Tour of Brock University’s new Centre for Fine and Performing Arts

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It won’t open until next fall but today Brock University gave an early tour of their new Centre for Fine and Performing Arts. It’s not only a big leap for students, but also for the city of St. Catharines.

Grace Snippe is just entering her 4th year in music. Next fall, she is one of 500 students who will occupy the Marilyn I. Walker school for fine and performing arts at Brock University. “Our practice rooms and our stage and where we get to perform and rehearse is just going to be, the quality is going to be much better.”

The centre comes complete with soundproof rooms for music, studio space to paint, and a mix of technical and administrative space.

What may be the main attraction to the entire complex is the brand new theatre with professional lighting, acoustic set wall and capacity for 250 spectators.

“I think what we can anticipate is really a series of extraordinary events. So it’s a combination of things from learning, teaching and indeed research” says Director Derek Night.

The dream for this came out of a 15 million dollar donation from renowned artist Marilyn Walker back in 2009. With another 26 million coming from the province, it has allowed Brock University to create a unique space for students.

The majority of this centre has actually been retrofitted from an old textile mill and it’s part of a much larger project – the revitalization of downtown St. Catherines.

“Now it’s going to be a place where so many more people are going to come in. They’re going to be spending money, they’re going to be at the restaurants, they’re going to be active on the street” says project manager Scott Roper.

Located right across from the new Credit Meridian Centre, this campus, along with the new performing arts centre that the city is building will add to the renewal on St. Paul Street. And as the arts students make their way in, they think that the university has hit the right note. “Just seeing this place being built just every time, every time it just warms my heart, I love it so much, I love seeing what’s happening” says Grace Snippe