[Tony]

I dream of seeing the AGO acquire all of the victorians across the street and building a structure over top of them — while maintaining the houses in their entirety —that mirrors/compliments Ghery's Galleria Italia with a bridge over Dundas connecting the two structures.

 

[turini2]

You have to wonder if actually creating an off-site annex to the AGO (umm hmm....the Canada Malting Silos) might be a better thing than continually adding to the current footprint, especially given the collection of contemporary art will invariably grow.

AoD

Agreed - something along the waterfront would be lovely. Or even - a city elsewhere in Ontario alá Louvre Lens!

 

[Irishmonk]

I dream of seeing the AGO acquire all of the victorians across the street and building a structure over top of them — while maintaining the houses in their entirety —that mirrors/compliments Ghery's Galleria Italia with a bridge over Dundas connecting the two structures.

I've had similar notions about that block. Would be very difficult to pull off without a massive amount of blowback. They managed something similar in Montreal but there were fewer properties in question there.

 

[jxmyth_]

I echo the sentiments about sticking an AGO satellite in the eastern waterfront, it just feels like it would be a good mirror to the “Two Kings” approach wherein we bookend Queens Quay with arts institutions (Harbourfront Centre at the other end). Isn’t part of the Thomson collection a bunch of intricate boat models? Waterfront themed AGO? The Mirvish’s already secretly store their collection in an underground bunker in the Portlands right? (See Toronto Life article). Maybe AGO could team with TIFF & NFB and do something with Canadian cinema, what with all the film studio development in the Portland area.

Arguably- they could do something fascinating with the Hearn. $60mil to turn it into an AGO satellite that covers Canadian film & theatre, bit of Toronto history AND contemporary art.

 

[ProjectEnd]

The Party Gal hath spoken...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1487279715035627521

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The Party Gal hath spoken...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1487279715035627521

Ceta didn't sound particularly peeved.

AoD

 

[condovo]

I think - but I'm not certain - that Ramkhalawansingh was the one who led neighbourhood opposition to the Gehry expansion 15+ years ago and then got brought onboard somehow. She's got a lot of political capital. She'll be listened to on Council, particularly by the progressives.

 

[Mr.Tang]

I am blown away that she engages in debate on Twitter. That for me, shows me she may in fact be clinically insane.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I think - but I'm not certain - that Ramkhalawansingh was the one who led neighbourhood opposition to the Gehry expansion 15+ years ago and then got brought onboard somehow. She's got a lot of political capital. She'll be listened to on Council, particularly by the progressives.

I think she predates that fight - all the way to the Barton Myers expansion if my memory of the AGO history serves.

EDIT: Yup - https://utarms-online.library.utoronto.ca/sites/default/files/A2020-0010_002S_transcript.pdf - possibly even in the 70s.

AoD

 

[RonThom]

Arguably- they could do something fascinating with the Hearn. $60mil to turn it into an AGO satellite that covers Canadian film & theatre, bit of Toronto history AND contemporary art.

Land for a new site is not free.

A new site would also need to use space on ticketing, loading, offices, staff rooms, storage, etc. x 1,000.

The existing site can be almost pure gallery space by adding onto an existing backbone and infrastructure, and the land is free, so the budget goes entirely towards new space.

Honestly the distraction of a new satellite gallery is irrelevant for this thread if for no other reason than ….. that’s not what they’re proposing lol

Hope they hire Adjaye.

 

[Northern Light]

Land for a new site is not free.

Are you sure?

If Waterfrontoronto wants to give away publicly owned land in its possession, who exactly would stop them?

If the transaction resulted in bold, interesting architecture and a major cultural institution, whose to say it wouldn't pay itself for itself from WT's perspective by inflating the value of neighbouring lands?

The existing site can be almost pure gallery space by adding onto an existing backbone and infrastructure, and the land is free, so the budget goes entirely towards new space.

This implies that this no cost associated with building on an extremely constrained site, with 2 operating entities (OCAD and AGO) on either side who would intend to continuously operate throughout construction.

I can assure that inflates the budget per ft2 vs new build on a clean site.

Also, the new space will require sufficient load-in/out capacity, emergency egress capacity, and may require (we don't know) add-on mechanical capacity.

Honestly the distraction of a new satellite gallery is irrelevant for this thread if for no other reason than ….. that’s not what they’re proposing lol

They aren't proposing anything seriously, they first have to hire a firm to come up with conceptual design, see if it can be done within budget; and then, presumably go fundraise a portion of the cost and go hat-in-hand to the gov't seeking any balance.

*****

None of which is to suggest I oppose this; I don't.

Rather, that it would be nice to fully consider the options, in the open, to deliver the best gallery experience possible, to the greatest number of visitors; and to weigh the trade-offs as a community.

AGO's decision-making, much as with the ROM has seemed to be closed-door, we know what's best; while tending to under-deliver, a less that complete idea, time and again.

 

[condovo]

I think she predates that fight - all the way to the Barton Myers expansion if my memory of the AGO history serves.

EDIT: Yup - https://utarms-online.library.utoronto.ca/sites/default/files/A2020-0010_002S_transcript.pdf - possibly even in the 70s.

AoD

There's a lot to digest in that interview but here's what I think is the key stuff. It sounds like what got the neighbourhood opponents on board with the Gehry expansion was a commitment to renovate Grange Park.

 

[RonThom]

Love to see that the AGO is smart and patient enough to keep saying “yeah, we’re done” to the insane NIMBYs and then just changing their minds a decade later. Rinse and repeat. AGO has a multi-hundred year view and can outlast cranks like Ceta.

Edit: I just have to say, how deranged, selfish and stupid do you have to be to take pleasure in fighting an ART GALLERY in the heart of the country’s biggest city, nestled among transit and so many schools?? These people are totally insane. This is an amenity, not a nuisance. Clowns.

 

[whatever]

In fairness, the city was a different place in the 70s/80s when she would've started her advocacy work. Toronto was just starting to surpass Montreal as the main urban centre of the country. The fight over the Spadina Expressway would've been fresh in their minds. You would've had people like Jacobs and Sewells as very vibrant and active participants in that kind of community activism. What diminishing vibrancy our downtown and neighbourhoods have been able to retain, it has retained in large part due to the efforts of "cranks like Ceta"

 

[RonThom]

What diminishing vibrancy our downtown and neighbourhoods have been able to retain

Huh?

The neighbourhoods are frozen in amber by protectionist exclusionary zoning and heritage policies. They are now exclusive enclaves for rich people who fight change. They are not as vibrant as they used to be. The populations are shrinking, young families are moving away, old cranks complain about any noise like kids playing in the park, etc.

And -- downtown was covered in parking lots and huge industrial lands in the 70s and 80s. It is only through development (some public, mostly private) that downtown has actually become vibrant, despite the NIMBY crying.

I do understand that old school NIMBYism comes from fighting the Spadina Expwy etc. But it is now completely counterproductive when we see NIMBYs fighting things like BRT, LRT, Subways, schools, daycares, art galleries, and HOUSING. It has been 51 years since the Spadina Expressway was cancelled in 1971. It's no longer an excuse for behaviour like Ceta's.