COLD LAKE – The City of Cold Lake’s council is the first municipality to commit a dollar amount to a fine arts theatre proposed to be constructed in the Town of Bonnyville by the Clayton Bellamy Foundation for the Arts.
The City’s council has committed $85,000 to the construction of a performing arts theatre that looks to serve the entire Lakeland region.
On May 10, the foundation presented its business plan and request for funding to council at a regular council meeting.
“A purpose-built performing arts venue for our local musicians and theatre groups to showcase and hone their skills is something that we don’t currently have anywhere in the Lakeland, and it’s something that would truly benefit the region,” said Cold Lake’s Mayor Craig Copeland.
“There are plans to eventually build a performing arts venue at the Energy Centre, but that project is still several years away, and it would likely come after the proposed aquatic centre is built at the Energy Centre. In the meantime, this new theatre will provide a place for the current generation of actors and musicians to improve their skills and perform, while giving our residents a new option for family entertainment through live concerts, recitals and performances,” he said.
The anticipated 300-seat venue with the estimated budget of $1.02 million will be built on the site of the former Lyle Victor Albert Centre, which was demolished in 2021 during the renovation of Bonnyville Centralized High School.
Copeland continued, “Council recognizes this is a large sum of money to commit to a facility that is being built in another municipality, but we feel it will be a great benefit to our residents and will help drive the music and performing arts scene all across the Lakeland.”
However, the City’s financial commitment does come with the stipulation that construction must begin within two years.
The foundation’s Vice President Lise Fielding previously told Lakeland This Week that the organization hopes to have the theatre done by the fall of 2023, prior to students returning to class.
RELATED STORY: Funding remains uncertain for proposed fine arts theatre in Bonnyville
Not the first Cold Lake contribution
Following the closure of the Grand Parlour theatre in Cold Lake and the folding of the Cold Lake Arts & Entertainment Society (CLAES), the society made the decision to donate much of their physical assets to the Clayton Bellamy Foundation.
The donation of staging equipment and furnishing from CLAES came with the expectation that the items would be reused in the community to continue to keep the arts alive in the region.
The CLAES board ultimately made the decision because they felt the foundation has a similar goal of reaching youth in the community and offering a space for the performing arts.
RELATED STORY: Another blow to the Lakeland art scene
