Though the board of the Steinbach Arts Council is extremely disappointed with city council's decision to nix plans for a performing arts centre, they feel they have proven the need for such a facility in Steinbach through the process.

That according to Board Chair Graham Pollock. He says the SAC would have at least liked to find out whether or not the project would receive any funding from the federal or provincial governments before the plans were scrapped.

"I don't have a problem with a decision that is against perhaps something that I believe in if they are making the decision based on all the available and relevant information, but they didn't. Neither level of government had made a decision on whether they were going to fund this project or not and yet council decided that even without that information they were going to terminate the project."

Pollock notes the one piece of information that was available was the private funding and the fundraising being done by the Friends of SPAC was yielding positive results.

Pollock says the first presentation that the SAC made for a performing arts centre was back in 2003 and since then they have put in many volunteer hours working for such a facility.

"Nobody gets paid for this. I feel bad for all those people that went out and did all that work for this and my message to them and to our own arts council is don't be discouraged. We have proven that there is a need for it and we will move forward with council to see how they are going to fill that need."

Pollock says if nothing else this whole process has brought a heightened awareness to the arts community here in southeastern Manitoba and to the value of a performing arts centre. He adds the SAC looks forward to continuing their work with the City of Steinbach to fill the needs of a growing arts community.

Read More:
City Council Nixes Performing Arts Centre Plan 
Show Me The Money 
Steinbach Delegation Presents Performing Arts Centre To Provincial Ministers