Atchison prepares to blow $58 million on art gallery nobody asked for

At the first mayoral debate of the civic election, Mayor Atchison attempted to defend his out-of-control spending that has buried Saskatoon in a $156 million hole of debt:

“I find it quite amusing when people talk about spending on projects ’cause they think they can do a better job of it. I’m always curious to know what people would leave behind. Would you leave housing behind? Would you leave transit behind? What would you leave behind?”

Seeing that he asked, perhaps one could begin by looking at Atch's $58 million plan to close the Mendel Art Gallery.

In the 1960s, patron of the arts and self-made business person Fred Mendel contributed a substantial portion of the costs for an art gallery in Saskatoon, then donated 13 Group of Seven paintings to the city's new gallery.

After 40 years, the Mendel outgrew its space. To meet current and future needs, a $24 million expansion plan - approved by the board and original architects - was put forth.

However, this plan wasn't acceptable to Mayor Atchison. He wanted to spend more.

Thus, our mayor went to work undermining the Mendel board’s authority, jerry-rigging federal funding priority lists, and misleading the public.

Then, on September 23rd, Atchison announced his $58 million art gallery that nobody asked for, to be built at his mostly-empty $82 million River Landing development.

So in answer to the mayor's question, perhaps the first thing that should be left behind is The Mendel: Right where Fred Mendel intended it to be for all time, and for less than half the price.

After all, Fred Mendel put up his own money and his own art to create a legacy for Saskatoon.

Don Atchison is just wildly blowing through taxpayer money to build his.