Rotarian Marilyn Powers (right) presents a guest speaker book to thank Pat Markovich representing Arts Hub Brockville.
On August 31st, Rotary Brockville members took the opportunity to hold a joint meeting of the local Clubs at the Arts Hub Brockville, located at St. John's United Church at 32 Park Street, Brockville. Our host for the day was Pat Markovich. Pat is a local alcohol ink artist, well-known for her vibrant depictions of landscapes and florals. She is also a driving force behind the founding of Arts Hub Brockville.
Pat shared the story behind the idea for an arts hub concept. She noted that back in 2014 a large section of the Church's ceiling fell down onto the pews below. Thankfully, no one was present at the time. The congregants, however, were faced with a significant repair bill. Eventually, the Church was able to raise sufficient funds to restore and remodel their beloved sanctuary. To help pay for the repair costs, they decided to convert their choir loft to a stage and began renting the space out to community groups at an affordable price. With seating for over 200 people and boasting some of the best natural acoustics in the City, the Church hosted dramatic productions, musical concerts of all kinds, and of course, worship services. Over time, the Congregation worked with the United Church of Canada to develop a unique relationship that established Arts Hub Brockville in its present day form.
Pat offered a tour of the full facility, including the recently remodeled commercial grade kitchen, which Rotary Brockville had financially supported. Todd Noel, Director of the Brockville Theater Camp, was on-hand to demonstrate the professional lighting and staging capabilities available in the main event area. Pat also shared the on-going vision for the Arts Hub given its successes to date and potential use of the facility's many exceptional features.
Following the presentation, Rotarian Marilyn Powers presented a guest speaker book to Pat. The guest speaker book will be donated in Pat's name to the library at Pine View Public School in Athens.