COLD LAKE - The City of Cold Lake is one step closer to having a dedicated arts and culture facility after receiving a presentation from Schick Shiner and Associates on their findings from the "Arts and Culture Needs Assessment" report.
This study, commissioned by the City of Cold Lake, examined the feasibility of establishing an arts and culture centre in Cold Lake, evaluating the community's needs, potential costs, and anticipated benefits of a facility.
At the Nov. 26 regular council meeting, Richard Schick, the lead consultant, explained the purpose of the study.
“I just want to acknowledge the people who helped me, met with me, and shared what they do in the community. And again, kudos to you all for your leadership in commissioning this study to explore what can be done to benefit the community."
Cold Lake’s untapped potential
Schick noted several surprising insights about Cold Lake’s demographics, which indicate a strong potential for arts and culture engagement.
“It was surprising to me that I think over 40 per cent of the community is over 35 years old. Then 50 per cent have a post-secondary education, and 60 per cent of households have a household after-tax income of $100,000. All of those things indicate the profile for an arts consumer.”
He added, “The market is here. But again, to my surprise, there was little arts activity in the city.”
Schick posed the question of whether the lack of arts activity stems from a "chicken-and-egg problem" tied to the absence of facilities or the transient nature of Cold Lake’s oil and gas-based economy. He cited Fernie, B.C., as a comparable community benefiting from a small arts centre, noting that its 100-seat theatre sees 20,000 visits annually.
Proposed facility
The study proposed three potential options for an arts and culture facility in Cold Lake, ranging in size and cost.
The "all-in" option is the largest at 49,000 square feet. It is estimated at $42 million.
A "moderate" option was slightly smaller at 42,000 square feet and would cost between $40 and $42 million.
Lastly, the "spartan" option was the most compact at 29,000 square feet and is projected at $30 million.
All options include a 600-seat theatre, dedicated spaces for visual arts such as pottery, painting, and fabric arts, and a versatile multi-purpose common area.
“It's really becoming more like a community centre for the arts as opposed to this kind of place on the hill that is elitist. What we're trying to do is get people in as much as you possibly can.”
Economic and social benefits
Schick emphasized that while arts centres do not typically break even, they serve broader community needs.
He estimated operational costs of $1.6 to $1.8 million annually, with a shortfall of $200,000 to $300,000. Revenue streams could include show rentals, bar and café sales, and gift shop income.
“You are not just providing a facility. In the operations of that facility, you are going to become a retailer. So, you are going to buy talent, shows, and you are going to put them on, so you're at risk. But that's where you can make your money and start to cover your costs.”
Coun. Bob Mattice expressed support for the project, comparing the operating costs to those of other municipal facilities,
“A swimming pool has more of a municipal cost to it. I think that you could build an art centre for less and you could service more individuals - and your cost to operate would be less.”
Next steps
Schick recommended engaging architects for schematic designs and hiring an arts coordinator to develop programming ahead of the facility’s opening.
“You don’t want to open the building cold. You want to start to develop that arts community and those arts activities now so that when it opens it kind of generally flows.”
Council thanked Schick for the presentation, which was received as information and will be revisited at a future meeting.
