A $52M theatre for Burnaby

This week at Burnaby council’s meeting on Feb. 26, council voted unanimously to approve $52,309,611, including $2,490,934 in GST, to fund the second phase of the James Cowan Theatre project. Speaking to council, James Lota, general manager of lands and facilities, said this new theatre is expected to meet the need for arts and culture facilities in Burnaby for the next decade. 

The report states, “The facility has been designed to meet the arts and cultural community’s space needs for the next ten years.” However, Lota clarified that this does not refer to the lifespan of the theatre but rather to Burnaby’s ever-increasing need for cultural facilities, emphasizing that additional spaces will need to be developed eventually. 

“Based on the activities and needs of current and new users, this facility will fulfill community needs for ten years and more, but as the population of the city grows, we anticipate larger and more facilities to be explored,” Lota said. 

According to the report submitted to the council, the current James Cowan Theatre was built in 1940 as a gymnasium and converted into a theatre in 1995. 

“The building is in need of significant upgrades, is past its useful service life, and is not wheelchair accessible,” the report said. 

Phase one of the project is estimated to cost $1,602,825, including $76,325 in GST. For phase two, the total estimated contract value will be $55,382,742, including $2,637,274 in GST. 

Coun. Sav Dhaliwal supported the new theatre, saying, “This theatre is long overdue in terms of redevelopment, built on a previous gym. It’s been around for, I guess, almost 80 years now since it was originally built; it does need quick work to upgrade it.”  

Other councillors spoke in favour of the project, citing the reasonable cost compared to other city projects. 

“I’m happy to see that this is probably the only project which is coming in with a reasonable price tag,” said Coun. Pietro Calendino.  

Council discusses the future of Burnaby Blues and Roots 

Last week, culture director Emmaline Hill presented a review of the city’s cultural events at the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Committee meeting, in which she recommended replacing the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival (BBRF) with another, more inclusive music festival, pending council approval. On Mon. Feb. 26, Hill brought the recommendation to the general council meeting, which sparked discussion among councillors and staff. Council voted not to cancel the festival, but the BBRF of the future will probably look very different with different musical genres, diverse artists, food vendors, and artisans. 

Coun. Daniel Tetrault amended the motion, saying that while he supported the creation of a new festival, he did not want to cancel the BBRF, saying, “I’m not against having another concert that offers more diverse music, but I don’t want that to replace the BBRF,” adding that name recognition and popularity of the event are things to consider when planning for a new festival. Tetrault’s amendment requires staff to explore the feasibility of a new, weekend-long BBRF in Deer Lake Park. The amendment also recommended exploring the possibility of a partnership with Tourism Burnaby for extra funding. 

Mayor Mike Hurley also commented, “I think it’s important that we don’t lose the Burnaby Blues and Roots identity either…We can do it perhaps in a smaller way or within the big picture. I think BBRF is still a part of what has been fairly successful, although I have to admit that I was disappointed in the turnout last year. It’s basically during the day and given that it was free, but it’s still a great event. So, I think Coun. Tetrault was right. It still needs to be part of going forward.”

Calendino suggested adding artisan events and other arts and cultural activities to the festival and making it over an entire weekend or week, citing the case of West Vancouver’s festivals. 

Coun. Joe Keithley said that while the BBRF has a great tradition, “if we’re going to bring in staging equipment and PA, then it should go to a two or three-day festival. One day could be the BBRF, and another day could have a different type of music.” 

Keithley also addressed the fact that BBRF does not appeal to younger generations. 

“I really think we need to open it up to different audiences because the BBRF that’s my generation. I like it, but you know what? I’ve had three tickets I’ve offered my kids; they don’t want to go. They think it’s like old cornball. I’m not saying that, I’m just quoting them,” he said.  

Council discusses petition for new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) 

Burnaby resident Ben Rohu submitted a petition containing 199 signatures and support letters from the BC Children’s Hospital, BC Soccer Association, Burnaby Football Club, and the South Burnaby Metro Club requesting council support for new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in all of Burnaby’s outdoor sports facilities. 

“Most outdoor sporting events and training takes place after business hours or at the weekends when there is no access to the public buildings where these life-saving devices are held. Research has shown that using a defibrillator within 3-5 minutes of collapse can produce survival rates as high as 50-70%,” the petition said. 

Coun. Maita Santiago said, “I had a friend who had collapsed during a hockey game, and they needed use of the AED, and fortunately, it was inside the rink, and fortunately, they were able to get that to him. I really appreciate how critical this is.” 

“We do currently have 41 AEDs in our PRC facilities and parks, 35 of those AEDs are in parks. We could certainly do a feasibility study on what it would take to put an AED in all our outdoor spaces,” a staff member said. She added that each AED would cost around $3,000 in addition to installation costs and electrical.  

Council supported referring the issue to the Community Safety Committee to discuss implementation with parks, recreation and culture staff. 

This piece was made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

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