A slightly edited version of the following appeared in the July 4th, 2008, edition of the Penticton Herald:
Why does the school board and city council call the north gym and auditorium “worthless, surplus to the school’s needs” (Penticton Herald, 6 June 2008)? Why did they pursue an over half million dollar upgrade of the gym while at the same time planning it’s demolition? Why are all practical, common sense alternatives made by numerous public groups representing the taxpayers of Penticton immediately rejected by your elected officials? Many local groups and individuals have documented the usefulness and relevancy of both the gym and the auditorium. In fact, the recent court challenge requesting a re-evaluation of the demolition of these buildings includes sworn affidavits giving specific facts and figures. Alternatively the School Board and City Council are anxious to complete their original plans for demolition before the next civic election. It is difficult to view this decision as anything more than arbitrary and a grave misjudgment of public assets.
Why would the auditorium be viewed as “worthless” when Penticton has only one other functioning arts venue? For example, the City of Vancouver has 15 different arts and cultural venues. In addition to these public theatres, the Vancouver School Board has five high schools with auditoriums seating from 520 to 742. Four of these five facilities are decades old. The recently re-built Magee Senior Secondary included a new auditorium with 550 seats, replacing their previous facility. Apparently in other cities, high school auditoriums are not considered “worthless, surplus to school needs”. Penticton has two arts venues, including the Cleland Theatre and the joint school/community Pen High auditorium. The Pen High auditorium has seating for 743.
The high school auditoriums in Vancouver are used for the schools but are also rented for public use on weekdays, weekends, and during vacations. When rented, these facilities are providing revenue to the School Board. Rental rates during the school year range from $404 for the first four hours on weekdays to $834 on weekends. These rates increase during the summer months. The Penticton School Board has admitted to not vigorously advertising for out of school rentals, no doubt to support their opinion that the building is “worthless”.
The Penticton School Board and the City Council are powerful bodies. As such, they have pursued their demolition agenda without listening to their constituents. However, the public should know that they themselves are the ultimate power, with the Board and Council merely their elected representatives. The redevelopment of Pen High was presented over 4 years ago. With persistent public pressure and exposure, the people of Penticton are now becoming aware that this plan was not all undertaken in good faith.
The gym and auditorium are neither worthless nor surplus to school and community needs. For example, the auditorium has unique acoustic properties (Jonathan Sevy, letter to city council and school board, October, 2003). Several employees of the city’s park and recreation department have openly admitted that the current demand for prime-time gym space in Penticton exceeds capacity (Michael Brydon, April, 2007). If the auditorium and gym were marketed, they could raise funds for the school and the community or help to pay for their own maintenance and operation. How can burying these buildings in a landfill be responsible use of tax dollars?
The plans prepared by community experts to retain the gym and the auditoriums were based on detailed analysis, not sentimentality. They mapped out alternative configurations that would not affect the new school. The response from the School Board was “it is still our property and still our decision” (Brydon, April, 2007). The Board itself did no feasibility studies on possible retention of these buildings during any of their planning decisions. Your elected officials have never wavered in 4 years: they need a parking lot and it has to be exactly where these buildings now stand.
The future of the gym and auditorium must be based on honest documented data and reflect the wishes of the common sense, practical and responsible taxpayers of Penticton. It should not be left to the arbitrary whims of politicians near the end of their mandate.
Anita Kvestich Fashler (Vancouver)
Showing posts with label auditorium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label auditorium. Show all posts
Friday, July 4, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Jonathan Sevy: Three Tenors or Three Taiko Drums?
The following is essentially a copy of the letter originally sent on 29 October, 2003 to Penticton City Council, School Board 67 Board, and MLA Bill Barisoff:
RE: Penticton Secondary School Auditorium Friends, In 1999 I returned to Penticton after a nearly 30 year absence. My wife and I joined the Community Concert Association, and have been attending those concerts regularly in the Pen High auditorium.
We typically sit in the front or second row. Last year Quartango played for us, and their music included many subtle elements that I thought must surely be lost to those sitting farther back in the hall. After intermission I went back and sat in the back row, just to satisfy my curiosity. There was no electrical amplification. To my amazement, the sound quality was as excellent at the rear as at the front. There were 600-700 people there, yet the music volume was nearly undiminished by the distance. In fact, the only difference I could detect was a gentle blending of the sounds, where the instruments sounded more distinct from each other when seated 10 feet away from the performers.
Between the next few pieces, I moved up about 10 rows each time and listened from those positions. Except for small wedges of seating just at the extreme ends of the front 3-4 rows, the sound throughout that hall was exquisite. Not good, exquisite. I commented on my findings to Mr. Hobden, President of the Community Concerts, and to the stage manager. Each of them confirmed my impressions, and mentioned performers who had made similar observations.
One renowned musician had only recently commented to a group of students that the sound in our high school auditorium is superior the Met. Very few of the excellent professional musicians that we have heard in the past 5 years have requested amplification. None needed it.
The Pen High auditorium is unusual. In fact, it is extraordinary. It is a treasure. I make that statement without sentimentality, but as a semi-professional musician myself with some personal stage experience. I have sat in celebrated concert halls in Canada, the US and Germany -- including the Mormon tabernacle. It may seem incredible to you, but in my opinion the acoustics in the Pen High auditorium are just as impressive as what I heard in the best of them.
To destroy the fortunate confluence of conditions which has produced this remarkable place is folly. To borrow millions of dollars to construct an electronic hall that will require tens of thousands of dollars of tinkering and upgrading every year, plus unknown tens of thousands for professional sound engineers at virtually every performance forever--folly. Cost, cost, cost, and no real benefit. We have attended and fully enjoyed a number of concerts, sans electric, while basketball games were being played in the gym across the hallway.
As a performer, I can tell you that the single most frightening part of going on stage is knowing that the person in the sound booth controls the performance. Unfortunately, many sound experts are careless or ignorant of their equipment, and most are careless or ignorant about how the performer wants to sound.. The results are far too often disappointing. The typical sound engineer drives to work with his boom-box car stereo system blaring, then cranks up the bass of every performer, making the Three Tenors sound like the Three Taiko Drums. Our city will regret relying on fickle electronics rather than stable, dependable acoustics. Our amateur and student performers will be particularly deprived by the high-tech systems that are being considered as replacements for the current auditorium.
