It is owned by the City and you guys contract out to the Prince Rupert Performing Arts Centre Society, to run the day to day operations so I am an employee of that Society, it's kind of like an arms length position.
I would like to think that you all agree that this is a tremendous community asset that we have in Prince Rupert.
He outlined how the ReBoot program for 2023 came into creation, spawned by his son who came up with the design for the premise of the initiative making it a Family affair at the Lester Centre.
The GM also noted of the growing challenges that many groups find in attracting volunteers and noted of the need for additional help at the Centre this season.
The Please Be Seated project was also part of the presentation, which is working towards replacing all of the interior seats in the Lester Centre.
Mayor Pond asked about the status of the initiative, which so far has raised 30,000 dollars from within the community, along with a range of funding that has been accessed towards it.
The initiative recently received Federal funding toward the seat replacement program, learn more about it here. That work is expected to take place over the summer.
The Mayor also offered opportunity for Mr. Armstrong to introduce the Board that attended with him.
Councillor Randhawa offered up a question related to additional funding options, while Councillor Adey, who is also on the Lester Centre Board, spoke to the importance of the Arts in the community and how the Lester Centre serves that goal.
"I can't overstate how important I think it is to the community.
I've you know shared in that pleasure on a number of occasions but so many people in this community have walked on that stage and shown their stuff and grown as human beings because of it.
So I'm very pleased to claim ownership of being a proud supporter of the facility and all of what it represents"
Councillor Niesh noted of the challenges that the Centre has seen and congratulated Mr. Armstrong for his work at the facility.
In the mid 1980's the raging debate in the city was whether the Capital Theatre building should be renovated as an Arts Centre |
Mayor Pond observed as to the controversy of the mid eighties as to whether the Arts Centre should be in its current location or in the Capital Theatre building downtown, with the debate an emotional one that at times divided the community.
"I arrived in 1988, so 87 this facility had only just been constructed.
But people that were here during the construction, some of you would remember that. It was a very divisive time for the community.
Because there was a competing idea that the Capital Theatre should be renewed and there was a tremendous history to the Capital Theatre and so people passionately fought for that.
And it was such a strong feeling in the community that literally I knew people when arrived here that for years refused to go to an event at the Lester Centre because they felt it should have been the Capital Theatre.
Given some of the current conversations we're having, I just can't help but remark that people in Prince Rupert are passionate about their ideas right, and that's a good thing.
But in the end we coalesce around, I don't think there's anybody in the community today that doesn't believe that the Lester Centre was a massive, significant advancement for this community and it stands there today.
Councillor Cunningham also praised the facility noting how it's the nicest one in the North and has had strong leadership through the years.
You can review the full presentation from the City's Video starting at the 8 minute mark.
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