Curtains about to close on performing arts centre

Once in my consulting career when I’d delivered a fairly harsh report on a government organization, the regional director called me and said rather bluntly: if you think you have an answer to our problems, why don’t you come and try to lead us to solutions. So I did!

Recently, after my op-ed pieces, several people suggested that the least I could do now would be to try to play a leadership role moving the concept of a South Okanagan Performing Arts Centre more front and centre in the community.

My starting place was attending the South Okanagan Performing Arts Centre Society’s annual general meeting a few weeks ago.

While there were positive steps being reported on the land issue and people spoke of an optimistic future, a couple of items somewhat surprised me:

1. All the board was stepping down, burned out from years at it.

2. No succession plan and no one nominated to carry on.

Afterwards I reflected on what this could mean if no one stepped forward quickly – momentum could dissipate, the storehouse of information accumulated by the outgoing board could fade into oblivion.

A minimum of three people are needed to ensure the board functions. I immediately found three, including myself to lead it all. Last week I submitted my nomination list to SOPAC. I await a response.

In the meantime it seems reasonable to at least continue the conversation. But it’s important it be informed and civil – positive and respectful.

And, so with all due respect to the author of a recent letter to the editor, let’s not use words like lusted after nor ought we to immediately discount any idea by simply saying they won’t go for it as I heard at the SOPAC meeting.

With this in mind perhaps a bit of my personal background might be helpful.

Several decades ago I was on a career path to become a theologian; while that changed before I finished university, I have continued to intermittently fill pulpits as an interim lay minister and I am an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

Moreover I recently chaired a committee at St. Andrew’s here in Penticton where we seriously examined real estate options for the congregation. As well back in the 60s a group of us young theologs suggested that instead of building churches in the suburbs, we should partner with school boards and build multi-purpose auditoriums that along with the classroom could be shared.

Obviously the idea fell upon deaf ears, but imagine how our cities might look now with school having great facilities for the arts for five days a week and churches sharing the same spaces for two days.

If we are selected, I assure you there will be an expanded conversation. Personally I have an extensive background in public participation, in working with varied interests, in bringing diverse groups together. In fact, it was this skill set that brought me to the Okanagan originally in the 1970s.

Yes I have a bias, I’d like to see a wonderful performing arts centre in Penticton; but before that could ever happen I need to know that the majority of you really share this desire. So we will talk!

Glenn W. Sinclair, Ph.D. is a Penticton resident, lover of the performing arts, and university adjunct professor in ethics and leadership with expertise in public involvement, education and policy development.