Village Squire, 1979-09, Page 30tried to raise funds for the building's
renovation. Potential donors wanted to
know what the proposed budget would be
for the first year of operation, wanted to
know just what groups would be using the
facility and how much the place would cost
to operate. The study attempts to answer
the questions and is a pleasant surprise,
Mrs. Wallace says in that it shows that the
operation costs of the building are not out
of line.
Plans for the centre have been scaled
down somewhat from the first visual
conceptions published for the project which
showed the livery stable with a foyer area
added to one side a courtyard and a new
building of shops and offices on the other
side of the courtyard on property which the
foundation also got in the deal that brought
them the stable. Today, Mrs. Wallace
says, the 16 or so members of the
foundation have realized that they're going
to have to work on a phased program. The
first phase will be to get the building itself
into operation.
Part of phase one has already been
completed with a group of volunteers
stripping away the interior of the building
to expose the bare beams. and walls. The
rest of the first phase, however, awaits
finding the money to do the work. It will
include finishing the walls, building the
stage at the back end of the building,
putting washrooms, box-office and foyer in
the front end and putting in the seating of
the theatre in the centre section.
• In the interests of flexibility plans for the
theatre itself have changed. Originally it
has been planned to excavate and provide a
sloped floor for best visibility for patrons.
Now to maintain flexibility in the building
the flat floor will remain with more flexible
bleacher -type seating installed, similar to
that in theatres such as Theatre London's
McManus Studio. The foundation's archit-
ects Hill and Borgal of Goderich have
retained the use of Lett -Smith, the
architects who built Theatre London and
the Shaw Festival Theatre to get expert,
experienced advice.
Cost of getting the building into
operation under phase one would be about
S80,000 Mrs. Wallace expects. Architect
Nick Hill says the actual work isn't that
complicated and the building could
probably be ready for use within three
months from starting the construction.
If current plans go ahead the theatre
wouTdat 230 to 250 people, Mrs. Wallace
says. The building would allow for a stage
of about 28 feet in width and a 30 foot deep
stage and still leave room behind for
dressing rooms and other facilities. The
roomy stage would be a welcomed relief for
those used to presenting theatre on the
cramped stage of McKay Hall.
Mrs. Wallace says that it is hoped that
groups such as the Little Theatre, the high
1 school drama students, small music groups
and entertainment booked in from
elsewhere in the country will find a home in
the new centre. Heather Lyons, in charge_
28 Village Squire, September 1979
of fundraising for the building says that the
centre has to house as many groups as are
compatible in rrder to make it feasible. She
says that the feasibility study helps the
group to make the best possible use of the
building.
Mr. Hill says one of the biggest
obstacles facing the supporters of the
project is convincing people tiyat the new
centre will not be duplicating facilities
already available in places such as Grand
Bend and Blyth. People have to be
convinced, he says that this is a small
project designed for the use of the
townspeople of Goderich itself. not
something to rival the more regional
centres nearby.
The job of the architects at this point, he
says it to provide a sort of vision of the
physical asset of what the building can be.
The goal is to make use of the shell without
making such radical alterations as to raise
the question why one didn't start from
scratch. It means a compromise against
using the building to 100 per cent
efficiency he says but this is made up for by
the saving of having a shell of a building to
begin with. The idea, he says is to provide
the human comfort conditions (heating, air
conditioning etc.) and let the users of the
building use it. The architects job, he says
is relatively simple compared to the job of
the board members.
Heather Lyons is in charge of the major
task the committee faces, raising the
needed money. Funding from sources such
as Wintario, and the Ontario Heritage
Foundation have been explored, she says.
Some private foundation money has
already flowed in. especially from the local
Sully Foundation which not only gave
generously but aided in pointing the way
about where to get the best advice. Now
that the feasibility study is nearly complete
fundraising can begin in earnest.
Some fundraising already been done.
This summer mystery tours of prominent
houses in the area were organized. There
have been several happenings in the old
building to raise money and interest.
Presently a lottery offering works of art as
prizes is under way with the draw to be
made on Thanksgiving Weekend.
For the 'first time Goderich's art centre
dreams have gotten past the dream stage.
It will now depend on the energy and
enthusiasm of the foundation members and
the generosity of Goderich area residents
to see if the project does reach completion
this time. If it does. the old livery stable
will indeed have found new life.
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