By Chad Klassen

Arts groups hopeful with latest proposal for performing arts centre

Jan 9, 2019 | 11:57 AM

KAMLOOPS — Tuesday’s proposal by local businessman and philanthropist by Ron Fawcett of a $70 million performing arts centre downtown has potential user groups like Western Canada Theatre and the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra hopeful about their future.

WCT has been entertaining Kamloops audiences since 1975, staging up to eight productions every year. But the company is growing every year and space at both Sagebrush Theatre and the Pavilion Theatre, WCT’s headquarters, is running out. 

“We’re currently at the Pavilion Theatre, which has its challenges in terms of it’s an old building, in terms of heating and insulation, wiring,” said Artistic Director of Western Canada Theatre James MacDonald. “To be in a purpose-built facility, not only for our administration and our production shop, but especially for our theatre school.”

MacDonald says a new arts centre would allow WCT to keep growing and reach a new audience with its productions. 

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Are the B.C. Conservatives digging their own graves?

6h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Culturally appropriate food goes beyond the ingredients on a plate

Dec 14, 2024

Two and Out

PETERS: Whether building up or tearing down, Kamloops is what you make it

Dec 13, 2024

“We’ve just had the biggest hit of our history with 12,000 people coming to see our production of Elf,” noted MacDonald. “Our audience is growing, our city is growing. We see the types of people coming to the city are eager for more productions. 

MacDonald also noted with a dedicated space for western canada theatre, the company may be able to offer more showings of a popular production. WCT’s home would be the second of the three theatres — a 450-seat facility — with opportunities with move into the main 1,200-seat theatre if needed. 

The main theatre would primarily be home to the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, which currently performs out of Sagebrush and has similar challenges as WCT with space. 

“We have for a long time, many years, not been able to really grow our programming because of lack of access to a performance space,” said general manager of the Kamloops Symphony Society Kathy Humphreys. “Sagebrush Theatre is really heavily booked and there are just no opportunities for any expansion.”

A day after the proposal came forward, comments online are split, like they were in 2015 when 54 per cent of residents voted down proposed arts centre. Some people are lamenting the $70 million pricetage remains too high. 

“It doesn’t sound like an unreasonable number to me,” noted Humphreys. “I also think there are going to be infrastructure grants that can be applied for. There’s potential to be infrastructure grants that can be applied for community fundraising, for naming rights that could contribute to that cost. The pricetag is not ever going to go down.”

At the end of the day, MacDonald says a new pac could attract bigger talent for shows, some of whom may wind up moving to Kamloops.

“People love to work in a comfortable environment, any facility, if you talk to any artist across the country. Both for our benefit and the benefit of the symphony, we’ll get world-class artists,” said MacDonald. “We’ll get people coming here because they know it’s a great place to perform.”