Dear Editor:
Re: Cold shoulder doesn't deter gallery boosters, Burnaby NOW, June 21.
I've read with interest the story of how an advocacy group for a new Burnaby Art Gallery has been stonewalled by Burnaby city council. As a former member of the Burnaby Arts Council, I can certainly relate to the frustration this group feels in this regard. I recall that in the two years I was a member of the council, the issue of a new gallery was the number 1 topic of discussion, and that was in the early '90s. This lack of commitment over the
years has severely limited the scope of the exhibitions that can be mounted by the gallery. Given the difficult-to-get-to location, the lack of space and proper environment needed to display national and international exhibits, it's no wonder the number of patrons to the gallery is small in comparison with many regional galleries.
As far as funding goes, I totally agree with Irene McCutcheon about how there seems to be no problem in finding the money to fund sports-related facilities. I recall that when the Shadbolt centre was being proposed, the arts community had to come up with $1 million through fundraising in order to jump-start the project. How much money has the sports community had to raise for all of the sports venues?
Why is it that all of these sports facilities don't
"burden the taxpayers" as councillors Pietro Calendino and Sav Dhaliwal stated. Don't they realize the importance of art to the well-being of our community?
I agree that what is needed to address this issue is more "imagination and creativity" as Bill Thomson, president of the arts council, so aptly points out.
Perhaps funding for a new gallery could be started from the savings that could be achieved with the cancellation of the sister city boondoggle?
Tony Bosello, Burnaby
