Each member of city council spoke optimistically Monday night about the idea of Prince George having its very own performing arts centre (PAC) but they could afford to. The prospect of it coming to fruition, however, remains a dream, for now at least.
The detractors are wrong about the PAC. It's a great idea and it would be a fantastic addition to Prince George. Unfortunately, it's also an idea whose time has not yet come. As a detailed city staff report noted, there is no interest at the moment from either the federal or provincial government in investing $15 million each in the $51 million plan.
The report put Victoria at being five to eight years away from investing in such a facility, which happens to be around the time the Liberal government hopes to have several major LNG projects come online. Although there is a federal election next fall and an expected budget surplus from the Conservatives could loosen the purse strings, the proceeds will be spent in swing ridings Stephen Harper wants to take from Justin Trudeau and Tom Mulcair, not in a city that joins two of the safest Conservative ridings in Canada outside of rural Alberta.
Money isn't the only problem the PAC proposal faces.
The city report makes it clear that the PAC needs Theatre North West as a major tenant but Theatre North West doesn't really need the PAC. TNW has a great home it uses exclusively in the Parkhill Centre. To even consider a move, the theatre company says it wants control and exclusive use of the 250-seat smaller theatre planned for the PAC, as well as no impact to their current budget and full control of ticketing and scheduling. In other words, they want to move into a new venue without giving up anything they already have. Furthermore, they're not crazy about moving downtown because of parking and security concerns.
That's hardly a ringing endorsement from a group that should be a fierce ally.
Instead, the Performing Arts Centre Society and the city need a change in direction for this worthwhile project to happen in anyone's lifetime.
It's time to abandon the $51-million downtown arts palace, which is $12 million more than what the new RCMP detachment cost to build. The proposed PAC location at the corner of George and Queensway would have limited parking and no space for extra features city councillors said they'd like to see, like classrooms.
Fortunately, the report does point to an excellent alternative. For $31 million or $20 million less, a renovation and expansion of Vanier Hall at PGSS could happen. There are some perfectly good classrooms already there, as well as ample parking. A separate entrance with lobby would allow for liquor sales. True, the PAC wouldn't be downtown but the primary role for the centre is a venue for the performing arts, not to revitalize downtown. Building the PAC for all of Prince George is far more important than building it for downtown. Yes, renovations can be even more expensive than building from scratch but the recent reno of Kin 1 for the 2015 Canada Winter Games is a great local example of how to modernize an old and tired facility on a budget.
Furthermore, the PAC attached to Vanier Hall would create amazing learning opportunities for high school students, as well as students across the street at CNC, in trades (carpentry, electrical and welding for set design) as well as the obvious shadowing and apprenticing that could go on for students in drama, music and the visual arts.
Once there is a definitive plan on the table, with a firm construction and operating budget, design and location, a referendum should be held, not because it's legally necessary but because this project needs social licence. Even the $31 million Vanier Hall renovation would require more than $9 million from the city and $3 million from the private sector under the current funding model. Voters deserve to have their say on that kind of investment and if the voters are always right, as the old saying goes, the PAC society has nothing to worry about by letting the electorate decide.
The refit of Vanier Hall wouldn't be ideal but neither is the brand-new downtown building currently proposed. What separates them, however, are 20 million reasons to pursue a cheaper alternative that delivers on the majority of the goals of a PAC, with a few unexpected benefits thrown in for good measure.