Politicians love to borrow and spend money, leaving a legacy of debt for their constituents' children and grandchildren. I, for one, heartily disapprove. If you must alter the Pen High auditorium, please use a gentle touch. It can and should be celebrated as an ongoing source of joy to our community for generations.
Jonathan B. Sevy
RE: Penticton Secondary School Auditorium Friends, In 1999 I returned to Penticton after a nearly 30 year absence. My wife and I joined the Community Concert Association, and have been attending those concerts regularly in the Pen High auditorium.
We typically sit in the front or second row. Last year Quartango played for us, and their music included many subtle elements that I thought must surely be lost to those sitting farther back in the hall. After intermission I went back and sat in the back row, just to satisfy my curiosity. There was no electrical amplification. To my amazement, the sound quality was as excellent at the rear as at the front. There were 600-700 people there, yet the music volume was nearly undiminished by the distance. In fact, the only difference I could detect was a gentle blending of the sounds, where the instruments sounded more distinct from each other when seated 10 feet away from the performers.
Between the next few pieces, I moved up about 10 rows each time and listened from those positions. Except for small wedges of seating just at the extreme ends of the front 3-4 rows, the sound throughout that hall was exquisite. Not good, exquisite. I commented on my findings to Mr. Hobden, President of the Community Concerts, and to the stage manager. Each of them confirmed my impressions, and mentioned performers who had made similar observations.
One renowned musician had only recently commented to a group of students that the sound in our high school auditorium is superior the Met. Very few of the excellent professional musicians that we have heard in the past 5 years have requested amplification. None needed it.
The Pen High auditorium is unusual. In fact, it is extraordinary. It is a treasure. I make that statement without sentimentality, but as a semi-professional musician myself with some personal stage experience. I have sat in celebrated concert halls in Canada, the US and Germany -- including the Mormon tabernacle. It may seem incredible to you, but in my opinion the acoustics in the Pen High auditorium are just as impressive as what I heard in the best of them.
To destroy the fortunate confluence of conditions which has produced this remarkable place is folly. To borrow millions of dollars to construct an electronic hall that will require tens of thousands of dollars of tinkering and upgrading every year, plus unknown tens of thousands for professional sound engineers at virtually every performance forever--folly. Cost, cost, cost, and no real benefit. We have attended and fully enjoyed a number of concerts, sans electric, while basketball games were being played in the gym across the hallway.
As a performer, I can tell you that the single most frightening part of going on stage is knowing that the person in the sound booth controls the performance. Unfortunately, many sound experts are careless or ignorant of their equipment, and most are careless or ignorant about how the performer wants to sound.. The results are far too often disappointing. The typical sound engineer drives to work with his boom-box car stereo system blaring, then cranks up the bass of every performer, making the Three Tenors sound like the Three Taiko Drums. Our city will regret relying on fickle electronics rather than stable, dependable acoustics. Our amateur and student performers will be particularly deprived by the high-tech systems that are being considered as replacements for the current auditorium.
Politicians love to borrow and spend money, leaving a legacy of debt for their constituents' children and grandchildren. I, for one, heartily disapprove. If you must alter the Pen High auditorium, please use a gentle touch. It can and should be celebrated as an ongoing source of joy to our community for generations.
Jonathan B. Sevy
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
David Dewar: What these spaces can foster
Last week I took the opportunity to come home to Penticton to say a fond farewell to “Old Pen Hi”. As I walked through the gym and sat in the auditorium I recognized that since graduation in 1970 a major portion of the arc of my life had begun in those two spaces. And so I feel it is important to write to you in support of saving the auditorium and gymnasium complex from being terribly wasted.
When I went to UBC I intended to be a teacher and I began a degree in Physical Education and History. My years at Pen Hi were filled with sports, particularly basketball as I played for the Lakers in grade 11 and 12 so choosing Phys Ed was a cinch. But after my first year at the University I realized I needed a new minor subject. I remembered the fun of my drama classes and the production of “The Music Man” and promptly dropped History in favour of Theatre. I’ve never looked back. I completed my degree and have worked in the theatre, film and television ever since. And without the confidence that those high school shows gave me I might never have considered a career in entertainment. One of my classmates at theatre school was Nicola Cavendish who spoke so wonderfully at the farewell event and its with some pride that I recall that we started together on that auditorium stage at Pen Hi. I have now spent more that 30 years in the entertainment industry first as an actor and dancer and later as a producer and director in film and television all over the world and it all grew out of those two spaces at Pen Hi.
I know that a new gym is part of the new school and I’m sure that it will give great service. But in any school, and always in a busy community there is never enough space to provide for all of the groups that need a place to play. I understand also that the new school will have classrooms of some sort for drama. But there is no substitute for a real theatre as a place to perform, to build sets, to learn lighting and to inspire an audience. The real thing happens in a theatre and once the theatre you have is gone you may never get it back. So these two spaces are not just important to the school but to the whole community. These buildings exist and they can galvanize community support for their restoration just as they have done for their defense. You have a real opportunity to retain a significant resource for the school and for the city and I urge you to seize it.
At the event on Tuesday there was a lot of pride expressed about the accomplishments of the school over its many years. The fine students it produced, their credit to the community and the achievement of the teachers, administrators and parents who supported each student year by year, encouraging them to stay in school and do their best. Look at the guests who were invited to speak, Cameron Phillips, Nicola Cavendish and Nikos Theodosakis. Its no surprise that each of them spoke well, and no surprise that each of them recognized their time on the auditorium stage as the starting point of their careers. Every school has its unusual characters, sometimes they are students who just don’t fit the usual mold. In my experience, and I have taught in universities and colleges across the country, sports and the arts are the only activities some kids have that keep them in school long enough to graduate.
In the final analysis why should these types of spaces be so important to the development of our young people and the enrichment of our community. Because today more than ever our world needs what these kinds of spaces can foster. A gymnasium and a theatre are exactly the places where kids learn some of life’s most important lessons. They learn to work together, they communicate, they struggle, they share their feelings and their ideas, they learn that no one on a stage or a gym floor will be successful alone and that its only as a team that they will achieve the triumph they seek.
So I urge you to find a way to save these spaces for future generations, to make them a continuing resource to the students and the community. This is an opportunity, please don’t waste it.
