New West school board chair suggests city could save Massey Theatre

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EXCERPT:

Dolores Kirkwood, founder of the Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts and the only dancer awarded the Order of British Columbia, told the Straight by phone that she thinks it's essential to save the Massey Theatre.

She pointed out that there are no other theatres of its size in the region outside of downtown Vancouver.

"I feel sure that if it was a sports venue, they would never tear it down," Kirkwood said. "Over the years, the arts and sports have gone hand-in-hand in this city, and they've got to keep doing that."

The city is planning to build a 300-to-400-seat theatre as part of a civic complex downtown. Kirkwood said that this can't compare with the Massey Theatre—which she claimed is still a well-functioning venue.

She noted that a traditional theatre, such as the Massey, has a proscenium and has sufficient space to hang sets and provide proper lighting. She said that a smaller theatre won't offer nearly as much to the performers or the audiences.