Launch of a public education campaign for a $59.5 million cultural center
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Whitecourt residents are starting to get answers to long-standing questions about a planned cultural and events center.
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A ‘public education campaign’ was launched today as the building’s ad hoc steering committee made presentations to City Council and the Whitecourt and District Chamber of Commerce executive.
Steering Committee Chairman Norm Hodgson, Performing Arts Society representative Barb Maddigan and City Community Services Manager Chelsea Grande addressed Whitecourt Council at a special meeting this afternoon.
“The opportunities are endless with a facility like this,” Hodgson told the board.
“We bring balance by offering a facility like this to our community. We have great sports and recreation (but) arts and culture has been a weak point in our services.
Hodgson told the council that the center can attract new industry and tourism to the community and serve as an “economic engine” bringing new life to downtown.
The center would include the Arts, Culture and Convention Centre, a new library and the municipal administration office.
A detailed design has been underway since 2020 and was completed by BR2 Architecture, Hodgson told the council.
The price for the installation is $59.5 million, a recent estimate, Grande told the board.
The cost includes the $41.7 million cultural center, as well as $11.2 million for the administration building and $6.6 million for the library, she said.
Of those costs, $32 million or 54% would be covered by grants, Grande said.
She added that a bond loan of $10.1 million would be needed, along with $6.3 million from reserves, $7.1 million from municipal partnerships and $2.6 million from sponsorships.
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Grande said the committee also considered the impact of capital and operating costs on taxes.
For the average home it would be $7.72 per month, for the average small business it would be $20.85 and for the average industrial business it would be $50.51, she said.
If Whitecourt goes ahead with the facility, Hodgson said now is the time.
He said Whitecourt has a $15.6 million Investing in Canada federal grant for the library and cultural center, but it will expire after 2022 if the city does nothing.
“It will reinvigorate an economy that has been in a depression (during) the pandemic,” Hodgson told the council.
The designs have various characteristics:
The “best location” for the center would be “back” at Rotary Park, Hodgson said.
Hodgson told the council that the arts and culture center will include a theater with space for sit-down dinners and other activities.
The theater could accommodate 600 guests, eliminating the need to host performers in gymnasiums, Hodgson said.
“The facility will also have a commercial kitchen,” he said.
“It’s perfect for a big dinner theater, a big wedding or a conference.”
Hodgson acknowledged that not all shows will be profitable, but he said “A-list talent” and dance events will make money.
He cited the Performing Arts Society concerts at the Allan and Jean Millar Center which drew crowds of 900 to 1,500 guests.
“Historically, the company has profited from $10,000 to $15,000 per event,” Hodgson told the board.
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Maddigan told council the proposed library would be about twice the size of the current Whitecourt and District Public Library and include outdoor spaces.
“Imagine grabbing a book and a coffee from the on-site cafe and sitting out on the patio,” Maddigan said.
“The library will also have more space for students looking to study, adult programming, arts classes and those looking for space to rent for meetings.”
When construction begins, the facility will take two years to build, Grande told the council.
Beginning of the public education campaign:
The three-week public education campaign began today with the presentation to the chamber of commerce executive, Hodgson told the council.
He told councilors he felt some members of the executive were receptive and others were “not seeing the vision”, and further presentations are planned for the full chamber and Woodlands County Council.
The cultureandeventscentre.ca website should be launched tomorrow.
The education campaign is designed to reach as many people as possible, Hodgson told the council.
The proposed schedule includes an information evening at Original Joe’s on Monday at 6 p.m., a council roundtable at 7 p.m. on February 10 and open houses on February 16 and 17.
The Feb. 16 virtual open house would take place at 7 p.m. and the Feb. 17 event would take place in person at St. Joseph’s Parish at 7 p.m.
Com. Bill McAree’s motion allowing councilors to attend the roundtable and open house was carried unanimously with all councilors present.