Creating change

There is something exciting happening in an abandoned building on High Street.  The former Hillcrest High School closed its doors in 2009 but those hallowed halls are still vibrant and alive with activity. 

I was there recently and I felt like a teenager again.

The building and all its resources is now the Thunder Bay Centre of Change, the brain child of two local entrepreneurs. Based on something called the business incubator model, the newly opened centre strives to provide a nurturing, cooperative environment for new and existing businesses.

This venture was supported by a group of visionaries and benefactors who believe in creative community development and the potential of Thunder Bay citizens.  While I was in the building I saw for myself how this vision is coming to life.

I was there to attend a one-time performance in the centre’s Theatre Auditorium. It was a multimedia event developed and produced by one of the member tenants, the Superior Living Arts Collective. The cast consisted of eight young, talented and very enthusiastic artists.

As I viewed the visual displays in the foyer of the theatre and then again as the stage production unfolded, I understood what the founders and benefactors were saying when they talked about conversation, collaboration and change. 

Before and after the performance I had a chance to snoop around a little. I peeked into a few rooms and looked through a few windows to see what was going on. Some rooms were bare bones while others were either being renovated or had already been completely remodelled. 

One of the rooms resembled a scene from an Agatha Christie murder mystery. A few of us are still wondering what was happening in there especially since we noticed two tall, vertical poles inside. I will investigate further the next time I’m there.

The Thunder Bay Centre of Change has a lot to offer. With the considerable assets of a fully functional high school at their disposal – classrooms, labs, cafeteria, library, a well-appointed stage/auditorium – the centre is a valuable resource for business and the community at large.

They have plenty of space available at their self-proclaimed, unheard-of rental rates. From what I could see this claim appears to be true. 

For most businesses, profit and non-profit alike, high expenses for office and work space can seriously affect the bottom line.  For small and start-up businesses cheap rent can really help. The available rental facilities include a library, a cafeteria, meeting rooms, workshops and temporary office space.

If you are so inclined you can even rent a desk for half a day including Wi-Fi, telephone and reception services. It will only cost you a few bucks.

As my self-guided tour of the facility continued I was strangely comforted by the obvious history of the building as seen in the halls, the walls and the stairwells. It was in the furniture, the science labs and the abandoned rooms.

It took me back to my high school days even though Hillcrest was not my alma mater. 

I briefly remembered how comfortable it was just hanging out with my buds outside the bookstore. Needless to say I was feeling pretty mellow by performance time.

The show began with each cast member declaring in a bold voice, “I am an artist!” From there they went on to prove it with a series of songs, innovative dance and background video.

There were more than 70 patrons of the arts in the auditorium that Sunday afternoon. Many were friends and family of the cast and crew but there was also a celebrity sighting. 

Coun. Linda Rydholm was spotted in the audience and I heard several positive comments about her show of support for this creative endeavour. I trust she was favourably impressed both with the performance and the centre itself.

If I was on council I would tell my colleagues to forget about the big ticket items like arenas and waterfront hotels. For the best return on investment and the biggest bang for the taxpayer buck, invest in the creative people of Thunder Bay, the ones paying the taxes in the first place.

If you don’t believe me, ask Coun. Rydholm.

Congratulations to the Centre of Change, to Kyre and Aleksa, the talented Creative Directors of I Am an Artist and to all the other member tenants who continue to support and sustain the vision.

Congratulations go out to Thunder Bay as well. Our community at large now has another creative feather in its cap