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Letter: City should check out Powell River rec centre

I’ve only recently tuned in to the recreation centre debate, and while several opinions I have read have a certain validity, they are mostly based on what appears to be limited experience.
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Letter writer suggests City of Salmon Arm check out Powell River’s recreation complex for inspiration. (Tourism Powell River photo)

I’ve only recently tuned in to the recreation centre debate, and while several opinions I have read have a certain validity, they are mostly based on what appears to be limited experience.

That is not to say my experiences are more vast than those that have been expressed here, but I have witnessed at least one such development I believe the recreation center committee really needs to check out! It’s located in the City of Powell River.

Some 45 years ago, Powell River built a complex that consisted of both a new hockey arena and a recreation centre that consisted of a gymnasium, convention centre and entertainment theatre. This really needs to be seen to believe.

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The gym floor could easily be turned into a meeting place or banquet hall, and then, because a full stage with curtains was also included on one side, from the wall opposite the stage a “step up” seating floor can be extracted that will then will accommodate sequentially elevated rows for seating of about 1000 seats.

The major problem with a centre that accommodates only a few hundred seats is simply that major entertainment acts will not be attracted to such a small venue because of the small gate receipts. The Vernon and District Performing Arts Center is classic example of this. They have a great little theatre in the Power House Theatre, with about 240 seats, but the big name performers didn’t show up until some 800 seats were provided by the V.P.A.C.

My recommendation would be to have the committee at least communicate with Powell River before making any firm decisions on this matter and, better yet, take a trip to P.R. and see for yourselves!

Ron Long,

Silver Creek