ATHABASCA — An alternative to honour a long-time Athabasca volunteer will be put forward after a request to the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Society (ARMS) to dedicate the sound booth at the Nancy Appleby Theatre (NAT) to Tim McKenna was declined.
At the Jan. 17 ARMS meeting, general manager Rhonda Alix read a letter from the Big River Arts Society requesting the sound booth be named for McKenna who passed away Apr. 16 of last year. McKenna was an avid volunteer in the local arts community, and beyond, working as the sound person for many performances at the NAT from school plays to dance recitals and also helped set up the sound system at the Athabasca United Church.
“Currently, the Multiplex does not have a naming rights policy to honour patrons who were directly involved in any portion of the Multiplex facilities,” Alix said. “We do have a naming rights policy, but it all talks about donations, it doesn't talk about the honouring.”
Town councillor and society chair Dave Pacholok recalled the former water treatment plant, now the raw intake system, was renamed recently when all three councils — town, county, and Boyle — decided to go to a more generic name. The building had been named for the former Town of Athabasca Coun. John M. Stychin who passed away in 1986,
“I think going forward I have an issue with naming for specific people because as far as Tim McKenna goes, he did a lot of good work and so have other people,” he said. "So where do we stop on this policy of naming a facility?”
He suggested a plaque could be placed in McKenna’s honour instead, allowing others to do the same and avoid any conflict over naming rights. Even a plaque though, does not fall under the current ARM policies, but something could under the Town of Athabasca's.
“We do have a memorial policy regarding benches,” said Town of Athabasca CAO Rachel Ramey. “I do believe I was talking to someone about having a bench outside the theatre placed, it falls in our memorial policy.”
The exterior grounds fall under the town's umbrella, while the inside of the building is operated by the ARMS.
“I think part of that is when there’s a donation in someone’s name they cover the cost,” said Town of Athabasca mayor and ARMS director Rob Balay. “So, if we’re going to suggest that to them it should include what those costs will be. (A bench is) about $2,500, a lot more than what they’re thinking they would be spending.”
The society members decided to refer the letter back to the town and have Ramey respond with options which fall under the town’s memorial policy and the ARM society will look at creating its own policy for future requests.
“I think before making a decision we have to create a policy,” said Alix. “We have to have a policy in place that’s approved before we were ever to say yes to that.”
