Performing Arts Centre Consultant In Prince George

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - The consultant examining the feasibility of a performing arts centre for Prince George says the idea is not a slam dunk.  Duncan Webb of Webb Management Services says his company has performed nearly 200 studies like this, and there have been times the final report recommended that a facility should not go ahead.  “It is rare” says Webb, “But it means we would have to work twice as hard as normal as we have to convince the client that they don’t need the facility.” 

Webb says he has met with many members of the Prince George Arts community and says the community is very active.  His team will spend the next three months assessing potential audience, the kind of performances they attend, and clarifying the nature of the demand before suggesting one way or  another if Prince George needs a facility.  “It may be that if there is a need identified, it may not be for a central large performing arts centre, but several small facilities.” Webb says creating a “cultural corridor” can be beneficial to other projects, like the revitalization of a downtown.

Webb says it is still too early to say if Prince George needs such a facility, but says the news of 300 jobs being lost in the region (see previous story) will have an impact on any final decision.  “It is possible we could end up saying yes, the region needs the facility, but now is not the time to go forward.  We have done that in other resource based communities, like Austin Texas where there was a huge bust in the economy, and they put the project on hold.  Three years later they came to us and said, o.k. we’re back on track lets move forward.”

Society Chair, Cliff  Dezell says the news of the Canfor job cuts couldn’t have come at a worse time “We did not need to hear this, the region did not need to hear this” says Dezell.  He says  the  news  will present  a new challenge for the  creation of a performing arts centre,  “This is  going to make it more difficult, not impossible.”

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us