Dear Minister MacKay,

Surely, in this climate of political change and expectation, one small town in Canada's youngest, yet culturally and historically strongest province, deserves consideration in what may appear at first glance to be a Federal 'drop in the bucket' budget-wise, but is, in fact, worth a Municipal small fortune.

A little of my background is necessary here. I was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was fortunate indeed to have access to many aspects of the Arts. Friday evening classical concerts were simply a fact of life, live theatre at several venues, pantomimes at Christmas, Edinburgh Festival and Festival Fringe events, night clubs, dinner theatres, ballets - the list is long and varied.

And then, in the mid-sixties, I moved to Newfoundland; only my brother and I remained of the immediate family, so I decided to visit one of my mother's sisters who had been a war bride and was living in a tiny community called Summerville in Bonavista Bay. At 19 years of age, or at any age I imagine, one can either adapt easily to culture shock, or flee in horror. I adapted. I accepted the fact that there was precious little to do other than go to the occasional 'garden party' where a lonesome button accordion player played his heart out for hours on end so that the rest of us could kick up our heels. I accepted the fact that we had to wait for the "Movie Man" to make his bi-weekly trip to the community, in anticipation of which a white sheet was stretched across a wall in the local community hall, and benches placed for viewers. I accepted the fact that the films shown were what we'd term "B" pictures. I also accepted the almost unbelievable existence of a two-room school catering to eleven grades, although most of the young people dropped out by Grade Nine. And while I missed hearing the music I'd been raised on, and visiting museums, etc., this was my new life, and a summer's vacation turned into the beginning of my future, as first a landed immigrant, then years later a Canadian citizen and long-time resident of the Town of Bonavista.

My first job in Newfoundland was in Catalina, 15 kilometres from Bonavista. Imagine my surprise and delight at discovering that Bonavista actually had a cinema, The Garrick Theatre. It bore a proud name, not just "The Playhouse" or "The Paramount." I remember my first few visits, and adding my feet to the stomping when the spools were being changed or a breakdown occurred. It was intruiging that The Garrick actually had a fairly large stage area, and I kept hoping that something other than film might be presented once in a while, a play, an old-fashioned concert with skits, a school band performance; but no, only film, and all that remained on that stage was a long ladder on its side and a few buckets of paint.

Time and technology gradually eroded The Garrick's place as a cinema and a meeting and dating place; the last film my husband and I attended was Cameron's "Titanic" which played to packed houses for, I believe, over two weeks in either 1997 or 1998. And eventually, The Garrick's doors closed. It had been a cosy place to go to; tickets, popcorn, candy and soft drinks all available at reasonable prices. Our very own, and for a Newfoundland outport, unique touch of culture - gone!

It was, therefore, thrilling to hear that restoration work would begin on the fine old building, and residents watched with interest as the outside work continued and we learned more of the Historic Townscape Foundation's plans for a multi-use facility. Now our children and grandchildren would have a perfect little theatre in which to stage their Christmas and Spring concerts, rather than in the chilly atmosphere of a school gymnasium. There would be dressing rooms, professional lighting, a sound system - comfortable surroundings for a 200 seat audience. We could welcome and enjoy our local entertainers, and believe me, there is talent in Bonavista. We could spread the word among the artistic world of Newfoundland and Labrador - "Hey there, we have a great little theatre here, would you like to come and perform?" And we've come a long way from the Movie Man and his white sheet. Independent film is gaining great recognition at Film Festivals around the world, and access has been arranged through the Toronto International Film Festival people who have visited Bonavista and seen for themselves the potential in The Garrick. Of course, the "Big 5" studios would not be neglected.

At present, productions of any sort of variety show, benefit concert, heritage production, even lectures and presentations on local health matters have to be presented either in a school gymnasium/cafeteria with dead acoustics, or a church hall or basement, or, indeed in a church. 1996's performance of Handel's "Messiah" by the Newfoundland Symphony Orchertra and its Philharmonic Choir practically filled Bonavista's Memorial United Church's 1400 seats in the middle of December. Does that fact alone not tell you that there is a genuine yearning in the area for something out of the ordinary, something to take us out of ourselves and our ordinary lives just for an hour or two. I played a part in bringing that concert to Bonavista and after the downbeat I had to leave the sanctuary and go have a quiet weep for myself; something very dear to my heart was actually in performance in my adopted town! I have few illusions about string quartets going over very well, but who knows? When I hear 11 and 12 year old girls trying their best to emulate the Queen of the Night's famous aria from Mozart's "Die Zauberflote" which had been played for them at school, I feel there is hope yet for classical music to play a part in The Garrick's rebirth. And when I'm approached by wide-eyed little girls following a tongue in cheek renditon of a pas de deux by a "famous Russian ballerina and her partner" during a fund-raising variety show, and asked, "Are you a real ballerina? Where did you take lessons? Could I learn to do that?" there is hope that the seeds of classical dance have been planted. Mind you, we danced to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" a tune also composed by Mozart!

However, all my wishes and dreams for (paraphrasing Shakespeare) "a little touch of culture in the night" will come to naught if the interior work on the theatre is not completed. Other letters have expressed the economic and tourism benefits; I need not dwell on them. The reasoning behind the withdrawal of funding surely can be revisited; there is no conflict between our Garrick and other theatre groups on the Peninsula, or indeed the Province. This is a project that deserves completion, not just for the residents and their children and grandchildren, but for the world at large, and that is no empty boast - the guest book at Memorial United (the only one I have direct access to) is filled with names from an astonishing number of foreign countries from all over the globe. How gratifying it would be to say that our little jewel of a theatre was completed under the Harper government.

I am kept hopeful by another quote from a well known film, "If you build it, they will come!" We will fill the seats, we will have varied productions, we will make The Garrick Theatre a venue to be listed in each and every 'artists' calendar, and we will support the tireless efforts of the Townscape Foundation to restore a unique heritage structure.

With your support, and restored funding, we will build it, and they will come! Please, please give The Garrick Theatre of Bonavista a chance to live again.

Yours very sincerely,
Margaret B. Abbott
Bonavista

cc:
Hon. Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Hon. Danny Williams, Premier, Newfoundland and Labrador
Hon. Tom Hedderson, Minister, Tourism, Culture and Recreation
Hon. Kathy Dunderdale, Minister, Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
Scott Simms, M.P., Bonavista Gander Grand Falls-Windsor
Roger Fitzgerald, M.H.A., Bonavista South
Paul Mills, Vice-President (Newfoundland and Labrador), ACOA
Mayor Betty Fitzgerald, Town of Bonavista

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