Local artists share insight on protecting landmark

The R.S. Barnwell Memorial Garden and Art Center has long been a mainstay of the Shreveport Riverfront. Constructed in 1970, the Barnwell Center was named after oil magnate R.S. “Cap” Barnwell and is owned by the city of Shreveport. Its original mission was to advance cultural activities, specifically to promote art and horticulture. Its main attraction is a 7,850 square foot plexiglass domed botanical conservatory which was once filled with unusual tropical plants. The dome was the site of guest lecturers and gardening experts, while the north wing housed art exhibits and featured public art education.

Today, the Barnwell Center is, by anyone’s estimation, in trouble. The facility has been closed since December 2012. There is visible damage to the plexiglass dome, and the plants housed inside are reportedly all dead. The local art community laments the absence of an important facility, and the local government is working to figure out the best way to rehabilitate the center. Meanwhile, recent rumors about plans for the Barnwell have raised passions and sparked debate.

“I would like the Barnwell Garden and Art Center restored to its mission to bring art and horticulture to the community,” local artist Judy Horne said. “More money is needed, certainly, but not to start is not to finish.”

City Councilman Jeff Everson feels the same. “We all want to see the Barnwell open and functioning again. though right now the city doesn’t have the budget for operating it,” Everson said.

Everson said the key to restoring the Barnwell is finding viable partnerships. “Whoever takes it on needs to be able to operate it. We’re very open to what solutions there are. I love the space.”

The reason that the Barnwell was closed in late 2012 was to give the city the chance to complete necessary repairs. “The facility isn’t ADA accessible. It has problems with air circulation, and there are improvements needed to the dome,” Everson said.

A 2011 bond issue included $1.5 million approved by voters to be used for the Barnwell project. However, that money may not be enough. “The budget that was given in 2011 by the administration isn’t really sufficient to get it back up and running,” Everson said.

At a public meeting in mid-2013, an architect hired by the city presented renovation plans. City representatives also said they would issue a call for management proposals.

However, Horne said that call for proposals never came.

“I was told they had decided to wait for construction to begin,” Horne said.

“A big issue during the meeting was what to do with the conservatory, since the bond money would not cover the costs of its renovation and bringing it into ADA compliance.” Repairs to the main building would leave too little to repair the conservatory. “Since the conservatory and its tropical plants are an integral part of this iconic building, and indeed what make the Barnwell unique in the region, we were at an impasse. It appeared that, since there was not enough money to ‘do it all,’ the decision was to do nothing.”

Horne points out the Barnwell’s closure has deprived several local art groups of important space for meetings, exhibitions and marketplace. Some of these include the Hoover Watercolor Society, the Shreveport Art Club, Louisiana Artists, the Shreveport Photographic Society and the Woodcarvers Group.

“[Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation] was helpful in relocating several of the groups for meetings, but none of the venues are nearly so conducive to art or as accommodating to artists,” Horne said. “Nor was there any way for SPAR to provide exhibition space, workshop/classroom space, or selling space.”

Everson said he has planned meetings with Friends of the Barnwell in order to find viable solutions.

“There have been a lot of suggestions about usage; there just need to be ideas about sustainable partners,” Everson said. “We don’t want to spend millions of dollars to open up the facility, only to have problems with operating costs just a few months later.”

Everson also said that, contrary to some reports, there are no concrete plans for any radical departure from the Barnwell’s original mission. “One idea was to partner with some sort of restaurant or event venue, but that’s just an idea that’s been floated out there,” Everson said.

Everson also gave assurances that all money dedicated to the Barnwell project will be used for that purpose.

“Any time that voters approve money from a bond issue for a specific project, that money will be spent on that project,” Everson said.

–Kirk Fontenot

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