From left: Head Librarian Colin Evans, BATC Program Manager Jordon Weenie and CDC General Manager Tracy Benson stand in the library theatre. The theatre will be getting a techical upgrade after nearly 40 years of service. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Library Theatre

BATC donates $10K for theatre upgrades at North Battleford Library

Jan 22, 2024 | 1:54 PM

A collaborative partnership between the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs (BATC) and the North Battleford Library is bringing the 1980s-era theatre into the 21st Century.

“The equipment at the theatre was state of the art at the time, but of course with any technology it needs upgrading,” said head librarian, Colin Evans.

The BATC issued a $10,000 grant through the Community Development Corporation to the library and Evans said when he joined the booklovers haven in 2022, it was a project he wanted to tackle. After looking at the audio system and discovering it dated back to 1986, he knew it was time for a change.

“We have a record player, we have a tape player,” he said noting the undertaking will come with some technical challenges as the near four decades in between has seen a great shift in how the systems were set up and placed around the room.

Due to the age of the equipment, staff had some issues crop up such as sound cutting out during film screenings along with other audio gaffs. As a result, the quality of the sessions suffer.

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“We also want to expand on just the theatre itself,” he said.

“We want to be able to create a space that people can use for meeting venues, so we want to install a real nice camera system, equipment that can be used for Zoom sessions, so not only [will we have] just the theatre, but also a meeting space for the community.”

According to Jordon Weenie, BATC program manager, it’ll continue to grow the partnership between the two organizations.

“We do host a lot of events and sometimes we have to book elsewhere, things like that and the library is such a good location because it’s so central to the town,” he said.

“To be able to do that, to be able to afford to upgrade it would be a big thing because for me, my programming stuff, I could look into the library to hosting more of our programs to bring more people together.”

Weenie explained some non-Indigenous people may not be comfortable going to Atoskewin Success Centre, though he said everyone is welcome.

“The more the marrier and the more non-Indigenous, it warms my heart,” Weenie said.

“It really does because it just shows me people are really willing to learn, really willing to want to know more about us.”

The total upgrades will cost $50,000 and Evans is working on more grant applications, though he said the library board will also be financially involved. In the meantime, the funds from the BATC have been received and there will be a novelty cheque presentation at a later date.

According to Tracy Benson, CDC general manager, building relationships between organizations is key to moving forward.

“Being at the tribal council at that level and be able to use the resources here not just only for their programs but for us, you know like as a tribal council, as a whole,” she said.

“To be able to bring out what we will be supporting in the Battlefords for CDC.”

For Weenie, the theatre upgrades are necessary.

“I don’t think people grasp how important libraries are,” he said.

“This is a space full of knowledge, this is a space full of stories, this is a space full of Taylor Swift CDs and they’re essential for every aspect of our life.”

He explained the library was a space to read, write and expand knowledge.

“The importance of the libraries I think needs to be really stressed and for us to have this partnership with the library I think is super important because this is essentially where our stories are as well,” he said.

“We have a section for Indigenous authors. Hopefully one day we’ll have one of those big sections for Indigenous authors. This is a place to come get inspired.”

The grand opening has yet to be determined and work is continuing.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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