Indigenous Peoples Space [100 Wellington St]

[FutureWickedCity]

Maybe it could also house temporary topical exhibits, for example about Canada's Olympic athletes. Or every few months they could have a special exhibit on one famous Canadian, showing some of their personal effects and info about their lives.

[kwoldtimer]

[QUOTE=Mikeed;7530855]Every time I have ventured to this property, I feel the special location at the intersection between Parliament and the PMO/PCO headquarters calls for really only on purpose. A Constitutional Hall- a location where the Constitutional documents (real or copies) can be put on display.

I would really like a building that gives Citizens the opportunity to see copies of the BNA Act of 1867 and the Charter. But also explain the importance of the other Constitutional documents from our entrenched source documents of the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

And the foundation of law that stretches back into the mists of time given from an continuous justice system through the Crown that includes the Magna Carta. ....



Not a terrible idea, but I would question whether the interior of the former U.S. Embassy is imposing enough for this purpose. If we are to have a shrine to our foundational documents, it should look like a shrine. Perhaps after the Senate moves out of its temporary digs......

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by caveat.doctor

Fantastic idea - a museum on our Constitution and other foundational documents like the Charter would fill a huge gap in what's available from our national museums (and in national awareness, more generally). The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and the National Archives in Washington do this very well for the US.

But who would go to such a facility? ...students on field trips with their Civics class no doubt, but I can't imagine that this would be a tourist draw of any significance. This has "dullsville" written all over it, IMO.

Though perhaps not the ideal usage, I do think that a National Portrait Gallery would better animate the street and attract visitors of all stripes.

[rocketphish]

What about an outreach centre of the National Film Board?

While headquartered in Montreal (and moving into a new facility in 2017), and having production studios in cities across Canada*, this important national institution maintains no presence at all in Ottawa that I can tell.

I think that an NFB Media Centre in Ottawa could readily house a combination of Canadian film museum, interactive media space, and a small auditorium showcasing NFB films new and old. It could celebrate film production in Canada and the Canadian actors who starred in them as well as promoting filmmaking to the next generation.

Something like this would be a good draw to Ottawa and easily animate Wellington Street.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation...oard_of_Canada

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

But who would go to such a facility? ...students on field trips with their Civics class no doubt, but I can't imagine that this would be a tourist draw of any significance. This has "dullsville" written all over it, IMO.

Though perhaps not the ideal usage, I do think that a National Portrait Gallery would better animate the street and attract visitors of all stripes.

Well, given how much of the tourist traffic is driven by students on field trips...

... But yeah, I'm on Team Portraits myself.

[caveat.doctor]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

But who would go to such a facility? ...students on field trips with their Civics class no doubt, but I can't imagine that this would be a tourist draw of any significance. This has "dullsville" written all over it, IMO.

Though perhaps not the ideal usage, I do think that a National Portrait Gallery would better animate the street and attract visitors of all stripes.

Comparing a Constitutional Centre (e.g. original documents, interpretive centre, educational programmes and lectures, debates etc) and a Portrait Gallery (e.g. portraits of Canadian and international luminaries, biographical exhibits, special features based on profession/sports/arts, etc), we can check out the US equivalents to gauge the potential draw:

- National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, $15: 830 000/yr
- National Archives in Washington (exhibit of Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights), free: 1 million visitors in 2016 by 19 July, so probably just under 2 million/yr?
- National Portrait Gallery in Washington, free (shares same building and stats with the Smithsonian Museum of American Art): over 1 million/yr

As for animating the area - probably either option can contribute effectively with good design. The US portrait gallery has a fantastic enclosed courtyard that's busy year round, used for events, has a licensed café, etc - something like that that opens up to Parliament likely would be a draw.

[NOWINYOW]

One thing I hear a lot about from our Museums and Galleries is their lack of available space to showcase more of their exhibits. Perhaps this site could be used, on a rotational basis, by all existing museums and galleries to stage displays.

