Remai Modern plans June moving day
Staff of the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan plan to move into the new building at River Landing in early June.
At some point after that, gallery officials and the board of directors will decide on the official opening date, gallery executive director and CEO Gregory Burke said in an email on Tuesday.
The City of Saskatoon and the gallery board announced on March 29 that the building had been turned over from the construction contractor, Ellis Don. However, work continues inside the new building, Burke said.
Staff remain at the Mendel Art Gallery building on Spadina Crescent, which was closed to the public nearly two years ago.
The handover of the new building was announced two months after Ellis Don said it had achieved “substantial completion” of the delayed and over-budget project on Jan. 29.
The city owns the building, but the gallery is operated by a board appointed by city council.
In the March 29 news release, board chair Alain Gaucher said the gallery continues to aim for a fall 2017 opening. The board advised city council last year that it would take eight months after substantial completion was reached to prepare the gallery so it could open to the public.
During talks last week to revise the 2017 budget in light of a $9-million shortfall created by the provincial budget, several city councillors asked whether more money could be saved at the gallery.
Coun. Randy Donauer said with neither the Mendel nor the new gallery open, residents wonder why the Remai Modern needs more money this year.
In his email, Burke said the gallery “is working collaboratively with the City of Saskatoon on issues related to the 2017 budget.”