David Dewar
Class of 1970
When I went to UBC I intended to be a teacher and I began a degree in Physical Education and History. My years at Pen Hi were filled with sports, particularly basketball as I played for the Lakers in grade 11 and 12 so choosing Phys Ed was a cinch. But after my first year at the University I realized I needed a new minor subject. I remembered the fun of my drama classes and the production of “The Music Man” and promptly dropped History in favour of Theatre. I’ve never looked back. I completed my degree and have worked in the theatre, film and television ever since. And without the confidence that those high school shows gave me I might never have considered a career in entertainment. One of my classmates at theatre school was Nicola Cavendish who spoke so wonderfully at the farewell event and its with some pride that I recall that we started together on that auditorium stage at Pen Hi. I have now spent more that 30 years in the entertainment industry first as an actor and dancer and later as a producer and director in film and television all over the world and it all grew out of those two spaces at Pen Hi.
I know that a new gym is part of the new school and I’m sure that it will give great service. But in any school, and always in a busy community there is never enough space to provide for all of the groups that need a place to play. I understand also that the new school will have classrooms of some sort for drama. But there is no substitute for a real theatre as a place to perform, to build sets, to learn lighting and to inspire an audience. The real thing happens in a theatre and once the theatre you have is gone you may never get it back. So these two spaces are not just important to the school but to the whole community. These buildings exist and they can galvanize community support for their restoration just as they have done for their defense. You have a real opportunity to retain a significant resource for the school and for the city and I urge you to seize it.
At the event on Tuesday there was a lot of pride expressed about the accomplishments of the school over its many years. The fine students it produced, their credit to the community and the achievement of the teachers, administrators and parents who supported each student year by year, encouraging them to stay in school and do their best. Look at the guests who were invited to speak, Cameron Phillips, Nicola Cavendish and Nikos Theodosakis. Its no surprise that each of them spoke well, and no surprise that each of them recognized their time on the auditorium stage as the starting point of their careers. Every school has its unusual characters, sometimes they are students who just don’t fit the usual mold. In my experience, and I have taught in universities and colleges across the country, sports and the arts are the only activities some kids have that keep them in school long enough to graduate.
In the final analysis why should these types of spaces be so important to the development of our young people and the enrichment of our community. Because today more than ever our world needs what these kinds of spaces can foster. A gymnasium and a theatre are exactly the places where kids learn some of life’s most important lessons. They learn to work together, they communicate, they struggle, they share their feelings and their ideas, they learn that no one on a stage or a gym floor will be successful alone and that its only as a team that they will achieve the triumph they seek.
So I urge you to find a way to save these spaces for future generations, to make them a continuing resource to the students and the community. This is an opportunity, please don’t waste it.
David Dewar
Class of 1970
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Oliver saving their school auditorium
The following appeared in the 12 Mar 08 edition of The Oliver Chronicle. The most interesting aspect of this story (apart from the fact that people in Oliver think their old auditorium is a valuable community and teaching asset) is that specific programs for federal and provincial funding are identified by name. This is surprising because Mayor Kimberley stated very clearly in the 22 Feb 08 press conference that no funding programs exist for such facilities. Hmmm. Very odd.
Referendum will be needed to save Venables Auditorium through Town
By Karen Knelsen
Frank Venables Auditorium will be getting several big improvements if a couple of large grants Town will be applying for come through.
The grants won’t cover the complete cost of a renovation and upgrade, but a referendum to borrow some money would give residents of Oliver and the rural area the chance to say if they are willing to pitch in with an increase in taxes – a total of about $31.38 per home, for the next 20 years, for an average single-family home (based on property value assessments averaging $285,000).
Previously, school auditoriums were funded by the province’s Ministry of Education, but several years ago, that provincial government money stopped flowing.
School District No. 53 has since been paying for basic operational costs of the building, along with fees charged to user groups. Soon, the district won’t be able to support the auditorium any more, and the money to keep the building up and running will have to come from somewhere else.
Tom Szalay, the town’s municipal manager explained the grants. The first of the two is from Towns for Tomorrow, a program run in conjunction with the province’s ActNow BC.
"The grant program allows a maximum grant of $400,000 and that grant has to be matched partly by local funding," Szalay said. Matching that amount isn’t as big a task as it may seem. "It only has to be matched by 20 per cent local."
The application hasn’t gone forward yet – it has to be approved by council first, and Szalay would look for that approval on Monday, March 10 at the regular open council meeting.
"Staff has put together more details on the application, we’ve got a formal resolution going to the council meeting on Monday night asking for them to say ‘yes,’ they authorize staff to make this application on their behalf."
The other available grant does come from the federal government, said Szalay.
"(It’s) called Cultural Spaces Canada. We have not applied for that yet, we intend to. That one will pay for up to one-third of building renovations and up to 40 per cent of specialty equipment – things like lighting, or sound systems – maybe even theatre seats."
Szalay said if all the funding comes through on time, Oliver could see a referendum on borrowing the remaining amount of money required for upgrades on the November election ballots.
"We figure that on the basis of the $4 million project, we can apply for about $1.4 million from that grant program. If we’re successful on that, and if we’re successful on the provincial one, that would leave about $1.7 million short. The only place we can identify where that would come from is from the local community."
The school board has identified an amount of $500,000 that could be redirected in the SOSS renovation and rebuild toward the auditorium, which previously had no place in the budget allowed to them by the Ministry of Education. That $500,000 has been included in the amount the Town has applied for.
A report done by Bevanda Architecture in October 2007, after consultations with user groups and theatre technicians, features three groups of items the facility needs based on priority levels high, medium and low. Only the high priority items have been included in a $4 million budget for improvements to the auditorium.
Items on the list include new theatre seats at an estimated cost of $249,326, new floor finishes, new wall and ceiling paint, and a new balcony railing, along with other improvements to the balcony, totaling $133,039, and upgrades to code requirements, totaling $241,3198, and including new washroom facilities.
Alison Podmorow, a drama teacher at Southern Okanagan Secondary School (SOSS) uses the auditorium, which is attached to the school, frequently to teach her classes. She can’t imagine a better place to hold her classes, or school gatherings. "To replace it would be ridiculous. We wouldn’t be able to."
She knows the facility isn’t perfect and it needs a lot of work to bring it up to community theatre par – alongside communities like Winfield and Summerland, which both have similar fine arts outlets.
"They’re both attached to the high school. The high school uses them but the community also funds part of it, and they’re amazing facilities," she said.
