More than 300 invited guests gathered to celebrate the official opening of the Florence Simmons Performance Hall on Holland College’s Prince of Wales Campus with an official ribbon cutting ceremony and a gala performance last night.

Students from the college’s School of Performing Arts, a partnership with Confederation Centre of the Arts, presented a musical tribute to the performers who played in the original hall back in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, when the building was the Prince of Wales College.

The auditorium was constructed as part of the third Prince of Wales College building following a devastating fire that razed the college’s brick and stone building in 1932. The space became the heart of the Prince of Wales College. It was in this room that students and staff would gather for a variety of activities, from amateur theatre to concerts by world-famous artists, to music festivals, graduation exercises, examinations, and sporting events.

The renovated auditorium pays homage to the design features of the building, blending state-of-the-art technology with finishing touches that echo the structure’s art deco style.

“This performance hall was created to be an exemplary facility to support the students of our School of Performing Arts,” said Holland College President Dr. Brian McMillan, “It will also be home to the Welshmen Community Band, and has been designed to accommodate a variety of events and activities for the college as well as our broader Island community.”

The performance hall was named in honour of Prince of Wales College alumna Florence Simmons, who was the lead donor in the $2.6 million fundraising campaign for the project. For more information about the Florence Simmons Performance Hall, including booking information and events, please visit www.hollandcollegeonstage.com, email onstage@hollandcollege.com, or call (902) 894 6885.

To watch last night’s performance, click here.