New Art Gallery a Welcome Addition & a Pawn in Several High Stakes Games

I don't know about a new "Culture Zone," but certainly I applaud the announcement from the Premier that the Vancouver Art Gallery will find a new home in the Plaza of Nations site.

Let's see what an international competition among architects can bring and let's get this thing built.

The politics are interesting, as always.

It is the Premier who makes these announcements. The city hall staff up to the highest level stir from their slumbers to register shock and surprise. Why do they even have jobs - let alone such high paying jobs - when their decision making is fanciful at the best?

The Nutty Mayor, clutching the coattails of any declaration that might help his all-encompassing goal - ME, ME, ME - tries to lay claim to this land and money deal that has been engineered entirely in the Preem's office. Result? He doesn't even get a mention.

Just as he declared yesterday that he was leading a delegation to China and Korea, when the truth, of course, is that it is the Premier's trip with Shammy hitching a ride. No mention again. And deservedly so.

One wonders why the Shammys and peters and Raymonds and Gregors and Alans slaver so rabidly for this job, when it is clearly A Premier's World.

And keep in mind that the new Art Gallery is the pea in the pea and shell game that defines Vancouver - Real Estate. Along with the new and larger and more glorious space will be more towers.

OK. Whatever it takes.