There is exciting news for local cinema lovers. The Qualicum Beach Cinema Society has received a grant of $15,000 from Coastal Community Credit Union’s Building Healthier Communities Fund to put towards a feasibility study for a community cinema in Qualicum Beach.
“Providing a space for local children, youth and families to come together to enjoy the arts is a great fit with our vision,” said Allyson Prescesky, senior manager, community and communications for CCCU.
READ MORE: Qualicum Beach cinema advocates want to hear from you
“We focus our Building Healthier Communities Fund resources on projects that are sustainable, support a broad range of people, and make a meaningful impact on a local community. Multi-use cinemas increase community involvement while stimulating the local economy, so we’re happy to join forces with the Cinema Society to help fund their feasibility study.”
Together with $7,500 received from the Regional District of Nanaimo in May of this year, the Society is now in reach of its target of $30,000 to fund the study.
“We are very impressed that Coastal Community Credit Union has recognized the value of this project to our community” said Evelyn Miller, member of the society. “We are excited to be partnering with them moving forward.”
It has been a busy few months for the Society, who were also recently granted legal charitable status by the Canada Revenue Agency. This allows donations to the Society to be tax deductible and will be helpful for future applications for capital cost funding.
In addition, they have had an outpouring of positive responses to their online survey, receiving more than 200 in the first few weeks, with many of those respondents indicating that they would like to get involved.
READ MORE: Feasibility study planned for proposed Qualicum Beach cinema
Some of the responses received:
“I believe this type of venue would appeal to all our local communities that don’t have easy access to cinemas/movie theatres. We rarely go out to the movies because of the long drive to Nanaimo and back. Gas is expensive and we’d rather spend our money in our quaint and accessible home community than having to drive to mall in Nanaimo.”
“Thank you for initiating this project! Have lived in QB only two years since leaving Vancouver and have often thought movies are the catalyst for deep, intelligent discussions. Would really like to see that aspect of any facility promoted.”
A meeting for new QB Cinema Society volunteers will be taking place at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre at 747 Jones Street on Nov. 5. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Windsor room. Please RSVP to info@qbcinema.org.
— NEWS Staff, submitted