It all began when a Czechoslovakian Airliner crashed on take off at the Gander International Airport on September 5, 1967. There were sixty-nine people on the plane. Only thirty-two people survived. In 1968, as a gesture of gratitude to the Gander and Grand Falls hospitals and the rescue workers, the Government of Czechoslovakia transported to our town the major complex from its pavilion at Expo'67 in Montreal. It was reconstructed by the Newfoundland government, and they kept the exact same design and layout as the original structure. It opened officially in 1971 as the Grand Falls Arts and Culture Centre, and with the amalgamation of the towns of Grand Falls and Windsor in 1991, it became the Grand Falls-Windsor Arts and Culture Centre.
On July 12, 2005, which was Gordon Pinsent’s 75th birthday, the Grand Falls-Windsor Arts and Culture Centre was renamed the Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts. This is the first time that the Provincial Government has renamed one of its centres after a specific person. Gordon Pinsent is Grand Falls-Windsor's own celebrated actor, writer, director, and he has dedicated his life to the arts. The rededication is a way for the community of Grand Falls-Windsor to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of one of the town’s most famous sons. There is a plaque in the lobby of the building and a portrait of him that was painted by a local artist, Craig Goudie. In the early 1980's the new street Pinsent Drive was also named after him.
The Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts contains a three hundred eighty-five seat theatre, the Harmsworth Public Library, and an art gallery. In 1980, the art gallery was named the Gwendolyn Cooper Art Gallery in honour of Mrs. Cooper. Mrs. Cooper was one of our community's pioneers, and she was one of our province's finest artists and teachers. In 1951, she arranged the first art exhibition in our town. The art gallery is located upstairs. Beside each picture you will find the artist's name and the name of the picture. The theatre has two levels. The theatre is named the Neala Griffin Theatre. Neala Griffin and Laura Blackmore founded the Northcliffe Drama Club in 1949. The Harmsworth Public Library, named in honour of the Harmsworth family who founded our town, is located on the second floor. You can go up the stairs or use the elevator.
We are very lucky. The Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts is located close to our school. We sometimes have our Christmas concerts in the theatre. The theatre also plays host to a wide variety of touring and local shows throughout the season. This year our class went there to watch the performance Rumplestiltskin. It was super! We got our picture taken with the marionettes. Also, every year the Kiwanis Music Festival and the Regional Drama Festival take place there. Many singers and groups have performed there such as: Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers, Gordon Pinsent, Rod Jackson, the Bel Canto Singers, and countless others.
Mr. Pinsent visited our classroom this year and we got our picture taken with him. We gave him a railroad spike and cards that we made for him. Every student in our class also made him birthday cards for his 75th birthday. He is just like ourselves and we are so happy to see his name on a building close to our school.
Kyle Lane (2004-2005)