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“That was a transformative moment, and they barely survived that transition,” says Hobin. “It was a lot of bureaucracy and a lot of expense. They survived, but when you exert all your energy, you lose your way a little bit, and I think they lost sight of what the big picture was. That’s where I came in a year-and-a-half ago, to put the pieces back together and get them back on track.”

Hobin, a graduate of the visual arts program at Canterbury High School, Ottawa’s arts-focused secondary school, was not a SPAO student, but worked with Tardioli when he was a teenager and considers the elder photographer his first mentor. After studying at Ryerson, Hobin also worked in the film industry, then found success internationally as a photographer. One of his most talked-about exhibits was 2010’s In The Playroom, a series of photographs depicting children in meticulously staged portrayals of definitive news events, such as 9/11.

Headlines aside, Tardioli says Hobin had what SPAO lacked: “He’s got the ability to organize big projects,” he says. “He’s a tireless worker. I can be a teaching leader, but I’m not an administrator or creative leader so this allows me to stick around and do what I do best. He’s gotta go to board meetings and deal with the ministry and think of the future of this place.”

Thanks to a series of serendipitous events, Hobin was also responsible for finding the school’s new home on Pamilla Street, off Preston. He couldn’t help but notice the rundown former warehouse because it was next door to the property he and his partner were renovating. He was quick to inquire.