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arts editorial Sharing by B rendu Berck Shore cultural facilities -- their good points, their deficiencies, the need to develop them--have been one of the key issues dominating my past four years at the North Shore Arts Commission (NSAC). 1 have written about one or another aspect of the cultural facilities and it seems fitting that my last article before I leave the NSAC should deal with facility use. I have attended many planning meetings where presentations on cultural facilities were delivered within the larger context of economic development, housing, daycare, transportation, and parking. At times it seemed like I went to endless meetings and always with all the same people. It's now clear it took all those meetings for us to recognize we could meet our individual needs if we worked together and started sharing spaces. One result of that blinding flash of the obvious led to a meeting at the North Shore Neighbourhood House in February. We reminded ourselves there was no need to place the city in the position of having to choose between providing amenity ,, ~S [< 2 spaces for. say. daycare or a small theatre. We could instead put forward ways in which both serve each other and the larger community. We know the city population includes more single parent families per capita than anywhere else in the province. Child daycare is therefore a clear and constant need. If a daycare were in the same space as a small theatre, theatre programming could enhance the daycare experience, and the availability of daycare perhaps one night a week might enable parents to attend the theatre. If a gallery were in the same facility, it too could enhance the daycare experience for children. If in addition to child daycare, the cultural amenities were in proximity to adult care facilities, seniors would have easy access to the theatre and the gallery. If a museum were near where seniors meet, there would be easy access to people who have been part of the history of the city. During the Regional Cultural Facility Study, many seniors called to say that their bodies were weak but their minds were not; they loved the theatre but were desperate for transportation to get them there. Planning that assumes a coordination of social and cultural planning is a wonderful opportunity for the city to respond to these needs. What an equally wonderful opportunity to bring together young and old! One year ago, I wrote in this magazine's precursor publication. Arts Access." One of the first things we do with infants is surround them with the arts -- we hang brightly coloured textiles, we sing to them and play music, we read to them, we take them in our arms and dance with them and when they are a little older, we give them dress-up clothes and encourage them to act out new characters. We do this because we believe these activities will make the children healthier and happier people. They will have improved hand/eye coordination, flexibility, imagination and creative problem-solving skills. And there will certainly be more fun in their lives." It's still true. And with a little change in the description of who's holding whom in whose arms, it's as true for seniors as it is for kids. The challenge for the North Shore cultural community is to show the City of North Vancouver and the Districts how our needs can be met within the broader context of other social needs. And how this cost-effective approach can meet the municipal governments' mandate.©3 When Brenda come to the North Shore Arts Commission working with non-profit arts and cultural organizations The Chair of the Commission's promoting awareness board, Don S.Williams, in her professional in 1991. as the second cultural Development Canada. Officer, she brought with her 15 years experience from across notes,"After three and a half years of commitment cultural development and dedication, Brenda is leaving the commission the activities of the Commission, wish her well in her future endeavours." during this time to move on to greater challenges life. Her service to the Arts on the North in 1991 and says, "I feel fortunate Shore included administering of the Arts on the North Shore and furthering The Commissioners Lori Phillips has worked with Brenda since her appointment and although with her and I wish her well in her future work." to have worked as one of Brenda's assistants sorry to see her leave, I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked so closely with her. I know she will be missed by all who have worked