Surrey wants to build a new performing arts centre in the city centre area, somewhere close to the new city hall under construction and the new library which was officially opened in September.
A press release last week said that Bing Thom Architects has been selected as the architectural consultant for the project. The firm has been responsible for much of the transformational look of the area, notably the new library and the Central City tower, which houses Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus.
“The City of Surrey has a half million residents and we need a major performing arts facility if we’re going to create a dynamic downtown core and foster our creative economy,” Mayor Dianne Watts stated in the press release. “Arts and culture are the heart and soul of a city and play an essential role in education and learning.”
She is correct about the important role that arts and culture play in successful cities. It is also important that the city centre area, which most of us know as Whalley, eventually be the home of the city’s main arts centre.
But what about the existing Surrey Arts Centre in Bear Creek Park? The city has spent millions on it over the years, doing a major upgrade on several occasions. It is a popular destination for arts lovers. The Arts Club Theatre company just performed Don Quixote in the main theatre, and Saturday’s two performances attracted large crowds.
There is also the Bell Centre, which is attached to Sullivan Heights Secondary School on 144 Street. It is able to handle larger crowds than the arts centre theatre, and frequently hosts a wide variety of shows. It has good seating, a spacious but spartan lobby area and lots of parking. I’ve attended numerous shows there and enjoyed them.
The Chandos Pattison Auditorium at Pacific Academy in Fraser Heights is also a large facility and hosts a variety of shows.
Clearly, there is a need for facilities that host arts and cultural events. But is Surrey ready for a very large facility, with “at least 1,600 seats” (according to the press release)?
It seems that if such a facility goes ahead in the near future, it will hurt the other venues, one of which the city operates. It also may be one project too much in the city centre area, at least for the present.
The city is spending hundreds of millions in the area, on upgraded facilities and new buildings. This is important spending if the Whalley area is truly to become the city centre.
Taxpayers also need to get full consideration. How much spending can they be expected to shoulder at a time when property taxes go up regularly (about three per cent this year) and incomes are not growing for most people?
The city also needs to carefully consider just how much debt it wants to take on. It is in the midst of an ambitious facilities program, with new facilities being built all over the city. A growing city needs these amenities. But is it necessary to build a new arts centre in the near future?
The Bing Thom firm will oversee site selection, location of the new facility on the new site, budget preparation, and project timelines. It will consult with the community, City staff, the steering committee and other stakeholders to deliver the project program, which is expected to be completed by this July.
Watts said in the press release that the city hopes for participation from senior levels of government and the private sector. That may be a faint hope at present. Both the federal and provincial governments are very restraint minded at present, and other than naming rights, private sector participation will likely be minimal, given the current economic environment.
The idea of a theatre in the city centre is a good one. However, timing is crucial. Residents need to pay attention to the project’s timeline when more details come out this summer.
Frank Bucholtz writes Thursdays for the Peace Arch News. He is the editor of the Langley Times.