Victoria Gardens Cultural Center facts for kids
The Victoria Gardens Cultural Center (VGCC) is a special place in Rancho Cucamonga, California. It's like a big community hub! Inside, you'll find a library and a theater all connected. It's part of the Victoria Gardens shopping area.
The VGCC opened its doors on August 19, 2006. It brings together the Lewis Family Playhouse, the Paul A. Biane Library, and the Celebration Hall. All these cool spots are under one roof! Groups like The Rancho Cucamonga Library Foundation help support the center. They raise money to keep the arts and reading programs going.
This amazing $33.8 million project was built without using city general funds. Instead, it got money from a state grant and a partnership with the Victoria Gardens developer. Other private groups and special funds also helped make it happen.
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Lewis Family Playhouse
The Lewis Family Playhouse is a performing arts center. It's owned and run by the city of Rancho Cucamonga, California. What's really cool is that the city itself creates many of the shows you can see here.
Theater Companies at the Playhouse
The city runs several theater groups that perform at the Playhouse:
- The MainStreet Theatre Company puts on plays especially for kids and families. They've had shows like Ferdinand the Bull and James and the Giant Peach.
- The Rancho Cucamonga Community Theatre helps young people and adults learn about theater. They also put on shows for everyone to enjoy. Past shows include A Christmas Carol and Oliver!.
- Broadway at the Gardens brings one big, exciting musical to the stage each year. Their first show was Sweeney Todd in 2009.
- The Black Box Productions are held in a smaller, more intimate Studio Theatre. These shows are often more dramatic. Proof is an example of a play they've performed.
Paul A. Biane Library
The Paul A. Biane Library opened at the same time as the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in August 2006. It was named after Paul Biane, a local leader. He helped get over $1 million to build this library.
There's even talk about making the library bigger! The second floor has lots of unused space. The idea is to turn it into a special children's center.
The library has a large technology center with 21 computers. There are also five study rooms you can use for group projects or quiet study. You'll find a quiet reading room and a small bookstore too. Plus, there's free Wi-Fi for everyone! The library also has many programs for both kids and adults. Sometimes, they team up with the Lewis Family Playhouse for big events. These events use the Celebration Hall, the Playhouse, the Imagination Courtyard, and the library itself.
Celebration Hall
Celebration Hall is a large space that can be divided into up to three smaller rooms. It's a flexible room that can be used for many different events. It has a full kitchen and audio/visual equipment. People can rent it for anything from business meetings to wedding parties.
