Conexus Arts Centre facts for kids
Conexus Arts Centre
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| Former names | Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts |
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| Location | 200A Lakeshore Drive Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Coordinates | 50°25′42.01″N 104°35′52.41″W / 50.4283361°N 104.5978917°W |
| Type | Performing arts center |
| Capacity | 2,031 |
| Opened | August 24, 1970 |
The Conexus Arts Centre is a large theatre and event building in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It's a special place where people can watch amazing shows, concerts, and even attend university graduations. For many years, from 1970 until 2006, it was known as the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts. You can find it in the beautiful Wascana Centre park area in Regina.
A Look Back: How the Centre Was Built
The idea for this centre began as a way to celebrate Canada's 100th birthday in 1967. It was planned as a special project for the Canadian Centennial. However, building it wasn't easy! The cost of construction went up a lot. After the steel frame was put up, work stopped for a few years.
People even joked about the unfinished building. Students at the nearby University of Regina called it the "world's largest monkey bars"! To finish the project, some of the original plans had to be changed. They used less expensive materials for parts of the building.
Finally, after a long delay, the Centre of the Arts opened on August 24, 1970. The Governor General, Roland Michener, officially opened it. It cost about $7.7 million to build. It was meant to be a hub for performing arts, exhibitions, and university events for southern Saskatchewan. Over the years, the building has been updated. It now looks much closer to what the original designers had imagined.
In 2006, the building got a new name: the Conexus Arts Centre. This happened because Conexus Credit Union bought the "naming rights." This means they paid to have their name on the building. Another similar centre, the TCU Place, was also built in Saskatoon to celebrate Canada's centennial.
What's Inside: The Centre's Spaces
The Conexus Arts Centre was designed by Izumi, Arnott, and Sugiyama. It's built with Estevan brick and Manitoba Tyndall Stone. Inside, you'll find several important areas:
- Main Theatre: This is the biggest space, with seats for 2,031 people. It has three balconies. The stage is very large, and the front part can even lower down. This creates a special pit for up to 100 musicians!
- Convention Hall: This hall can seat 1,400 people for events or 1,000 for banquets. It used to be called Doris Knight Hall.
- There are also many conference rooms and lobby areas for displays.
The centre is the main home for the Regina Symphony Orchestra. When the centre opened, the orchestra moved their concerts here. It also replaced older theatres in downtown Regina that had closed or been torn down. The Globe Theatre, Regina also performed here for a while. The Conexus Arts Centre often shares hosting duties for Telemiracle with the TCU Place in Saskatoon.
Fun Things to Do at the Centre
Since it first opened, the Conexus Arts Centre has hosted many famous performers from all over the world. Even big names like the comedy group Monty Python's Flying Circus and the famous pianist Van Cliburn performed here in the early years! It's amazing that such big stars visited a smaller city like Regina.
Besides concerts and theatre shows, the centre is used for many other things. The University of Regina, which is right next door, holds its graduation ceremonies here. It's also a popular place for private events, like wedding receptions. It truly is a busy and important spot for arts and community events in Regina!
