By Refraction

NEUSTAETER: A Performing Arts Centre, Act 2

Jan 13, 2019 | 6:00 AM

THE PERFORMING ARTS were a very important part of my life growing up, and I certainly would not have the career or skills I do today without them, so I am not without my bias. On many occasions the Sagebrush Theatre became my second home as I worked on a production and I am both deeply grateful and affectionate toward it, but the fact is that what was sufficient to meet the needs of Kamloops in the 1990s is no longer so.

In 2015 I believed, as I do now, that Kamloops needed and was ready for a Performing Arts Centre in order to keep culture and arts in step with the rest of the city’s development, but it also seemed apparent to me that the first proposal was too flawed to be viable, and so, as much as I wanted to, I could not support the original PAC proposal that went to referendum.

My hope was that it would be the beginning and not the end of the conversation — after all, there is no shame in going back to the drawing board in order to find the best solution.

If Kamloops was going to take this huge, necessary step forward and ask the taxpayer to contribute then we had better to do it right.

Fast forward four years and we find ourselves with a new, researched, intelligent and beautiful proposal that addresses the majority of the concerns of the original proposal. It is even more substantially compensated by a generous private donor, has more opportunities for additional funding and is a proposal that I can support in ways that I could not originally — but the public must be willing to take a second look with fresh eyes in order for it to happen.

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The new concept has the potential to move the arts community of Kamloops forward in a realistic way, will give aspiring performers greater opportunity for development, retain talent that is otherwise leaving and provide the city with a much-needed facility as our current options, while beloved, are falling woefully short of the growing need.

Some have suggested that the existing facilities should just be “fixed up”, which is unrealistic for a number of reasons including limited space for expansion, age of the buildings, lack of supporting infrastructure, prohibitive cost for upgrading, etc. Simply put, throwing money at what’s already available is not a feasible option and would be more akin to “putting lipstick on a pig” than achieving the actual goal.

It is important to remember that we need to build in order to generate resources that will feed the economy and meet the most practical needs of our tax dollars — when we unnecessarily hold back progress we stunt critical growth and opportunity. Unfortunately, there is always a demographic that struggles with progress, change and investment in community; those who will always choose opposition before fully considering the long-term gains and benefits that come with a major investment.

Remember the metaphorical tooth-pulling required for Kamloops to accomplish the Sandman Centre, Superstore and Walmart, RIH expansions, MacArthur Island Park, the highway bypass and a multitude of other important progressive projects?

Imagine Kamloops without the proud tradition and unifying presence of the Blazers or an arena that could host events like the 4 Nations Cup because we listened to the curmudgeons instead. Or how it would have affected families and stagnated growth if we never built a Walmart or Superstore because we were too scared of change. Or if we allowed RIH to be held back by prioritizing landscape over health care. Or if Mac Island was still a garbage dump because we caved to people who lacked vision. Or if we still didn’t have a highway bypass because fear mongerers won the day despite research and professional advice.

Additionally, if we do not proportionally meet the needs of the arts community with the growth of the rest of the city we will be left with a gaping hole that cannot be filled with any amount of pothole repairs.

I’m not saying change for the sake of change; I’m saying intelligent change to meet a clear need for the sake of imperative growth.

When it comes to the Performing Arts Centre, it’s time to say yes the second time around, Kamloops.