Second forum held to discuss proposed performance arts theatre

Don Kuchison, Chris Smeaton, and Scott Korbett
T. Lucas photo

Toni Lucas

Pincher Creek Rotary Club hosted a second public meeting in the Ranchland Mall on Tuesday, April 29 to discuss going forward with the planning for a new performance arts theatre in Pincher Creek . Over 60 people were in attendance. Rotary's Scott Korbett ran the meeting.  Also in attendance were Chris Smeaton, Superintendent of Schools for Holy Spirit Catholic School Division , and St. Michael's School Principal Don Kuchison.  They were available to answer questions because the proposed placement of the theatre is on St. Michael's School's property.  Smeaton addressed many of the concerns raised about the joint use agreement that arose from the first meeting.  The concerns that were brought forward during this meeting were more directed towards financial aspects of the proposal.  Marketing and business plans, fundraising, and the tight timelines were on the minds of many in attendance.

Korbett explained that they are only five weeks into the discussion phase of the project, saying Rotary is finding out at this point if it is something that the community wants, and if the group should continue pursuing the idea.

"I am going to start with the joint use," said Chris Smeaton.  "I've been involved in two very successful joint use agreements.  The idea is that the city or town come together with the school and they draft it.  You put in what you require.  The idea of a joint use agreement is ensuring that it is joint use.  That is key.  You ensure that all parties have equal access.  I'm not going to lie, off the bat, wherever it is going to be situated will have an advantage because of proximity.  How well you spell out your joint use is how well it's distributed."

"You can make to joint use so tight there are no losers," Smeaton continued.  "That's the best joint use you can have." Smeaton then addressed the issue of the tight timeline for the project, which is tied to upcoming renovations at St. Michael's.  "If we want to open by September 2016, which is the requirement that the Alberta Government is targeting, we have to move pretty quick.  If we can't come to any forward motion, we as a school system have to move forward because we have to open that modernization in 2016."

"The government is not going to allow education and infrastructure dollars to be put forth to any of this.  The 11.65 million dollars that we (St. Michael's) get is for the modernization only.  Your savings is going to come from land, and the possibility, and I just  say possibility of a joint mechanical plan.  Plant operations, maintenance, would come out of the town, or the user groups.  The school division would not take on any of those costs."

Smeaton outlined what he sees as  the benefits of having the facility in Pincher Creek, having it attached to a school, and how condominium agreements and shared mechanical structures could help both parties.  "If we are going to build this, everybody has to agree that it's for the Town of Pincher Creek," said Smeaton.  "The only way that this moves forward is if people believe that it's good for the town of Pincher Creek, period."  When he was asked about timelines he explained his position,  "We will have our re-visioning on May 14.  Our architect has a construction plan, and I would have to be inserting it.  I would venture to say we can't be any later than June 1 to June 30. Somewhere in June."

"It will be in a state of demolition (St. Michael's), and that will make it easier, right off the bat," said Rotary's Scott Korbett.  The group has met with an architect that specializes in theatres.    Korbett explained that they broke down the cost of the facility:  $450 per square foot, 300 seat theatre, 50 square feet/seat is the standard = $6.5 to $7 million dollars.  This was a price tag that upset many in the audience.

"Everything we do from this point is going to cost somebody money.  Either the Rotary Club, the Town of Pincher Creek, the school division, whoever.  We are trying to get more of an idea of 'Do we want it, or do we not want to carry forward with it?'."  He explained that even if they continue to pursue the project by doing market research, creating a marketing plan, a business plan, and fundraising there would still be 'bail out points' if the community said no, or other targets were not met.  However, those points would have to be written into the joint use agreement.

"This is a want, not a need," said Korbett.  He expressed that this is a project that will require "Forward thinking people finding solutions to make things work," and said he believes there is still a lot of room to find those people and solutions.  "Whoever is really interested is going to have a say in how this happens,"  he explained, saying there will be a steering committee and meetings with involved parties.

Rotarian Dr. Ken Butler addressed the issue of placement that was brought forward repeatedly in the first meeting.  He compared the current idea to a stand alone facility, and to what would happen if the idea was applied by re-engineering the Foothills Mennonite Church or the Pincher Creek Community Hall.   He said  the cost to rework flooring to slope for stadium seating becomes cost prohibitive, and costs for the rest of the required changes including the stage, change rooms and other design points would  involve compromises. He said the fact is that those buildings were not built with this purpose in mind, so there are acoustic engineering and design flaws.  "The cost of turning these into a theatre would almost same cost as building one from the beginning."  He said with a stand-alone building there would be the costs of buying the land, getting services, road, and parking that would be added to the cost.

St. Michael's Principal Don Kuchison spoke to the issues raised by having the theatre attached to the school.  "In 14 years I have seen times when we've co-operated with each other, but I have also seen times when we've also been pitted against each other, and purposely pitted against each other," he said.  "That's hurt all our schools.  We have a wonderful opportunity to start breaking down some of those barriers."  He said he did recognize that St. Michael's has a proximity advantage in this scenario.  He talked about some of the various programming that happens at Matthew Halton School but not at St. Micheal's that attracts student to that Halton and enriches the overall community.   He expressed that offering a wide ranging and diverse educational experience to the students in the area improves the area as a whole.  "If we can work out a really great joint use agreement, I see so many opportunities."

"Let me tell you a little about live theatre," said Windy Hollow Players Member Gerry Alex.  "It is so well accepted.  To prove that I am right, simply go to a  performance in Cardston."  He talked about the last performance he attended there, 'Annie'.  "There was an enthusiasm there, I wish I could relate it to you."

"Shell has laid off people, Teck has laid off people, we need to figure out if this is going to be sustainable in our community,"  said teacher Savi Houldin, who was one of the people in attendance who expressed that they would like to see more about logistics, marketing, and a business plan.  She suggested using town utility bills as a way of dispersing information. According to Korbett, as the project progresses there will be information dispersed to the media.

Livingstone Range School Board Trustee Shannon Scherger wanted to understand more about the joint use agreement.  "Help me clarify that this is going to be something that will be solid for a lifetime, not just the collective, collaborative 'we' that are in the room, right now," she said.

The want-versus-need issue was brought up a number of times throughout the discussion.  Kelly Cooley related his experiences of living and working in Edmonton.  "I worked with kids in a grade 6 classroom in an after-school program.  Those kids didn't care about their socio-economics.  They wanted to be inspired.  Let's come to the conclusion of 'Do we want to do this?', then see if we can."

Dr. Jared Van Bussel suggested that there is a lot of money that leaves town to attended facilities elsewhere. He said that is money leaving this community, when it could be coming in. He explained that many miss out on experiences because that do not travel for their interests.  If the facilities were here it would lower the time/travel ratio encouraging people to attend events here and attract others to the community, both short and long term.  "We have to look overall, at this as what does this mean, from a business prospective."  He also suggested sponsorship for part of the funding.

Doug Thornton was in attendance, as a citizen.  "There is a piece of property that would be allocated to this development, adjacent to the school, but not a part of it?" he asked.  Once he found out that this was so he asked,  "What's the rush?  Can we not set aside a piece of property, as part of your footprint, and then go through the things that need to be done?  If the two buildings didn't rise out of the ground simultaneously, it would not be the end of the world, I don't think.  It would be a lot better if we were not under such serious time pressure."

Scott Korbett encouraged people to continue to formulate their ideas and concerns and said that there will be further public meetings.

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Rotary Club seeks support for new performing arts theatre in Pincher Creek