Thunder Bay Community Auditorium facts for kids
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| Address | 1 Paul Shaffer Drive Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada |
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| Coordinates | 48°25′21″N 89°14′29″W / 48.42252°N 89.24142°W |
| Parking | 1000 spaces |
| Owner | City of Thunder Bay |
| Capacity | 1,511 |
| Opened | October 16, 1985 |
| Website | |
| http://www.tbca.com/ | |
The Auditorium, located in the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, is a large theatre built for the performance arts. The building officially opened its doors to guests on October 16, 1985. It has a total seat limit of 1,511 people. Every year, around 150,000 visitors come here to watch musical concerts, live drama plays, dance recitals, and comedy shows. The building is also the primary home stage of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.
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Amazing Features of the Auditorium
Engineers created this concert hall with special features to give audiences the best sound and stage views possible. The main performance area has a permanent wooden stage measuring 40 feet by 50 feet. It includes a massive stage frame called a proscenium arch that stretches 70 feet wide and 39 feet high.
Behind the stage, there are eight separate dressing rooms where performers can change clothes and get ready. The facility also has three meeting spaces, 52 lines for hanging lights and scenery, and banquet space for 450 people. Outside, there is a giant parking area that holds up to 1,000 cars. The auditorium sits along a street named after musical star Paul Shaffer, and visitors can travel there easily using the Thunder Bay Transit city bus system.
Clever Sound Technology and Acoustics
The theatre relies on high-tech equipment to make sure instruments and voices sound crisp and clear. One clever design feature is a movable ceiling that workers can raise or lower to change how sound bounces around. Operators can also adjust heavy acoustic curtains to control the echo, which is known as reverberance. When classical musicians play soft violin pieces, the hall adjusts so every note rings out nicely. When rock bands play loud music, the acoustic curtains soak up excess sound so it does not hurt anyone's ears.
Special Events and School Ceremonies
The venue hosts more than just musical concerts and touring acts. Every spring in May and June, students celebrate major milestones inside the hall. Local universities and colleges, including Lakehead University and Confederation College, use the spacious stage to hold their official graduation ceremonies. Several local high schools also give out diplomas to their students right here.
Community Support and Funding
Running such a large performance space requires teamwork and money. In early 2008, the venue looked for a naming sponsor to help lower costs for local taxpayers. Companies like Shaw Communications and TBayTel explored the idea, but the name stayed the same. Today, the facility receives helpful funding worth 475,000 Canadian dollars each year from the city government.
