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Performing Arts Centre

Merritt community group hopes to bring the arts to town

MERRITT - One Merritt community group hopes to bring more arts and culture to the Nicola Valley by way of a new performing arts centre. Nicola Valley Community Theatre Society recently accomplished the first step in a five-step master plan by purchasing a property for the new centre. Funding for the project is planned through...

Another chance to get the lowdown on the proposed performing arts centre in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS – With less than a month before a referendum decides the fate of a proposed downtown performing arts centre, one business association looks to answer resident’s remaining questions. The Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association held an information session this afternoon, Oct. 8, at the Rex on Seymour and will be hosting another this evening between...

Weekend of culture coming to Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - It’s a weekend to celebrate the vibrant arts and culture scene in our city and with nearly three dozen Culture Days events to highlight the many cultural offerings available in Kamloops there is something for almost everyone. On Friday, Sept. 25, you can stop by the downtown Kamloops Library over lunch for adult...

Public support for Kamloops performing arts centre grows

KAMLOOPS - With less than two months to go before a referendum vote, a group of local business leaders and associations are hoping to convince you to vote 'yes' for the proposed performing arts centre in Kamloops. A group of downtown associations and cultural groups launched what they call the YES campaign today, Sept. 17....

240 per cent return expected on Kamloops performing arts centre investment

KAMLOOPS - An annual economic impact of $11 million, a 240 per cent return, is expected by the time the proposed performing arts centre reaches its fifth year of operations. The 97,600 square foot building will feature a 1,200 seat main theatre, a 350 seat studio theatre, an artist’s studio and several rental and rehearsal spaces. The...

Kamloops Culture Days includes proposed performing arts centre debate

KAMLOOPS - A referendum is just around the corner and Kamloops residents will get to have their say on the city’s purposed performing arts centre beforehand as well. Hosted by the Kamloops Voters Society and moderated by university lecturer John O'Fee, a debate on the performing arts centre will take place Sept. 26 from 2...

The ‘cost of democracy’ calls for a $160,000 referendum

KAMLOOPS – Residents will decide if they are in favour borrowing $49 million to finance the purposed performing arts centre in a fall referendum, but it was the $160,000 cost of the referendum that recently came into question. Coun. Denis Walsh debated nearly every point raised on the referendum, including the cost of advertising, the...

Taking the next step towards a performing arts centre

KAMLOOPS – The next step in moving forward on a referendum for the proposed performing arts centre is set to take place this week. Residents will be asked if they are in favour of the city borrowing up to $49 million to design and construct the parkade and performing arts centre complex in a fall...

Kamloops family supports a new performing arts centre in a big way

KAMLOOPS – A $5-million donation has been promised to help with the construction of a new performing arts centre in Kamloops. The Kelson Group Property Management company, run by Ron and Rae Fawcett, has promised $5 million towards the construction of the proposed centre, in anticipation the public votes yes at the upcoming referendum.  The...

Performing arts centre referendum: Are you in favour of a $49M debt?

KAMLOOPS – Are you in favour of the City of Kamloops borrowing up to $49 million to design and construct the parkade and performing arts centre complex? That will likely be the official question of a fall referendum. A steering committee looked at several questions and came back recommending this one because it was the...

There is room for the arts in the Tournament Capital

KAMLOOPS – Mayor Peter Milobar has said over and over a performing arts centre will not diminish the Tournament Capital Brand. While the Tournament Capital is Kamloops’ crafted identity, and a significant amount of investment has gone into creating it, Milobar contends there is room for a vibrant arts scene as well. User groups feel the...

Arts groups make a case for the performing arts centre

KAMLOOPS – Those against the proposed performing arts centre say the price is too high but members of Kamloops’ arts community say this space is sorely needed and this is the price of a vibrant community. Kamloops Arts Council Excutive Director Kathy Sinclair, Western Canada Theatre General Manager Lori Marchand and Kim Enns, artistic director...

Council prepares for likely performing arts centre referendum

KAMLOOPS – The results of the performing arts centre open house have been collated and based on discussion at City Hall Tuesday it looks like a referendum will, most likely, happen by late fall. While the topic of the centre produced a lively question and answer session in council chambers Tuesday, May 5, the big...

City council to decide what’s next for performing arts centre

KAMLOOPS – The people have spoken, the comments have been sorted and now city council members will review them and decide what the next steps should be on the proposed performing arts centre. The city received public feedback regarding the proposed performing arts centre at an open house April 18. City staff have continued to...

What to expect if the performing arts centre goes to referendum

KAMLOOPS – The preliminary proposal for a performing arts centre in Kamloops has definitely got people talking and while where to build and what to include have, for the most part, been answered at the most basic level, what hasn’t is whether the public supports the $90-million project and the accompanying price tag. Mayor Peter...

By the numbers: Mayor explains extra performing arts centre costs

KAMLOOPS – The mayor wants Kamloops residents to know the preliminary business case for the proposed performing arts centre is, just that, preliminary. The numbers have not been finalized, nor will they be until the centre moves into the next phase of construction. What the numbers represent now, is feasibility, Peter Milobar says. And in terms...

Performing arts centre input session reveals concern over cost, procedure

KAMLOOPS - When a $90-million project is announced for Kamloops you would expect hundreds of people to flood any public input session held to discuss the project, but this was not the case today in Kamloops. When the report on the proposed performing arts centre was released last week more than 200 people attended the...

Sound off on $90M performing arts centre proposal this weekend

KAMLOOPS - If you have an opinion about the proposed $90-million performing arts centre, or perhaps don't yet have an opinion but want to know more, a public input session is being held with you in mind this weekend. Serious discussion around a performing arts centre in Kamloops began again in 2013 when an open...

Performing arts centre would give Downtown Kamloops more heart

The release of the report on the proposed performing arts centre in Kamloops means the residents of Kamloops must now decide if they want the proposed $90-million facility. The site would include a 1,500-seat theatre, a 300-seat black box facility as well as parking and amenities such as meeting rooms, retail, food and beverages. The...

Performing arts centre may be a record-setter

KAMLOOPS - If the City of Kamloops proceeds with its preliminary business plan for a new performing arts centre and parkade, it would be the most expensive municipal building ever built in the interior of B.C. The long-awaited report for the 97,600 square-foot facility — which includes a 1,200-seat main theatre, 350-seat studio theatre, rehearsal...

A new Performing Arts Centre comes with a huge cost

KAMLOOPS - When outlining the city's plans for a new performing arts centre, Mayor Peter Milobar asked residents to consider the importance of landmark buildings in their community. You might also want to consider their plan will cost $90 million dollars. Milobar and other city officials unveiled their preliminary business plan for the performing arts...

Performing arts centre report released this week

KAMLOOPS - Six months after a $233,000 study looking at the hows, whys and whats of a potential performing arts centre, the public will finally get a peek at the results. The preliminary business case will be presented by the Performing Arts Centre Committee on Thursday, April 9. The work done to date, including what...

Science centre wants to be part of performing arts centre

KAMLOOPS - There is room for collaboration between science and the arts according the president of the BIG Little Science Centre, who says an all-encompassing performance centre would be an ideal outcome. Jim Hebden says the science centre society supports a performance arts centre, but strongly believes the science centre has a place within that...