Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
Encyclopedia
The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts is a 43000 square feet (3,994.8 m²) multi-use cultural facility on 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) of land directly on Yonge Street
in the heart of Richmond Hill
's downtown core, at the corner of Yonge
and Wright Streets.
The Centre will provide a home for Richmond Hill's diverse arts community, create a destination in the downtown core, and be a major venue to bring Canadian and international performing
and visual arts
to Richmond Hill
and York Region.
Canadian architect Jack Diamond
, and his firm Diamond and Schmitt Architects
, have been given the task to design the Centre's building, and Michael Grit had been chosen by the Town Council
as the first theater manager. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 5, 2005, and the opening night was February 28, 2009. Among others, David Onley
, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
addressed the crowd during the opening ceremony. The schedule for the next year was announced June 2, 2009. The tickets for scheduled performances are on sale at http://www.richmondhill.ca
The Centre is to host:
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
in the heart of Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
's downtown core, at the corner of Yonge
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and Wright Streets.
The Centre will provide a home for Richmond Hill's diverse arts community, create a destination in the downtown core, and be a major venue to bring Canadian and international performing
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
and visual arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
to Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
and York Region.
Canadian architect Jack Diamond
Jack Diamond (architect)
A.J. "Jack" Diamond, OC, O.Ont is a Canadian architect.Born in Piet Retief, South Africa, he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Cape Town in 1956. He received a Master of Arts degree in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University in 1958...
, and his firm Diamond and Schmitt Architects
Diamond and Schmitt Architects
Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated is an architectural practice founded in 1975 and located in Toronto, Ontario Canada. The firm currently employs 137 people.-History:...
, have been given the task to design the Centre's building, and Michael Grit had been chosen by the Town Council
Richmond Hill Town Council
Richmond Hill Town Council is the governing body for the Town of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Council serves a four year term, after which a new council is elected by qualified electors in Richmond Hill. Richmond Hill Town council consists of a Mayor, six Ward Councillors and two Regional and...
as the first theater manager. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 5, 2005, and the opening night was February 28, 2009. Among others, David Onley
David Onley
David Charles Onley, OOnt is the 28th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Canada.Onley was a television journalist prior to his viceregal appointment. He worked primarily for Citytv as a science and technology reporter, and for the 24-hour news station CablePulse 24 as a news anchor and...
, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
addressed the crowd during the opening ceremony. The schedule for the next year was announced June 2, 2009. The tickets for scheduled performances are on sale at http://www.richmondhill.ca
The Centre is to host:
- Main Auditorium, seating 631 guests, the largest seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of any theatre in York Region. - The 150-seat Rehearsal Hall with a flexible configuration for interactive presentations, dinner theatre, award ceremonies and corporate events.
- Lobby Galleries to display an array of visual arts.
- Outdoor Piazza perfect to exhibit large-scale art and to bring productions and presentations in the open air (alfresco).
- Multi-purpose rooms for meetings, classrooms etc.
- Restored Heritage Building which will house the Centre’s administrative offices on the second floor while future commercial and/or retail spaces are being considered for the ground level.