Date: Mar 5, 2010
Subject:
Study finds strong case for fire station gallery
THERE is compelling case for the conversion of Dunfermline’s fire station into an art gallery, an in-depth study has found.

Following extensive research, North Queensferry marketing consultant Margaret Matthew has concluded that the Carnegie Drive building is “by far the best option” to accommodate a contemporary arts centre in the city.

The study, commissioned by arts networking group Dunfermline Art and Media (DAM) and paid for by a £6500 Big Lottery Fund grant, looked at several sites as a potential home for an exhibition centre and workshops.

But, in her interim report, which has now been presented to DAM, the consultant finds there are a number of reasons why the fire station option would be the best.

The Art Deco building, opened in 1936, will be vacated when the new station being built in Pitreavie Business Park is opened in March. And the very fact that it will be available for alternative use is seen as a key point in favour of DAM’s proposal.

The consultant’s report also argues that the building is in walk-in condition for immediate use, and that the Grade 2-listed “iconic” building would be an “excellent offer” to Dunfermline and Fife, providing status in the contemporary arts.

Its situation in the city centre make it an “apt” arts venue, the interim report contends, and would provide what the consultant calls a “dumbbell” effect through the shopping centre to the city’s main heritage assets.

And she adds, “The building is large enough and has the type of quality to have social, cultural and economic impact. It would cater for artists’ studios, provide a much-needed contemporary arts gallery for the whole of Fife, provide trading opportunities for the creative industries
and be a creative resource. It would pull in visitors to Dunfermline and be a community resource.

“The whole would provide much more than the sum of its parts.”

Though more consultation has still to be carried out, the interim report shows there to be wide spread support for the idea. It states, “Once the group (DAM) had decided to prioritise the fire  station, Fife Council and the Carnegie Trust showed concern, feeling that other options  should be explored further. However, arts, creative and other organisations were very positive about the potential that the fire station offered.”

The study considered six other options for a new arts centre. It contended that the St Andrew’s-Erskine Church building in the city centre would be an “excellent” venue, given its situation and architecture, but concluded that it was in a prohibitively poor state of repair.

The fact that it would need major refurbishment was one of the reasons the Masonic Lodge in New Row was discounted, as was the fact that the building was too small and there was no parking.

The property at 4-8 Abbot Street was also considered but rejected partly because its layout would not lend itself to easy conversion.

Grade C-listed buildings in Bruce Street, on the market for £250,000, had initially been rejected because of the cost. However, as there was a possibility of Fife Council taking on ownership and also of finance being made available for renovation through the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, it was agreed it was an option worth considering. The original building could house up to 10 small studios the land at the back could accommodate an extension for exhibition and workshop space, a cafe and shop. With £750,000 needed, though, it could be considered as an option only if Fife Council “took the initiative”, the report concluded.

Also considered was the City Chambers, which “may be a useful temporary solution”, the report suggested, and the former Co-op site, which was dismissed because of the timescale involved in constructing a brand-new building.

That left fire station as clear favourite but the report makes clear that a cash hurdle has to be overcome. It points out that the building is owned by Fife Council and has a commercial value, and suggests that income from the building’s sale may be needed to help fund the new fire station.

“In any case,” the report adds, “it certainly cannot be assumed that Fife Council can afford to ‘gift’ a building, or offer to charge a peppercorn rent.

“However, if the council were able to take a long-term view, the economic, cultural and social benefits from investing in an iconic arts venue are Fife as well as for Dunfermline are likely to be much more than the short-term aim of additional income.”

The report underlined that argument by looking at how several new arts centre developments elsewhere in the country had provided such benefits.

A host of arts group participated in the study, as did 70 individual artists, 54 of whom indicated that they were looking for studio space.

“This bodes well for the option of the fire station,” said the report, “which would have around 22 small to medium-sized room spaces which could be converted into studios.”

The interim’s reports findings have been welcomed by DAM, whose co-founder, Ian Moir, said he was now looking forward to the completed version.
 “It seems to prove something we have known for a long time: that there is a clear and present need for the provision of contemporary arts facilities in Dunfermline. And it also shows what should be obvious to most people: that the fire station, which is such an important building architecturally, would be a perfect setting for an arts centre of which Dunfermline could be proud.”

The idea of converting the fire station into an arts centre has been warmly welcomed by the city’s MP, Willie Rennie, who sees it as being far more preferable to the building’s possible use as a nightclub or pub.

“There is no question that Dunfermline would benefit greatly from an arts centre,” said Mr Rennie, echoing an argument put by the director of Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre in the Press two weeks ago. Clive Gillman pointed out that the centre he runs had generated hundreds
of jobs and millions of pounds for the city’s economy, and suggested that Dunfermline could similarly benefit if it had an arts centre.