SUMMARY – FEASIBILITY STUDY JULY 2015 “A place that ignores its context is scary, because it lacks a crucial ingredient – meaning.” Witold Rybczynski “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Peter Drucker
Introduction The Regroupement des organismes culturels de Sudbury (ROCS) has led the project of a gathering cultural place since the États généraux de la francophonie du Grand Sudbury, a community-­‐based planning exercise held in 2008. In the following years, the ROCS was able to get the required support to carry out a prefeasibility study of the project and implement an initiative to foster capacity-­‐building in various areas. In the summer of 2014, with the contribution of several partners (Greater Sudbury Development Corporation, Laurentian University, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, FedNor, Canada Council for the Arts), and with the financial contribution of its entire membership, the ROCS undertook a feasibility study of the Place des Arts1. The ROCS is an informal coalition of seven artistic and cultural organizations of Greater Sudbury that was created in 2007 in order to promote consultation and address common interests between the main actors of the Francophone cultural sector. Its members are: • Carrefour francophone de Sudbury – 1950 •
•
•
•
•
•
Centre franco-­‐ontarien de folklore – 1960 Théâtre du Nouvel-­‐Ontario – 1971 Concerts La Nuit sur l’étang – 1973 Éditions Prise de parole – 1973 Galerie du Nouvel-­‐Ontario – 1995 Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury – 2004 Together, these organizations represent three generations of Franco-­‐Ontarian cultural institutions. In order to carry out this study, a consortium of three experienced firms was retained: Gagné Leclerc Groupe Conseil (GLGC), Atelier Pierre Thibault (APT), and Go Multimédia (GoMM)2. A collaborative approach was implemented from the onset of the study. And the close and on-­‐going relationship between the project managers was central to this approach. The following figure illustrates the structure that was established for the study. 1
2
Place des Arts is a working name that does not presume of the final building’s designation. http://www.gagneleclerc.com/, http://www.pthibault.com/, http://gomultimedia.net/ 1 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 SCÉNO-­‐
GRAPHIE
(GoMulti
média)
CHARGÉ DE PROJET
(Gagné Leclerc
Groupe Conseil)
STRUCTURE
(Douglas Consultants Inc.)
(GoMulti
BUDGÉTAIRES ET média)
FINANCIÈRES
ARCHITECTURE
(Atelier Pierre Thibault)
MÉC. / ÉLECTR.
(Pageau
Morel)
ROCS
STRUCTURE
(Douglas Consultants Inc.)
SCENO-­‐
GRAPHY
ANALYSES (Gagné Leclerc
Groupe Conseil)
(Regroupement des organismes culturels de Sudbury)
COMITÉ COORD.
ARCHITECTURE
(Atelier Pierre Thibault)
MEC. / ELECTR.
(Pageau
Morel)
PROJECT MANAGER
(Gagné Leclerc
Groupe Conseil)
STEERING
COMMITTEE
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
(Gagné Leclerc
Groupe Conseil)
ROCS
(Regroupement des organismes culturels de Sudbury)
Governance Committee
Liaison Committee
Construction Committee
Fundraising Committe
Cultural Businesses Committee
Strategic vision The mission of the Place des Arts, a place of all collaborations, is: Making possible and accessible quality cultural and artistic experiences which have a lasting impact on the lives of citizens and contribute to the development and the well-­‐being of the Francophone and Greater Sudbury communities. 2 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Five years after opening, the PdA will have achieved the following results: • Due to its attractiveness, the Place des Arts significantly contributed to the development of Downtown Greater Sudbury; on an annual basis, more than 60,000 people visited one of its many spaces; the Bistro became one of Greater Sudbury’s favourite spots. •
The Francophone culture of Greater Sudbury is more dynamic than ever thanks to the many partnerships that were established with artists, organizations and institutions from the region and elsewhere. •
•
Artists and cultural and community workers chose to stay or return to live in Sudbury. •
The Place des Arts is a place open to the whole community that serves a variety of users and audiences. The enriched cultural life helps increase the number of tourists who choose the Greater Sudbury region as a destination or an important stop. The organizational culture is built around five key values. Those values will structure the very identity of the Place des Arts and will find their coherence in management practices and in actions that embody them with clients and partners. Boldness Being courageous; challenge conventions and assumptions; suggest creative solutions, innovate. Collaboration Work together; join forces to achieve common goals. Open-­‐mindedness Practice inclusiveness and foster dialogue; accept and respect differences; promote closer alignments. Performance Manage to always get better results and to use resources in an optimal way; behave professionally at all times and in all circumstances. Respect for the Commit resolutely to sustainable development both in the construction of the PdA and in its environment operation. 