A company that’s planning to redevelop Woodland Park in Port Moody is sinking $15,000 into the city’s arts centre.
This week, PoMoArts — formerly known as the Port Moody Arts Centre — announced the donation from EDGAR to support the gallery.
According to a press release, the money will go toward providing free public exhibitions at the hub as well as building on its digital outreach; in addition, the funds will create a foundation for EDGAR’s own public art plan for Woodland Park.
President Peter Edgar said his firm proposes to install $2.8-million worth of public art at the Woodland site, located at Cecile and Angela drives in the Seaview neighbourhood.
The sponsorship is the biggest corporate commitment to Port Moody’s arts scene in recent memory.
“We’re thrilled to partner with them to help further our mutual goal of uplifting local artists, and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship together,” stated Cathy Cena, president of the PoMoArts society, in the release.
EDGAR and BC Housing are planning to redevelop Woodland Park over the next 10 to 15 years. Built in the 1960s, the market rental townhomes on the 23.4-acre site will be razed for a mixed-use community with rental and strata homes — in buildings ranging from four to 12 storeys tall.
In March, city council gave first reading to amendments to zoning bylaws and Port Moody’s official community plan to allow the massive project to proceed.