The Venables auditorium may not currently be on the cutting edge regarding lighting, sound, and furniture, but Podmorow said there is one feature belonging to the building that makes it unique among other structures in Oliver.
"It’s a great size," she said. "The strongest point of it is the size. We use it for our full school assemblies. We would never be able to have the whole school together in a different kind of facility."
The referendum would be put to both town and area C residents.
Referendum will be needed to save Venables Auditorium through Town
By Karen Knelsen
Frank Venables Auditorium will be getting several big improvements if a couple of large grants Town will be applying for come through.
The grants won’t cover the complete cost of a renovation and upgrade, but a referendum to borrow some money would give residents of Oliver and the rural area the chance to say if they are willing to pitch in with an increase in taxes – a total of about $31.38 per home, for the next 20 years, for an average single-family home (based on property value assessments averaging $285,000).
Previously, school auditoriums were funded by the province’s Ministry of Education, but several years ago, that provincial government money stopped flowing.
School District No. 53 has since been paying for basic operational costs of the building, along with fees charged to user groups. Soon, the district won’t be able to support the auditorium any more, and the money to keep the building up and running will have to come from somewhere else.
Tom Szalay, the town’s municipal manager explained the grants. The first of the two is from Towns for Tomorrow, a program run in conjunction with the province’s ActNow BC.
"The grant program allows a maximum grant of $400,000 and that grant has to be matched partly by local funding," Szalay said. Matching that amount isn’t as big a task as it may seem. "It only has to be matched by 20 per cent local."
The application hasn’t gone forward yet – it has to be approved by council first, and Szalay would look for that approval on Monday, March 10 at the regular open council meeting.
"Staff has put together more details on the application, we’ve got a formal resolution going to the council meeting on Monday night asking for them to say ‘yes,’ they authorize staff to make this application on their behalf."
The other available grant does come from the federal government, said Szalay.
"(It’s) called Cultural Spaces Canada. We have not applied for that yet, we intend to. That one will pay for up to one-third of building renovations and up to 40 per cent of specialty equipment – things like lighting, or sound systems – maybe even theatre seats."
Szalay said if all the funding comes through on time, Oliver could see a referendum on borrowing the remaining amount of money required for upgrades on the November election ballots.
"We figure that on the basis of the $4 million project, we can apply for about $1.4 million from that grant program. If we’re successful on that, and if we’re successful on the provincial one, that would leave about $1.7 million short. The only place we can identify where that would come from is from the local community."
The school board has identified an amount of $500,000 that could be redirected in the SOSS renovation and rebuild toward the auditorium, which previously had no place in the budget allowed to them by the Ministry of Education. That $500,000 has been included in the amount the Town has applied for.
A report done by Bevanda Architecture in October 2007, after consultations with user groups and theatre technicians, features three groups of items the facility needs based on priority levels high, medium and low. Only the high priority items have been included in a $4 million budget for improvements to the auditorium.
Items on the list include new theatre seats at an estimated cost of $249,326, new floor finishes, new wall and ceiling paint, and a new balcony railing, along with other improvements to the balcony, totaling $133,039, and upgrades to code requirements, totaling $241,3198, and including new washroom facilities.
Alison Podmorow, a drama teacher at Southern Okanagan Secondary School (SOSS) uses the auditorium, which is attached to the school, frequently to teach her classes. She can’t imagine a better place to hold her classes, or school gatherings. "To replace it would be ridiculous. We wouldn’t be able to."
She knows the facility isn’t perfect and it needs a lot of work to bring it up to community theatre par – alongside communities like Winfield and Summerland, which both have similar fine arts outlets.
"They’re both attached to the high school. The high school uses them but the community also funds part of it, and they’re amazing facilities," she said.
The Venables auditorium may not currently be on the cutting edge regarding lighting, sound, and furniture, but Podmorow said there is one feature belonging to the building that makes it unique among other structures in Oliver.
"It’s a great size," she said. "The strongest point of it is the size. We use it for our full school assemblies. We would never be able to have the whole school together in a different kind of facility."
The referendum would be put to both town and area C residents.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Dodi Morrison: Arts accommodation for the most people
The following letter appeared in The Herald and the August 12th edition of the Western News:
The visit of the Tibetan Monks (in exile) was amazingly meaningful to many, many people.
I am reliably told that on the Tuesday of the memorable week 1,200 people went through the art gallery — and those were just the ones who signed the guest book. I’m sure there were many more who did not.
The whole undertaking was a tremendous success — and all due to our new, dauntless, inspired curator Paul Crawford. I’m (also reliably) told that he met with much opposition — he was assured that “it was too religious” and that “nobody would come.”
So he was thrilled to have that all proved untrue. As for the Sunday night concert, the Cleland was sold out — and if there had been tickets a the door — Penticton people being known for last minute decisions — well, they could have filled Pen High auditorium, I’m sure.
I have before me the pinned-up quotation I found for sale at the Monks’ table — “Loving kindness is my religion” — signed by The Dalai Lama.
I was so moved by it all — the talks at meditation, and at other times; the unforgettable sight of the monks creating that mandala, the crowd at the closing ceremony, the wonderful cross-section of Penticton’s population — following the monks until the last of the sand was deposited in the waters of the Japanese Garden — that I felt how sad it was that we were arguing about how we should approach our need for space for concerts — both for school children and adults.
I have heard all the arguments from the council and the school board. But I know that the vast number of my fellow Pentictonites really want to save those two buildings. And I know we will eventually need both. And I know that if little Oliver can decide it wants to save a much more difficult-to-save building, it’s a matter of “Where there’s a will there’s a way.”
I looked at that wonderful crowd around the art gallery and thought of how hard it might be to fill a new building with those able to afford a world-class tenor. (Neither Vernon nor Kelowna can make it pay.)
I know if either government gives tax-money to create the new facility rather than to help create affordable housing, we will be hard pressed to find anyone to clean motel rooms — or to provide other services.
And I wonder — are we really trying to approach all this with “Loving-Kindness”? Are we truly looking for the way to provide arts accommodation for the most people — young and old?
It breaks my heart to see Penticton so divided. Is there truly a “will” to find the right “way?”
The visit of the Tibetan Monks (in exile) was amazingly meaningful to many, many people.
I am reliably told that on the Tuesday of the memorable week 1,200 people went through the art gallery — and those were just the ones who signed the guest book. I’m sure there were many more who did not.