3 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Organizational needs The Greater Sudbury region is rather deprived of professional cultural infrastructures, and that situation has been persistent for decades already, making Sudbury an area that faces the need to catch up in that field. Many stakeholders recognize this fact. In the spring of 2015, the City of Greater Sudbury adopted a 2015-­‐2020 Cultural Plan, which identified the arts and culture sector as a priority and cultural infrastructures as an important incentive to attract and retain talented workers. In addition to members of the ROCS, the French Theatre program of Laurentian University and five Anglophone organizations (Encore Theatre, Yes Theatre, Silver Birch String Quartet, Pat The Dog, and Crestfallen Theatre) wish to use the PdA on a regular basis. Creation, production and As evidenced by the table hereof, the expected occupancy rates for the creation, presentation spaces
production, and presentation spaces are high, especially for the main presentation spaces Performance hall
(performance hall, multipurpose hall, art gallery, and bistro). Multipurpose hall
Bistro
Art gallery
Youth zone
Plastic arts workshop
4 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Days of occupation
211
238
122
365
205
100
Site selection The chosen site, at the intersection of Elgin Street and Larch Street, is a strategic choice in several respects. Not only does it guarantee visibility and daily customer traffic, it is part of a more global downtown revitalization plan that the City of Greater Sudbury started in 2010. It is located near the new Laurentian University School of Architecture and will be lined by the “Elgin Greenway”, a linear park that will form a pedestrian esplanade along Elgin Street. Architecture The Place des Arts project is built around the idea of a vast public square, underneath a monumental porch. The large arches create a double scenic link between the theater and the city, and vice versa. It is an open place that enables the arts to exist in the city. From a strong initial program emerged two main space types: public spaces and workspaces. Those two entities are organized around a central street, a median axis, resulting from the pattern of the adjacent streets, and crossing the building from one end to the other. The Place des Arts is part of a broader vision of sustainable development that integrates social, economic and environmental concerns. The program includes a performance hall with a seating capacity of 299, a flexible multipurpose hall, an art gallery, a plastic arts workshop, artist studios, a street-­‐level bistro, a boutique, offices for the ROCS members, and a daycare centre. Areas
Land
Building coverage
Total floor area
Height
Total
5 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Laurentian University
Linear Park
Railway
Place des Arts
m2
ft2
1,769.4 19,045.0 1,638.4 17,635.2 5,607.1 60,353.9 m
19.0
ft
62.5
Building plan views and cross-­‐section 6 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 7 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 8 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Scenography, multimedia equipment and furniture The requirements for scenography and multimedia equipment define the design guidelines related to the presentation and creation spaces of the Place des Arts project. Those requirements complete those described for architecture and engineering. The scenography and multimedia intervention describes the following spaces: lobby, foyer, bistro, art gallery, multipurpose hall and performance hall. The technological equipment integrated in the project reflects the most recent communication and security technologies and was chosen to minimize labour costs. In light of the fast evolution of Project costs
(M$)
stage and multimedia techniques, changes and updates will have to be planned prior to Land acquisition
0.50
construction. Construction
23.46
Scenography and multimedia
4.18
For the project to succeed, acoustics need particular consideration, especially in regards of Furniture and e quipment
0.86
urban noise caused by freight trains. Subtotal, construction and e quipment
29.01
<
Integration, arts and architecture
0.1
For all other spaces, furniture and functional equipment is suggested. Cost of temporary funding
0.35
Cost of fundraising campaign
0.50
Project cost Total
29.96
The total completion cost of the project is $29.96M. Funding We are conscious of the pressures currently being exerted on public finances. That is Contributions Sources of funding why we believe that the funding of a major cultural complex like the Sudbury Place des % (M$) Arts should involve the collaborative and balanced participation of several Government of Canada 41.5 12.46 29.2 8,75 stakeholders. It is the collective will that will allow for the completion of this Government of Ontario City o
f G
reater S