8 or 9 months each year a different exhibit from a different Museum and/or Gallery.(Dec/Jan/Feb used to move out the previous, move in the new) Each year, even locals would find something new to explore.

Or perhaps each year have a different theme, with the onus on existing Galleries and Museums to reach into their collections and provide the relevant content.

[m0nkyman]

Double tap

[m0nkyman]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

What about an outreach centre of the National Film Board?

While headquartered in Montreal (and moving into a new facility in 2017), and having production studios in cities across Canada*, this important national institution maintains no presence at all in Ottawa that I can tell.

I think that an NFB Media Centre in Ottawa could readily house a combination of Canadian film museum, interactive media space, and a small auditorium showcasing NFB films new and old. It could celebrate film production in Canada and the Canadian actors who starred in them as well as promoting filmmaking to the next generation.

Something like this would be a good draw to Ottawa and easily animate Wellington Street.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation...oard_of_Canada

We have three unused cinemas in the downtown core that could house something like this.

[Norman Bates]

Return of the Canada and the world pavilion.

[mykl]

i would literally go to a constitutional hall one time. there wont exactly be a lot of new blockbuster documents bringing me back.

on the other hand, rotating portraits from a massive collection, which can be grouped by theme, artist, etc, would get me back repeatedly.

as for comments that portraits should be scanned, you're literally saying that you'd rather scan works of artistic merit than scan pieces of paper with signatures on them. do you people still have fax machines?

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by mykl

as for comments that portraits should be scanned, you're literally saying that you'd rather scan works of artistic merit than scan pieces of paper with signatures on them. do you people still have fax machines?

Works of artistic merit (including portraits) can be found in the national gallery. The portrait gallery is the collection of LAC, and is mostly B&W photos with some paintings that archivists have acquired over the years. The photos could be put online with the same resolution as they can be printed on paper. They could also be reproduced and displayed anywhere.

[Mikeed]

Not a terrible idea, but I would question whether the interior of the former U.S. Embassy is imposing enough for this purpose. If we are to have a shrine to our foundational documents, it should look like a shrine. Perhaps after the Senate moves out of its temporary digs......

I like this idea too- I myself am not thrilled by it being in the former US embassy. It is the location at the intersection of Parliament and the PMO that calls for a place to remind those who are in the PMO what powers they have and why they have it.

This is not a money making endeavor. This is not about tourism or being a place to hang out. It is about having a home that our Constitutional documents can puts them before the average citizen and says - this is who we are, this is how we got here. The power of the Crown is in fact held in the hands of the people, we give it meaning and it is the social contract, and those in executive power exercise it only on a leased basis.

In Canada the PM has a massive amount of centralized power compared to other. Our history and how we govern ourselves is woefully misunderstood and it is actually more dangerous then is commonly understood.


And I think it would be a draw as thousands of people come to the Hill every year to gawk at some cool buildings and because it's parliament- let's teach them something and show them where we are and how we got here in terms of how we govern ourselves!

[Mikeed]

Originally Posted by FutureWickedCity

Maybe it could also house temporary topical exhibits, for example about Canada's Olympic athletes. Or every few months they could have a special exhibit on one famous Canadian, showing some of their personal effects and info about their lives.

I also really like this idea.

I have been kicking around the idea of a Canada Collections or Crown Collections building as I feel the State has many, many (like National Archives) interesting collections of items- portraits, historic items, artwork that is not on display but stilling in wearhouses. Having just a Canada Gallery that has rotating displays of topical and neat items is a compelling idea.

[rocketphish]

‘An architectural gem’: Liberals seeking ideas on what to do with empty former U.S. embassy

Marie-Danielle Smith 08.17.2016

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is dusting the cobwebs off the former U.S. embassy on Wellington Street in Ottawa, now empty for about 15 years.

Fulfilling an election promise by Catherine McKenna, the environment minister and MP for Ottawa Centre, the Grits are launching a three-week consultation Thursday on how best to put the building to use.

It’s been out of commission since 2001 and has cost about $200,000 a year since then to maintain, even though it’s empty.

