Darke Hall at the University of Regina is receiving a funding boost of $1.5-million.

The Ann and Roger Phillips Foundation is giving a $1-million gift and $500,000 matching pledge to the renovation work of the historic performance hall.

The project aims to reopen and make fully-accessible the 500 seat cultural hub for performance, dance, theatre and music in Regina.

U of R President Dr. Vianne Timmons says if this donation ends up being a full $2-million, it’s a huge jump towards the fundraising goal of $12.25-million. “We have raised some money already, $3-million dollars we’ve raised, for the exterior and that was given and spent. We are still fundraising and really active in fundraising to make sure e can pull off the complete renovation.”

Timmons says this is a great gift to help revitalize the historic site. “And it will be a legacy we can leave not for University of Regina, not for the City of Regina, but for the province of Saskatchewan. I think it will be the Massey Hall of western Canada. It is a magnificent performance hall and I’m so excited about its potential.”

She adds that it’s people like Ann who step up, put out funding challenges and support these kinds of projects that make a difference. “Darke Hall and College Avenue were built by the the citizens of Regina. They used their own money, there was no government money to help them built these two historical, magnificent buildings. It’s people like Ann Phillips and the leadership she is showing that made that happen over 100 years ago for College Avenue and almost that for Darke Hall.”

Darke Hall was originally constructed in 1929.

Timmons says the goal is to re-open the cultural hub and performance hall by January 2021.