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Thursday, October 1, 2009
New Westminster's Massey Theatre faces uncertain future
Click on the title to read this Georgia Straight article.
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The City of New Westminster's 1260-seat Massey Theatre is our "Grande Dame". But there's a problem: it's owned by a school board that wants to plough it down. • AN ECONOMIC ENGINE • EFFICIENTLY RUN • OUR HERITAGE
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About the Massey Theatre
Concerned Citizens
WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
• Download the 1-page flyer to print and circulate!
• Download the petition, print, sign, get others to sign (PDF file). Mail to City Hall at 511 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9
Upcoming Meetings:
TBA
• Facebook, join the group! (Already over 2300 members)
• Get involved: contact the Massey Theatre at 604-517-5900 or join the organization email list. [You will be asked to sign in to, or create a Google account.]
• Download the petition, print, sign, get others to sign (PDF file). Mail to City Hall at 511 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9
Upcoming Meetings:
TBA
• Facebook, join the group! (Already over 2300 members)
• Get involved: contact the Massey Theatre at 604-517-5900 or join the organization email list. [You will be asked to sign in to, or create a Google account.]
Niki Hope's blog
WHAT'S GOING ON???
Concerned parents and community members share the belief that the Massey Theatre is a valuable asset to New Westminster. Lack of public consultation will only further delay the urgently needed construction of a new high school. The landmark Massey Theatre is a fundamental piece of our community and has been an inspiration and home to generations of artists, students and community members for 60 years, contributing $2 million a year to local economy - a real success story.
No functioning theatre has been intentionally demolished in Canadian History!*
(except the Capitol Theatre in Halifax, we recently learned.)
WHAT’S GOING ON:
A site for the rebuild of the high school must be selected which avoids land designated by cemetery.
The School District has somehow concluded that the location occupied by Massey Theatre is the simplest option.
The City and School District could swap land to facilitate both the preservation of Massey Theatre and the construction of a new high school while leveraging funds for new athletic facilities. No formal agreement has yet been made.
WHAT WE BELIEVE:
It is crucial to preserve Massey Theatre, upgrade athletic facilities and see the plan for a new high school completed. There has not been enough done to develop an overall plan for the site. We expect decision makers to search for options which don’t result in the permanent loss of unique community assets.
WHAT’S BEING SAID:
An engineer’s report has been distributed which outlines an $18.2 million cost to bring Massey Theatre to state-of-the-art condition (solar panels, elevator, new seats, seismic upgrades).
A risk analysis report has also been distributed revealing much lower investment is required, certainly in the short term.
Elected leaders are suggesting that much smaller performance spaces are an effective replacement for Massey Theatre.
WHAT WE BELIEVE:
The engineer’s report is a wish list of improvements that include many which are not necessary for the theatre to remain operational. The cost of seismic upgrades and renovations is inflated due to the engineer’s plans to tear exterior rooms which are valuable to the building’s operation (band rooms, classrooms, small gym, drama studios) from the building. The necessary work can be done when the funds are in place to do so. The building is safe. A generic flexible performing space is in no way equivalent to this unique, warm, purpose-built theatre, not to mention the loss of seating capacity.
WE ASK: Where will the students of New Westminster find opportunities for personal growth through performance? How will New Westminster’s wonderful arts groups thrive in smaller facilities for which there is no guarantee they will ever be built and no room to grow? Do our leaders place no value in our large community’s need to gather, share cultural experiences and celebrate our talented performers together?
We are calling on leaders from all levels of government to participate in a diligent, thoughtful and open process to determine responsible plans for the site containing NWSS, Massey Theatre, Mercer Stadium and Moody Park Arena and to do it urgently.
Please download the 1-page flyer to print and circulate!
Video from School Board meetings
Take Action
ATTEND A SCHOOL BOARD or CITY HALL MEETING
NWCity Council - TBA
NWSchool Board meeting - TBA
NWSchool Board meeting - TBA
WRITE TO POLITICIANS
You can write to any one or all of the following. (Please note that a handwritten letter is also still highly effective.)
CITY GOVERNMENT
New West Mayor and council at postmaster@newwestcity.ca
SCHOOL TRUSTEES
• School District Chair James Janzen janzen01@telus.net
• the trustee in charge of the High School Jim Goring jgoring@sd40.bc.ca
• Casey Cook casey@caseycook.ca;
• Michael Ewen mewen@shaw.ca;
• Lisa Graham lisa_graham@shaw.ca;
• Lori Watt loriwatt@shaw.ca
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
• MLA Dawn Black Dawn.Black.MLA@leg.bc.ca
• Minister of Education Margaret McDiarmid - margaret.macdiarmid.mla@leg.bc.ca
250 387-3200
250 387-3200
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
• MP Peter Julian - juliap@parl.gc.ca and juliap1@parl.gc.ca
• Minister of Canadian Heritage - James Moore - moorej1a@parl.gc.ca or moorej@parl.gc.ca
CC your message to all of the above and to the Massey Theatre itself, to Executive Director Jessica Scheider jessica@masseytheatre.com.
Let them know that the community affected needs to be consulted on this important issue and that creative solutions need to be found.
Google Group
There are two ways to sign up to join our (google) Organizing Group:
1] If you have a google account or want to get one (it's free), just go to the group's home page and follow the prompts. If you choose this method, it's also easy to Follow this blog.
2] If you don't have a google account and don't want one, then you can request to join by sending an email message to olivercomposer at gmail dot com; please include your real first and last name, and the name of your affiliation, such as the school you (or your child) attends, arts patron, concerned citizen, etc.
Follow this blog
Click on Follow in the box below.
Followers
Janet Wright (actor, director, star of Corner Gas) says:
"Sitting in that theatre makes you feel you are in a real theatre. The kind of place that would do a play that Margot Channing [Bette Davis] was in (All About Eve). It is a beautiful place and there is nothing like it."
