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Thursday, D ecem ber 24, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 21 By Cory Soal R.H.A.D. . . . Lend MeYour Ears We care about your hearing! Professional Arts Building 99 Sinclair Ave., Suite 210, Georgetown 905-873-6642 Serving the community of Halton Hills and surrounding areas since 1992 The Georgetown The following few tips, if followed correctly, will prolong the benefits and enjoyment of better hearing: • Do not get the hearing aid wet • Do not leave the instrument where it is too hot or cold • Try not to drop the hearing aid • Do not spray cleaning solution or hair spray on the instrument • Keep the instrument and batteries out of the reach of small children and especially pets If any of the above problems do occur, please don't hesitate to call. COUNSELLING THE NEW HEARING AID USER NEWS Legion hands Red Door Gallery Dec. 31 eviction notice Red Door Gallery will have to find a new loca- tion if it wants to continue operations, after re- ceiving an eviction notice from the Royal Ca- nadian Legion, Branch 120 Georgetown. "It is hugely frustrating that we now face a move and a break in the momentum of all that has been achieved," said Red Door Gallery manager Kate McGowan in a press release is- sued on Thursday. "Our volunteers' hard work has built a large and loyal audience, a brand and a highly successful gallery in the down- town core. We now begin our search for a new home and we will announce any news on our website and Facebook page." The Red Door Gallery (RDG) was founded under an umbrella group of local artists, the Halton Hills Cultural Roundtable, the Legion and the Downtown Georgetown BIA. The Le- gion membership had voted to let HHCR to write a grant application to the Ontario Trilli- um Foundation and received $132,000 for one year to convert the Legion's unused annex into a gallery --about $70,000 to $80,000-- and to improve the washroom facilities in the Legion. "We remain grateful to the members of the Legion who allowed this (the Red Door Gal- lery) to happen. It was a brave thing to do," said Beatrice Sharkey, HHCR executive director. The bottom line for the Legion is the club's inability to sustain the costs of subsidizing the space for the Red Door Gallery (RDG). The space was provided rent- free, except for $350 per month for utilities. The decision was made after a Zone Legion audit of the local club's fi- nances. "It is a shame but we have to survive too," said Legion president Sue Thomas. "They keep saying they are non-profit and we keep saying we understand because we are one too. But we're a Legion and our priority is our commit- ment to our veterans, the veterans' families and to the kids." "We did it for one year, and we paid dearly," she said, adding that it was a decision of the membership to try it for one year, and again their decision to end the deal. The Legion branch has approximately 460 active and non- active members. In October, a letter was sent to RDG requesting the rent increase and a re- cord of insurance, asking for a reply back by Oct. 26. It did not come, so the eviction letter was sent in mid-November. Danny Edwards, liaison for the branch, said the Legion has fulfilled its obligations un- der the one-year Trillium grant requirements. Sharkey stated Red Door Gallery also fulfilled its grant obligations, but it was always under- stood that in the signed agreement by all par- ties there was a business plan with a two- and three-year commitment with graduated rents. Edwards said the club is asking market val- ue rent of $2,000, which includes utilities for the space. Sharkey said their team had consulted a commercial real estate agent, who estimated a $1,200 to $1,500 rent range, and so were shocked and stunned by the $2,000 rent re- quest. Edwards said the Legion provided to Red Door Gallery special wall paint, artist hooks, plinths and lighting for the 1,400 sq. ft. annex, plus provided $3,000 in start-up funds. As well, the current Legion lead- ership was frustrated that the RDG expected the Legion-- a non-profit club-- to continue to provide the space rent-free or low-rent, without a lease, and even asked the club to provide insurance, cleaners, security cameras, wireless, access to the Legion's garbage bins and snow clearing service. "We can't afford to carry them and that was the recommendation from our Zone audit," said Edwards. "We do not have surplus funds." But Sharkey says those amenities were of- fered to RDG by the previous Legion leader- ship, and that RDG had attempted to negotiate the years two and three leases when they were stunned by the $2,000 rent demand. They had never been asked to sign a lease before, she said. Edwards said Red Door Gallery has not approached them since the eviction notice but Sharkey again disputes that, saying that's when the Georgetown BIA and the Mayor's Office became involved in negotiations. Red Door Gallery, which opened in Dec. 2014, has shown 15 art exhibits, a juried show with work by artists from across Halton Re- gion, held six major events, including a mu- By Cynthia Gamble cgamble@theifp.ca sician-led fundraiser for ALS and numerous music and spoken-word evenings. "Downtown Georgetown needs a diverse offering of businesses, and places for local residents and visitors to visit and enjoy. We will work hard to keep the great as- set of Red Door Gallery in the downtown BIA if at all pos- sible," said Wendy Farrow-Reed, Manager, Downtown Georgetown BIA in the Red Door Gallery press release. The Red Door Gallery is looking for a new home after receiving an eviction notice from the Georgetown branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The gallery is located in an annex of the Legion at 127 Mill St. 'It's a shame but we have to survive too. - Sue Thomas, Branch 120 Legion President -