The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2- The Oakville Beaver, Friday August 29, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Local arts community needs a lot of space Continued from page 1 groups encompassing nearly every creative discipline voiced their needs. The long list was complied by architects Duff Balmer and Phil Fenech, from Toronto-based firm Shore Tilbe Irwin and Partners, who ran the meeting. Among the many items on the resultant wish list were rehearsal space for music and drama, art studios, private instruction classrooms, storage space, indoor and outdoor exhibition space, administrative offices, and workshops for woodworking and metal works. "We know that the arts community has been in need of space and that they are very passionate, so it is no surprise about the turnout and those who European Engineering Combined With Traditional Workmanship LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER OPTION 1, 2 OR 3?: Stakeholder arts groups in Oakville were invited to an information session on Wednesday at Queen Elizabeth Park regarding using the former school as a potential arts centre. Architects Phil Fenech, left, and Duff Balmer, were on hand to discuss three options for this space. "Building on the Brightest Ideas Around Glass" 905.849.0266 weren't able to come provided us with information, so this is a valuable meeting," said Nina de Vaal, director of recreation and culture for the Town of Oakville, whose department is overseeing the planning process for the development of QEP. "We're pleased we're going to get the kind of information that the architects will need in order to be able to put a good program together for the new building." The Town purchased QEP, located on Bridge Road east of Bronte Road, in 2004 from the Halton District School Board, with the intention of transforming the facility into a shared usage community centre that included space for local arts groups. The idea wasn't popular at the time, resulting in plans being shelved. "At that point in time, there didn't seem to be an interest in this particular daytona ow gold Carpet Cleaning Specialists Since 1952 Spot! RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL WALL TO WALL FURNITURE & UPHOLSTERY AREA RUGS PERSIAN & ORIENTAL Truck Mount In-Plant Service Water Damage Restoration location (among arts groups), so we went back to council and asked for direction to go to the next step for design," de Vaal said. "As you can see by the turnout today, it seems people have changed their minds on the potential of this space. I'm not sure in the past they knew what the school was like. It has a lot of potential as an arts space." Town council brought the idea back to the table early this year, asking recreation and culture staff to investigate the usage of the space. Three options have been put forward by council as possible options for QEP. One is demolishing the school and rebuilding a community centre with between 50,000 and 70,000 sq. ft. of space. A second option is demolishing part of the building and refurbishing what is left. The third choice is keeping the 140,000 sq. ft. structure and renovating. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said his preference is Option 3, stating that it makes the most sense from a design point of view. "Town residents have a large number of needs for space and right now we've got 140,000 sq. ft. here, most of which is ready to be used for the community's needs, if it only had a little renovation," he said. "The other plans call for scraping this off and building half as much. In a town that needs space, more is better." The timing is right for this project, according to Burton, as the Town recently received a $7.4 million cash infusion from the provincial government. "The government asked us to find a project in our capital budget that we really want to do and bring it forward and do it as soon as possible," he said. "Anything that is eligible for the Town's capital budget is eligible. The only real requirement is that it is something the townspeople want and that we do it as soon as possible. The idea is to get people working and get more jobs going as an effort against the unfriendly economic breeze that is blowing up from the south." While the numbers have not been crunched for any of the three options, Burton See With page 4 25% Floor Model Clearance Drop-off THIS WEEKEND ONLY Discount! FREE 250 ml SPOTTING BOTTLE Applies to all in stock items and display models. www.onthespotcleaning.ca 1446 WALLACE RD., OAKVILLE, ON Bronte t 905-825-4256 QEW W Speers Wallace "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066