Halifax West High School

Bella Rose Arts Centre

The idea of the theatre was founded during the planning process of the new Halifax West High School after the old Halifax West High School became condemned due to toxic mould contamination in July 2000.

Though the old Halifax West High School did not have a theatre or auditorium—having just a gymnasium with a stage in it—the communities of Clayton Park and surrounding areas fought for a theatre during the planning process of the new school. The Nova Scotia Department of Education would however not fund a theatre seeing it as an unnecessary add-on to an already expensive new High School.

After many hours of planning and community consultation it was decided that if there was going to be a theatre inside of the new Halifax West High School that the money for it would have to come from sources other than the government. The Halifax West Community Theatre Association was then founded to ensure that a theatre would be included in the overall plans for the new Halifax West High School.

The Halifax Regional School Board turned over the old Halifax West High School that was located on Dutch Village Road over to the Halifax Regional Municipality who then demolished the building sold the lot to a local developer for an undisclosed amount. Of that undisclosed amount approximately $300 000.00 CAD was then donated to the Halifax West Community Theatre Association so that an empty shell could be included in the High School’s initial construction that would one day hold the theatre after fundraising was complete.

Fundraising[edit]

Once the new Halifax West High School was completed, the Halifax West Community Theatre Association began fundraising for the new theatre calling it Theatre Halifax. The centre remained known as Theatre Halifax until February 12, 2007 when it was announced that Mickey MacDonald, a local entrepreneur and businessman pledged to donate $300 000.00 CAD towards the theatre. The theatre was then renamed the Bella Rose Arts Centre in honour of his mother, Bella MacDonald and his daughter, Bella Rose MacDonald. The Halifax West Theatre Association was also later renamed to the Bella Rose Arts Centre Society to reflect this generous donation.

The theatre's fundraising efforts include; general donations from individuals, corporations and local governments, holding raffles and selling advertising space on tickets, ticket envelopes, and on the centre's website.

It's Interesting

  • Halifax West High School is a Canadian public high school located in the Clayton Park neighbourhood in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Encompassing grades 10 through 12, Halifax West High School offers a variety of courses in both French and English...

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