The Art Gallery of Peterborough (AGP) will not be pursuing relocation to a proposed 17-storey mixed-use building to be developed by Ashburnham Realty on Crescent Street behind the existing gallery building.
That’s according to a report from the AGP to be presented next Thursday (January 22) at the city’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee Meeting (ACAC).
“The Art Gallery of Peterborough – Gallery Relocation Business Case, developed by consultant team V Formation, was considered by council in closed session,” the report reads. “They did not approve moving forward on this particular opportunity, however, gave direction to staff to continue discussion with the AGP Board of Directors on the potential of a new facility.”
Last September 23, a report to ACAC advised the AGP board had been “exploring the potential” of relocating the gallery to the proposed building, which would include 231 rental apartment units and commercial space on a portion of the ground floor.
Also on September 23, a public open house about the proposed Crescent Street development was held at the AGP. The notice for the open house from EcoVue Consulting, the planning consultant for Ashburnham Realty, indicated a portion of the second and third floor of the proposed development could be “the potential new location of the Art Gallery of Peterborough.”
The AGP’s September 23 report to ACAC noted that Paul Bennett of Ashburnham Realty had invited the AGP to consider relocating within the proposed Crescent Street development, which would consolidate nine existing properties located along Crescent Street, Lake Street, and George Street.
“The AGP has engaged the services of Unity Design Studio to develop (a) rendering based on the needs assessment included in the Feasibility Study Update, 2020,” the September 23 report stated. “We are working the consulting firm V Formation to develop a Business Case and undertake a Fundraising Feasibility Study.”
While AGP is a non-profit public art gallery governed by an independent board of directors, it is owned, staffed, and largely funded by the City of Peterborough. AGP said that a report and business case document would be submitted to city council meeting as general committee on October 6.
It appears the report was instead considered during a closed session of general committee on October 20. While the report is not available to the public as it was discussed in a closed session, council voted at its November 3 public meeting to receive the “relocation request” report for information and directed staff “to continue conversations with the Art Gallery Board of Peterborough (sic) regarding relocation.”
A 2011 study on the AGP conducted in response to issues of limited space, technical deficiencies, and risks to the art collection at the existing Del Crary Park location recommended either a major renovation of the existing facility or relocation to a new site that could meet the professional and technical standards required for a Class A designation.
This led to a 2014 feasibility study by Lundholm + Lett, which explored two potential new sites in downtown Peterborough along with the existing site and concluded that renovating and expanding the existing facility would be more cost-effective and had several advantages.
According to the City of Peterborough’s 2020 budget document, an update to the feasibility study was planned for presentation to council in 2020, alongside a review of AGP bylaws and its memorandum of understanding with the city. kawarthaNOW is unable to locate any public information about the 2020 update.