udbury 5.50 structuring project. So the funding model we propose involves three intervention F
inancial c
ontribution 18.4 5.00 levels: the local and regional communities, the Government of Ontario, and the Land 0.50 Federal Government. Fundraising Campaign 10.8 3.25 Total 100.0 29.96 9 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Financial feasibility The business model of the PdA was developed using generally conservative assumptions. We believe it is viable and that it presents a reasonable risk level. The PdA will need to work toward the following: • The PdA must secure required funding for the construction project and manage funds to avoid residual mortgage. •
•
•
The PdA must seek and receive required seed funding to successfully launch its operation (years 0 -­‐ 3). •
The PdA will need to obtain a property tax exemption from the City of Greater Sudbury. From the first year of operation, the PdA must secure sufficient sources of stable and recurring revenues. The PdA should quickly carry out quality activities in order to qualify for operating assistance from the Ontario Arts Council and Canadian Heritage. Year 0
REVENUES
Self-­‐generated revenues
Rental
Sale of services
Donations and sponsorship
Total, own-­‐source revenue
Year 5
Year 0
Total, income
EXPENDITURES
Operation
Human resources
Production and programming costs
Marketing and communication costs
Administration costs
Corporate and governance costs
Amortization
Reserve f und
Total, e xpenditures
RESULTS
435,430
333,212
30,000
798,641
443,498
380,543
45,000
869,042
465,297
414,993
60,000
940,290
196,000
150,000
265,000
20,000
435,000
200,000
200,000
25,000
425,000
196,000
1,233,641
6,000
133,061
10,000
2,500
5,000
39,000
Year 1 Year 3
(%)
Year 5
0.0%
35.3%
27.0%
2.4%
64.7%
34.3%
29.4%
3.5%
67.2%
34.4%
30.7%
4.4%
69.5%
265,000
122,500
25,000
412,500
0.0%
100.0%
0.0%
100.0%
12.2%
21.5%
1.6%
35.3%
15.5%
15.5%
1.9%
32.8%
19.6%
9.1%
1.8%
30.5%
1,294,041
1,352,790
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
278,242
737,833
25,000
40,000
34,600
83,500
14,000
20,000
319,300
775,672
42,500
60,000
35,600
25,000
14,000
20,000
328,859
791,173
55,000
30,000
36,600
65,000
6,000
40,000
3.1%
68.9%
5.2%
0.0%
2.6%
20.2%
0
0.0%
22.6%
59.8%
2.0%
3.2%
2.8%
6.8%
1.1%
1.6%
24.7%
60.0%
3.3%
4.6%
2.8%
1.9%
1.1%
1.5%
24.3%
58.5%
4.1%
2.2%
2.7%
4.8%
0.4%
3.0%
195,561
1,233,175
1,292,072
1,352,632
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
438
467
1,969
158
0
196,000
Total, public revenue
Year 3
($)
Public funding
Operating grants
Project grants
Employment grants
10 Year 1
Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Impact on the ROCS members Relocating the member organizations of the ROCS at the PdA has impacts on three levels: the occupancy costs, the change in business models, and a set of qualitative factors. For some organizations like the Carrefour, the TNO, the Salon du livre and the Concerts La Nuit sur l’étang, the costs of spaces rented on a yearly basis (office and warehouses) will be lower than their present costs. For the Éditions Prise de parole, the GNO and the CFOF, the costs will be slightly higher. In general, the impact on the business models will be neutral at worst, and very positive at best, generating savings that will allow the organizations to better support their basic mission. The eventual relocation of the ROCS members at the Place des Arts offers many qualitative advantages such as greater synergy and the sharing of resources, better quality and variety of facilities (spaces and equipment), increased attendance, the possibility to carry out projects which are currently not feasible (i.e. for lack of space or equipment), the possibility to have access to better public and private funding, each contributing in different ways to the sustainability of the organizations. Impact on the City of Greater Sudbury and the community The impact of the project’s completion on the City of Greater Sudbury is important, be it the economical impact of the construction and operation of the PdA, the impact on the downtown area revitalization, the impact on tourism or the increased attractiveness of the city. Integrating downtown cultural facilities in the revitalization strategies (for a city or a neighbourhood) makes the following objectives easier to reach: Construction
• Attract additional people and business to the downtown core; •
•
•
Reverse the migration to malls in the outskirts of town; Recycle outmoded buildings for new uses; and Create a more vital, “lived in” downtown area that does not shut down at the end of the workday.3 3
Creative City News – Creating Economic and Social Benefits for Communities; Creative City Network, 2004 11 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Operation
Visitors
Impact on Jobs created
GDP
(M$)
Number
18.7
180
1.7
7.5
29
111
