I srMHaJsaaMskawP Library likes kids page C7 No free lunches page C8 Home Newspaper of Hills kl I SECTION Everythin you wanted to know about the cultural centre and then some Arts complex will be best of all worlds When The Herald began an Investigation recent Into the yearold organized movement behind the new Library and Cultural Centre in response to charges that concerns expressed In an Oct editorial were unfounded It discovered an active put poorly publicized unit or volunteer citizens engaged the quick work of raising a badly needed arts and recreation facility In this special report Herald editor Paul finds room for minor concern among an otherwise glowing example of com munlty spirit In high gear TOWN OF HALTON HILLS LIBRARY AND CULTURAL CENTRE The complex at a glance lilt August fall 1901 Keith Toronto Sons Construction Lid Toronto squire eel including 1 square feet be lnih the sloped theatre soiling main Li id in new section reference library new i I of old COO feet HI seats housed in new l squirt feet inside old main library coated walls rpise room squire feel with much I r igc irei wilh main Architect designs place in history Turontobascdhellhlt Wag Arctiilecl firm and designer of the new complex his page in local h icctptini I ill in from i Ins com millet members John Hoe I t Hills lend his I will go down I Mills as the if tit towns tilt irt nil implex of i i mil it lit w is the right r tit job KeithW hud of the for i new cultural Tht invitation wis a I a seminar tin facilities through joint community support which id ittrictcd two Georgetown repre was on hand ij because he design i com bin it ion re for Col s Mine and had ited iwo existing art gillcries lies still design ing exhibitions for special Ontario FUNDRAISING WHOS IN CHARGE With the town clerks department telephone 5185 acting as a watershed for all incoming donations the fund raising committee setup by council to coordinate all such efforts has appointed a number of individuals to approach select groups and areas of Interest They are For Arts Council members and other arts related groups The res la or business and industry Bert Arnold or sports organizations Dave Kentner For miscellaneous groups Mayor Pete and Whiting Committee chairman Rex reported that Mayor has been making personal Informal appearances at local service club meetings to rally support for the project and otherwise using his office to demonstrate the Importance of the facility to Hills In next weeks Herald ASSESSMENT IMPACT SOME DESIGN CONCERNS FUNDRAISING UPDATE When Hills unique new lire try complex opens ii Church Market Streets in Georgetown next fill res dents cm expect the of ill rids to use Hex words an ithne entity thai wont strain focil point of kinds of groups that were previously limited their lack of a iris Ibis for the price of mother J ticked onto your municipal ix bill accord inf to own liny King plus some minor corresponding increases I lire resident Pit Joynes piles some rise in ticket prices for the roups 1982 productions With few representatives of many of llic groups involved In ft new complex ire optimistic fteihtys meet public demand While Ions space limitations future needs arc ntirly unanimous in their delight over the longawnted complex Any physical problems with the building oil igree can only be minor ones Prcdictibly enough Keith Wagland is most i We interest well he told The recently Spice his been illoeited well keeping costs in mind i greil deil of can expect a very comfortable friendly sort of building fairly intimitc in keeping with the sole of the town itself I think llbecomtisorlofcommuni tv focus It not the Four Hotel were using concrete Nock and i lol of wood there II be nice colors inside Mr Is quick to sires that while some of the requests submitted by would be user group for interior design ficlnrslnvt been drop- ptel from Ihe mil design for cost reasons the budget set by I I e bulletin has not been live his work On the contrary he said he and oilier hive managed to strike i fair balance between meeting current facility needs exercising restraint The recently built Centre for lite arts Mr pointed is simply loo big ftr that II his this big massive and everything he commented People just won use It it loo Here we have room to irow into complex for long time to come Although Mr Wagland has with his on budget he does to being amazed at his ability In work within councils cost guidelines involving figure winch were set in no The in cost targets he mplex design his limited number of sells to has restricted its pit provide room or only about IS musicians and has inilnl plans for a full fledged and a An historic groundbreaking ceremony took place at the site of the Georgetown public library list signalling the start of construction for Dills new then Ire- library Watching Mayor Pete tarn the first spadeful of sod were his fellow building committee members left to right Derek who represented a number of groups in the committees deliberations Ward3Coun Booth builder library board chairman Dick architect Keith committee chairman Ward Coon Boss then Ward Coun Pat Pa Iters on Herald photo JIG function skylight They ilwnysleak anyway Mr ei nsoles him The need for a verticil space directly above the stlge mlo which props and backdrops can be flown is ions It red if prime import While its not ihe real thing that going into arts complex Mr his illowed for some room into which stage irticlcs tin tip hoisted above proscenium Ml from llus admittedly dor Mr Wagland has all virtually ill other worries shared by iris related groups in his design according lo several spokesmen interviewed by Th Herald Some of their recommendations were ruled as loo imprielical or jus inapplicable they but on the whole ire no overt reservations about the final design among complex chief users tobe We have a slewing theatre floor as requested Mr Wagland said have an exceptional stage something mo- small town theatres just don have Well hive good sound and lighting The gillery portion square feet located inside existing church libraryl is i very size for a this big II wont be particularly sophisticated in Itrms of pedal controls it is a workable Ralph who as first president of the Hills Arts Council md a motivating force within the Georgetown Club wis instrumental in bolstering initial support or such complex has his own Continued on Page Splendid In exterior appearance and l llhrar theatre complex now under n Mr re In is a unique comb Church turned library a portion that will provide sealing or Builders and fund raisers point out another unique aspect In the facility s accommodating economic design prepared especially with lower costs In mind Architect Keith prepared the above scale model Art history diverse needs combine to provide ideal solution for town igo Georgetown gh school Ralph w is writing letters to Ihe edit ind letters to town council complaining about lack of a r facih IV in Hills The Board of he noted had spending restraint and ibnndoned