The whole undertaking was a tremendous success — and all due to our new, dauntless, inspired curator Paul Crawford. I’m (also reliably) told that he met with much opposition — he was assured that “it was too religious” and that “nobody would come.”
So he was thrilled to have that all proved untrue. As for the Sunday night concert, the Cleland was sold out — and if there had been tickets a the door — Penticton people being known for last minute decisions — well, they could have filled Pen High auditorium, I’m sure.
I have before me the pinned-up quotation I found for sale at the Monks’ table — “Loving kindness is my religion” — signed by The Dalai Lama.
I was so moved by it all — the talks at meditation, and at other times; the unforgettable sight of the monks creating that mandala, the crowd at the closing ceremony, the wonderful cross-section of Penticton’s population — following the monks until the last of the sand was deposited in the waters of the Japanese Garden — that I felt how sad it was that we were arguing about how we should approach our need for space for concerts — both for school children and adults.
I have heard all the arguments from the council and the school board. But I know that the vast number of my fellow Pentictonites really want to save those two buildings. And I know we will eventually need both. And I know that if little Oliver can decide it wants to save a much more difficult-to-save building, it’s a matter of “Where there’s a will there’s a way.”
I looked at that wonderful crowd around the art gallery and thought of how hard it might be to fill a new building with those able to afford a world-class tenor. (Neither Vernon nor Kelowna can make it pay.)
I know if either government gives tax-money to create the new facility rather than to help create affordable housing, we will be hard pressed to find anyone to clean motel rooms — or to provide other services.
And I wonder — are we really trying to approach all this with “Loving-Kindness”? Are we truly looking for the way to provide arts accommodation for the most people — young and old?
It breaks my heart to see Penticton so divided. Is there truly a “will” to find the right “way?”
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Michael Brydon: "Get on with it" or "look before you leap"
A slightly edited version of the following letter appeared in the June 14, 2007 edition of the Herald:
I have advocated converting the Pen-Hi gym and auditorium into community use facilities so I was disappointed when I heard of city council’s decision not pursue the opportunity. I could not attend the council meeting at which the decision was made due to travel, but I assumed that the outcome was the result of sound judgment and careful consideration of the facts. I was ready to admit that we had lost the battle and relieved to be done with the whole matter. But then I watched the archived video of council’s June 4th deliberations. The question I am now asking is whether a decision based on transparently shaky logic and a sometimes comical misapprehension of the facts actually resolves anything? The more I review the arguments used to justify the demolition of the gym and auditorium, the more I am convinced that council’s decision is not merely bad, it is incoherent. My objective in writing this letter (and any sequels) is to convince anyone who will listen that something is broken.The gym/auditorium issue has many facets, but the most important justification for demolishing the buildings is that the city will soon have a new performing arts facility. Little information about the proposed facility has been made public (despite the fact that will be paid for with taxpayers’ money) but the basic idea is that it will cost roughly $30M and require funding from federal, provincial, municipal, and perhaps even private sources. Proponents of the facility and several members of council, including the mayor, are confident that the funding will be in place and the curtain will rise in the new facility within 24-36 months. But, given that some of these folks have already demonstrated the ability to be both confident and wrong at the same time (more about this in a future letter), it is worth drawing our own conclusions about the inevitability of funding. Let’s consider the potential sources:
- Federal: Conservatives have a doctrinal aversion to spending taxpayers' money on the arts. However, given their minority status, the Conservatives might be willing to fund some projects in an attempt to secure a majority. The problem is that Stockwell Day received more votes than the other three candidates combined in the 2006 election and has since been promoted to cabinet. His seat is one of the safest in Canada. Why then would scarce federal funding come here when it can be used in Ontario or Quebec to make a difference?
- Provincial: Messers Barisoff and Thorpe can join Mr. Day in the Safe Seat Club, having already delivered a whopping $50M contribution to the SOEC. So why would the provincial Liberals, who are facing increasing financial pressure from Olympic overruns, set an unsustainable precedent by giving a small city in a safe riding even more money?
- Municipal: Proponents of a new performing arts facility like to point to a series of studies and plans commissioned over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, those documents became ancient history the moment the city agreed to underwrite the $17M cost overrun of the SOEC. In addition, new surprises might be in store once the SOEC is complete. Although a real business plan for the SOEC was never made public, it is clear the city expects the facility to turn a profit. But as communities such as Cranbrook and Youngstown, OH, have discovered, the revenue projections used to justify the construction of such facilities may bear little relation to actual revenues. Under the terms of its contract with its private sector partner, the City of Penticton bears almost all of the risk of operating losses, which may be significant. Making commitments to other major capital projects before the city’s true liabilities can be estimated with any precision strikes me as reckless.
- Private investors: Both Mayor Kimberley and Larry Little, the chair of School District 67, have argued in favor of the destruction of Pen-Hi’s auditorium by pointing out that building is seldom used. Others have responded that the district’s restrictive booking policies (e.g., no setup until the end of the school day) are the culprit and that events would be easier to book if the auditorium were under community control. Either way, an unused auditorium is hardly a ringing endorsement of the financial viability of an expensive replacement. More recently, the mayor has floated the possibility of using condominium development to cross-subsidize the provision of a new performing arts facility. No information on this idea has been forthcoming so it is hard to comment on its merits. However, given the city’s lack of success in getting developers to do simple things, like build on the vacant Three Gables site or invest in a supermarket in the downtown core, it is not clear how the city is going to convince a developer to underwrite an expensive money-losing auditorium.
Unfortunately, the city has confused knocking over its backup facility (“Getting on with it”, seems to be the dominant slogan) and rational first steps. The prevailing theory seems to be that the $1.5M required to save the gym and auditorium should be spent to buy the land for the new performing arts facility. But $1.5M (which also buys us a large, much needed gymnasium) is a mere 5% of the cost of a new facility. It is like council saying it cannot afford travel insurance because it needs the money for airfare. My response is that, if it cannot afford insurance, it should not be traveling at all. Unfortunately, most councilors are unmoved by risk mitigation strategies or conventional logic. Instead, they seem to be most interested in facile slogans. As a conclusion then, let me offer some proven winners: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Look before you leap.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Ted Makar: Auditorium not ready for wrecking ball
The following letter was published in the Western News on May 4th, 2007:
Will our city council and school board work together for everyone’s benefit?
