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ARTSCAPE'S GREEN ARTS BARNS RECEIVES $3 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM McGUINTY GOVERNMENT |
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Written by mike lyda
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Jan 31, 2007 at 02:12 PM |
Redevelopment of historic Wychwood TTC streetcar repair barns in
St. Clair and Bathurst community set to be transformed
into multi-tenant arts and environmental centre
TORONTO - The Honourable Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture announced today that The Government of Ontario will invest $3 million in the Artscape Green Arts Barns to redevelop the historic Wychwood TTC streetcar repair barns, in the St. Clair and Bathurst neighbourhood in Toronto, into a 61,000 sq. ft. multi-tenant arts and environmental centre run by and for the community.
"I am pleased to see so many people sharing a passion for the creative and innovative use of heritage property", said Di Cocco. "This project will contribute to a dynamic and vibrant community while we preserve historical buildings, provide affordable housing and studio space for artists, and encourage arts education."
"This project is all about creativity and thinking outside-the-box" said Tim Jones, CEO of Artscape. "We are creating a new model here where artists, environmentalists and community members can rub shoulders and generate the kind of heat and creative energy the city thrives on."
The redeveloped barns will showcase sustainable, energy-efficient design principles and encourage community accessibility and collaboration. The barns will provide new homes for 12 non-profit arts and environmental organizations, including: B Current, Cahoots Theatre Projects, Citizens' Environment Watch, Images Festival, LEAF - Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests, Na-Me-Res/Tumivut Arts Workshop, Salvador Allende Arts Festival for Peace, The Storytellers School of Toronto, Toronto School of Art, Theatre Direct Canada, Theatre Gargantua and Women's Healthy Environments Network; year-round space for community events and festivals; operate a year-round temperate greenhouse, sheltered garden, outdoor bake oven and compost demonstration site run by The Stop Community Food Centre; and 15 artists' work studios and 26 live/work studios.
Artscape was selected by the City of Toronto to re-develop and manage four of the five former TTC streetcar repair barns as a multi-tenant community centre. The Green Arts Barns will be a dynamic community-driven space and a home for experimentation and innovation where new ideas flourish. It will be a place where people from all walks of life will come together to make their community a better place to live, work and play.
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, Artscape is a non-profit enterprise engaged in culture-led regeneration. Its work includes anchoring creative communities within affordable spaces and building authentic and dynamic places by connecting creative and cultural resources. Artscape has played a catalytic role in the regeneration of some of Toronto's most important creative communities including: The Distillery Historic District, Queen Street West, Liberty Village and Toronto Island. On February 15, 2007 Artscape CEO, Tim Jones, will chair a session of The Canadian Urban Institute's urban leadership series on culture-led regeneration.
Press contacts:
Liz Kohn
Director of Communications, Artscape
T: 416-392-1038, ext. 25 |
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