Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley
At its annual general meeting Friday, Downtown Sudbury, a property owners association, passed a motion to support the proposed Northern School of Architecture. If the school is located in the business improvement area it could receive a $50,000 cash infusion from the group.
Blaine Nichols, retired architect and chair of the group working towards the $35 million capital project, had made a presentation to meeting participants about the merits of the development. Recently the Downtown Sudbury board had expressed interest in donating to the project, citing benefits to its members as its rationale for the gift.
But Downtown Sudbury's proposed donation was not without controversy.
Businessman John Rutherford loudly opposed the donation,
saying giving such a sizable donation had no real advantage to
the downtown group.
"This is premature and half-baked. We should fund only very
special specific projects such as promotional programs or
feasibility studies for this project, not just hand over such a
large amount of money. This is not businesslike. We invest not
donate," insisted Rutherford.
But Bob Wygant, chair of the downtown association board,
said there were strings attached to the donation.
"The funds will not be forthcoming unless it is decided to
locate the school in the downtown within the defined boundaries
of the association and only if other much larger senior
governments come to the table first," he said.
Wygant also said the association's finances were in good shape due to cost cutting measures and higher than expected revenues from projects such as the Ribfest held in the downtown in early September. The funds were not in the 2009 budget because of the restrictions on the release of the funds and it would come out of a special reserve fund when conditions where met to the satisfaction of the board and its membership, said Wygant.
Others agreed with the donation.
"This architecture school project could change the downtown
forever. It would be a mistake not invest in this," retorted
Vicki Smith, owner of Copy Copy to Rutherford's
comments.
"We should embrace this with open arms. If there is any risk to us, it is far worth the risk," said Smith.
Silvio Rios, owner of La Casa Mexicana restaurant said the
school was needed.
"My son now wants to be an architect. If you have 400 students
and staff living in the downtown, they have to eat," she
said.
Lawyer Diane Violette said she was fascinated by the
opportunity provided by the architecture school and by
possibility of relocating the rail lands promoted by the group
Imagine Sudbury who also made a presentation earlier. She said
she would pull money out of own pocket to help the school.
"I am here because I want to see this city work," she said.
Rutherford requested a secret ballot. That was supported after a lively debate. The vote for the motion to donate the money, subject to conditions specified, was carried.
For his part, Blaine Nichols said the $50,000 would go to the design budget of the building. That could total hundreds of thousands of dollars so other funding partners would be involved. He insisted the primary location supported by its adherents was downtown despite Rutherford's contention there was a possibility that the the province might insist the 75,000 square foot building be located at the campus of Laurentian University. Nichols has repeatedly stated the intention is to tie the creativity of the school to the revitalization of the downtown and that senior politicians and bureaucrats understood that intention.
Danielle Fraser of Mimi and Lulus said she was upset by the
dynamics of the meeting during heated exchanges between
Rutherford and Wygant.
"We all want the downtown to prosper, but there is a protocol
to be respected. I am embarrassed by the dynamics going on
here," she said.
