Supporters of a new Performing Arts Centre in Kamloops met with city council this week, hoping to take what is currently a concept and turn in into a viable proposal.

Kamloops Art Gallery Executive Director Margaret Chrumka says one of the group’s first goals is to develop a strong business case for the PAC, and the group hopes to return to council with a proposal and a price tag later this summer.

“There was a case designed with the last proposal and I think a lot of us felt like it could have been a bit more robust,” she said. “We want it to be really clear to this community what the economic impact of this centre is, and what the social impact is. In tandem with that is communicating with the community what we want to realize and raise as much as we can.”

She told Radio NL that the plan is to design the centre in such a way that people can see themselves using it.

” I was looking at some of the events that come through the Nanaimo Port Theatre, which is a similar sized structure,” she noted. “There was a fellow from World Wrestling Federation that was giving a talk, there’s the tenors from Vancouver and this is on the island. So imagine us, located between Vancouver and Calgary and all of the touring performances that come through.”

The price tag is is estimated at $70 million, to which the Fawcett family has committed $10 million.

“After that very generous offer in January, there was a lot of talk,” Chrumka said. “You know, we wanted to make sure that the city was interested, and they have indicated they are. So that started a few of us getting a little bit more serious about how we can realize this.”

If all goes to plan, construction could start in spring 2021, with the first production slated for spring 2023.