A $6.3 million performing arts centre at Bethlehem College is due to open at Easter _ and the school has already had inquiries from organisations around the country wanting to use it. The centre includes a theatre that will be 20 per cent bigger than the one at Baycourt. Construction of thefacility, measuring 5000sq m, began last year and it will be used as a centre of music and drama at the college, shared by primary and secondary sectors. The public will also be invited to use the facilities. On top of the $5.3 million to build the centre, the school has committed $1 million to fit the centre out and make it fully functional. The school is $500,000 short of the total. College principal Phillip Nash said he was disappointed Tauranga City Council hadn't agreed to a community share partnership, which would have seen it contribute financially to the centre. ``The community have had access to our facilities for 20 years. It's disappointing they passed up the opportunity for a partnership given the lack of facilities in the city,' he said. The college campus is already in high demand from the public for its sports facilities and grounds. The building will feature an auditorium for all students with 580 seats, and a large flat floor hall for primary students. There will be individual music tutoring rooms, rehearsal rooms, a record ing studio and offices to house the secondary school drama depart ment and the secondary and prim ary music departments. The Christian Education Trust, which set up Bethlehem College, has funded the new centre. Bethlehem Foundation secretary Peter Wyatt said it was never the trust's intention to make the performing arts centre bigger than Baycourt but simply to cater for the school's growing needs. Baycourt had been "enormously co-operative on technical lighting and sound", he said. Mr Wyatt said the college had outgrown its present events centre, built six years ago for around $3 million. To donate to Bethlehem College's performing arts centre project visit the website: www.bethlehemfoundation.org.nz or phone 579-1816. For $500 you can donate a seat, which includes a name plaque.
