Elliot Lake CAO Daniel Gagnon found himself in an unaccustomed role as acting chairman of the new Elliot Lake Arts and Culture Hub Steering Committee at its inaugural session Friday afternoon.
He quipped he didn't think it would affect his pay grade.
Normally, staff members do not assume the role of Committee Chair, but this was the first-ever steering committee meeting and new ground was being broken.
The newly-created entity received a report from Callum Brook and his team of hired architectural consultants at the virtual meeting which was livestreamed on the city's website.
Brook's company was hired to create and study the Arts and Culture Hub concept for Elliot Lake, and deliver a feasibility study and report.
The team outlined the results of a public opinion survey that asked what Elliot Lakers wanted included in the Arts Hub, along with their own recommendations.
The Hub is being planned for construction on the site of the former Elliot Lake Lester B. Pearson Civic Centre on Highway 108.
The Civic Centre, which had to be torn down after a catastrophic roof collapse two years ago, had a footprint of 45,000 square feet.
The Arts Hub is predicted to cover 25,000 square feet. It may be built in either a one or two-storey design. There were also numerous offices on the Civic Centre's second floor which will not be included in the new design.
Estimated construction cost of the build as conceived is $12,130,075. At the present time, the City has $3,500,000 in reserve funds to be applied as startup money for the project.
The cash is mainly from the insurance settlement that was generated from coverage on the ruined Civic Centre, which had served for many years as the focal point for the arts community in the City.
"What we know for sure, is that we have three and a half million dollars sitting in reserves. It was part of the insurance settlement for the Civic Centre collapse," Gagnon said.
"We're trying to leverage that three and a half million into a new building. The Cultural Spaces Canada Grant is a federal grant. And it funded the feasibility study, this current study that we have right now.
"That was a $90,000 study. They funded that with 50 cent dollars. We've applied for another 30 per cent, give or take. So those are potential funders that can continue on.
"But the closer we get to capital construction, the less likely we'll get large grants from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) because there aren't any large donors doing $12,000,000 spaces anymore or, at least, not many of them."
"We are hoping that the federal Cultural Spaces Canada Grant will still be an option for us for the next phase, which is the detailed design for $1.2 million.
"But also for the capital side, the Federal Cultural Spaces Canada Grant can go up to 75 per cent funding. So minimum 50 per cent, but up to 75," Gagnon continued.
"If you take that three and a half million, and we get 75 per cent funding from the federal government, then we're lined up nicely for the 12 million.
"But if for some reason the fund dries up, or we're not eligible or eligible, but they don't have the funds, we could have a problem.
"Or if it's at 50 cent funding, we're gonna have a bit of a shortfall that we're gonna have to find from other sources that aren't immediately known right now, or fundraising, or whatnot."
Gagnon concluded by saying, "we're in a fairly good position in the sense that we have a third or so of the funds ready to go."
As envisioned, the new structure would house a museum, a 400-seat theatre auditorium, arts studios, gallery and display space, offices, storage space, utilities, kitchen, dressing rooms, green room, numerous washrooms, front of house space, and others. All are costed at an estimated $475 per square foot.
Approved as members of the Steering Committee were City Councillors Sandy Finamore and Tom Turner. Both had expressed a keen desire to be members.
Mayor Dan Marchisella is a third Committee member from Council, ex-officio.
It was decided that any two of the Councillors including the mayor must be present to constitute a quorum at Steering Committee meetings, which must include a majority of members.
Citizen member Murray Finn said he was concerned that that meetings might have to be postponed for lack of a quorum.
The new seven-member Steering Committee is also comprised of citizen members Edo ten Broek and Finn, as directed by City Council.
Also included on the Steering Committee are two reps from the First Nations, Serpent River's Lee Simpson and Chief Reg Neganobi of First Nations of the Mississagi.
Both Native Leaders were in attendance at the virtual meeting.
Changes decided by Steering Committee members from the original template include a requirement it report directly to City Council, and not have its input filtered through another committee.
Members of the Steering Committee also decided to meet once a month, on the fourth Friday in the morning with the next meeting being held on Feb. 26.
Ten Broek twice tried to make a nomination for the position of Steering Committee Chair.
"What you're looking for is a person who brings considerable practical personal experience in managing cultural activities," ten Broek said.
Ten Broek also said the chairman should be a champion of the arts.
Finamore said it would be simpler to have the chairman as a Councillor
Gagnon told him it was best practice that new committee chairs be members of City Council, and that no suggestion was possible until terms of reference for the new Committee were approved by Council.
That could come as soon as Council's next meeting on Monday.
That meeting will be livestreamed at 7 p.m. on the City's website.