Study recommends new theatre in Cold Lake in Arts & Culture Needs Assessment

Mayor Craig Copeland says having the assessment done will be good for future councils. 

A new report recommends the City of Cold Lake build a 500-600 seat arts theatre to fulfill the lack of community space in the city, but when that could happen is another question entirely. 

City council reviewed the Arts & Culture Needs Assessment report at last Tuesday’s council meeting, that dove into the arts scene of Cold Lake. 

With no stand-alone purpose-built arts facilities in the City, the report conducted by consulting firm Schick Shiner & Associates. states the population and demographics would be able to support one, and recommended it beside, or building onto, the Energy Centre. 

“There is a latent need for arts here. We think it could be successful,” said Richard Schick to council. 

In creating the study, Schick and others spoke to several purveyors for the arts in Cold Lake — from the Janvier Gallery to Images Studios, from Kinosoo Performing Arts Association to Pirouette School of Dance — to understand the city’s situation more.

The Grande Parlour was open for three years, but the owners closed the doors in 2020. 

Their multiple stage productions a year were big hits around the community, and their followup artisan nights and vendor shows provided a different element to Cold Lake, beyond sports and recreation. 

Since then, events like Summer Rush Music Festival have popped up in the summer, but even a consistent home for larger scale dance recitals lacks. 

The City of Cold Lake in the past has spent money to bring in big musical acts, either to the Energy Centre, or for holidays.

The document also uses examples of other communities retrofitting older buildings to become theatres.

‘Where do we want to go next?’

Would a new theatre be a more viable option in the long-term plans, than say one of the most expensive municipal facilities to operate in a pool, which the City applied for grant funding towards.

If and when these decisions are made, the document with the plans is now at the City’s disposal.

“Cold Lake doesn’t have a lot of old buildings that could’ve been fit into a theatre…we’ll probably have to build brand new,” said Mayor Craig Copeland on The Morning After. 

“It’s a great document, it outlines his vision and others he talked to. It’s a study completed. When debt frees us, because some of the payments, our old debt will come free in the coming years, the council at the time can decide where they want to go. 

“Is a pool a priority? Is the arts theatre? The marina? They’ll have to take a look at it. We’re really tackled some major projects in our term. Lakeshore Drive sucked up a lot of money. It had to be done. It was a huge safety concern. The Public Works Shop, the staff has been waiting forever for a decent building. Then the wastewater plant. 

“The council of the day can look and say, where do we want to go next?”

The Clayton Bellamy Foundation for the Arts is almost done a new performing arts theatre in Bonnyville, a project that has been grassroots, with a driving force that was not municipal government.

The full study can be found here.