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MOLLER INSURANCE Home fir Auto 905-642-2745 64 Sandiford Drive, Unit 1, STOUFFVILLE FAQS “What is the best feature about the library for you?” Could it really be? Backers of a new performing arts venue in the Old Town Hall on Civic Avenue must have been pinching themselves Feb. 10 as they walked away from Town Council Chambers Not only had they just heard and seen an exciting design concept from Roger Jones and Paul Sapounzi of the Ventin Group. but some members of Council were in the room and didn't protest at the numbers being tossed around. BY CONRAD BOYCE For more details on the prop osal. see page 7. You can also check out the full concept at the Town Offices or Ptiblic Library. To summarize thoug h. we re look- ing at a state- ofâ€"theg- -art 300- -seat proscenium theatre with a fully - loaded backstage area, includingy a l .000--square -foot rehearsal hall and an even larger public reception hall. The plan would utilize the present building for lobby space and the main seating area, while additions would be built on the east and south to accomodate the administration and backstage areas, as well as the stage itself. The present building would essenâ€" tially be gutted: all that would be m]- ized are the old walls and ceiling beams. Thene are certainly ways the plan ()ur question this month, asked at the Whitchurch- Slouffville Public Library: Town Theatre complex dream a little Closer Paula O’Fan'ell: “The Internet. There are plenty of computers with fast and easy access. and I can use the printer very cheaply. It's also a quiet. comfortable work envi- ronment for a college student like me." Where things get sticky. where they always do and where they often have in other communities with perform- ing arts facilities, is in the annual operating cost of the place. Ventin Group's preliminary estimates are for an annual price tag of about $250,000. with about $80,000 coming back in rentals and other revenue such as bar sales. That means the the Town would be subsidizing the the- atre to the tune ofabout $170,000 per year. As Mr. Jones pointed out to the crowd, no community-owned theatre pays for itself. That may be true, but there's a long way between break- even and a $170,000 hole. Mayor Sue Sherban, who has been a backer of the theatre plan for years. is confident that the capital cost is do-able. with the Town providing about a quarter of the total. and grants from senior government. and corporate or individual donations. covering the balance. could be trimmed. With the latcham Hall only a block away, for example, is the community space really needed? Or the office space that's provided (other downtown landlords might say they've got some space that’s perfect for the purpose)? But considering the cost of institutional buildings these days. the four million dollar price tag for construction is pretty reasonable. Marvin Lim "The Internet is very fast, and the connections are right up-twdate; I can use my lap-top here if I want. Mostly I play games on the net, espeâ€" cially chess. The library is very airy and bright. ln searching for a long-term solu- tion to the Latcham Gallery's funding problems. the ever-practical but arts- oriented Mayor seems determined to trim the operating budget in order to make it survive. Her gently-applied knife will probaby be taken to the theatre's operations as well. But she seems to believe it will have no prob- lem getting actually built. A lot of people desperately want to believe her. All functions connected with the theatres are either done by Town employees with a variety of other responsibilities, or by volunteers. As someone with frequent experience with those facilities, I can tell you the arrangement does not work. At least one dedicated. qualified on-site employee is essential. But does a 300- seat theatre. even one with all the lat- est bells and whistles. require $170,000 in stafi? Maybe not. 1W0 communities fairly close to Stouffviile (and about the same size), Uxbridge and Port Perry. both have municipally-owned theatres. Neither one has a single dedicated staff mem- ber, not one. Ventin's plan. for example. contem- plates staff costs of about $170,000 (the exact amount of the anticipated deficitl), including a fullâ€"time facility manager plus a full-time technical director. Vic Montesano: “It's a quiet place for pri‘ vate study. away from the bustle of home. I just like to sit and read here in a warm. quim corner." Optometrists . 5035 Main St. - 905 642-3937 Jenny Brown: “My friends and I can come here together and use the Internet for MSN. It's great. And we like to do our homework here. where there’s peace and quiet.” lum Don Jackson: “There are so many great things about it: an excel- lent selection of books and newspapers. upto- date research services. dedicated staff. and a bright and spacious envi- ronment.