FRIDAY, September 18, 2015
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Bulk Barn, Forestry Week, Nature’s Fare, Princess Auto, Smart Source, Gord’s*, The Source*, Home Hardware*, Highland Valley Foods*
WEATHER ALMANAC
Today: Showers Hi: 21 C Low: 8 C One year ago Hi: 19.3 C Low: 13.5 C Record High 33 C (1981) Record Low -0.6C (1947)
Yes side begins arts-centre campaign ANDREA KLASSEN
STAFF REPORTER
andrea@kamloopsthisweek.com
With six weeks to go until a Nov. 7 referendum, supporters of the proposed performing-arts centre made their case for the first time in the parking lot they hope to see turned into a $90-million theatre space. “Kamloops needs this performing arts centre,” Yes Campaign chairman and local relator Brendan Shaw told supporters yesterday during a press conference at the former Kamloops Daily News site on Seymour Street.
Among the committee’s members are representatives from many of the city’s arts groups, including the Kamloops Film Society, the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and Western Canada Theatre. Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association (KCBIA) president Mike Popoff said he sees the centre as “transformative” for the downtown and city. The KCIBA’s board of directors unanimously voted to support the project last week. Popoff said the centre’s 350-stall parkade will help
attract new businesses downtown, companies that might otherwise locate elsewhere due to employee parking concerns, and will bring more shoppers into the core. Monica Dickinson of Tourism Kamloops — which announced its support for the project this week — said arts and culture events help her organization sell Kamloops to tourists in the off season. “We have seen the results when we host great sporting events, great community events and great arts and culture events, and this
performing-arts centre will become another great venue to host those events,” she said. The city is asking residents for permission to borrow up to $49 million for the arts centre, which will include a 1,200-seat main stage theatre and 350-seat black box as well as studio space. The remainder of the funding will come from gaming and federal gas tax funds the city receives annually, a pair of one per cent tax hikes in 2016 and 2017 and revenue from parking meters downtown.
The city also hopes to secure $10 million in grants and naming-rights deals, while philanthropists Ron and Rae Fawcett have pledged to donate $5 million if the referendum passes. With a tight timeline to work with, Shaw said the committee plans to home in on supporters of the arts centre and make the case for the project on social media. “We want to make sure that people understand the referendum date is coming up fast and to get all the facts out to them,” he said.
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Yes Committee for Kamloops Performing Arts chairman Brendan Shaw (left) helped committee members officially kick off the Yes campaign for the proposed performing-arts centre yesterday at the former home of the Kamloops Daily News. The arts centre will rise there, at Seymour Street and Fourth Avenue, if voters approve the project in a Nov. 7 referendum.
Sports council in favour A familiar group from referendums past is lending its support to the campaign for a performing-arts centre in Kamloops. The Kamloops Sports Council, one of the driving forces behind the 2003 Tournament Capital referendum, said yesterday it is endorsing a yes vote in the Nov. 7 referendum. “The sports community has firsthand knowledge of what enhanced facilities can do,” said council president Henry Pejril in a release. Pejril said the 2003 vote, which led to the expansion of sports facilities across the city, enabled sports groups to bring major national and international sporting events to town and increased tourism to the city. “It’s now the arts and culture community’s turn,” he said.
HELP FROM THE UNIVERSE
Mrs. Universe Ashley Burnham-Callingbull took part in Wednesday’s Fashion Speaks fundraiser to help an organization that works with the families of missing and murdered aboriginal women.
Autumn Kamloops Heritage Railway Events
BLAZERS TRAIN September 18, 2015
September 26, 2015 • 9am—6pm
ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW
October 3, 2015 • 11am, 1pm or 3pm
For more information on these events, visit us online: www.kamrail.com or call: 250-374-2141