Conexus Arts Centre
Encyclopedia
The Conexus Arts Centre, known from 1970 till 2006 (and still largely known) as the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts, is a theatre complex located within Wascana Centre
Wascana Centre
Wascana Centre is a 9.3 square kilometre park built around Wascana Lake in Regina, Saskatchewan. It brings together lands and buildings owned by the City of Regina, University of Regina, and Province of Saskatchewan, each of which is represented on the board of directors, and contains government,...

 in Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...

. Constructed to commemorate the Canadian Centennial
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...

 in 1967, it was opened by Governor General Roland Michener
Roland Michener
Daniel Roland Michener , commonly known as Roland Michener, was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 20th since Canadian Confederation....

 on August 24, 1970 to serve southern Saskatchewan as a centre for performing arts and exhibitions.
The building, designed by Izumi, Arnott, and Sucijama, is an Estevan brick and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...

 Tyndall stone
Tyndall Stone
Tyndall stone is a dolomitic limestone quarried from the Selkirk member of the Ordovician Red River Formation, in the vicinity of Tyndall, Manitoba, Canada. It was first used in 1832 for building Lower Fort Garry, and has since become popular for building purposes throughout Canada and the United...

 structure which houses Main Theatre (seating 2031), formerly known as Shirley Bell Theatre; Convention Hall (seating 1600), previously known as Doris Knight Hall, Hanbidge
Robert Hanbidge
Robert Leith Hanbidge was a Canadian lawyer, municipal, provincial and federal politician, and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan.-Early life:...

 Hall and Jubilee Theatre; and various conference rooms and lobby display areas. Main Theatre, with three balconies, has a large stage whose front lowers hydraulically to form an orchestra pit for 100 musicians. The centre is the home of the Regina Symphony Orchestra
Regina Symphony Orchestra
The Regina Symphony Orchestra was founded by Frank Laubach, in Regina, Saskatchewan, as the Regina Orchestral Society in 1908, giving its inaugural concert December 3 of that same year...

.

Although the building was intended as a Canadian centennial project for 1967, it was not opened until August 24, 1970 at a cost of $7.7 million. The reason for the delay was due to an overheated construction industry and rising construction costs. With additional finances unavailable, the steel structure sat for almost two years with a large sign in front posted by local wags, "world's largest monkey bars"; ultimately it was completed after drastic reductions in the original plans, replacing the called-for Vermont marble with Estevan brick, among other cutbacks.

Located within Wascana Centre, the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts was renamed the Conexus Arts Centre on January 5, 2006 when the Conexus Credit Union (formerly the Sherwood Credit Union) took over the underwriting of part of its operating budget. The Centre is useful for meetings, special events, seminars, trade shows, receptions and banquets; it alternates hosting duties for Telemiracle with TCU Place (formerly the Centennial Auditorium)
TCU Place
TCU Place, formerly known as the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium, is a convention and arts centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated in the Central Business District it is located next to Midtown Plaza....

 in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....

.

The custom has arisen of renaming its auditoriums at regular intervals for prominent persons of the moment. Hanbidge Hall, for example, has been renamed many times, though Reginans cling to the original name.

The Arts Centre is named after Conexus Credit Union
Conexus Credit Union
Conexus Credit Union is a credit union based in Regina, Saskatchewan, and at the end of 2010 was the largest credit union in Saskatchewan and the sixth largest credit union in Canada. Conexus has 46 branches in Saskatchewan. , the credit union has $4.4 billion in total funds managed and...

.
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