use at their events.
"It would be good to have some office space for the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival," Walker said. "It could be a simple office space, and all the festivals could share the resources."
Kelly Foley suggested co-marketing of the area as a cultural hub that would bring people into the neighbourhood.
Celia Fisher, a former library director, recognized that the library needs more space and possibly the museum too. She suggested the idea of a central lobby space between the existing buildings for storage or reception.
Other ideas ranged from surrounding the three facilities with architecture to make space for craft guilds - to better utilizing the existing areas, such as the meeting room in the basement of the smaller building.
Georgina Brandon of the Arts Building said that the facility is under-utilized as it is. "We'd love to see it used more," she said. She pointed to some of the deficiencies. "We make do," she said, adding that it could use new lighting, new chairs and improved access. The non-profit organization runs many programs on a shoestring and she noted that they had a need for public funding.
Mani Machado, Town of Gibsons CAO, said the building, once used as a library, is structurally sound and has been renovated with upgraded heating and a new roof.
A Gibsons Public Art Gallery director told how that facility was now in demand for events, but Chamber director Donna McMahon suggested that its popularity was because it was a nice space.
"Most of the other spaces are aging and grungy," she said.
Budd concluded he felt the meeting had gone as far as the group was ready to go at this time. Participants agreed to keep the lines of communication open with each other.
