Citizens group Yorklands Green Hub remains determined to purchase a piece of the old Guelph Correctional Centre lands.
Fundraising efforts began earlier this year, and continue this month through the visual arts exhibition Artspiration, which opened Saturday night at 10 Carden in the downtown.
The project invited area artists to visit the former prison lands — now know in officialdom as the Guelph Innovation District — and to derive inspiration from them. While none of the work in the show and sale delves into the prison history of the large tract of land, the natural beauty of the place captivated most.
The show runs until Nov. 30. Works range in price from about $100 to $750. Ten per cent of the proceeds go to group for the purchase about 28 hectares (70 acres) of land on the northeast corner of the property.
That particular piece of land, said Colette Mesher of the Yorklands Green Hub board of directors, has been deemed inappropriate for residential or commercial development.
It is, however, ideal for the organization’s vision, which is to see it turned into a shared urban agricultural hub — a learning center for sustainability, water conservation, green technology, and tiny home living, Mesher said.
“We are trying to build some interest, and maintain the interest in the project,” she said.
The parcel of land is owned by Infrastructure Ontario. The citizens group, which has been around since about 2010, has been in discussion with various provincial ministries about the land and its potential.
“Nothing can be built on it because of the type of land that it is,” Mesher said, during Saturday’s opening. “There is definitely an interest in having us buy it, and we are now rolling into our fundraising idea. This is one of many events we are going to have to hold to raise funds.”
While it is not known what the value of the land is, it will be significantly less expensive than development land, Mesher said. The citizen’s group seeks to raise $3 million for the project, which also incorporates two existing buildings on the site.
“Both of those buildings would have to renovated and retrofitted,” Mesher said.
Mesher said one major variable is the quality of the land, which is not yet fully understood. Studies will have to be done to determine its viability for food growing purposes.
Pat Flood organized Artspiration.
“The idea was that everybody had to go to the site and get inspired by it,” she said. “We were actually inundated with people who were interested. We had to say no to some, we were getting too many.”
For some of the artists it was their first visit to the lands. Many spent several hours exploring and painting at the location.
“We want all sectors of the community to support the land and be aware of it,” Flood said, adding the show is about raising awareness and generating support for Yorklands Green Hub.
The local artists involved in the show include: Kristi VanDelft, Barbara Bryce, Marnie Dallan, Graham Ragan, Kiel and Amanda Wilson-Ciocci of Kiam Studios, Gabriella Vegvari, Barbara Shaw, Carolyn Riddell, Jack Macaulay, Jeff Wemp, Peter Groare, Sharyn Seibert, Alisa McRonald, and Barbara Stefaniak.
The show continues until the end of the month.
