EDMONTON — Local musicians have come together in hopes of saving two central Edmonton buildings set to be demolished to make way for the eventual construction of the Valley Line LRT.
The Mitchell and Reed Auction House (The Artery) used to be a hotbed for independent culture, local musician Darren Radbourne said Sunday. But it’s been vacant since it and The Graphics Arts Building, both on 95 Street and Jasper Avenue, were acquired by the city in March. The land the buildings sit on is set to be used for a construction laydown yard for the Valley Line LRT project.
“As a musician, I played my first show at The Artery. I got my first tattoo at The Graphic Arts Building when I was 19,” said Radbourne. “They’ve really created a magnet for artists in the city, independent artists in the city, and also beyond the city. They’ve created a reputation nationally for touring acts.
“I think getting rid of these buildings in the hope of future development coming in and being built here… I think you kind of eliminate those grassroots opportunities and almost set yourself up for a more stale, sort of beige environment.”
Built in 1908, The Artery building is the only one left on Jasper Avenue that is an example of the commercial boomtown development that once lined the south side of the road. While it is identified as a historic resource on the city’s Inventory of Historic Resources, it’s never been designated.
The graphic Arts Building was built in 1938 and is not on the Inventory of Historic Resources. It is still being used as a music venue, but by the end of the year all tenants must be out.
“I think there’s a value to these resources that go beyond monetary values, and it’s one of those ineffable things that I think we don’t really factor that in when we’re trying to build a business case for this kind of development,” said Radbourne.
Ward 6 City Councillor Scott McKeen had similar concerns about the demolition of the arts venues, so he asked city administration to look into the historical significance of the buildings and whether or not it’s the city’s responsibility to preserve them.
“We don’t have a great record in preserving heritage, obviously,” he said. “These decisions are hard for council and it’s hard to make everybody happy, but I want to see if we can make some commitment to preservation here and also balance out the needs of the LRT and also the future growth of Edmonton.”
McKeen believes a happening music scene is important for creating a more vibrant city. The city’s Live Music Initiative aims to create more live music venues to keep musicians in Edmonton.
“We have a ton of talented musicians in Edmonton and I think we really need to do what we can to uplift the music scene,” he said. “The idea there is to try to create more venues for live music and make it so that our musicians can make a living in Edmonton so they don’t have to leave for Toronto or Montreal so early in their career.”
A report released late last week addressed his concerns, but McKeen says he still has questions. The topic will be up for discussion at Tuesday’s Executive Committee meeting.
“I think it’s important that we honour our history and don’t simply easily without thought and debate take down these chapters in our story, if you will,” said McKeen. “I want to ask about whether or not that area is critical for lay down area.”
“The question is whether or not it’s a multi-million dollar decision. And it could be.”
Radbourne will speak at the meeting Tuesday. He believes the buildings are worth fighting for.
“They’ve really created a magnet for artists in the city, independent artists in the city, and also beyond the city. They’ve created a reputation nationally for touring acts,” he said. “I think having these sort of cultural institutions can really help draw people to a community.”
For more information on the project and to read the report, head to the City of Edmonton’s website.
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