OkotoksOnline/Harrison O'Nyons
Okotoks Town Council has allocated $6.5 million for a joint community-use theatre at a future high school during the April 14 Regular Council Meeting.
The motion was carried five to one, for a theatre at Wedderburn High School, with funding sources of $4.7 million from arts and culture reserves and $1.8 million from reserves.
“This is an opportunity for us to provide the expanded theatre space that our arts and culture groups are looking for,” said Mayor Tanya Thorn. “It gives us an amenity that will serve the community for a long time.”
During the meeting, Thorn raised concerns about the project, including a quick engagement process, a low utilization rate, and financial impacts.
“I’m a huge supporter of performing arts in our community, it’s an economic driver,” she said. “I recognize it’s a significant opportunity that doesn't come around very often, and we need a facility, but I’m concerned about the lack of answers we have on different pieces.”
The town first acquired the land in 2016 for a future Foothills School Division (FSD) school site.
Since then, there have been ongoing conversations between town administration and the FSD about designs incorporating community use.
“There was a conversation around if we could have an expanded theatre that would meet the needs of our arts and culture community,” Thorn said.
She added that when the land was purchased, the intent was to create a community hub, featuring schools and recreational amenities.
“It isn't in our strategic plan, putting in a theatre at this moment in time, but this was an opportunity that came to us that we needed to consider,” Thorn said.
At the moment, Okotoks' only community performing arts space is the Old Church Theatre, formerly known as the Rotary Performing Arts Centre.
“This would be a bigger space. We're looking at somewhere between 250 and 350 seats, but the final design is yet to come to council,” Thorn said.