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PAGE 6, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 16, 1985, WHITBY FREE PRESS Little the atre s ays they'll rais 91 0e d$1009000 jif council Will give them a helping hand 1111FBy SUSAN LESJAK r~iii ~'Free Press Staff ~1j/~ "UP' The Whitby Little Theatre group will gladly go out ~-~{4 and raise the $100,000 needed to improve its theatre ' facilities, but first it wants the town's support. Ta \ ~ was the message brought to a committee of council - last week by theatre president Doreen Smyth. The company's current space in the Centennial iping for joy since Building is in bad disrepair, explained Smyth. The aote ervic seats and carpet need replacing and the seating iAjxPlaza. capacity is inadequate. Lack of a separate produc- tion space forces the company to construct sets and rehearse in the theatre itself. "The abuse the theatre must take" when a com- THISWFFKI pany mounts a production, is great, said Smyth. "The seats, walls, and floors are ail put through a ilng Cent, ti lot." To improve the existing facility, Smyth estimates -4521 that it will cost $200,000. Chances of receiving matching dollars from the province look good. The fate of the project may rest, however, on the willingness of the town to back the group. "If you're not on board with us now," Smyth told councillors, "there's no way the province is going to lnvest $100,000. The support the little theatre is seeking appears on the surface to be largely symbolic, but coun- cillors aren't too sure. Smyth has asked the town's assistance in the prepartion of a feasibility study for the renovation work. While the cost of the $6,000 study is to be born jointly by the little theatre and the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, the town bas been asked to assist in determining the perameters of the study and in preparing the application for provincial fun- ding. The president aIso, sought the town's assurance that it would come up with dollar backing if needed. While councillors were pleased to grant the first two requests, the monetary one was greeted with some consternation. Without more detailed information about the project itself and the benefits to be derived by the community, "it would be unfair for this committee or council to commit itself," said operations com- mittee chairman Joe Bugelli. "I'm not sure that council would like to concur that it is 'on board' with the little theatre until it knows what is involved." Mayor Bob Attersley was quick to point out, the advantages of supporting the little theatre's project, however. If thetown got in now, he argued,- it could help shapeithé project. 'd hate to see $3,ooo being spent on a study of the Centennial Building alone" when there might be better, alternative sites. "If we could add a few thousand dollars we could do a complete study ex- ploring ail of the alternatives." With the town's support, the plans for the new theatre might be expanded to include other perfor- ming arts such as dance and chamber rnusic, one councillor suggested. "I think we should be looking at the whole situation of the arts in Whithy, " Attersley said. The mayor added that hie had grave doubts about the cost/benefit ratio of renovating the Centennial Building. Citing the limited seating capacity and age of the building, hie questioned the wisdom of in- vesting $200,000 in the facility.. Smyth admitted that the Centennial Building would neyer be ideal. She explained that hier group had first looked at renovating as the low-cost alter- native to relocating. "We now realize that'there are definite problems with the building and want to expand our study to explore other buildings," she said. The operations committee voted last week to sup- port the project in principle, but postpone monetary commitment until more information is available. Town staff will meet with theatre representatives to assist in the preparation of the ministry ap- plication. Once the terms of the feasibility study have been established, and provincial funding secured, the town will be prepared to discuss financial backing, said Bugelli. Charlie is juml he found outm t Dickson Pri Supplies in thE FREE GIFTI The Fram 668-