ADAM JACKSON/Black Press
For the Performing Arts Centre in Stettler, it’s out with the old, in with the new.
The PAC will be outfitted with a new lighting backbone and, if funding falls into place, the lights themselves as well as the sound system could be upgraded.
“The school board is looking at replacing a lot of the wiring, dimmer switches and stuff like that,” said Clearview Public Schools secretary treasurer Lewis Hill.
“The lights right now are very old,” said Hill. “They were built around 1986 so it’s about time that they are replaced.”
If the school board is successful in its bid for a Community Facility Enhancement Program grant, the lights themselves will be swapped out with new technology lights.
“Right now, the issue is that the lights sometimes just don’t work,” said Hill. “This is going to ensure that the lighting system will, in fact, be operable.”
With the changes to the system, the school board is also looking at something else — energy efficiency
“Anything built in that time is not going to be the most energy efficient,” said Hill. “The viewing for the public will also be a whole lot better with the new lights.”
The PAC is rented out to outside groups for a small cost to the group, but since the board receives funding from the provincial government, it only charges the amount that it costs them for that short period of time.
The PAC is mainly used by students in the arts from across the school board for drama rehearsals and plays as well, says Hill.
“It’s important to have a facility like this available... to have a facility like this open to the community,” said Hill. “It’s definitely beneficial to have this building here and an asset to Stettler and surrounding communities.
With an estimated project cost of $90,000 to $100,000, the Town of Stettler will provide funding of roughly $40,000 and Clearview Public Schools — which owns and operates the building — will foot the rest of the bill.
The school board is also asking for a $90,000 grant to cover the cost of upgrading the lighting itself as well as upgrades to the sound system.