It just doesn’t make sense to destroy Pen High’s auditorium before having a replacement built. So many letters to the editor have praised the acoustics of the facility and so many concerts have enriched the lives of its audiences that replacing the auditorium with a parking lot is unthinkable. Why not consider remodeling? Let’s save our money.
The auditorium is built using two forms of construction — the seating area is mostly poured concrete and the stage is wood-frame construction. The comfort, capacity, and acoustics of the seating area are up to standard and only need some cosmetic improvements and some new technology to continue into the future. The stage area, since it needs to be larger and have more elaborate production equipment, could be replaced. Redevelop — don’t wreck and (hopefully, eventually) replace.
In view of the city’s commitment to the building of the South Okanagan Event Centre, funds for building a new performing arts centre may be hard to come by for some time into the future. Neither city council nor school board need to face a taxpayer revolt to finance another new facility. These bodies need only come to an agreement for the redevelopment of the auditorium. They have worked well together to open up school facilities for multiple use. Why not a lease arrangement thus giving time for adequate planning and community consultation?
With continually rising construction costs it makes good sense to save taxpayer dollars by adding a foyer to the auditorium, a new performance area and also save the excellent gym for community use. This could be done for a fraction of the cost of acquiring land and building a new auditorium and drill hall. Compare an estimated $5 million with $35 million.
Citizens and politicians do take pride in good management. Together, we have preserved then developed waterfront parks, heritage ships and buildings, and infrastructure such as the original convention centre and city water and sewage treatment facilities. Legacies need not be new flashy showpieces.
Will our city council and school board work together for everyone’s benefit?
It just doesn’t make sense to destroy Pen High’s auditorium before having a replacement built. So many letters to the editor have praised the acoustics of the facility and so many concerts have enriched the lives of its audiences that replacing the auditorium with a parking lot is unthinkable. Why not consider remodeling? Let’s save our money.
The auditorium is built using two forms of construction — the seating area is mostly poured concrete and the stage is wood-frame construction. The comfort, capacity, and acoustics of the seating area are up to standard and only need some cosmetic improvements and some new technology to continue into the future. The stage area, since it needs to be larger and have more elaborate production equipment, could be replaced. Redevelop — don’t wreck and (hopefully, eventually) replace.
In view of the city’s commitment to the building of the South Okanagan Event Centre, funds for building a new performing arts centre may be hard to come by for some time into the future. Neither city council nor school board need to face a taxpayer revolt to finance another new facility. These bodies need only come to an agreement for the redevelopment of the auditorium. They have worked well together to open up school facilities for multiple use. Why not a lease arrangement thus giving time for adequate planning and community consultation?
With continually rising construction costs it makes good sense to save taxpayer dollars by adding a foyer to the auditorium, a new performance area and also save the excellent gym for community use. This could be done for a fraction of the cost of acquiring land and building a new auditorium and drill hall. Compare an estimated $5 million with $35 million.
Citizens and politicians do take pride in good management. Together, we have preserved then developed waterfront parks, heritage ships and buildings, and infrastructure such as the original convention centre and city water and sewage treatment facilities. Legacies need not be new flashy showpieces.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Carol Ann Trabert: a message from Toronto
The following was sent to me via email:
Please add Leslie Trabert (class of 57) and Carol Ann to your list. There is a facility in our area where the acoustics are excellent, and they refer to it as 'the acoustically incomparable Sharon Temple'. The same could be said for that 737 seat gem that Penticton is so lucky to have. How many millions of dollars were spent, later, on Roy Thomson Hall because in spite of best efforts the acoustics simply didn't 'work' when it was opened. . .
That sort of perfection is virtually impossible to achieve, and would cost many more millions than just the bricks and mortar to replace. Aesthetics? I bet the architectural firm would rise easily to the challenge of incorporating the old as part of the new. After all, that's what's happening all over the world. And it would be a nice addition to their portfolio as well. . . .
Cheers
Carol Ann Trabert
Please add Leslie Trabert (class of 57) and Carol Ann to your list. There is a facility in our area where the acoustics are excellent, and they refer to it as 'the acoustically incomparable Sharon Temple'. The same could be said for that 737 seat gem that Penticton is so lucky to have. How many millions of dollars were spent, later, on Roy Thomson Hall because in spite of best efforts the acoustics simply didn't 'work' when it was opened. . .
That sort of perfection is virtually impossible to achieve, and would cost many more millions than just the bricks and mortar to replace. Aesthetics? I bet the architectural firm would rise easily to the challenge of incorporating the old as part of the new. After all, that's what's happening all over the world. And it would be a nice addition to their portfolio as well. . . .
Cheers
Carol Ann Trabert
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
A flurry of letters
There have been several letters in The Herald recently. From the April 30, 2007, edition:
Bill Henderson, a musician, writes: "Since I first started working as a touring musician over 40 years ago, I must have played over a thousand rooms on this continent. The big coliseums are always better for spectacle than music and many of the smaller rooms are better for sports, or focus on the consumption of alcohol. Pen-Hi's auditorium is on of a dwindling number of venues that sound good, feel comfortable, and are designed to provide a focus on the stage. A true concert environment." (full letter in the Western News)
Brad Lee, president of the Penticton Triathlon Club focused on the training needs of his club: "Many of our club members use the Pen-Hi track throughout the year, but we do not have access to toilet facilities. We have brought this to the attention of the city previously, only to be informed vandalism will make the cost of external toilet facilities prohibitive. The cost of making the existing toilet facilities in either the auditorium or the gymnasium accessible would be a great benefit. In addition, during the winter months, the club would like the opportunity to rent space for weekly indoor spinning sessions [...] Three years ago, we had to rent a squash court in a local facility to hold indoor spinning sessions for a youth triathlon program. At this time we still do not have access to indoor facilities, outside privately owned buildings (with limited times available)!" (full letter in the Western News)
On the negative side, Gerald Westbrook weighed in with the following: "I for one am tired of the small majority [sic], mostly out-of-towners, constantly whining about the scheduled demolition of the Pen-Hi auditorium and gym. A new state of the art school is being built. Two old ramshackle buildings tacked on to it would be completely incongruous, and ruin the visual impact. Not only should they be demolished, but the Shatford Ellis edifices also, which are a constant source of continuous maintenance. Just take a look at the brickwork; it all needs refacing. School board employees are there almost every day working inside and out. It's a losing proposition, on what over the years will become a bottomless money pit, swallowing our taxes. These two buildings will look ridiculous when joined to the new complex. There's no historical significance, just several old buildings which need removing in the cause of progress."
