Theatre needs your votes

Mark Ribble, Leamington Post

The Bank Theatre and Meeting Place in Leamington is in the process of extensive renovations and the Sun Parlour Players are pushing hard to help the cause.

They've entered the theatre into the Aviva Insurance Community Fund competition and they are hoping for enough votes to get through to the finals and win the $100,000-$150,000 prize for the renovation of the venue.

There are three rounds to the competition. People who register for free online can cast 15 votes over the course of each round.

Round one is over today (October 19) at noon and as of last Thursday, The Bank had garnered over 800 votes. That total needs to rise if the local project is going to win the competition.

Ursula Tiessen and Suzanne McCaig are both heavily involved in keeping the votes coming in and they hope they can get all of Leamington on board for the next couple of rounds, propelling the local idea into the semi-finals and then the finals.

The Aviva Community Fund puts aside $1 million each year to help worthwhile community projects and the playground at Essex Public School was one of last year's winners.

"It's all about the votes," said Tiessen.

She and McCaig have directed all of their Facebook and real-life friends to the Aviva page so they can register and vote.

The Sun Parlour Players, meanwhile, continue to rehearse in the basement of The Bank and hope that someday real soon, they will be able to perform in front of a packed house.  To read more go to www.leamingtonpostandshopper.com.