Chesterfield Arts Center seeks funding to start building
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

The ribbon cutting for the new office of the Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation is Apr. 30. Foundation Chair Beth Matthews is a retired state employee.

The Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation is ready to start the construction process for a county arts center next to the Chester Library, but the county's timetable has bond money being sold more than two years from now. And then there's the question of the foundation raising its share of money.

A ribbon cutting will take place for the foundation's new offices at 5:15 p.m. on Wed., Apr. 30, at 11801 Centre St. across from the library. The office was originally built as a house in the late 1920s and used as an office at the Sunset Memorial Park before it was relocated. Following the ceremony, refreshments will be served.

While the foundation is pressing for more immediate action, the Capital Improvements Plan of the county has $1.9 million in bonds being sold in the FY11 budget period (starting July 1, 2010) and another $11.8 million a year later.

"In FY12, the $11.8 million assumes 50 percent from the county and 50 percent from the community [fundraising]," said Deputy County Administrator Becky Dickson. "We believe we can do it for less, and that's what we are working on…something the community can appreciate, and the county will be able to use."

Asked if the county will still sell bonds if there is little contribution from the foundation, Dickson responded, "We haven't crossed that bridge yet…[because] we haven't discussed it with the new board [of supervisors]."

An earlier bond issue funded the purchase of the acreage next to the library for the center and parking. County funding was approved in the 2004 bond referendum to finance the building of the center with a target date of 2010 with the foundation raising matching funds, but so far little money has been raised. In 2003, the foundation became a Virginia nonprofit corporation. Later, an analysis by consultant Stephanie Micas reported that the foundation was only likely to raise $2 million. The foundation's advisory/finance committee - comprised of George Emerson, Jim Daniels, Sam West, Tom Winfree and Hugh Cline - sought to move the project ahead as did the Chester Community Association, a citizen's group.

"We're trying to expedite it because construction costs are low now," said Daniels. The foundation had architectural plans done based on the premise that the cost will be $8.9 million - the total of county funding plus fundraising.

According to foundation Chair Betty Matthews, the center would be about 33,000- square-feet with a theatre that seats 450-500. The lobby would likely double as an art gallery and include multipurpose rooms for rehearsals, sculptures, music, art and children's art. The site includes parking.

Back in the 1980s, the center was proposed to be adjacent to the Central Library, which is a few blocks from Route 288 and more centrally located in the county. Later, it was moved to Chester and called the Chester Library Community Arts Center before it was renamed.

"It might not be as responsive to those who live in the Midlothian area," acknowledged Matthews. Patronage of an art center is usually associated with higher household incomes, and those living in the Midlothian zip codes have the highest incomes in the metro Richmond area.

The Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation will host a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony and reception for its new office on the Village Green, 11801 Centre Street, in Chester from 5-7 p.m. on Wed., Apr. 30. For more information, call Betty Matthews at 748-5555.