There were also two letters of support in the May 1, 2007, edition of The Herald:
Carol McGibney (whose Christmas concerts were a big part of my childhood) writes about her first experience in the Pen-Hi auditorium in 1959: "Having performed in many theatres as a soloist and member of a touring choice back in Ireland I was immediately impressed by the acoustics. In this day of electronic and highly amplified music it is a blessing to have such a treasure."
Patricia Thomas relates a story about a touring pianist from New York who was known to be difficult: "At the intermission, I asked him of his needs and he replied that everything was fine but that he had to comment on the acoustics of the auditorium. He said he had never had the opportunity to perform in such a small structure with such excellent acoustics. He would perform here any time just to have the pleasure to be in it. I am not a performer but I am a listener. Please do not tear down the auditorium. It is a rare jewel we will regret losing after it is gone.
Bill Henderson, a musician, writes: "Since I first started working as a touring musician over 40 years ago, I must have played over a thousand rooms on this continent. The big coliseums are always better for spectacle than music and many of the smaller rooms are better for sports, or focus on the consumption of alcohol. Pen-Hi's auditorium is on of a dwindling number of venues that sound good, feel comfortable, and are designed to provide a focus on the stage. A true concert environment." (full letter in the Western News)
Brad Lee, president of the Penticton Triathlon Club focused on the training needs of his club: "Many of our club members use the Pen-Hi track throughout the year, but we do not have access to toilet facilities. We have brought this to the attention of the city previously, only to be informed vandalism will make the cost of external toilet facilities prohibitive. The cost of making the existing toilet facilities in either the auditorium or the gymnasium accessible would be a great benefit. In addition, during the winter months, the club would like the opportunity to rent space for weekly indoor spinning sessions [...] Three years ago, we had to rent a squash court in a local facility to hold indoor spinning sessions for a youth triathlon program. At this time we still do not have access to indoor facilities, outside privately owned buildings (with limited times available)!" (full letter in the Western News)
On the negative side, Gerald Westbrook weighed in with the following: "I for one am tired of the small majority [sic], mostly out-of-towners, constantly whining about the scheduled demolition of the Pen-Hi auditorium and gym. A new state of the art school is being built. Two old ramshackle buildings tacked on to it would be completely incongruous, and ruin the visual impact. Not only should they be demolished, but the Shatford Ellis edifices also, which are a constant source of continuous maintenance. Just take a look at the brickwork; it all needs refacing. School board employees are there almost every day working inside and out. It's a losing proposition, on what over the years will become a bottomless money pit, swallowing our taxes. These two buildings will look ridiculous when joined to the new complex. There's no historical significance, just several old buildings which need removing in the cause of progress."
[Editorial comment: While we are at it, we could cull a few other architectural eyesores around town, including the Community Centre (resembles a police headquarters), the Granite Club (which will look like a trailer in front of a mansion once the SOEC is built), the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre (organic growth gone wild), Memorial Arena (speaking of ramshackle), Penticton Regional Hospital (ugh!), and according to some, the new Vistitors' Information Centre and Princess Margaret Secondary. Paving over all these buildings will reduce our taxes while simultaneously improving our city's visual impact.]
There were also two letters of support in the May 1, 2007, edition of The Herald:
Carol McGibney (whose Christmas concerts were a big part of my childhood) writes about her first experience in the Pen-Hi auditorium in 1959: "Having performed in many theatres as a soloist and member of a touring choice back in Ireland I was immediately impressed by the acoustics. In this day of electronic and highly amplified music it is a blessing to have such a treasure."
Patricia Thomas relates a story about a touring pianist from New York who was known to be difficult: "At the intermission, I asked him of his needs and he replied that everything was fine but that he had to comment on the acoustics of the auditorium. He said he had never had the opportunity to perform in such a small structure with such excellent acoustics. He would perform here any time just to have the pleasure to be in it. I am not a performer but I am a listener. Please do not tear down the auditorium. It is a rare jewel we will regret losing after it is gone.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Update: Petition circulated at Chilliwack concert
According to a review on Page B10 of The Penticton Herald on 25 April, 2007, more than 500 people attended the recent Chilliwack concert held at Pen-Hi auditorium. The piece by John Moorehouse concludes:
"That brings me to the final note of the concert: the venue itself. A petition was circulated prior to the show, calling for the preservation of the Pen-Hi auditorium. Unless city council comes up with a plan to preserve the building by the end of June, the auditorium will face the wrecking ball once the Pen-Hi reconstruction project is complete in 2008. Most concert-goers readily signed, well aware of the auditorium's fine acoustics and value to the community."
"That brings me to the final note of the concert: the venue itself. A petition was circulated prior to the show, calling for the preservation of the Pen-Hi auditorium. Unless city council comes up with a plan to preserve the building by the end of June, the auditorium will face the wrecking ball once the Pen-Hi reconstruction project is complete in 2008. Most concert-goers readily signed, well aware of the auditorium's fine acoustics and value to the community."
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Rosemarie Fulbrook: Losing auditorium would be a blow to the community
The following appeared in the 11 April, 2007, edition of the Penticton Western News:
The fate of the Pen High auditorium has been on my mind for some time and I feel compelled to add my voice to those who are encouraging School District 67 and the City of Penticton to do “due diligence” in determining its future. I must first state that I am writing from one vantage only — and that is as an audience member.
On moving here from Vancouver in the mid ‘90s, I was delighted to find a theatre with such amazing acoustics. Years of studying music and many more years working “front-of-house” at the Civic Theatres (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Orpheum and the Playhouse — all facilities owned and managed by the City of Vancouver), have tuned my ears somewhat and I thought Penticton was blessed to have such an excellent facility.
I felt a certain reluctance to lose the Pen High auditorium when the Penticton and District Performing Arts Facility Society needs assessment recommended a “state-of-the-art performance facility” to be built for Penticton’s 2008 centennial. But, I shrugged the feeling off as “too bad, such a shame” as the report indicated that the aging auditorium could not, cost effectively, be modified to meet current physical and technical performance needs.
Over the past few months, however, it has become increasingly clear that the South Okanagan Event Centre will usurp all the financial resources needed to construct such a state-of-the-art performance facility. It has also become increasingly clear that the City of Penticton had no intention of halting the wrecking ball until the citizens of Penticton and surrounding districts raised their voices in a concerted protest.
