Those in Chatham-Kent’s arts community feel their concerns have not been addressed regarding the uncertain future of the Chatham Cultural Centre.
Current redevelopment plans have proposed moving the Thames Art Gallery and Chatham-Kent Museum, which are currently housed within the Cultural Centre, into a new community hub at the site of the Downtown Chatham Centre. However, leaders in the arts and culture community have expressed concern that another piece of the cultural centre, the Kiwanis Theatre, has fallen by the wayside.
Following a consultation session held by the municipality earlier this month, Dan White, the chair of the CK Arts and Culture Network, said many questions still remain unanswered. He said their primary concern is the potential loss of the theatre if the museum and art gallery are moved as proposed.
“Losing the Kiwanis Theatre in the community would be a huge setback,” said White. “The entire Cultural Centre is such a cultural gem, it would be a travesty for it to be torn apart or repurposed.”
White added that shows at the Kiwanis Theatre, unlike the larger Chatham Capital Threate, cater to a smaller more intimate audience.
“It would be a huge loss for that to be taken away from the community,” he said.
In a letter sent to Bruce McAllister, Chatham-Kent’s director of community development, the CK Arts and Culture Network has stated that it does not support the relocation of the museum and art gallery. However, if they are moved, the group is asking that the space at the Cultural Centre be utilized for additional arts and cultural programming.
“Our concern was that their proposal does not seriously address arts and culture needs. It was suggesting diminishing the size of the museum and the gallery and those are both things we disagree with,” said White.
CK Mayor Darrin Canniff has stated publicly on more than one occasion that he wants the Chatham Cultural Centre and the Kiwanis Theatre to remain an arts and culture hub in the community.
However, White said that does not put him at ease.
“We appreciate his support, but that’s one out of 18 [council] votes. The mayor is a huge supporter of the arts and he’s been wonderful, but all of council would have to agree,” said White.
Moving forward, White said the CK Arts and Culture Network will be reaching out to councillors individually to express their concerns.
“If we don’t have dialogue now, when there’s a vote it may be too late,” said White.
An in-depth report on the costs and impacts of the downtown redevelopment project is expected to be presented to Chatham-Kent Council in the coming months.