From the Globe:
AGO to open new doors with free weekend
JAMES BRADSHAW
From Thursday's Globe and Mail
May 29, 2008 at 4:28 AM EDT
TORONTO — The Art Gallery of Ontario made the long-awaited announcement yesterday that it will open its new doors to the public on Nov. 14, with a weekend of free admission.
The announcement heralds the final phase of the ambitious $254-million expansion and renovation project designed by architect Frank Gehry, conceived in 2002 and under construction since 2005.
"I feel very inspired by having a real goal in mind and sharing that with the public," said AGO director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum.
The prolonged wait to set a fixed goal had set some nerves on edge, but the November date falls comfortably within the original timetable and aims to avoid conflicts with other institutions planning major openings or announcements, including the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Mr. Teitelbaum said he felt it was important not to set a date until they reached a certain level of confidence that the building would be complete, with art installed in all 110 galleries.
"Our promise from the very beginning was 'New art, new building.' So we talked about art before we talked about the building," he said.
The development team has overcome a number of stumbling blocks - including one in which an overturned truck dumped a shipment of wood destined for the gallery to the bottom of one of the Great Lakes - and anticipates the project will be close to budget.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will include the swearing-in of a group of new Canadian citizens, which Mr. Teitelbaum hopes will symbolize the AGO's efforts to make such a large, imposing building feel accessible and welcoming.
He added that the board unanimously approved the date at a meeting yesterday.
"There are those magical moments when their original excitement and belief they could make a difference aligns with their actual work, and for many people at the AGO, this is one of those moments," he said.
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