It's a long time to wait - 40 years. But we suspect their wait is far from over - if it will ever be over.
The arts community in Burnaby was fairly optimistic several decades ago when a new art gallery was a priority and plans had been prepared.
Fast forward - or rather slow forward - to 1987 when a proposed art gallery and per-forming arts theatre in civic square were part of the original plans beside the Bob Prittie library. Then, in 1998, there was another plan for an art gallery expansion and a feasibility study was completed.
So, why hasn't the city moved forward on a new art gallery? In one word - sports. Now, there's nothing wrong with supporting sports and recreation in the city. We believe a city with great recreational areas and activities is a healthy city. And sports, is, well - fun. But, as the delegation from the arts council told city politicians last Monday night, ". we have 53 soccer fields in Burnaby and we have (four pools), nine community centres, two pitch and putts, two 18-hole golf courses, 159 parks, 40 softball fields, 87 tennis courts, 20 baseball diamonds, 23 basketball courts, a rowing pavilion, a soccer stadium .' And, they noted, we have one art gallery in a building that is less than ideal.
The city's arts council is not in a unique situation. Sports trumps art in many cities nowadays. Taxpayers push for more soccer fields, pools, ice rinks, but places to view art? It's easy for politicians to ignore - particularly ones who favour golf over Van Gogh. Some cities, such as Surrey, took a longer and wider view and created vibrant multi-use arts centres, which incorporated their art gallery. Kudos to them.
Burnaby missed the boat years ago when it didn't incorporate a new gallery into the civic square or the Shadbolt Centre. The city needs to revisit the situation, make good on its pledges, or, at the very least, provide some definite closure for the arts folks who dream on.
