Arts centre rises again

Photo: Contributed

SOPAC plans presented in 2011.

A long-debated South Okanagan Performing Arts Centre Society proposal will again be brought before Penticton council Tuesday, requesting a parcel of land on Nanaimo Avenue be continually retained for their potential use.

The society had planned to hold a public symposium regarding the proposed large downtown theatre at 99 Nanaimo Avenue, but cancelled it in September. 

Now, the society has sent a letter to Penticton council explaining the reasoning behind the cancellation, which they say was due to funding issues.

"It is unfortunate that the tight timelines imposed on us did not give us enough time to fully explain our mission and plans to all major stakeholders and to the community in general," writes Allan Markin, past president of the SOPAC society. "However, we do not regard the symposium cancellation as a failure of the plan we presented to the City, but a consequence of a tight timeline from the moment of the City’s formal expression of support for our plan in April, 2018 to the September 2018 symposium date."

The group says they sought funding but ran into trouble because the timeline was so limited. 

"We did our very best to seek out many other funding sources; both public and private opportunities were explored," Markin writes. "Suffice it to say, we were not successful in achieving our financial objectives."

The society elected new directors in November, and now claim the SOPAC vision has new life. They are asking the City of Penticton to continue to reserve the 99 Nanaimo Avenue property for an arts centre. 

"It is our belief that a purpose-built creative and performing arts facility on this land would, in the context of this cultural corridor, represent the highest and best use of this land," Markin writes.

Penticton council will receive and discuss the letter on Tuesday.