St. Catharines Downtown Association

 

The status of Brock University's application for provincial dollars to help build a downtown arts school is clearer.

The province acknowledged Monday it's had the formal proposal for months.

But the end result remains the same -- the university says the project remains on hold until it can get a firm commitment from Queen's Park for $26.1 million.

"We understand that the government is having a difficult financial year. I imagine had it not been for the recession all of this probably would have happened earlier," Brock president Jack Lightstone said Monday. "We've been patient ... but we reach a point where things get stalled if we can't get the commitment."

The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities cleared up confusion Monday regarding the school's funding proposal.

Last Friday, a spokesman said the ministry didn't have a "specific request" on its table from the university for the project, which is being eyed as a key piece needed for the revitalization of the downtown core.

The university maintained its proposal had been in the ministry's hands in various forms for more than a year.

Ministry spokesman Patrick O'Gorman said Monday he had been referring to a funding envelope the province created for educational facilities -- called the Knowledge Infrastructure Program -- when he said Brock hadn't submitted a proposal for the arts school.

Brock received approximately $33.5 million through the program towards construction of a new health and bioscience research centre.

"We are aware of the funding request for the arts program. It will be considered for future funding announcements," O'Gorman said Monday.

When those announcements take place is unclear.

 

"At this point there are no funding announcements coming, but that could change if the government provides us more funding," O'Gorman said.

More money isn't expected to flow until the government sets its budget in the spring for the next fiscal year.

"That's the most likely next time we'll get additional funding.... If there's more funding available, it may get allocated to it. But right now we don't have anything upcoming," O'Gorman said.

St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley said the ministry is aware the downtown arts school is Brock's highest capital funding priority.

"As the province at this time of year goes through its budgetary process, it determines what programs might be available for funding next year and the years beyond that," he said.

Brock plans to revamp the former Canada Hair Cloth building behind St. Paul Street to house its school of fine and performing arts.

The total cost of the project, including nearly $4.9 million in renovations needed at the main campus after the arts school moves, is estimated at roughly $47.8 million.

The new school will be built as an integrated component of the city's $54-million plan to create a downtown performing arts centre.

The city received word last May that Ottawa and Queen's Park would each kick in $18 million towards the project, leaving it with an equal share of the cost.

Brock officials have been waiting ever since for their funding request from the province to fall in place for the joint project.

Without the money, the university's project is on hold, which also puts the city's side of the work in temporary limbo, Lightstone said.

"When we start issuing contracts for serious amounts of money, these are contracts that both partners will be going forward on," he said.

"We're in this together with the city. We're partners with the city. Partners don't cut and run from each other."

St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan echoed Lightstone's commitment to the partnership, and said the delay does not worry him.

"We have confidence in our partner, Brock University, that they are working diligently to pursue the necessary funding to complete the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine Arts," McMullan said in an interview after Monday night's council meeting.

Several Brock officials attended the meeting, including Lightstone, Hale and Marilyn Walker, but left after the arts centre issue was not raised during McMullan's opening comments.

McMullan said afterwards that delays are not unexpected "in a project of this magnitude." "If our partner says, 'We need a bit more time,' that's a reasonable request," he said. "There is no indication the province is not supportive of this project."

Brock dean of humanities Rosemary Hale said waiting for funding approval to the province until after the budget would cause a serious setback in the project's timing.

"It's like being frozen in midair. It's downright awful. It's heart-stopping for me," she said.

But Hale said she's still hopeful Brock and the city will be able to convince provincial cabinet to open its wallet before budget time.

"Having to have a stop put on it is extremely painful, but maybe what it does is enable both the major partners here ... to really come together shoulder to shoulder and demonstrate to the province that we are together mighty and strong," she said.

Please see story by P.Downs in The St. Catharines Standard at:

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2257009