In with the new: College of Piping performance space taking shape

A new $4.1 million performance space atSummerside's College of Piping and Celtic Performance Arts of Canada is starting to take shape.

The relatively good weather this springhas allowed construction to remain on schedule.

"I've got a bird's eye view from my office up there and I look out everyday and see the changes," said school principal James MacHattie. "I sometimes get impatient and I want a little glimpse into the future to see what it's going to look like and sound like, but I just have to be patient."

The new centre will replace the formeramphitheatre which hadbeen usedfor the last 15 years, but hadsuccumbed to weather and the elements.

It hosted its final performance last year.

The new performing arts centre will be a fully enclosed structure that will provide protection from the elements, as well as five studios, performance space, a stage and retractable seating for 300.

'You have to plan for the future'

"You have to plan for the future," said Roger Downie, the college's director of finance and operations."This new venue...will give us opportunities to attract more students and possibly a new discipline like fiddle for instance, and then attract more students into that performance space."

While construction continues outside, classesand the business of running the school have continued throughoutthe construction.

Highland Storm will go on

Downiesaid a drumming instructor whose office was adjacent to the new construction has had to relocate, and MacHattie said he sometimes has to pause while he's teaching online classes, but the disruption has been minimal otherwise.

The college's marquee event of the summer, Highland Storm, will also go ahead despite the construction. Downie said the event will be held under a big top and it's hoped it will attract a largercrowd than usual because the college can offer more comfortable seating than the old wooden benches in the former amphitheatre.

"New props have to be built, the stage has to set up and new equipment has to be brought in for sound etc.," he said.
"So it's exciting, but there's a lot of work to be done."

If construction remains onschedule, the new performing arts space will becompleted by mid to late November of this year.

"It's a busy spot. It's an exciting place to be, and it's changing every single week," saidMachattie.

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