From the Globe:
Hummingbird Centre reveals revamp plans
JAMES ADAMS
The chief executive officer of Toronto's Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts says the landmark building is well on its way to "rebranding" itself as a multipurpose, multicultural facility after the departure this year of its two long-term tenants, the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada.
Yesterday, Dan Brambilla announced that the city-owned centre is donating $10,000 to the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, tying the donation to both the 16th International AIDS Conference that takes place in Toronto Aug. 13-18, and Hummingbird's presentation of Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood musical, Aug. 16-20.
Hummingbird also plans to "top up" its donation to ASAAP by as much as $90,000, using a portion of revenue from the Bombay Dreams run.
"It's all about reaching out to the community," Mr. Brambilla said in an interview, "and not just through programming."
Meanwhile, city council has approved a business plan to finance the redevelopment of the Hummingbird's physical plant, including the construction of a 41-storey condominium tower designed by Daniel Libeskind. The tower is to be mounted on a nine-storey podium that will include a theatre, exhibition hall, interactive centre and other facilities.
The plan, approved on Tuesday, requires that Hummingbird raise $60-million by next June.
Meanwhile, the project's developer, Castlepoint Realty Partners, has agreed to pay Hummingbird $15-million for the use of the land for the condominium building, which Mr. Brambilla hopes to use as leverage to extract $15-million each from the federal and Ontario governments.
If Hummingbird doesn't raise the $60-million by next spring, the centre will enter into an 89-year lease with Castlepoint, with buy-back options.
Mr. Brambilla hopes he can secure at least $15-million through the sale of naming rights after the Hummingbird name, adopted in 1996 after Hummingbird Communications donated $5-million, expires at the end of the year.
AoD
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