Not-in-my-backyard-ism has an entirely new – and disappointing – meaning in Centretown these days.
The unusual target for Ottawa’s embarrassing brand of NIMBY-ism? An art gallery.
The Dalhousie Community Association recently attacked a proposal that will see a residential home at 73 Aberdeen St. converted to an art gallery, studio space and rental unit.
The association has no doubt run out of legitimate things to complain about and has been quite vocal in its opposition to the plan.
Most residents would see an art gallery as a positive addition to their community, but the community association president, Eric Darwin, says that “the character of the neighbourhood goes downhill.” It’s very difficult to believe that an art gallery could diminish the character of the neighbourhood. Art galleries do not historically bring down property values or attract unseemly characters.
It’s not as if there was a proposal to rezone the residential home to make room for a noise all-hours night club or a safe needle-exchange. It’s an art gallery. The art crowd in Ottawa isn’t known for its loose morals and extreme partying. It’s hard to see how the art gallery could lower the neighbourhood’s character.
On the contary, an art gallery attracts an engaging, lively and community-oriented group of local artists and art appreciators. It creates a dialogue and exchange between community members and opens up the lines of communication between citizens in a meaningful way.
Far from providing a challenge to the community’s character, an art gallery should only add to it.
It also seems that the community association has forgotten that it represents the entire community, not just the residential home owners on Aberdeen Street.
Its opposition to the project shows an under-appreciation of the needs of our community’s artists, many of whom languish for months or even years on waitlists for studio space.
Had the association consulted local artists, it would have found that they are struggling to find studio space.
Wait times for studio space in in downtown Ottawa is more than a year. In fact, some artists wait several years to get their projects off their living room floors and into a proper space.
Supporting a project which would help local artists find studio space and also gives them an opportunity to showcase their work is a no brainer.
It’s difficult to understand the motivation for the criticisms association has levelled against the project.
While maintaining the status quo is always more comfortable, and change can be difficult, the gallery has the potential to bring vibrancy to and strengthen the community.
If nothing else, there are many more legitimate causes in need of attention and a voice.
The Dalhousie Community Association would do well to lend its voice and target its efforts to a cause which poses a real threat to the community. An art gallery does not fit that bill.