One bell will ring while the other will remain silent, but both have their place in one of Okotoks most historic buildings.
The Rotary Performing Arts Centre (RPAC) on Elma Street recently received some timely gifts from the Okotoks and District and Historical Society.
“The historical society asked us for a wish list this year of things they could do with some of the casino funding they raised,” said Allan Boss, Okotoks’ cultural and historical services team leader. “One of those things was to build a beautiful case that holds the original bell from the arts centre back from when it was a church.”
The bell now rests inside the building above the main entry doors to the facility. Its new case is protecting it from dust and curious fingers. Even though it’s been placed far below its original bell tower location it doesn’t mean it’s sound won’t soon be ringing down from on high again.
“We’ve got an electronic bell that we’re going to be putting into the old church building that will replicate the sound of the original bell,” Boss explained.
Freeing up funds for RPAC’s bells was something the Okotoks and District Historical Society was eager to do explained its treasurer.
“One of the mandates of the historical society is to encourage, if possible, the saving of the older buildings in Okotoks and preserving the history that comes with those older buildings,” Karen Peters said. “So we we’re really happy when they didn’t tear down the old United Church, which is now the RPAC. It represents 100 some years of history in Okotoks.”
Marie Wedderburn, president of the local historical society, has close ties to the current art centre, which plays home to many intimate concerts and local theatrical productions.
“It’s important to me also because that’s the church I grew up in,” she said of the more than century old structure. “Both sides of my family have an association with the church going back to when it was first built.”
Wedderburn said she is glad a personalized commemorative aspect was part of recent additions to RPAC.
“We have also helped put the names back on the pews those of people in the community who donated originally,” she said of name plaques added to the centre’s bench seats. They identify financial supporters who made the building’s initial transition from church to arts venue possible.
Keenly interested in spreading things around, the historical society is also continuing its support of another valued Olde Towne Okotoks institution.
“We’ve been helping out the Heritage House as well,” Peters said of the building also known as the Okotoks Museum and Archives. “We bought the mannequins for the heritage archival clothing so that they can have it all displayed in the proper manner. We bought a dehumidifier for downstairs in the basement so the archives don’t get damp. It’s all part of our mandate of preserving the history of Okotoks.”
The society’s president said she feels a great sense of support from the community for the preservation and restorative efforts they are continuing.
“Even people who didn’t join the historical society don’t want to see the historical parts of Okotoks disappear,” Wedderburn said. “So much of it has already.”