plans for a proper llic high school its poll on capital costs Keith calls a mijor thorn in its side an ever shrinking public library The Hilton Hills Public library skill spice still Invwi incorporation in Georgetown council considered expansion plans for hi Church Street but found costs too cumbersome in light of the incoming regional hen still quantity library board chair GLTs success story a funding headstart More than any other viduil or group involved in the arts community initial organized push to have own council prep proper Iheilrc facility George town Theatre has set Hit pace established the standard for fund raising Starling with an Apr fund rusing phone which laid a foundatl on for future efforts the GIT brought its seat plaque the public attention quickly and effect star on pi ins or the arts complex it left other involved groups startled and im lied By last month the T had collected more than llurds of lis objective sold nearly 100 al plaques to area residents interested in having one of the new theatre 281 seats commemorated in he of company or in name of a loved one Proceeds from ilhons third is be in considered and individual donations outside the se it plaque campaign we Ihe amount hager to public kick of one of the seals in the new Docs this mean this is my for GLT A Wed like say yes but unfortunately the answer is no As we arc careful point out you arc purchasing plaque not the scat i Why do you Insist on a minimum donation Islngle lumpsum of J110 or in postdated cheques A Wt had originally phoned to raise at a seit plaque including fund drive plaque In jnfs mteresl in the seat plaque the GIT lias pre pared the following would Ik- supporters J When I purchise a whaldo I get for A brass plaque inscribed with your ilnmorin memory of in individual which will be 1 tic tied In perpcluitv to the inlhusia lo get Ihe project underway pledged to raise hence had to price tag Can I donate more A be our guest In a number of peoples have donated is much as for a single If 1 to make a don ill on hut can to il i who on page j Book builder scheme easy way to get involved The Hills Public Library Board has come up a unique plan through which residents can help fill the shelves of the new library under construction in Alihough estimates for number of volumes new library will handle arc hard lo come by because detailed plans have yet to be cd chief librarian Betsy Cornwcll predicts the Georgetown facility should be able to double its former of volumes Norm in Holt proprietor of Ihe new downtown store Oxbow Books formerly the Bonk Shop his made an arrangement with the board by which he II deposit per ecnt of the full list price of book sold at his shop library Dona lions are tux deductible Mr Holt and the libraries entry lists of suggested titles lobe donated as well although arc welcome to expand the library collect on on loplcB of special Apart from the financial domtlons through Oxbow hooks can be donated the library and will carry stickers inside their front covers edging the gift In donor These books will be displayed the complex grand opening next full or more information Ihe Georgetown library at or Oxbow Books 11877 ing his ist term as a Wird councillor In when a proposil to build a new library in Ccdirvalc Park was considered Although a debenture was obtain from the provincial govern for the ambitious foot project opposing forces to bear the Ontario Municipal Board was upon to halt what many considered the impro per use of parkland Complicating council s the fact lint Methodist church at Church and Market Streets is deeded to town for use is a and nothing else ven if the llbriry found a new home council realized old church could be used for no other purposL By Hills had an Arls Council with Ralph it its hi Im Well known locally as an lo church choirs and a musical director at Ihe high school with irca musical societies Mr nevertheless describes mself is primarily an arts pair in Although the new Arls Cornell concentrated initially on first things first with lis prime object the need for proper centre rem lined its elsewhere in town the Club of Georgetown of winch Mr just happen to be a member was in search of a worthwhile community project it could gel behind The proposed new Ihe aire w is an leal goal and Ihe club soon obtained an eiption to buy near the Suddenly the isolated facets of i town wide problem all on the gridiron of town council eh imbcr and the library shortcomings which Mr others s is a political iiph football ended up on 55yard line Mr recalls hhnry site as almost an after though on Queen Park part when a list was being prepared of area locations to be scouted for the new theatre The ministry of culture and perhaps identified possibility of combining both needs in one lirge project before anyone in town and he idea suddenly made perfeel sense It s the inclusion of a libra that makes this whole project viable Mr Wigland commented The mix makes this i solid concept With Mr Wagland assisting Associates formerly of Toronto now moved to California conduct a feasibility study to determine whether so diverse needs could be accommodated in a single facility and if so where PLN Mr pointed out that the Georgetown Little Theatre it that lime was keen on its own have council share the cost of building theatre the new expansion at Public School Fairly elaborate plans were drawn up and the Board of Education indicated its readiness to assume half the cost But the would have been the only ones Continued on page HALTON HILLS LIBRARY BOARD RECREATION DEPARTMENT LIBRARY GALLERY Board becomes tenant entering Into lease with town THEATRE PURPOSE ROOM The somewhat controversial proposed management structure for the new arts complex While established in a simple format and according to recreation director Tom iihepard subject some change he structure Is questioned by spokesman for the arts community who feel a citizens committee should be appointed the theatre portion I Ibrary board chairman Hick similarly has reservations his board control over the gallery portion COST ESTIMATES revised June fciimuitucoii9iruiiiwil Contingency on construction Archltectsfee consultants fees 110000 Land purchases 221500 Furnishings GROSS COST 000 FINANCING Debenture proceeds plus interest Lot levies 1980 operating budget Provincial Heritage Fund Community Centres Act Access foi handicapped Wlntarlo grant for portable equipment Proceeds from fund raising Added to this figure are anticipated revenues from the sale of the former Walter Gray home now boarded up on Church Street facing the complex site negotiations with the Royal Canadian Legion branch 120 and downtown businessmen with an eye to preparing a comprehensive parking lot scheme are now getting underway plus any additional required financing from town reserve funds Together these two sources are expected to meet the balance of construction coats the latter to be reduced accordingly In the event public fundraising contributes more than 185000 75000