In the early 2000s, the Liberal governments of Jean Chretien and Paul Martin had put millions towards planning a National Portrait Gallery for the space.

But the Conservatives under Stephen Harper had other ideas — reluctant to spend big amid a time of economic downturn, they toyed with putting a gallery in Calgary, instead, but ultimately the project did not go ahead.

McKenna explained she’s been hearing from constituents that it’s high time to make use of the historic building, which looks on Parliament Hill.

“I’ve been inside and it’s pretty awesome,” she said. “I just want to see it being put to public use. I want it to be opened up. I want Canadians and international visitors alike to be able to go there.”

“It’s an architectural gem,” explained Rob Wright, the assistant deputy minister who’s in charge of the parliamentary precinct within the federal public works department. “It’s a bit of Washington in Ottawa,” and features Indiana limestone, Vermont marble and floor-to-ceiling oak panels, he said.

The building at 100 Wellington St. was the first purpose-built embassy in Canada, he said, and one of the first that the Americans built anywhere in the world. It’s also a symbol of Canada having taken over “full control over its foreign relations” from Britain.

Mayor Jim Watson has some ideas for how to use it, press secretary Livia Belcea said Wednesday.

He would be keen to see the National Portrait Gallery resurrected, she said. Watson has also been floating the idea of creating a “museum or repository of great Canadian inventions and iconic historic Canadian keepsakes.”

Belcea listed a few examples: Bryan Adams’s first guitar, Terry Fox’s cross-country run roadmap or Celine Dion’s first golden record.

McKenna had said during the election campaign that she wanted to see consultations begin within 100 days of taking office.

People will have an opportunity to contribute their opinions on six possible uses, (McKenna and Wright wouldn’t say what those are, quite yet) or contribute their own out-of-the-box ideas.

An online survey launches Thursday evening. Student volunteers will also query visitors to Parliament Hill over the next couple of weeks, Wright said. He didn’t offer a precise timeline but said results will come out “in the coming months.”

People can see the inside of 100 Wellington St. with their own eyes from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

A public information session held by McKenna and Public Services Minister Judy Foote is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, 144 Wellington St. Doors open at 5:30 for security screening. It will also be streamed over Facebook Live.

• Email: mdsmith@postmedia.com

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/na...392/story.html

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by NOWINYOW

One thing I hear a lot about from our Museums and Galleries is their lack of available space to showcase more of their exhibits. Perhaps this site could be used, on a rotational basis, by all existing museums and galleries to stage displays.

There is a great deal of woefully underutilized space at Library and Archives Canada. They used to do really great rotating exhibits there until their budget got cut.

[acottawa]

I filled out the survey. It was a little disappointing. There was little in the way of details for each of the options they present, no opportunity to comment on options you don't support and you have to get to the end before you can suggest an different idea, and there is no way to explain how your idea aligns with the criteria they are using to evaluate ideas.

[rocketphish]

'Canada House,' Indigenous centre among ideas for former U.S. Embassy
Built in 1931-32, heritage building has sat empty for nearly 2 decades

By Trevor Pritchard, CBC News Posted: Aug 18, 2016 8:00 PM ET Last Updated: Aug 19, 2016 8:53 AM ET



An art gallery, an Indigenous cultural centre, and a showcase for "the best of the provinces and territories" are among six ideas unveiled Thursday evening for the former U.S. Embassy across from Parliament Hill.

The six proposals for the future of the 84-year-old heritage building at 100 Wellington Street were revealed by Minister of Public Services and Procurement Judy Foote during a public information session.

They include:

• A "Canada House" venue that would give visitors a "taste of the country's diversity achievements" while also showcasing "the best of the provinces and territories."
• A gallery that would host "artwork of national significance."
• An Indigenous cultural facility that would highlight the "culture, achievements and the prominent role" of Canada's aboriginal peoples.
• An information centre for the capital that would group together local, federal and tourism organizations to offer help to tourists.
• An interpretive centre for Canada's Parliament.
• A museum that would exhibit "national artifacts of historical and cultural interest."

