LETTER – Let them enjoy their ballet and opera at the Sandman Centre

Posted on February 21, 2024 in Feedback, Letters // 5 Comments

(Image: Mel Rothenburger)

If you want to do a service to the community you might ask, “What right does Kamloops City council have spending $7 million on a feasibility study for twice recently rejected “Performing Arts Centre”? Someone should call the police.

The hoity toity wine and cheese crowd can enjoy their ballet and opera at the Sandman Centre.

ROBERT LYNN

Editor’s note: The performing arts centre was defeated once by referendum. A second referendum was cancelled due to COVID.

About Mel Rothenburger (11754 Articles)

ArmchairMayor.ca is a forum about Kamloops and the world. It has more than one million views. Mel Rothenburger is the former Editor of The Daily News in Kamloops, B.C. (retiring in 2012), and past mayor of Kamloops (1999-2005). At ArmchairMayor.ca he is the publisher, editor, news editor, city editor, reporter, webmaster, and just about anything else you can think of. He is grateful for the contributions of several local columnists. This blog doesn't require a subscription but gratefully accepts donations to help defray costs.

5 Comments on LETTER – Let them enjoy their ballet and opera at the Sandman Centre

Pierre // February 22, 2024 at 7:16 AM // Reply

Someone should for sure call the police for the 7 million dollar expenditure. However I no longer want my tax dollars to be spent on the Sandman Center either. But I am willing to compromise. You get to enjoy the hockey show and I get (or should be able to) enjoy an evening of subliminal pleasure of ballet, opera or ever-lasting classical music. Research shows that arts make society better, not hockey.

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Fair Play // February 22, 2024 at 6:57 AM // Reply

If we’re throwing shots at certain segments, how about the low brow hockey ice ballet figure skate crowd? Small town mentality types. See black puck slide across ice. Chase black dot with stick. Punch in face when upset. They can do their whining about “only” having 5 ice sheets in town as they play rec hockey on the PAC parking lot.

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- Pierre // February 22, 2024 at 7:59 AM // Reply
  
  Thumbs up on your comment FP.
  
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- Mac Gordon // February 22, 2024 at 11:38 PM // Reply
  
  We actually have 6 sheets of ice and need at min 3 more immediately. One to replace Memorial Arena (it’s 75 yrs old) one to replace The Ice Box which closed and one to get us ahead of where we were 20 years ago. And the reason why we need them before a PAC is because they drive our winter tourism economy with the many tournaments they host. Ice rinks are more than just popular activity centres for its citizens but they are crucial contributors to our over all economy. A PAC will lose money annually to operate and bring in virtually no tourism. Why would anyone from the Okanagan come to Kamloops to see a show when they can see it in Kelowna? And when we do get the few odd stragglers from Logan Lake, Ashcroft or Barriere they likely be leaving shortly after the show.
  
  We need ice rinks immediately so we can generate enough revenue to afford a PAC later.
  
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Dawne Taylor // February 21, 2024 at 9:57 PM // Reply

To enjoy opera and ballet at the Sandman Centre would be akin to the sporting crowd enjoying swimming at the waterpark in Riverside Park rather than the TCC.

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