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Find out more
City of New Westinster: making the wrong kind of history
"Most Western governments are recognizing the importance of investing in the arts and cultural sector as a significant element of economic stimulus strategies. In fact no functioning live theatre has yet been intentionally torn down in Canadian history."
– from Alliance for Arts and Culture web site
– from Alliance for Arts and Culture web site
Resources
The City's report says…
Massey is one of only two theatres of its size in Metro Vancouver. It is vital to large scale producers like the Royal City Musical Theatre, Royal City Youth Ballet and New Westminster Symphony and to regional producers and presenters due to its size and capabilities. It also serves a growing community of diverse cultural producers and audiences. It has capable professional management and stable, committed board governance. There is a strong community commitment to preserve, protect and reassert the Massey’s position as a premier regional theatre facility. The community looks to the City to provide leadership and stability for what is regarded as a civic asset.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The City of New Westminster to take the initiative and proactively negotiate community ownership or trusteeship of Massey Theatre and adjacent facilities if they become available.
2. Capital funds will be invested to address the functional and cosmetic needs of the facility. In excess of one million dollars in Provincial Infrastructure funding was granted to create civic arts related facilities at 8th Street and 8th Avenue. The funds are site specific. It may be appropriate to use this funding for Massey allowing additional funds to be leveraged from senior levels of government. This would enable improvements more quickly.
3. Access to the theatre is a challenge for many users who require a lower rental cost to support their endeavours. Programming for local audiences is also a challenge. Increased operating funds should be provided to build and sustain professional programming, market the venue to local and regional audiences and allow greater access to the facility.
4. The Massey Theatre should be designated as the Civic Theatre of New Westminster and the City should become a strong partner, on behalf of its citizens, in this community asset.”
Words of wisdon
- "I am told that New Westminster has produced more artists than any city in Canada! The list of those artists is long, an holds distinguished people who have been part of our thriving Arts Community---all nurtured by an amazing home base---The Massey Theatre." – Dolores Kirkwood, Ballet & Musical Theatre teacher
- "What is happening in this town is a cultural holocaust. It's bad enough they are cutting away 90% per cent of the funding. Yesterday I saw that they were trying to eliminate all our local authors. Now today I find them trying to eliminate our place of worship. So they have stolen our food and now they are throwing us out into the streets." – Actor Jay Brazeau
- "It's a facility that has a long and proud tradition in New Westminster but meets the needs of more than just our city. It fills the needs for the whole region," – Dawn Black, MLA, New Westminster
Massey is good for the economy & good investment
· Massey Theatre and its key New Westminster resident arts groups generate combined revenues of over two million dollars per year which are infused directly into the local and regional economies.
· Most Western governments are recognizing the importance of investing in the arts and cultural sector as a significant element of economic stimulus strategies. The arts and cultural sector provides many of the skills and professional training to serve the needs of the creative industries. Investing in the arts and culture is investing in our future.
· The City of Vancouver recently completed a study concluding that for every dollar the municipality invests in arts and culture almost twelve dollars is generated in economic activity.
Blog Archive
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2009
(72)
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October
(42)
- Facebook | Save Massey Theatre | Best part of high...
- New Westminster NewsLeader poll supports the City ...
- Facebook | Save Massey Theatre | School Board meeting
- Facebook | Save Massey Theatre | Halifax's Capitol...
- Facebook | Save Massey Theatre
- Facebook group hits 2000 members!!!
- Speakers plead with trustees to save New Westminst...
- BCLocalNews.com - They don't make them like they u...
- GREAT REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY!
- New Westminster News Leader - MP hopefuls weigh in...
- Board Meeting tonight - October 27th at F.W. Howay...
- New Westminster News Leader - COLUMN: Massey Theat...
- Please vote yes to "Should the City of New Westmin...
- Sid Theatre (Courtenay) speaks out against tearing...
- Destruction of Massey will chase artists from New ...
- Facebook group tops 1700 members
- NWSS Music Auxiliary deeply concerned about Massey...
- SuperBlog!: Save Massey Theatre!
- Society refuses 'offer'
- Massey’s salvation requires only a little faith
- Save Massey (and Mercer) and Build a New School Now!
- MLA says Massey can be saved
- Massey Theatre can be saved
- Joyce Jackson speaks out against destruction of th...
- Actor Jay Brazeau's call for protest against demol...
- Several city heritage sites with uncertain future
- Mayor Wayne Wright opposes spending millions of ci...
- Massey’s future merits thoughtful response
- Why not decommission cemetery - letter to The Record
- Massey Theatre has a friend in Victoria, Dawn Black
- Massey Theatre Society plans anniversary party for...
- Massey Theatre is Imperative to our Multicultural ...
- New West school board chair suggests city could sa...
- Future of Massey Theatre in limbo - Globe and Mail...
- Coun. Lorrie Williams says she will seek a solutio...
- City seeking more information about Massey Theatre...
- Playing Smart, together
- Massey Theatre may face final curtain as it hits a...
- New West Coun. Bill Harper won't promise Massey Th...
- New Westminster's Massey Theatre faces uncertain f...
- Massey Theatre’s future in limbo - New West News L...
- SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCES IT HAS NO INTENTION OF PRES...
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October
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CONTACT INFO
The Save the Massey Theatre Coalition comprises concerned citizens, businesses, and arts organizations and professionals. The coalition has no official organization or offices. To get involved, please contact the Massey Theatre at 604-517-5900.
Please mail or email your letters of concern directly to the levels of government whose contact information is listed in the right-hand column above.
Please mail or email your letters of concern directly to the levels of government whose contact information is listed in the right-hand column above.
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