Hi blog-readers!

Today I came across a story that I found relevant to Calgary and especially my neighborhood (Cliff Bungalow-Mission). The story that I found in the New York Times was one of art reigning victorious when development projects fail. An empty lot was turned into a temporary, interactive, curated art park. This park sounds really great! There is actual programming and while the art park is temporary, it is great that the space is being put to positive use until construction can begin.

Calgary also saw a number of capital developments (including condominiums, commercial and office building projects) stall when the economy hit the tank last year. Some of these lots became de facto parking lots; dangerous holes in the ground and just plain eyesores that are void of any positive use. In my neighborhood, we have experienced failed development projects taking up valuable community commercial and residential land to the point that there has been a construction zone spanning the entire block between 20th and 21st avenues right on 4 St. SW in Mission for about 5 or maybe six years. It is blemishes like this that hamper community life and the vibrancy of our inner-city neighborhood and Mission is not alone in this. 

Of course, things are not all blither and stone in Calgary. Recently, in the former location of the popular Mission magazine store 'With The Times', one such defacto parking lot was the result of delays in construction for a proposed mixed use building. While losing 'With The Times' was catastrophic for this respective block of Mission, what is even worse is the current gravel parking lot. It was pointed out to me that Harry Sanders (aka 'Harry the Historian') used to actually offer walking tours of supposed 'temporary' parking lots where historic buildings had been demolished with plans for new buildings to be built in place. Instead, over 30 years later, they are still parking lots.

Fortunately, the owners of the former 'With the Times' site have recently made a small move to combat the parking lot that has since replaced the former independent magazine boutique. Sean O'Connor and Bill Lister were able to arrange giant storage containers in which a public art exhibition by a local artist took place last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This public art exhibition in Mission is a nice little event that lasted three days. However, the parking lot has been there for a year. I realize that Calgary is not New York, nor should we strive to emulate New York. However, when I read about exciting stories like the one in the New York Times I feel like Calgary literally has a lot of ground to cover.

Here's the New York Times article link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/arts/design/17lent.html?_r=1

I would like to reaffirm that I welcome all ideas, comments and questions that anyone may have concerning this blog or arts spaces in general. You can email me at bil.hetherington@calgaryartsdevelopment.com