The first official meeting of the amalgamated board met at the Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre on Friday evening.
“We have the same motives, when it comes to the performing arts here in Weyburn,” explained Connie Nightingale, in her last role as acting president of the Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre board. “The Performing Arts Centre is in desperate need of volunteers to help maintain the facility. Crocus 80 had also discussed their willingness to amalgamate boards. It is important to have a structure between the two boards within the first year of amalgamation.”
The Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre board was a non-profit organization, while the Crocus 80 board was a not-for-profit organization. It was explained during the meeting that the two organizations had different financial requirements that they had to meet.
As a non-profit, the Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre was registered to accept donations and write tax receipts. There are also different grants that are more accessible for non-profits over not-for-profit organizations.
Ron Wormsbecker will stay on as treasurer mentor for the amalgamated board, as the boards will have two separate accounts for the initial year.
“This will be the most responsible way for both entities to meet their requirements, especially in the first year,” added Nightingale.
The exterior of the Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre is considered a heritage building, so it must remain true to its time. However, renovations and upgrades to the facility can be completed inside the building. New carpeting and painted walls were completed in the basement.
There is a goal for the newly amalgamated board to renovate the upstairs of the Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre, including new flooring and even perhaps a new layout that would allow for more performing arts programming to be offered in their facility.
The boards also need to replace the large Tommy Douglas Centre sign, outside of the building, as it was vandalized and due to weathering damage needs to be changed. This allows for a new sign, perhaps in a new location, to be erected.
There is also discussion with the City of Weyburn to move the items inside of the Tommy Douglas museum to the Soo Line Museum, so it is in a place where a proper museum curator can take care of the items in the museum, and it is also more readily available for those residents who want to view the heritage items.
“That is our vision for the future, and we hope to get things moving forward,” said Nightingale. It was noted that with COVID-19 regulations, it is still not certain if there will be any live theatre offered in the next year. This still gives the newly amalgamated boards time to dedicate their work on upgrading the facility.
