Donations lift funding efforts for Robert Bateman Centre

Construction of the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University has moved $1.4 million closer to reality.

Three major donations to the future flagship of the Colwood campus were announced yesterday -- anonymous gifts of $1 million and $200,000, and $200,000 from the Royal Bank of Canada.

Plans for the Bateman art and environmental education centre grew out of the affection the celebrated artist developed for Royal Roads during his talks and lectures there. In 2006, he and his wife, Birgit, gave an $11-million gift to the university that includes artwork, archival material and a cash bequest.

Bateman has also been producing original paintings for Royal Roads, and yesterday unveiled a new piece he calls Raven's Roost. It was presented to gasps of approval from a crowd at the university's Hatley Castle.

For his part, Bateman joked about the dusky tones in the painting, a departure from what people are used to from him.

"It's a big, black painting, and it has a couple of ravens in it settled down for the night ... a little Emily Carr-ish, if I may say so, but she was never this dark."

The painting, valued at $90,000, will be hung in the Bateman centre.

The link between Bateman's creativity and his passion for the environment was a prime attraction for the Royal Bank to support a facility that bears his name, said regional vice-president Debora Linehan.

"We at RBC think it's a very powerful synergy of art and science, and this may lead to new learning."
She said it is exciting to be associated with such an important project.

Royal Roads president Allan Cahoon said he could not reveal the names of the other two donors, but noted that they were similarly inspired by Bateman.

"They're among the people who are very passionate about his work."

Cahoon said the most recent donations to the Bateman centre bring the total capital costs raised for the project to $6 million. They also come at a time when it has been decided to relocate the centre from a site next to a wetland set for restoration.

The change will bring the cost of the project down to $18.2 million from $28 million.

"This includes the cost of the actual building, which is estimated at $13.7 million, as well as the support infrastructure around there," Cahoon said.

He said there will also now be much less need to alter the campus road network, including the "serpentine" roadway that led to the other site.

"It will reduce the carbon impact of the tens of thousands of visitors [to the centre] that we will have by putting them and the parking at the top of the campus."

Plans for the Bateman Centre are part of an overarching $100-million fundraising campaign for Royal Roads that began in 2008.

To date, the campaign has brought in $35.8 million, including the money earmarked for the Bateman facility.

Cahoon said more major announcements to the centre will be announced in the new year.