The Parksville Beach Festival Society is launching a Capital Campaign for their proposed outdoor performance stage in the Parksville Community Park.
The Parksville Beach Festival Society invites the community to help launch the “Bringing Art to Life” capital campaign to support the construction of Parksville’s outdoor theatre for the Performing Arts. On Saturday, May 25, between 3-5 p.m. at the Community Park picnic shelter, the society will feature local entertainment, share information about the new stage and begin to accept donations towards construction, which is anticipated in 2020. The capital campaign goal is to raise $1.2 million.
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If they are successful, grants could cover 80 per cent of the funds required. Announcements related to these grants will be released this fall. The society will contribute funds already in reserve from gate proceeds gathered annually at the Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition. They are aiming to gather donations from businesses, organizations and the general public to make up the difference.
Identified in 2018 as a priority in the Community Park Master plan, the facility will be owned and operated by the City of Parksville. That same year the Parksville Beach Festival Society gathered more than 1,300 signatures from residents and petitioned city council to make this initiative a short-term priority.
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“We have received such positive encouragement from residents and local businesses on this initiative,” said the society’s entertainment director, Lloyd Derry, who is leading the campaign. “We want to see a show of support on Saturday afternoon to build momentum for a facility that has the potential to benefit everyone.”
The society hosts 10 free concerts each summer and anticipates greater opportunities with the outdoor theatre for the performing arts.
Parksville Beach Festival Society is a registered BC not-for-profit Society with a mandate of organizing family-oriented summertime events in the community park. It has been using gate proceeds to support many local philanthropic groups and community projects since 2000.
“Since 2000, Beachfest has donated over $600,000 in support of service groups and community projects,” said society president, Cheryl Dill. “We will continue with this annual goal and concentrate our efforts to enhance public performance in our beautiful park.”
For more information about the stage and how to donate, visit parksvilleoutdoortheatre.ca.
— NEWS staff, submitted
