The Durham West Arts Centre is a 'hub' organization working to establish links with artists, arts groups and arts lovers. We host exhibitions, activities and events at the Centre as attractors. We want to meet and talk to the groups and individuals who are willing to help build the infrastructure for a permanent arts centre in Ajax-Pickering.
Sauter's Inn in Old Pickering Village was the site of the first Annual General Meeting of the Durham West Arts Centre Oct. 19, 2004. The well-attended meeting was a mixture of business and pleasure. A Board of Directors was acclaimed with some new faces: Shashi Bhatia takes on the Membership Portfolio; Rosemary Parish chairs the Social Committee; Catherine Walker and Carol Bamford are new Community Representative at-large and Tom Reed, principal of Dunbarton High School for the Arts is the Community Representative for the Rotary Club of Pickering; Pam Auguste, president of Ajax Creative Arts, takes on the responsibility of chairing the Program Committee. Returning members have taken on new roles: John Sabean moves from vice-chair to chair with Edward Falkenberg as past-chair; April Polak moves from Program to vice-chair and Mayor David Ryan moves from the Advisory Committee to sharing responsibility for City of Pickering representation with Cynthia Mearns, the C.E.O. of the Pickering Library System. Continuing on are: Gord Dyck, treasurer; Carol Sabean, secretary; Shaun Collier, Town of Ajax Representative; Susan Hinnecke, PineRidge Arts Council Representative and Dave Johnson, chair of the Promotions/Marketing Committee.
We thank Board Members Terry Green and Jack McGinnis for their years of dedication to the cause of a permanent arts centre in Ajax-Pickering. Both Terry and Jack will continue to offer their support. We appreciate that Jack McGinnis and Rosemary Parish worked very hard to put together the wonderful AGM evening. Special thanks go to the Nick Cuda Duo and the Ethnocats for entertainment and to M.C. David Stone who did a stellar job.
Finally, we also thank the Honorable David Stone, Louise Farr, M.P. Mark Holland and Janet Ecker for agreeing to be members of the DWAC Advisory Board.