Development of Theatre, Arts and Cultural centre.
With the recent sale of Nechako Theatre and uncertainty of its future, I have began putting pen to paper, hoping Kitimat will be again to view movies on the big screen in the future. A problem facing the community of Kitimat, when a bussinessman wants to either retire or move on to a different venture, they have a hard time selling their business. So in return they either sell off to any other individual, regardless of their future plans for the future or simply shut down shop. We have seen this with North Coast Lawn and Garden, Action Sport and Cycle, the Scrap Metal salvage facility on Forest Ave and many more.
My solution is to creat a non-profit theatre, arts and cultural centre. The propsed facility would have twin theatres, a large art gallery, a cultural centre to display local haisla artifacts and aritifacts from other cultures in Kitimat. The twin theatres would play the regular Hollywood movies, plus other Independant Films and documentaries (something for all ages and interests), the art gallery could display and sell local art for commision and the cultural centre could help teach Kitimat’s youth about the Haisla culture and the importance of protecting the environment. Kitimat could see a yearly held film festival at the Arts and Cultural centre, and the art gallery would make a great tourist attraction. The best location for the facility would be somewhere in the downtown area, possibly adjacent to the Kiwanis village and connected to the mountainview square parking lot.
just a thought,
Mark
Those are great ideas Mark – I’m not sure how we would go ahead with this though – we’d obviosly have to start from scratch now, without the use of an appropriate building to use, but how? And how will we come up with the money to build a building of this magnitude?
Anyway, I just found these items on this very subject.
All seam like really good reads. (Have bookmarked them anyway)
1) http://exhibitionresearch.blogspot.com/
2) http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/downtowns/dma/12.cfm
3) http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/downtowns/ltb/lets/Mar05ltb.html
(Well…Interesting atleast, at any rate)
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoHello Sheila,
The best way to go about would be form a non-profit organization (we would have to be a recognized business(gst number, etc) then register as a non-profit organization). I would like too see a board of memebers put together (volunteers of course) approx. ten in total. However any others willing to volunteer will not be turned away. I would like to use the Kitimat Bulk Port project as a template. First estimating demand, feasibilty, land acqusition and cost of construction. Another project that really catches my attention is the “Terrace multiplex”. Terrace was able to collect donations from local organizations and have construction companies volunteer their services. This could cut down on costs significantly. We would have to get all memebers of the community on board, because being a fresh starting non-profit organzition will be hard enough, having to overcome conflict will be crushing. I would like to see an aggresive timeline on this project, hopefully no more than 2 years. As far as funding/financing we could apply for many government grants that support arts development. There are two other regional orginations we could seek funding through “NDI Trust” and “Nechako-Kitamaat Development fund”.
Mark
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoP.S Sheila,
thanks for the links, they could be very useful.
Posted 2 years, 7 months agoHere is an exert that is very relative to this sort of facility.
Acadia Cinema Cooperative: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,
pop 3,658. Cooperatively Owned
Originally built in 1911, renovation of the theatre was complete in 2004 by the Acadia Cinema Cooperative. This non-profit co-op is comprised of members who purchased shares for $100 each. The shares provide members with voting rights and the option to redeem the shares at face value after four years. In addition to the shares, the cooperative solicits donations including “buying” a seat in the theatre or a star in the lobby. Other financial assistance comes from the city, which has reduced the property tax rate to that of a residence, as it does with other non-profits in the area. The building itself is co-owned with the neighboring business, Just Us Coffee. This complementary business also runs a café in the street-front part of the building, creating an inviting entrance to both the coffee shop and theatre.
The cooperative makes the facility available to groups for a fee of $250 per screening or live event. The local non-profit, the Fundy Film Society, is currently booking for all other film groups using the space including family film and university groups. Groups using the theatre provide either paid or volunteer staffing for ticket sales, concessions and other help. Current renters are breaking even on concessions as they strive to make the prices reasonable, said Bill Zimmerman of Acadia Cinema Cooperative.
Posted 2 years, 7 months ago