The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is Coming!

Thank you to all of you, for your names and letters in support of the future Performing Arts Centre in Burlington. PAB received over 776 names and letter of support, which were presented to committee last night. After a very long evening, the Community and Corporate Services Committee of council voted in favour of moving to the detailed design phase of the project. This was the vote we were hoping for. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is a REALITY! Over 100 people filled the council chambers and seven delegations made their presentations. As was said many times last night this was a momentus occasion. Congratulations to all of you and thank you for speaking up.

If you would like more information about the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, it's available on the City of Burlington website as well as Performing Arts Burlington's website.

-- Deb Tymstra President, Performing Arts Burlington

Urgent - The Burlington Performing Arts Centre Needs Your Help!

Performing Arts Burlington is looking for its members and friends to show support for the performing arts centre. Please read the letter below and if you agree and would like to show your support publicly, please email info@performingartsburlington.com indicating your name, and the names of any others who would like to be included in your reply. We will be attempting to have this letter published in the Burlington Post on Friday, February 15th, and will be presenting it to the Community and Corporate Services Committee of Burlington City Council on Tuesday, February 19th, at 7:00pm. Please also plan to attend that meeting, held in the council chambers of city hall. This is vitally important to the future of the Performing Arts Centre.

Looking forward to your reply,
Deb Tymstra President, Performing Arts Burlington

Letter of Support NEEDED
A Performing Arts Centre for the Citizens of Burlington

For thirty years those who enjoy theatre, dance and music have shared a vision for a centre for the performing arts in Burlington - a centre to appreciate, participate in and enjoy the creative talent of, musicians, dancers and actors of all ages, who proudly call Burlington home - a centre that will attract entertainers from other cities and countries. Why travel to Oakville, Hamilton, Toronto, Mississauga and beyond when we can be entertained here? Why spend our hard earned money in other communities when we can spend it at home?

The arts are not a "frill". They are an enormous part of our economy and how we enjoy life. A performing arts centre is the missing link in the facilities that significantly contribute to our quality of life, our economy and our sense of community. It is a community need, as important as recreational facilities, parks, libraries, museums and art galleries. The time has come to make this vision a reality.

We support the performing arts centre, as performers, as people who will be entertained and most importantly as people who live and work proudly in Burlington, north, south east and west.

Signed,

YOU! Email us at info@performingartsburlington.com to get your name added in support of the Performing Arts Centre!

Federal Goverment Pledges $2.5 million to Burlington's Performing Arts Centre

In a press conference held Friday afternoon at 2:30pm, Federal Minister of Canadian Hertitage and the Status of Women Beverley Oda announced that the Burlington Performing Arts Centre would received $2.5 million dollars in federal funding.

This falls a little short of the $4 million the City of Burlington was hoping to receive. However, Mayor Cam Jackson and MP Mike Wallace are still optimstic about future funding from the provincial government as well as local supporters.

The Performing Arts Centre is designed for shows presented by local arts groups, as well as performers from across Canada and around the world. The Centre is located in the heart of Burlington’s downtown at the corner of Locust and Elgin, just behind City Hall, and a stone’s throw from Spencer Smith Park on the lake.

Conceptual design for the building has been completed and City Staff are in the process of selecting a detailed design architect, who will base the final building plans on the existing concepts. The building will contain two theatres: the Main Stage Theatre, with its full fly tower, is expected to have about 718 seats, and the multi-purpose Studio Theatre will seat about 250 on fully-retractable seats. With these two options, there are endless possibilities for the kinds of performances we will be able to see at this theatre.

The Campaign for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, co-chaired by Keith Strong and Gary DeGroote, has seen great success to date. The Fundraising Cabinet is fast approaching the $10 million mark, with well over $9 million in funding already collected.

For more information, and to donate to the Campaign for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, please contact Sandra Baker, City of Burlington, at 905-335-7600, extension 7484, or by e-mail at bakers@burlington.ca