TRU arts centre option has ‘capital and operational cost advantages’

EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter was dated June 2, 2014, from TRU Community Trust chair Frank Quinn, and received at City Hall June 6, 2014.

Dear Mayor and Council,

Reference: Proposed Performing Arts Centre

We have been reading withi interest the discussion about a proposed Performing Arts Centre in Kamloops.

As business leaders in Kamloops, we are supporters of a quality Performing Arts Centre that will enhance the performing arts in our City and at the same time will not be an unnecessary burden to taxpayers now and for years to come.

We understand that City officials have identified two downtown sites for the proposed Performing Arts Centre and we understand that in short order a consultant will be retained to determine which site is most suitable, among other things.

A new Performing Arts Centre will certainly revitalize and enhance performing arts in our community. It will not necessarily be a catalyst for downtown development as, we believe, there are too many other market forces at play in small cities like Kamloops.

From our perspective a site that is missing from the proposed Performing Arts Centre study is a site in the McGill Corridor on land owned by Thompson Rivers University. We believe a McGill/TRU site has capital and operational cost advantages over the two downtown sites currently under consideration. Possible advantages include:

• Reduced land costs. There is the ability for the City of Kamloops to partner with TRU on the long term lease of land at low cost to the City. This is similar to the arrangement for the Tournament Capital Centre.

• Reduced parking costs. If the Performing Arts Centre were developed on a McGill/TRU site a parkade would not be required as there is an abundance of existing surface parking at TRU that goes virtually unused in the evenings and on weekends when the Performing Arts Centre would be in operation.

• Reduced capital costs. As you may be aware, TRU has established the TRU Community Trust (TRUCT). Through arrangements with the TRUCT there would be the ability for the private market to provide low cost construction of the Performing Arts Centre as part of a larger mixed use development on a McGill/TRU site.

• Reduced operating costs. From time to time TRU has need for a large format lecture theatre, a new home for the popular Presidents Lecture Series, a venue for Convocation, and performance space for Theatre and Music Programs. If the Performing Arts Centre were located on a McGill/TRU site TRU would be interested in entering into a rental agreement with the City for space without encumbering the City’s use of the space.

• Enhanced quality of performing arts in ttie City. The ability for the Western Canada Theatre Company and Kamloops Symphony to partner with theater and music programs on site at TRU in order to enhance the quality of performing arts in the community.

We are requesting a McGill/TRU site be included in the study to determine the most cost effective option for the Performing Arts Centre, taking into account both capital and operating costs.

On May 30th this request was endorsed by a unanimous vote of the Thompson Rivers University Board of Governors. We would be pleased to provide you with any other information you require and would appreciate the opportunity to meet with your consultants.

Sincerely,

(Signed, Frank Quinn)

Board of Directors

Thompson Rivers University Community Trust