Since I last wrote in late October (sorry about that, but life got in the way...) a wonderful new development has given hope to those of us who still hold on to the hope a new performing arts centre might indeed someday come to downtown St. Catharines. This new development comes by way of a very generous pledge of $ 15-million late last month from philanthropist Marilyn Walker. This is the same family that made the Walker Family YMCA a reality several years ago in St. Catharines, among numerous other projects that only better our way of life here in Niagara.
This endowment - the largest donation Brock University has ever received - will help build the foundation, if you will, for a much-anticipated school of fine and performing arts for Brock, which has indicated it wants the new facility in the downtown core. This should stimulate interest and plans for an accompanying performing arts centre, also in the downtown core. How long this process may take is anyone's guess, but lets face it, after the numerous delays and false starts to get the ball rolling over the years, this is the first concrete step towards making the dream a reality. Let's put pressure on our civic leaders to get the lead out and get moving while we have the momentum! I have talked to St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullen and he appears to be giving more than mere lip service to the project, and might actually be the one to put the shovel into the ground to start construction, if everything plays out as it should. Now, wouldn't that be a nice change from all the civic politicians who say they want to revitalize downtown, but have no clue how to go about it. This mayor and council at least seems prepared to do the grunt work involved in making the dream a reality.
If you still harbour doubts a performance space in the downtown core can help to revitalize the area, one need only travel a little north to Guelph, where a spanking new state-of-the-art facility opened in October of 1997, right in the heart of downtown, and their core continues to thrive. True, the downtown was always strong there even beforehand, but the performance space gave another reason to come downtown, and people do on a very regular basis. This was achieved by all three levels of government working together, as could be the case here. I was there at the opening in Guelph of the River Run Centre 11 years ago, and I still remember the optimism people felt on that first day. That optimism is still there; there's no reason we cannot duplicate it here.
The likely location has to be the old Canada Haircloth building fronting the lower-level parking lot, which I understand the city has been working towards expropriating for just such a purpose. Look at the advantages of the location: ample parking in the lower-level lot; easy access and great visibility from the nearby 406 highway, and a location right in the heart of downtown on the main street. Add to that the close proximity of the highly-regarded James Street shopping district and a wealth of excellent restaurants already within a short walk of the location, and everything is there. All we need to do is water this seed and make it grow!
I don't think anyone will complain if we invest in our future by way of a proper performing arts space tied to Brock University; after all, the much talked about Seymour-Hannah Sports Complex just west of the downtown was also an investment in another sector of our community. In spite of some initial grumblings about the cost of the facility, I think everyone will agree the extra rink space is a boon to the city and has helped to bring in events we might not otherwise be able to host in St. Catharines. The new performing arts centre can do no less for the downtown.
So that brings us back to the $ 15-million endowment made last month by Marilyn Walker. What a grand gesture by a wonderful lady who believes in our city! Let's start believing in it, too. Can a Marilyn Walker Performing Arts Centre bring new life to our much-maligned city centre? You bet it can, and we had better not waste time making it a reality. Let's all work together on this and before you know it, Guelph won't be the only mid-size Ontario city able to point to it's city centre as a model for others to follow.
November 15th, 2008.
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