A photo of a handout depicting a rendering of a new performing arts centre in downtown Kamloops distributed at the Jan. 8, 2019 city council meeting.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/CHP Architects

No matter who wins in the upcoming municipal election in Kamloops, they're likely to give their approval of the long-awaited new performing arts centre.

Four of five mayoral candidates said they would actively support plans for the performing arts centre, according to a recent survey conducted by the Kamloops Centre for the Arts Society. Of the candidates for council, 24 of 29 responded to the survey.

The project was shelved when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted a 2020 referendum that would have decided its fate. In 2015, voters decided against the project, but it was expected to return to a ballot five years later. The vote wouldn't have decided whether the City of Kamloops should built the performing arts centre but whether it should borrow $45 million to do it.

“We appreciate that the majority of candidates took the time to complete the survey and provide comments, which we believe will help inform our 5,000 members and other voters as they prepare to cast their ballots this month,” arts society chair Brenda Aynsley said in a news release. 

“Kamloops is a growing city and development of recreation and cultural infrastructure – including a centre for the arts – needs to keep pace with that growth.”

The survey asked each candidate five questions with room for an explanation of their answers.

For example, the survey asked whether the City should be the "primary funder" for the project, whether a candidate would actively support a performing arts centre and whether a vibrant cultural sector would attract workers to Kamloops.

Mayoral candidates Dieter Dudy and Reid Hamer-Jackson said the primary funding should come from other sources rather than the City.

Dudy said funding should be shared with the Thompson Nicola Regional District, Thompson Rivers University and possibly Tk'emlups te Secwepemc.

"I believe a Centre for the Arts will benefit people within the region," Dudy replied in the survey.

Hamer-Jackson had no explanation as to why the city shouldn't be the primary funder, but he, along with Arjun Singh, said the City should lobby for federal and provincial funding.

Hamer-Jackson also wants the project should be redesigned as the city has grown since it was first proposed.

Singh suggested the City should look at alternative ways to operate the facility once it's built in order to generate revenue.

Sadie Hunter replied yes to each question in the survey, but did not explain her answers.

Ray Dhaliwal and four council candidates didn't respond to the survey.

The City is keeping the project in its plans and another referendum should be expected some time after the October election.

While the plans haven't much changed, the price tag likely has.

Before the 2020 referendum was cancelled, it was estimated to cost $70 million and the City would have borrowed $45 million. Last November, City staff estimated the project would cost $90 million.

Once a the borrowing is approved by the public and the build is approved by council, staff can then look to the provincial and federal government for grant funding, staff said at a November council meeting.

Go here for the full survey results.

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