What To Do

Here it is, Wednesday, and what are we doing about this craziness, the gallery being hobbled, hamstrung, silenced?

We need to develop a strategy.

I believe that since the City seems intent on taking away not only Patrick's livelihood but also that of the scores of people who are involved in the gallery, then it might be an idea to provide an alternative space. there are empty schools, churches, stores, maybe the odd community centre, buildings that once stored equipment, all sorts of buildings begging to be filled.

One of my favourite ones is the school board building at Bronson and Chamberlain, beside Hodges' Service Centre. There is tons of parking and multiple floors. It overlooks the Queensway, which is neat because the cars rushing by give a sense of motion, never-stopping. This building used to house NFB films on the top floor and had offices on another. It is absolutely non-residential and for awhile, part of the building housed a City of Ottawa equipment repair depot

The building has been abandoned for years. I think it would make a perfect art gallery with studio space and storage space, along with practice areas for actors, musicians and poets.

I wonder who we might ask about taking out a hundred year lease for a dollar. Non-profit housing orgs get properties this way and whereas we would not be non-profit, there is so little profit given how under-appreciated the arts are in Canada, it amounts to the same thing.