A group of entertainment enthusiasts in Kelowna, B.C., is once again calling on the city to build a new world-class performing arts centre.
Citizens for a New Performing Arts Centre (CN-PAC), formed in 2020, aims to generate community support for a replacement for the Kelowna Community Theatre. They feel that the 60-year-old building is showing its age.
“We believe that the way to make it move forward at this point is to get a task force formed,” expressed CN-PAC vice-president, Myles Bruckal.
“A task force actually has participation from people in the public and also the councillors. So, it would be focusing on this rather than other things.”
The current facility hosts roughly 250 shows a year, but with a capacity of 850 people, Bruckal says a larger, more modern facility would be vital to the local economy.
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“We did a capacity study which takes a more realistic, regional view of the facility, and they’ve determined that we could support 1,600 seats, so it’s kind of a beneficial thing that will help everyone throughout the valley,” said Bruckal.
“It would be huge for all the bars, restaurants and hotels in the area, too.”
Bruckal fears the longer the city stalls on a replacement for the aging building, the harder it will be to attract performers.
“There’s lots of things like backstage rooms, lighting, music, sound — all those things we need to replace,” said Bruckal.
“We can’t get big Broadway plays; we can’t get a lot of other things because they don’t have the technical ability to support those programs.”
Global News reached out to the City of Kelowna for an interview, and while they were unable to accommodate the request, they will be providing an update in the near future.
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