Maybee, the president of the Creamery Square Association, said the centre is the last phase of a three-phase plan that began as a concept in 2000.

"This won't be used by just people in Tatamagouche, but the whole Northumberland shore," said Maybee, following an announcement yesterday that saw $820,022 come from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) for the 6,200 square-foot facility.

"It's not for just local performers, but for festivals and conventions, wedding receptions ... because of that I think we will have the support."

With breaking ground expected in March or April of this year and being open next July, the centre will hold 160 seats in the main auditorium, which is about 44 feet squared.

The seats, said Maybee, will be on three different tiers.

"The seats can be removed so it's a more versatile space," he said, adding the facility is also handicap-accessible.

The venue could see live concerts, festivals, conventions, theatre productions, lectures, visual arts and other artisan exhibits.

The foyer, which is the former creamery ice house, can also be used as a smaller venue, holding about 30 people seated.

Between the foyer and the auditorium are men's and women's washrooms, a storage room and a food and beverage preparation and storage room.

Behind the curtain, the facility will house two dressing rooms, a stage manager station, storage areas and washrooms for performers.

Upstairs is another room overlooking the bay that can be used as an additional dressing room or even a practice space.

In total, the facility costs around $1.4-million. Maybee said in order to get the funding from ACOA, they needed to have some sort of funding in place to show they were serious about moving ahead with the facility.

"We have a number of corporate sponsors in place for $350,000 and that's growing," he said.

"With this funding announcement from ACOA, we're hoping it will be a stepping stone to other levels of government - provincial and municipal. We've had help from all levels in the past, so hopefully something will come of that, but it may not."

Once open, Maybee said the centre will see a ‘slow start and grow feature.'

"We don't want to bite off more than we can chew. When it comes to concerts, there may be nine to begin and each year it will grow."

During the announcement, Bernard Valcourt, the Minister of State for ACOA, said rural Canada has many challenges.

"For ACOA, it's important to support those initiatives at the local level, keeping rural Canada vibrant," he said, noting that rural communities often focus on creating a tourist destination.

"We have to support those initiatives capable of creating growth and jobs in Atlantic Canada."

He noted how the Tatamagouche Farmers' Market had 30,000 visitors in the past year while the Heritage Centre had 2,500.

"Tatamagouche is a community that can make that happen. You've proven it," he said.

rtetanish@trurodaily.com

THE CENTRE OF THE ARTS WHEN COMPLETE

- 6,200 square-feet

- To be used for various events such as concerts, performance art, visual art exhibits, conventions, receptions, lectures.

- Auditorium seated capacity of 160 on three removable tiers.

- Foyer (former ice house) can be used as a smaller venue, seating about 30.

- Ground breaking expected this spring; opening expected next summer.

- The third and final phase in the Creamery Square project - the Farmers' Market opened in 2006 and the Creamery Square Heritage Centre opened in 2009; the property was donated to the community by Scotsburn Dairy in 2004.