Centre construction well underway

Times Reporter

 

The Rosebud Centre has been in the works for almost 10 years, and in the spring of 2011 the doors are set to open. The Centre is an expansion to the Rosebud Theatre’s Mercantile Dining Room. It’s 10,000 square-feet filled with dining, shopping and meeting/convention space. 

The project started out as a five million dollar project and coordinators for the project raised four million before construction began. Thanks to the additional donation from EnCana and other donations and sponsors, only $700,000 remains out of the goal of one million set when construction began on the project.

“We set a goal of a million and we have raised $300,000. The last 10 to 20 per cent is the hardest to get,” said Bob Davis, Executive Director for Rosebud Theatre.  

“The good news was we got another $150,000 from EnCana to help with the project,” said Heather Little, marketing coordinator for Rosebud theatre.  EnCana has been a big supporter of the project and to date they have donated $350,000 to the project with $150,000 of that being donated this year.   

“We’ve probably been part of this community for 50 years or better, so we’ve always felt we’re part of this community and we feel this is a very good exercise for the community and a great centre. Because we’re a part of the community we want to be a part of it (the Centre) also,” said John Christofferson from EnCana. 

The new centre will also have the space for weddings or other large parties and will offer a variety of things to patrons and residents. 

“It’s kind of an alternative to going to Drumheller or wherever,” said Little.  

The Centre will help to draw in more crowds and will provide a good economic impact to the hamlet. People already travel from Calgary and all over Alberta to watch some of the theater productions Rosebud has to offer, and now it will be even more welcoming to visitors. The Centre also provides a positive ecological impact. The roof has been specially designed to capture snow and rain and recycle it for landscaping which will help reduce some of the water required from municipal resources. The Centre also offers classroom space for students in the Rosebud school of arts. 

“It’s been almost 10 years in the making and really the last ten months have been the most hectic because we’ve been building,” said Davis. 

With only a few months left to go on the project, coordinators and sponsors are excited to see the doors open, and the experience the new Centre.