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About The Dalles chronicle. (The Dalles, OR) 1998-2020 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2020)
TheDallesChronicle.com S P E C I A L Weekend of March 7-8, 2020 A3 S E C T I O N in the company of excellence The theater at The Dalles Civic Auditorium has been restored and remodeled, above, with improved access and functionality. Performances and events have already begun as work continues in the upstairs balcony. Contributed photo There are 330,000 veterans in Oregon, but only a tiny percentage file for benefits, he said. That work brought him to The Dalles Civic Auditorium, built as a tribute to World War I veterans, where veteran services related events have recently been held. A veteran himself, Rollins was drawn to the Civic; the theater stage, recently refurbished and ready for use, was familiar territory for the songwriter and musician. The building itself sparked his interest as well as the fact that the building will be 100 years old in 2021. The current voyage of the China Clipper Band is not a replay, however. “It won’t be the same,” said Barker, who is working on the animation and video portion of the project. “It won’t be the original Clipper Ship, but we are going to produce something that is representative of it.” An electrician and lighting technician, Barker also has roots in The Dalles, working as an electrician at The Dalles Dam prior to joining the Civic team as restoration work moves into its final stages: Stage and theater seating has been revamped, there are new choir risers, lighting and audiovisual equipment is in place. Performances have already taken to the stage. Barker said with the restoration of the theater largely complete, he is excited to move to the next phase. “Now we can actually start utilizing the theater as it was designed,” he said. The video project will be shown daily to visitors during the season, bringing to life the character and history of the facility and the mid- Columbia region. Like the China Clipper Band project, the theater, dormant for almost two decades, is ready to be reborn. About the Civic The Civic Auditorium was built in The Dalles in 1921. Upon completion, the Civic was dedicated as a memorial to the local veterans of World War I, according to the Civic’s website. During its heyday, it was the venue for local cultural, entertainment, ceremonial, social and recreational events ranging from concerts and theatricals to high school graduation ceremonies. In the 1950s and early 1960s, it was operated by the city Parks & Recreation Department, which held indoor recreational activities and “sock hops,” referred to as “Rec Dances,” in its gymnasium. Toward the end of that era, the facility had largely fallen into disuse, the auditorium proper having been turned into a professional wrestling arena. It was ultimately condemned for safety reasons. By the 1970s some initiatives were already beginning to be proposed to the city for its rehabilitation and reopening, but because of budgetary pressures, worsened by local economic conditions, none of these gained approval. By 1991, after over 20 years of disuse, the city decided it needed to be relieved of the burden of maintaining a derelict property and demolition was scheduled. This, despite the building’s status as a historical landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The same year, a group of concerned citizens formed the non-profit corporation which raised the funds to purchase the property from the city, and undertook the project privately. Today, the Civic Auditorium Historic Preservation Committee, a 501(c)3 non- profit charity, is responsible for raising funds and overseeing the Civic’s well-being. ALLEN’S FOOD CENTER your community grocer Army Veteran Victor Cruz & son, Little Victor Customer Easy IN & OUT Service Lottery Beer Homemade Games Tortillas Deli Fresh Homemade Tortillas for Weddings or Quinceaneras Longevity and Ox & Palm Brand Foods Family Owned & Operated 516 West 9 th Street • The Dalles • 541-296-6123
