David Smith calls the Charlottetown Centre of the Arts, where he has seen many productions, a ‘top-notch’ venue.NATHAN ROCHFORD/The Globe and Mail
The donors: David, Stacy, Dennis and Nell Smith
The gift: $250,000
The cause: Confederation Centre of the Arts
Like many people on Prince Edward Island, David Smith's school days were filled with trips to the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown. He and his wife Stacy still regularly attend productions at the centre and take their four children as well.
"We were just at a show," Mr. Smith said from his office in Charlottetown, where he works as a portfolio manager for RBC Wealth Management. "It's a top-notch venue."
Now the couple, along with Mr. Smith's parents, Dennis and Nell, have donated $250,000 to help refurbish the centre's 50-year-old Homburg Theatre, which is undergoing a $15-million renovation. The family hopes their gift will encourage others to come forward as well.
"There are a lot of families in town who have more than we do, but we wanted to show what regular people can do," Mr. Smith said. He added that the centre has been an integral part of the community for years, offering first-rate arts and cultural programs.
"It's important to support places that are important to the city," he said. "And the centre is important to Charlottetown and it's important to the island."
Paul Waldie