Bella Rose Arts Centre
Encyclopedia
The Bella Rose Arts Centre is a community-based proscenium theatre performing arts centre located inside of Halifax West High School
in the Clayton Park
neighbourhood of Halifax, Nova Scotia
, Canada. The 600 seat, professional grade, multi-purpose theatre has the capacity to handle almost any type of event from music and dance shows, to theatrical productions and currently functions primarily as a rental theatre.
The idea of the theatre was founded during the planning process of the new Halifax West High School after the old Halifax West High School became condemned due to a toxic mould contamination.
Though the old Halifax West High School did not have a theatre or auditorium—having just a gymnasium with a stage in it—the communities of Clayton Park and surrounding areas fought for a theatre during the planning process of the new school. The Nova Scotia Department of Education
would however not fund a theatre seeing it as an unnecessary add-on to an already expensive new High School.
After many hours of planning and community consultation it was decided that if there was going to be a theatre inside of the new Halifax West High School that the money for it would have to come from sources other than the government. The Halifax West Community Theatre Association was then founded to ensure that a theatre would be included in the overall plans for the new Halifax West High School.
The Halifax Regional School Board
turned over the old Halifax West High School that was located on Dutch Village Road over to the Halifax Regional Municipality who then demolished the building sold the lot to a local developer for approximately $300 000.00 CAD
. That $300 000.00 CAD was then donated to the Halifax West Community Theatre Association so they could pay the Nova Scotia Department of Education to include and install a concrete shell in the High School that would one day hold the theatre after fundraising was complete.
, a local entrepreneur and businessman pledged to donate $300 000.00 CAD towards the theatre. The theatre was then renamed the Bella Rose Arts Centre in honour of his mother, Bella MacDonald and his daughter, Bella Rose MacDonald. The Halifax West Theatre Association was also later renamed to the Bella Rose Arts Centre Society to reflect this generous donation.
The theatre's fundraising efforts include; general donations from individuals, corporations and local governments, holding raffles and selling advertising space on tickets, ticket envelopes, and on the centre's website.
The most notable fundraising campaign is the Name-A-Seat campaign which allows anyone to purchase an inscribed plate in one of the theatre's 600 seats.
The Bella Rose Arts Centre Society is a Canadian registered charity
.
and two catwalks. This required some slight modifications to the exterior of the theatre shell on the second floor of the high school to add access to these areas.
After most of the fundraising efforts were completed, construction on the theatre started in February 2007 and was completed in June 2007.
Halifax West High School
Halifax West High School is a Canadian public high school located in the Clayton Park neighbourhood in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia...
in the Clayton Park
Clayton Park, Nova Scotia
Clayton Park is a Canadian suburban development in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality inside the city of Halifax.-Original development:...
neighbourhood of Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada. The 600 seat, professional grade, multi-purpose theatre has the capacity to handle almost any type of event from music and dance shows, to theatrical productions and currently functions primarily as a rental theatre.
Foundation
- See article Halifax West High School.
Though the old Halifax West High School did not have a theatre or auditorium—having just a gymnasium with a stage in it—the communities of Clayton Park and surrounding areas fought for a theatre during the planning process of the new school. The Nova Scotia Department of Education
Nova Scotia Department of Education
The Nova Scotia Department of Education is a department of the Government of Nova Scotia responsible for overseeing education institutions in the province...
would however not fund a theatre seeing it as an unnecessary add-on to an already expensive new High School.
After many hours of planning and community consultation it was decided that if there was going to be a theatre inside of the new Halifax West High School that the money for it would have to come from sources other than the government. The Halifax West Community Theatre Association was then founded to ensure that a theatre would be included in the overall plans for the new Halifax West High School.
The Halifax Regional School Board
Halifax Regional School Board
The Halifax Regional School Board is the public school board responsible for 137 elementary, junior high, and high schools located within the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. The current Superintendent of the HRSB is Carole Olsen, who has held the position since 2002...
turned over the old Halifax West High School that was located on Dutch Village Road over to the Halifax Regional Municipality who then demolished the building sold the lot to a local developer for approximately $300 000.00 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
. That $300 000.00 CAD was then donated to the Halifax West Community Theatre Association so they could pay the Nova Scotia Department of Education to include and install a concrete shell in the High School that would one day hold the theatre after fundraising was complete.
Fundraising
Once the new Halifax West High School was completed, the Halifax West Community Theatre Association began fundraising for the new theatre calling it Theatre Halifax. The centre remained known as Theatre Halifax until Mickey MacDonaldMickey MacDonald
Mickey MacDonald is an entrepreneur in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who has been involved in telecommunications, food retailing and the fitness industry.-Clearwater:...
, a local entrepreneur and businessman pledged to donate $300 000.00 CAD towards the theatre. The theatre was then renamed the Bella Rose Arts Centre in honour of his mother, Bella MacDonald and his daughter, Bella Rose MacDonald. The Halifax West Theatre Association was also later renamed to the Bella Rose Arts Centre Society to reflect this generous donation.
The theatre's fundraising efforts include; general donations from individuals, corporations and local governments, holding raffles and selling advertising space on tickets, ticket envelopes, and on the centre's website.
The most notable fundraising campaign is the Name-A-Seat campaign which allows anyone to purchase an inscribed plate in one of the theatre's 600 seats.
The Bella Rose Arts Centre Society is a Canadian registered charity
Canadian Charity Law
Charitable organizations in Canada are regulated under the Canadian Income Tax Act through the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency....
.
Construction
The concrete shell that was put in place for the theatre was fairly limited; the original plan for the theatre only included 503 orchestra seats, no balcony, and no catwalks. The Halifax West Community Theatre Association, during the final planning stages, decided to put in an additional 97 seat balconyBalcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
and two catwalks. This required some slight modifications to the exterior of the theatre shell on the second floor of the high school to add access to these areas.
After most of the fundraising efforts were completed, construction on the theatre started in February 2007 and was completed in June 2007.
Amenities
- The Bella Rose Arts Centre is a proscenium theatre with a stage that has a performance space that is 34 feet wide and 23 feet deep. The stage has a sprung, professional grade dance floor.
- There are 503 seats in the orchestra and 97 seats in the balcony for a total of 600.
- There are 6 accessibility spots available for wheelchair users.
Notable Events and Performances
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