Friends of the Gallery,
As you know the TOM has undertaken a careful due diligence process in regard to the Old Courthouse and Jail as the site of our new expanded Art Gallery. The Gallery Board has spent a considerable amount of time, effort and money over the last ten months.
The Courthouse site offers a number of advantages. However, the due diligence process and pre-consultation discussion with the City has revealed a wide range of concerns. These include insufficient parking, unknown heritage compliance requirements, building height restrictions, to name just a few concerns.
The primary objective of the Gallery is to build a new, expanded TOM Gallery. Re-purposing a deteriorating, historic building in the process is only justified if it is complimentary and affordable. Unfortunately, the Courthouse and Jail site do not meet those criteria.
Our focus remains on the need for a new, expanded Art Gallery - A Leading Edge Regional Art Centre. Within our mandate we state the importance of promoting, protecting and developing the permanent collection as a National Treasure which is a tourism draw for this community.
We are excited about the future of the Gallery. The present collection was built with the dedication and commitment of community volunteers, boards and staff, and with the support of past and present City Councils. The fact that we have been offered several internationally significant collections of work speaks not only to our need for more space, but also to the reputation of our Gallery which is recognized well beyond our community.
We are excited about the prospect of a Leading Edge Regional Art Centre that will be a significant economic drive and a year-round destination. This expanded Gallery will attract an audience coming to experience wonderful art in an environment that creates inspiration, imagination, creative thinking, innovation and entrepreneurship.
We are excited to continue to search out the best site that will lead to the building of a Gallery that is truly a reflection of Tom Thomson. In the meantime, we are close to completing the process toward Incorporation and Charitable Status.
Finally, we want to once again thank our Friends of the Gallery, our volunteers, and our staff for their patience and support.
If you have questions please feel to contact us at [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Myles-Gallinger, Chair of the Tom Thomson Art Gallery Board
Jeff Sziklai, Chair of the Tom Thomson Art Foundation Board