Search KamloopsBCNow
The owners of Kelson Group have officially donated a 20,000 sq. ft. facility which will be the home of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and Western Canada Theatre.
In a news release, the city says Ron and Rae Fawcett handed over the property at 330 St. Paul Street Monday morning.
The Fawcetts purchased Kelson Hall a few years ago to create additional rehearsal spaces to support Kamloops’ arts groups alongside the proposed Kamloops Centre for the Arts building.
Although the 2020 referendum was cancelled due to the COVID-10 pandemic, the pair continued working on renovations of the former Telus Annex building.
“This is only the first step to make sure our community groups will thrive and create a need and a demand for the next step, which will be performing stages so our community can attend and enjoy their performances,” said Ron Fawcett.
“The thanks we will get will be the citizens of Kamloops enjoying and prospering in the use of this fine facility.”
Kelson Hall will feature offices as well as spaces for performances and rehearsals. The building will include the 1,900 sq. ft., 134 seat Lori Marchand Theatre which is named after the former general manager of Western Canada Theatre.
The larger hall will also feature the 1,800 sq. ft. Bruce Dunn Hall which is named after the former musical director of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra.
Kelson Hall will not support the Kamloops Symphony Music School and Stage One Theatre School and a variety of community arts organizations in the near future.
“The city is so pleased and grateful for the generosity of receiving this fully renovated and accessible building from the Fawcett’s,” said Kathy Humphrey, the city’s corporate services director.
“As we add this building into the city’s asset inventory, we will continue to work with the arts community to ensure that the building reaches its full potential to provide much-needed rehearsal and performance space in the community.”