Clayton Bellamy Foundation nears halfway point to fundraising goal

A major donation has the Clayton Bellamy Foundation for the Arts one step closer to their final goal.

Over the course of the last year, Clayton Bellamy and others have been spearheading a cause to replace the Lyle Victor Albert Centre, and build a new home for the arts in the Lakeland.

Thanks to a donation from Strathcona Resources Ltd. as the headlining and naming sponsor for the new theatre.

“We’ve had the foundation for just over a year and we got into this thing where we’re going to build a new theatre with Northern Lights School Division and BCHS,” Clayton Bellamy told Lakeland Connect.

“And now we’ve just signed a deal with Strathcona Resources for them to be the naming sponsor for our new theatre. The Strathcona Performing Arts Theatre, they gave us a donation for $250,000.” 

This December donation just adds to what has been an impressive collection in a short amount of time for this goal.

Bellamy projects that roughly $700,000 of the $1.5 million needed has been fundraised, thanks to other major donations from benefactors like Canadian Natural Resources, Lakeland Sports and Recreation Association, and even support from the City of Cold Lake.

The idea is to allow the next generation of local artists a place to hone their craft. 

“If we didn’t have the Lyle Victor Albert Centre, I don’t think I’d be where I am as an artist. We wouldn’t have a Mike Plume or a Brett Kissel. So many great artists had a place to hone their craft on that stage. And I want to be able to give that back to the community,” he said.

The Lyle Vic was demolished in 2020 as part of the BCHS modernization, which needed room to expand.

Strathcona’s donation comes at a three-year term as naming sponsor.

The dream is becoming more of a reality each big annoucement. A main piece of the puzzle is a Community Facility Enhancement Project grant from the provincial government. If received, the Foundation also asked the Town to match the grant amount.

Council will have it come back to them once the Foundation hears yay or nay on the grant status.

“Everyone has been getting behind this thing and it’s exciting.”