Over the last years, the City of Greater Sudbury established an important process to develop a Master Plan for its downtown area. The Master Plan for Downtown Sudbury was adopted in 2012. Following the creation of Laurentian University’s School of Architecture, the Place des Arts could really accelerate the revitalization of Downtown Sudbury. A place for all collaborations, it will bring together eight important Francophone cultural organizations, (the 7 ROCS members and PdA, 50 employees), will offer diversified programming in collaboration with many other organizations, including at least six identified regular users, will be open to the community, and will attract more than 50,000 visitors each year. The completion of this project is fully in line with the vision and guidelines of the Master Plan for Downtown Sudbury thanks to its prime location on land designated as a “cultural opportunity site”. Other initiatives identified in the Master Plan, like the linear park on Elgin Street and the plaza planned at the intersection of Elgin Street and Larch Street will complete the development of that sector and offer residents and visitors a high quality environment. The contribution of arts and culture to the lifestyle and the spirit of a community is widely recognized, whether on the quality of life in general, the pride, the identity or the social cohesion and the personal and social development of citizens. The construction of the PdA is fully in line with the guidelines of the Greater Sudbury Cultural Plan 2015-­‐
2020 recently adopted by the City. Over time, the ROCS members have developed partnerships with many members of the local and regional community. The construction of this gathering place in Downtown Sudbury will reinforce partnerships and the development of new ones. However, conditions will need to be established to make the relocation of the TNO from its current space at the Collège Boréal an opportunity to seize for this important Sudbury Francophone institution. Implementation For the next steps, the ROCS can certainly rely on its achievements, its established governance and organizational practices, but it will have to face major risks. We identified the risks we feel are the most significant and suggested the measures that the ROCS will have to introduce to mitigate them or turn them into success factors. In particular, those risks relate to the momentum of the project, the funding, the governance and leadership of the project, the public image, and the construction and operation of the facility. Given the completion deadlines of the project, if the ROCS members wish to inaugurate the PdA in the winter of 2020, the decision to proceed must ideally be taken in the summer of 2017. 12 Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 Conclusions and recommendations The Place des Arts project is a key structuring project for the Francophone community, the local arts organizations, and the City of Greater Sudbury. • We recommend that the ROCS retains the Elgin / Larch site for the construction of the PdA and approaches the City of Greater Sudbury so that the site is dedicated to the project as a first step and transfered to the PdA in due course. •
The business model of the PdA is viable and presents a reasonable risk level. However, the PdA will have to: ü Secure required funding for the construction project and manage funds to avoid any residual mortgage; ü Update the budget estimates when the decision to proceed is made; ü Secure sufficient seed funding to successfully launch the centre’s operation (years 0 -­‐ 3); ü Develop stable and recurrent sources of revenue; as of the first year of operation, the City of Greater Sudbury should provide operating assistance in the order of $150K; afterwards, this contribution is expected to increase to $200K in year 3; ü Carry out quality activities to qualify for operating assistance funding from the Ontario Arts Council and Canadian Heritage; ü Obtain a property tax exemption from the City of Greater Sudbury. •
We recommend that the TNO continues the discussions initiated with the Collège Boréal about the conditions of its possible departure and the future use of the Annex; those discussions should be concluded as quickly as possible for the benefit of both partners. •
13 We also recommend that the Place des Arts and members of the ROCS capitalize on the new equipment and explore new partnership opportunities with major institutions in the region such as higher education institutions, school boards or the Community Health Center of Greater Sudbury. Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015 In order to minimize risks, we believe that the following conditions must be met prior to undertaking the project. •
The City of Greater Sudbury confirmed its contribution to the completion of the project: ü Priority status of the project ü Transfer of the land (subject to project completion) ü Inclusion of the project in its three-­‐year capital plan ($5M) •
The Province and the Federal Government confirmed their financial contribution so that public funding is almost fully vested. •
14 The silent phase of the fundraising campaign has secured commitments of $2.75M (80% of the total objective). Sudbury Place des Arts – Summary of the Feasibility Study, July 2015