Chatham-Kent has been abuzz for the last few weeks over a major revitalization plan for the Downtown Chatham Centre and various municipal buildings.
However, those in the arts community are feeling somewhat overlooked.
Plans from a group of local investors include moving the Thames Art Gallery and Chatham-Kent Museum into the former Sears section of the mall. However James Snyder, Chair of the Chatham-Kent Arts and Culture Network says there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that doesn’t seem to have been taken into account.
“Most galleries and museums, 75% of what they have is in storage and 25% is being shown at any one time,” Snyder explains. “We’re not against such a thing if improvements and planning for the future are made, including additional storage space as people donate items to the gallery and the museum, and also additional showing space.”
In 2003, Chatham-Kent Council passed a bylaw designated the Cultural Centre on William Street as a property of cultural heritage value and interest. Should the property be sold as surplus, Snyder says the Arts and Culture Network wants to know if that designation will remain in place.
Concerns have also been raised about the Kiwanis Theatre, which has been entirely left out of the revitalization discussion. Snyder says it is part of a larger issue.
“The same thing is happening in the smaller communities. The Jeanne Gordon Theatre in Wallaceburg cannot be used for theatre performances because all of a sudden it’s not fire (code) ready. The Bothwell Players complained when they were trying to close down their complex as well. It’s a regional problem, not just Chatham as a whole. The (Cultural) Centre has always been for community-based performances and smaller performances.”
There’s also the issue of the Kiwanis Theatre’s seats. Over 10 years ago, a $1.00 ticket surcharge was put in place to cover the cost of replacing the aging 700 seats with 400 new, more comfortable seating. Since that time close to $170,000 has been raised, but the old seats remain in place. Snyder says municipal officials have said the cost of replacing the seats is now estimated at $450,000 and the project has been put on hold.
The potential closure of the Kiwanis Theatre is an issue for smaller community theatre groups, including Theatre Kent. Along with losing a smaller venue, compared to places such as the Capitol Theatre and certainly the proposed 4000 seat entertainment complex in the DCC plans, the cost of putting on a show is becoming more prohibitive.
“There is a big concern that the loss of the CC (Cultural Centre) would basically price us out of the use of any Municipal run facility,” Theatre Kent Board Chair Tony Erdelyi says in a written statement. “At this point even the use of the CC or the Capitol Theater are expensive, and a larger venue would be out of the question.”
The deadline for public comment on the DCC revitalization plans is Friday, July 15 through the municipality’s Let’s Talk website. Snyder is hoping more area residents will voice their own concerns before any final decisions are made.
A report, including cost estimates and a summary of public comments, is expected back before Chatham-Kent Council in August.