To cut through the fog of rhapsody that's descended onto the Wychwood Car Barns Park, aerial maps might be of some assistance.
To borrow a phrase from Frank Zappa, "We Regret to Inform You..." that no amount of parsing the meaning of "is" or "green" can squeeze this Mini-Harbourfront into only 20% of the square footage of the site. Who are you going to believe, Councillor of Innumeracy Mihevc, or your lying eyes?According to the peculiar denatured prose of Councillor Mihevc's newsletter: "Council directed staff to integrate two barns for outdoor uses and two for indoor uses into the recreation and art park.Each barn occupies about 5% of the site,which means that 80% or more of the site will be dedicated green space.Another 10% will be converted to an outdoor & semi-out-door use including a covered street and community greenhouse."
According to July's staff report:
"the adaptive reuse was to include a possible mix of not-for-profit,non-commercial uses such as,but not limited to (1) ,artist live/work units and (2) artists work only units, (3) offices/programming spaces, (4) a meeting/rehearsal facility, (6)indoor community gardens, (4)a community/arts anchor space, public washrooms, (7) a greenhouse, sheltered garden, bake oven, children’s play space, a covered street or wintergarden, a day-care centre, skate park and café."
..."Each of the following components would contribute in different waysto the vision and programming of the site:
(1)the Studio Barn (northernmost 1921 Barn)would include 22 artist ’s live/work units and 10 work studios leased to artists and their families at affordable rents;
(2)the Covered Street/Wintergarden (1913 Barn)would provide a covered landscaped area for community events, exhibitions and festivals with year-round access to the public;
(3)the Community Barn (1916 Barn)would provide programming, rehearsal, meeting and office space leased to 8 –10 non-profit arts, environmental and community organizations at affordable rates;and
(4)the Green Barn (immediately south of the 1916 barn)would provide a sheltered garden, greenhouse and community bake oven.It is proposed that The Stop Community Food Centre,in association with Foodshare, swould manage the Green Barn."
(Commissioner Economic Development,Culture and Tourism Staff Report June 30, 2003)
FYI, many plans were contemplated prior to the 2000 vote.
None of the options, prior to the Megacity contemplated giving a section of the property to a third party, for free.
