Notre Dame to be temporary home for Fine Arts Society after Lyle Vic closes

The Bonnyville and District Fine Arts Society will have a temporary home after the Lyle Victor Albert Centre shuts its doors.

Lakeland Catholic School District (LCSD) is allowing the society to use Notre Dame High School’s stage and entry way in the new year, after their agreement with the Lyle Vic ends on March 15, 2019.

“It’s lovely for us because there will be a place where performances can be held until we have a new theatre. It’s an agreement we’ll come to and it will be lovely. We really appreciate it. It’s very community-minded of them to make that available,” said Patricia Perry, president of the fine arts society.

LCSD agreed during their Dec. 17 meeting after the fine arts society sent a letter to the superintendent of the school division, Joe Arruda, asking for a place to go.

“We don’t see it as an issue, we think it’s a good partnership, and perhaps it will inspire some of our students there to participate with the fine arts society,” said Mary-Anne Penner, chairperson for Lakeland Catholic School Division.

Although the agreement is not fully fleshed out, there does not appear to be a timeline for how long this temporary location at Notre Dame will be used for.

“I think that we always work to do what’s best for the students that are placed in our care and to provide them with other opportunities, and if this provides the students with another opportunity, that works for everyone. I think working with our community partners is always an asset to our school district,” said Penner.

The fine arts society has hosted several benefit concerts this year to raise money for a new theatre, and that’s still the goal moving forward.

“We’ve had several very successful concerts and that’s been very helpful for us,” said Patricia Perry. “Of course, we have a long ways to go yet. But we certainly appreciate the enormous amount of support we’ve had from the business community, from the people that have attended, from the performers who’ve given the performances, to the people who’ve bought the 50/50s.

“We’ve received a great deal of support and we’re very grateful for it. It’s an ongoing thing,” she said.