Oh, what I could do with $4.5 million... That's the amount of cash Rize Alliance development company has put up as part of its plan to build its massive mixed-use complex at Kingsway and Broadway.
The $4.5 million goes toward what is called a community amenity contribution (CAC). Now the city just has to figure out what the money will be spent on.
An Aug. 6 memo sent to city staffers from Brenda Prosken, the city's general manager of community services, gave some detail on who or what will get the cash.
And it appears the $4.5 million will go to retain, enhance and create "artist production space" in Mount Pleasant.
While Prosken notes in her memo that Mount Pleasant has one of the highest concentrations of artists and cultural workers in the city, the neighbourhood is running out of space to do art.
She pointed out real estate prices have tripled in the past decade and that has translated to higher rents while more affordable, cultural and commercial spaces are being sold for redevelopment.
A focus group workshop with artists, art organizations and advisory committees coupled with an online survey concluded two main recommendations on how the cash should be spent.
Artist production space should be secured for at least 20 years to ensure the hub in Mount Pleasant remains vibrant. And there should be more ownership of spaces by local nonprofit groups and artistrun centres.
"Given this feedback, staff will now move forward with a process that seeks to use the funds to provide innovative capital contributions for locally led proposals to retain and enhance existing space or develop new space for artist production in or serving Mount Pleasant," Prosken said.
BARRIERS REMOVED ON SECTION OF UNION BIKEWAY
In other money news... Back in July, the city spent $10,000 to install a barrier/diverter along Union Street between Glen and Raymur streets.
If you know the area, this is the section of street behind La Casa Gelato near the train tracks. It's part of the busy Union-Adanac bikeway.
The city installed the barrier because engineers were concerned the year-long closure of Powell Street - to build an overpass - would result in more vehicles using the bikeway.
But about two weeks after the barrier was installed, the city removed it. That's because motorists were driving over and around it to get across the tracks.
That caught the attention of CN Rail and neighbours who worried a vehicle might get stuck on the tracks or barrier and impede a train.
Lon LaClaire, the city's manager of strategic planning, said three other barriers were installed along the bikeway and they will remain.
But the one near the tracks had to go.
"Our conclusion was that if we're going to do a closure, we'll have to work a bit more closer with the railway to figure out how to seal it off," LaClaire said. "Ultimately, maybe it's not needed but we did want to be a little bit overly protective of the bikeway, initially."
So much for the $10,000. Note: This is my last write-up in this space for a few weeks. Thanks for reading. See you in September.
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