Village Squire, 1980-09, Page 12Looking over from a small playground on Queen Street, Kitchener's new Centre in the Square appears as an attractive eye catching
structure. A long awaited complex, Centre in the Square will house the Kitchener -Waterloo Art Gallery and become the new home
for the Kitchener -Waterloo Symphony Orchestra
photo by Heer
Centre in the Square
Big time music and culture comes to Kitchener
BY JIM HEER
It took 15 years of discussion, seven
consecutive proposals to seven city
councils, $10.9 million and less than two
years construction time to build Kitch-
ener's new arts complex - the Centre in
the Square.
Located north on Queen Street in
Kitchener just minutes away from the
downtown core, the new red -brown
brick structure is surrounded by noble
elm and maple trees in an area of town
architecturally reminiscent of a century
ago.
Standing in the company of the
Kitchener Public Library, the Provincial
Court House and the Waterloo Regional
Police Station, the Centre in the Square
shares an area recently subjected to the
commercial aspirations of entre-
preneurs able to appreciate the eco-
nomic benefits that might be derived
from the new complex.
For the most part, the residential area
PG. 10 VILLAGE SQUIRE/SEPTEMBER 1980
surrounding the arts complex has
become a circle of For Sale signs pitted
in the front lawns of older two-storey
brick homes that might soon shelter the
wares of innovative merchants and
restaurateurs.
Serving a metropolitan population of
about 350,000, the Centre in the Square
has been long awaited since its first
drafted plans were presented to Kitch-
ener city council some 15 years ago.
VICTORY CELEBRATION
Upon receiving final approval from
city council and other involved com-
munity organizations, the November 9,
1978 ground breaking ceremonies were
more of a victory celebration for those
individuals who struggled with the
theatre dream for 15 years.
Today, there is no turning back.
Completion is scheduled for early
September with a five day community
preview festival September 20 to 25,
and a Gala Opening Concert, to follow
September 27 and 28.
With guest and community musicians
and vocalists, the gala concert will
include a performance of Mahler
Symphony number two, featuring
mezzo soprano Janice Taylor and
soprano Gaelyne Gabora.
Conducted by Raffi Armenian, the
concert will include the Kitchener -
Waterloo Symphony Orchestra with
members of the London Symphony
Orchestra, the Kitchener Bach Choir,
the Menno Singers, the Laurier Singers,
the Wilfrid Laurier University Choir and
the Victor Martens Chamber Singers.
Designed by acoustitian Russell
Johnson and Artec, a New York design
consultants firm, the Centre in the
Square has slated a variety of perform-
ers for its first season. They range from
Burton Cummings to Barbar the
Elephant; from the Rocky Horror Show
to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet; from Don
Harron to a Gospel Song Fest, all