White Mountain Academy of the Arts

The White Mountain Academy of the Arts was an art school based in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada. Formally opened to students in 1998, the academy sought to combine European and First Nations approaches to painting, photography, graphic design, and other arts forms.[1] James Bartleman, the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, became an honorary patron in August 2004.[2]

History

The original committee which sought to establish the school, the Northern Institute of the Arts Planning Commission, acquired the building, a former Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET) research laboratory, in 1998.[3]

White Mountain was located in a fairly isolated area in Northern Ontario, and it never received enough students or donations to survive as an institution. It folded in 2006,[4] after failing to secure status as a degree-granting institution.[5]

Closure

The building was subsequently leased by the city, and served primarily as a storage depot for municipal equipment.[5]

Beginning in 2012, the White Mountain building became a temporary home to the Elliot Lake Public Library and other services displaced by the Algo Centre Mall roof collapse.[6] Having been shut for several years, the building required significant renovations for this purpose.[5]

The library faced controversy over its planned final location in 2013, with the board favored remaining at White Mountain[6] while many users favored a move to the more centrally-located Pearson Plaza.[7] The library ultimately announced that it would move to Pearson Plaza, after White Mountain declined to offer the institution a long-term stable lease.[8]

Elliot Lake's city council subsequently faced controversy around significant cost overruns in the 2012 renovation project,[3][5] as well as other municipal investments in the building and its maintenance.[5]

As of 2015, the building is still operated by an independent non-profit board of directors, which is seeking to sell the building to a commercial landlord.[5] As of March 2015, the building has been closed by the city and is now for sale.

References

  1. ↑ Linda Denley, "Press Releases: Excerpts from press releases sent to the Citizen newsroom", Ottawa Citizen, 2 June 1998, C2.
  2. ↑ "Bartleman named patron of Elliot Lake arts academy", Sudbury Star, 18 August 2004, A2.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Delegations ask council about White Mountain renovations cost overrun". Elliot Lake Standard, February 20, 2014.
  4. ↑ Rob O'Flanagan, "Elliot Lake art school didn't have a chance: Academy never had enough money or students", Sudbury Star, 15 February 2006, A4; Rob O'Flanagan, "Good-bye White Mountain: Loss of Elliot Lake arts academy will be felt across Northern Ontario", Sudbury Star, 12 April 2006, A4. See also Owen Brush, "White Mountain Academy a victim of poor management" [letter], Sudbury Star, 4 March 2006, A9.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "White Mountain’s fate in council’s hands". Elliot Lake Standard, January 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Library board votes to stay at White Mountain". Elliot Lake Standard, September 18, 2013.
  7. ↑ "White Mountain not most suitable location for library". Elliot Lake Standard, October 24, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Library board votes to enter lease for Pearson Plaza, Council unanimously supports library board’s decision". Elliot Lake Standard, November 27, 2013.
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