People are still able to offer their own ideas for the space, beyond those six, through a survey that will remain online until Sept. 9.

The results of the survey will be made public and will "inform the broader strategy of restoring and modernizing the Parliamentary Precinct," Public Services and Procurement Canada said in a statement.

Empty for nearly 2 decades

Built from 1931 to 1932, the Beaux-Arts style building has sat empty for 18 years, ever since American diplomats moved to their current, heavily-fortified home on Sussex Drive.

A strong example of U.S. government architecture of the 1930s, and the home of the first foreign mission in Canada, 100 Wellington was designated a federal heritage building in 1985.

The old embassy had at one point been slated, at the end of former prime minister Jean Chrétien's time in office, to house a national portrait gallery.

The project was cancelled, however, after the Conservatives took power in 2006.

Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, the MP for Ottawa-Centre, promised during last fall's election campaign — which returned the Liberals to office — that she would ask Canadians for input into 100 Wellington's future.

She toured the building ahead of Thursday night's consultation with Foote, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, and U.S. Ambassador Bruce Heyman.

Members of the public were also able to wander through 100 Wellington for two hours before the information session began.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...lery-1.3726887

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by acottawa

I filled out the survey. It was a little disappointing. There was little in the way of details for each of the options they present, no opportunity to comment on options you don't support and you have to get to the end before you can suggest an different idea, and there is no way to explain how your idea aligns with the criteria they are using to evaluate ideas.

So.... par for the course for such "consultations", then?

[rocketphish]

Three senators say: Turn the former U.S. embassy into a portrait gallery

Serge Joyal
Jerry S. Grafstein
Doug Black

Published on: September 6, 2016 | Last Updated: September 6, 2016 12:07 PM EDT

The former American embassy in front of Parliament Hill is, by far, the choicest destination for a Canadian Portrait Gallery. The proposal serves all six of the potential public uses for a gallery outlined by Public Works and Government Services Canada.

It will reveal the rich diversity of the more than 50 indigenous nations in Canada by showcasing the human face and peoples who inhabited Canada for millennia.

It will offer access to all of the individuals who have contributed, in their own manner, to the wealth of activities particular to each of the provinces and territories.

It will reveal personalities behind the achievements for which we remain so proud: whether relating to sports, discoveries and inventions, art, or songs performed or created by local, national and international Canadian musicians.

It will give visitors access to an overview of how the primary wealth of a nation is its people: whether as parents, workers, farmers, hunters, scientists, teachers, professionals or students, and link them in the rich mosaic of human expression that characterizes our country.

It will display the figures the women and men who, throughout our history, have made Canada a thriving democracy.

These are among the benefits of a Portrait Gallery that will be a welcome complement to a Parliament Hill visit: the millions of human faces of Canadians who bind us together. It will allow new Canadians to access the evolution of a country that continues to be the number one choice of a majority of people who choose a new homeland.

A Parliamentary Interpretative Centre (which is one of five options under consideration) is redundant. There is already one planned in the renovation of the main Parliament building (2018).

There is a treasure trove of thousands and thousands of portraits stored in the reserves of the National Archives and museums that just wait to be made accessible. The portrait gallery will connect together all institutions, wherever in the country, to share their assets of portrait and relevant materials.

There is certainly something right about Canada: It relates to its people, and how those people have used their freedom to build a unique model of society. Put the emphasis on the people, and you will never be wrong. Among the millions of individuals are the talent, creativity and diversity that make the Canadian human experience unique.

A Portrait Gallery should be the first and foremost choice. It really is the option that celebrates the nation, highlighting the personal history of its people. The main legacy of the 150th anniversary of Confederation should be a permanent institution that reveals who we are as Canadians and how we can best get to know one another.

Serge Joyal is a senator from Quebec; Jerry S. Grafstein is a former Ontario senator; and Doug Black is an Alberta senator.

Public consultations are open on the potential uses of the former U.S. embassy until Thursday, Sept. 9.

http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/col...rtrait-gallery