A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to hear the Vancouver Chamber Choir in a concert presented by the Penticton Secondary music department. Seated near the back of the almost full 737-seat auditorium, the sound was as intimate and clear as if I’d been sitting in the third row.
Afterwards I thought that this type of concert — professional musicians, students learning about music, the performance arts, and fundraising via an exceptional concert for the community, was probably exactly what the school district and the city had in mind when the facility was constructed in the 1950s.
It may not be state of the art, but it’s what we’ve got and I’d greatly prefer it if Joni Mitchell’s lyric lines, “And don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” didn’t play through my head every time I walked past the parking lot that used to be the Pen High auditorium.
Rosemarie Fulbrook
Kaleden
The fate of the Pen High auditorium has been on my mind for some time and I feel compelled to add my voice to those who are encouraging School District 67 and the City of Penticton to do “due diligence” in determining its future. I must first state that I am writing from one vantage only — and that is as an audience member.
On moving here from Vancouver in the mid ‘90s, I was delighted to find a theatre with such amazing acoustics. Years of studying music and many more years working “front-of-house” at the Civic Theatres (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Orpheum and the Playhouse — all facilities owned and managed by the City of Vancouver), have tuned my ears somewhat and I thought Penticton was blessed to have such an excellent facility.
I felt a certain reluctance to lose the Pen High auditorium when the Penticton and District Performing Arts Facility Society needs assessment recommended a “state-of-the-art performance facility” to be built for Penticton’s 2008 centennial. But, I shrugged the feeling off as “too bad, such a shame” as the report indicated that the aging auditorium could not, cost effectively, be modified to meet current physical and technical performance needs.
Over the past few months, however, it has become increasingly clear that the South Okanagan Event Centre will usurp all the financial resources needed to construct such a state-of-the-art performance facility. It has also become increasingly clear that the City of Penticton had no intention of halting the wrecking ball until the citizens of Penticton and surrounding districts raised their voices in a concerted protest.
A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to hear the Vancouver Chamber Choir in a concert presented by the Penticton Secondary music department. Seated near the back of the almost full 737-seat auditorium, the sound was as intimate and clear as if I’d been sitting in the third row.
Afterwards I thought that this type of concert — professional musicians, students learning about music, the performance arts, and fundraising via an exceptional concert for the community, was probably exactly what the school district and the city had in mind when the facility was constructed in the 1950s.
It may not be state of the art, but it’s what we’ve got and I’d greatly prefer it if Joni Mitchell’s lyric lines, “And don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” didn’t play through my head every time I walked past the parking lot that used to be the Pen High auditorium.
Rosemarie Fulbrook
Kaleden
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Errol Anderson: Losing building inconceivable
The following letter appeared in the Penticton Herald:
Dear Editor:
Being a subscriber to Penticton Community Concerts, I have enjoyed many theatrical and music productions over the years in the Penticton Secondary School Auditorium. This little gem of a theatre is quite unique with its approximately 700 comfortable seats, all with an unobstructed stage view, its marvelous acoustics and its central location.
The thought of losing this heritage building to the wreckers’ ball due to a lack of foresight or intention is inconceivable. What is there to take its place to serve the arts in this community?
I am pleased city council has managed to negotiate a revised decision date with the school board, to June 1 in order, as quoted, to conduct a facilities inventory. Mayor Jake Kimberley has also stated that the city has finite resources and “must be proactive in determining where facility dollars will be required in the future.”
Undoubtedly, this is a task to be undertaken but there is no commitment at this time by council to save our auditorium by their action. Nor will there be, in my opinion, unless those who pay council’s wages make it clear the city must act on the taxpayers’ wishes to retain this fine building for the benefit of us all. Bear in mind the necessary cost to separate this building from the school gymnasium and renew its air-conditioning and hearing systems and upgrade other services can only be miniscule compared to the staggering $17 million cost overrun negotiated by this council in relation to the South Okanagan Event Centre contract.
Do not assume, fellow citizens, that in the review and facilities inventory proposed by council that our auditorium will be given any special priority in their decision-making. It will have to be made clear to them we want our Pen-Hi Auditorium saved for our continued use and for our amateur dramatic societies to be encouraged and supported by its presence. So, make that call, mail that letter, talk to our councilllors. Otherwise, we shall be lectured on finite resources, competing demands and conflicting priorities by our local politicians and lose this treasured facility in the ensuing debate.
Let us unite in our determination in this and ensure council carries out our wishes in the matter.
Errol Anderson
Penticton
Dear Editor:
Being a subscriber to Penticton Community Concerts, I have enjoyed many theatrical and music productions over the years in the Penticton Secondary School Auditorium. This little gem of a theatre is quite unique with its approximately 700 comfortable seats, all with an unobstructed stage view, its marvelous acoustics and its central location.
The thought of losing this heritage building to the wreckers’ ball due to a lack of foresight or intention is inconceivable. What is there to take its place to serve the arts in this community?
I am pleased city council has managed to negotiate a revised decision date with the school board, to June 1 in order, as quoted, to conduct a facilities inventory. Mayor Jake Kimberley has also stated that the city has finite resources and “must be proactive in determining where facility dollars will be required in the future.”
Undoubtedly, this is a task to be undertaken but there is no commitment at this time by council to save our auditorium by their action. Nor will there be, in my opinion, unless those who pay council’s wages make it clear the city must act on the taxpayers’ wishes to retain this fine building for the benefit of us all. Bear in mind the necessary cost to separate this building from the school gymnasium and renew its air-conditioning and hearing systems and upgrade other services can only be miniscule compared to the staggering $17 million cost overrun negotiated by this council in relation to the South Okanagan Event Centre contract.
Do not assume, fellow citizens, that in the review and facilities inventory proposed by council that our auditorium will be given any special priority in their decision-making. It will have to be made clear to them we want our Pen-Hi Auditorium saved for our continued use and for our amateur dramatic societies to be encouraged and supported by its presence. So, make that call, mail that letter, talk to our councilllors. Otherwise, we shall be lectured on finite resources, competing demands and conflicting priorities by our local politicians and lose this treasured facility in the ensuing debate.
Let us unite in our determination in this and ensure council carries out our wishes in the matter.
Errol Anderson
Penticton
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