Mayor Peter Brown and City council were treated to a surprise serenade on April 17 at City Hall.
The “flash jam” set to the tune of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was part of an effort to convince council to move forward with the Bert Church Theatre’s 2013 expansion.
Council chambers was unusually crowded as members of the Airdrie Regional Arts Society (ARTS), Creative Airdrie Society (CAS), the Nose Creek Players, Rotary Festival of Performing Arts, and SLAM (Supporting Local Airdrie Musicians) attended to show solidarity for the Bert Church expansion project.
As the first notes of Bohemian Rhapsody seemingly interrupted the presentation, one young Airdrie musician stood up and sang, “Mayor, the time has come, to support the arts in town, look at the people all around.”
He was joined by more than a dozen of his peers who sang, “Mayor, we don’t want the arts to die, sometimes we wish we lived in Calgary.” The flash jam obviously had a positive effect on council — Mayor Brown pulled out his cell phone to record the performance — as they unanimously approved the schematic designs.
The proposed theatre expansion includes a separate theatre entrance, new lobby and public washrooms, a ticket or box office, dressing rooms, rehearsal lounge and multi-purpose space, and an administration office. With the schematic designs being approved by council, the next step will be for council to review the project’s cost and construction timelines.
Nadine Low, president of the Airdrie Rotary Festival of Performing Arts, said, “This group that has performed this flash jam is a representation of the enthusiasm and passion for the arts in Airdrie.”
Alderman Allan Hunter said it’s time the community support more projects like the Bert Church expansion, that can be utilized by Airdrie’s growing arts community.
“We do a huge amount for sports in this community and I think it’s time we do some things for performing arts,” Hunter said.
“If you ever have a venue for geezers with guitars, I’ve been known to pick a few.”
The project is currently projected to start construction in spring 2013 and be completed in the fall of the same year.
Staff will present the cost of the project and where the money will come from to council at a later date.
