Arts Projects Price Tag Up To $35M

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Wednesday, 04 December 2013 15:00

Greater Vernon politicians have new costs to consider for proposed arts projects. A consultant has estimated a new art gallery and expanded museum would cost taxpayers 35 million dollars, almost double the earlier estimate of 17.9 million. The art gallery, which would go on a city of Vernon-owned site on 31st Avenue, is estimated at 13.3 million, with so called soft costs like the land, design and furnishings added to the $7.3 million for a building. Dauna Kennedy Grant, executive director of the Vernon Public Art Gallery, doesn't dispute the figures, but says they can change. "As with any project like the sports referendum (last spring), you get the initial estimates and then you go back and look at it and find out what things you want to keep, and what things you don't, and then move forward," Kennedy Grant tells Kiss FM. An expanded museum on its current site at 32nd Avenue, would cost $21.6 million, according to the report. The report will be before Greater Vernon Advisory Committee directors Thursday. A consultant also looked in the projected operating costs of the facilities. The report suggests the art gallery would cost $406,2612 to operate a year, while the museum would come in at $429,456. "Some of these other costs, I'm looking forward to the presentation so that we can learn a little more about other aspects of this," says Kennedy Grant. Back in September, the GVAC commiitee supported going to referendum on the projects next spring, but the electoral area directors (BX-Silver Star, and BX-Swan Lake) were opposed, wanting to know more about the costs.