Rollin, Garden & Grounds RESCUE!!!
Rollin Arts Center, community grounds, gardens and heritage house needs your financial support!
Located right in the heart of Port Alberni's Rotary Arts District, the proud hub of the community arts scene; home of the infamous Summer Teas on the Terrace, Children's Summer Programming, Weddings and Winter Celebration of Light, to name a few.
The Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley relies on community volunteers, participation and funding to help maintain and cover the increasing costs to maintain this historical landmark. With the reduction of annual grants we have been encouraged to approach GoFundMe crowd sourcing to reach out to our community for the much needed funding of approximately $36,600 for the 2016 budget.
I invite you all to visit the Rollin Art Centre and wander through our beautiful gardens which are especially brilliant this time of year. I personally am so very grateful to this amazing community with a heart! It is an honour that I am celebrating my fifth year as Arts Administrator and I look forward to many more years of supporting local artists, schools, families and community in helping to grow the ARTS in the Alberni Valley.
Melissa Martin
Arts Administrator
The Community Arts Council of The Alberni Valley
Celebrating over 50 years of supporting the ARTS in the Alberni Valley!
The Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley enriches individual and community lifethrough sharing and shaping the cultural environment of the Alberni Valley.
THE BACKGROUND AND ASK:
The gardens, as they are today, were developed in 1987-1988 and have become a showpiece for the community. They feature a formal garden with hostas beds, a perennial border and rose bed, a classical fountain and elegant balustrade, a traditional Japanese garden, a terrace and gazebo (exact replica of the original bandstand which was located at the foot of Argyle Street), a children's garden and a native garden.
In 1977, the Community Arts Council took into their care the beloved home of Fred & Ellen Rollin, early settlers to the Valley. They named it Rollin Art Centre, built in 1914, which was near derelict. Over the past 35 years many volunteers have rebuilt and refurbished the home, to what it is today.
Today the Rollin Art Centre holds a gallery and gift shop as well as sits on 4 city lots consisting of three gardens. These gardens and the heritage building we reside in, takes much needed maintenance and upkeep, and thankfully voluteers have been very generous with their time and skills .
Over the past year the Community Arts Council suffered terribly, with the loss of over $35,000 in financial grants so without GoFundMe help, we are potentially facing a loss in the following areas (listed below with labour & material estimates):
New cement walkway in native garden- $1500
Water /irrigation system in Native Garden $2000
Replacement of some rotten fence panels $5000
New hand railings $1000
Tree topping/trimming $1500
Flowers $750
Monthly grounds maintenance $300 x 12 months $3600
new roof $7500
building painted $5000-$7000
Tools (lawnmower,weed eater, leaf blower, wheel barrel, tools, trimmer) $2000
New chairs $1000
umbrellas and bases $750
Total $36,600 approx..
THE GARDENS AND ITS HISTORY:
The Rollin Art Centre occupies the house and grounds once owned by Alberni Valley pioneers, Fred and Ellen Rollin. The Rollin House was bilt in 1914 and was home to the Rollin's family from shortly after their marriage until their deaths.
The Rollin Gardens were lush with rare plants and shrubs, as well as an orchard of fruit trees. Many unique plants were collected during the travels of Fred and Ellen Rollin. For example, on his trek to the Forbidden Plateau and Mount Albert Edward. As well, Ellen's family's nursery business, Oakland Nursery in Victoria, provided them with specimens of rare and exotic plants and shrubs.
After Fred's wife, Ellen, death at the age of 60 on October 27, 1944, Fred's gardens became more of a place of solace and refuge. He donated money to charitable institutions in the Valley, as well as investing in many businesses. Having established a good rapport with the staff and students of the neighbouring Eighth Avenue School, the Rollin home was a welcoming spot for afternoon tea and listening to music to staff and students alike.
Fred Rollin died in March 1976 at the age of 86. In his will he bequeathed two of the four lots to the City of Port Alberni. The third lot was purchased by the City from an heir. The forth lot was left to School District 70 for the children of Eighth Avenue to enjoy.
These lands were leased to the Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley, whose goals are to restore the home and property and to develop it into a community base for the ARTS.
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