Family donates $100,000 to College of Piping, which will go to new centre

The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada of Summerside has received a gift of $100,000 from Vanessa and Jonathan Morgan of Toronto.

The Morgans are descended from New Annan, P.E.I. where their mother, the late Louise Morgan, helped sponsor the early growth and success of the college.

The Morgans’ gift will be added to the college’s growing capital fund needed for the construction and completion of its new Celtic Performing Arts Education Centre in Summerside. This new centre will host additional studio, rehearsal and performance space needed to expand the growth of student enrolment and to provide year-round live performances of home grown Celtic talent.

“The new indoor performance space will comfortably seat 300 and replaces the former outdoor amphitheatre which had succumbed to the elements,” a news release states.

The institution was created to support and promote the heritage and culture of Canadians who desired through education and instruction in Celtic music and dance to preserve the traditions of their ancestors.

It continues to support growth in these pursuits and over the past 33 years has provided its students with the opportunity to join and perform with the College’s pipe and drum bands and to compete in Highland Gatherings where they meet and compete with other students of the great Scottish bagpipe, Scottish style snare drumming Highland and Island Step dance.