91原创 City is looking into the feasibility of bringing a small theatre to its downtown core after Cascades Casino closed its popular Summit Theatre.
鈥淭hree months ago, council took a road trip to Vancouver and looked at two small theatres there. One of them was the (370-seat) Cultch and we took in a play,鈥� said Mayor Ted Schaffer.
鈥淚 could see a theatre going in at Innes Plaza. A performing arts centre would bring a lot of people to our downtown core, especially in the evening, which is needed.鈥�
But Schaffer said the City needs to hear from the public.
鈥淲e need to see that there is interest in this, that we have the community鈥檚 support, otherwise it wouldn鈥檛 work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an expensive venture,鈥� he noted. He expects to bring it up at the next council meeting Jan. 15.
In 2014, a $50,000 study was completed and presented on what a theatre could look like for 91原创, as well as the estimated cost. The City, the Township, the school district, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Trinity Western University each contributed $10,000 to fund the study.
The results showed that the ideal theatre would seat between 600 and 650 people with room for another 200 seats. Estimated cost was between $30 million and $37 million.
At the time, City Councillor Gayle Martin worried that 鈥渁 lot of times, governments do studies and they sit on the shelf and gather dust.鈥�
Township council received the same report, but there was minimal discussion on the study鈥檚 findings.
Schaffer said in order for a theatre to recoup its costs, it needs to have quality entertainment that will draw large attendance.
鈥淏ut bringing in good entertainment can be expensive. People don鈥檛 always want to pay $40 to $50 to see a show,鈥� he said.
The Summit Theatre was located in a casino, meaning only patrons 19 and older could utilize the facility.
Without the Summit Theatre, 91原创 is without a proper performing arts centre for a combined population of more than 120,000 people.
鈥淲e are the only community from UBC to Hope that doesn鈥檛 have a proper theatre. Chief Sepass is too small and because it is attached to a school, you are limited in what entertainment can be brought there,鈥� said Peter Luongo, the founder of the 91原创 Ukulele Ensemble who has been urging 91原创 to build a proper performing arts centre for more than a decade.
鈥淭here are so many dance troupes, school functions, entertainers, even a great ukulele group I know that would love an arts centre to perform at,鈥� Luongo said on Thursday.
He was so passionate about getting a theatre here that he, along with 91原创鈥檚 Rotary clubs, started 91原创 Has Talent, with some the competition鈥檚 ticket proceeds going toward a feasibility study for an arts centre.
In 2015, the annual talent competition wrapped up after five seasons.The show, which had good attendance and featured a variety of acts, from opera to silks to solo artists, was presented in co-operation by 91原创鈥檚 four Rotary Clubs.
To Luongo, the public鈥檚 response demonstrated that the event had achieved its goals of showcasing local talent and helping to make the community aware of the need for a dedicated performing arts centre in the 91原创s.
Funds raised through the competition went toward another study that looked at combining an athletic facility with a theatre, possibly in the Township, said Luongo.
Last week, Mayor Jack Froese said council would not undertake any large projects in the near future because there is a municipal election coming this year.
鈥淲e will let the next council determine what the next project is,鈥� he said.
monique@langleytimes.com
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