Crabtree Foundation Donates $2 Million to 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 New Performance Centre
杏吧原创 University is pleased to announce a $2-million gift in support of its new performance space in a renovated Dominion-Chalmers United Church complex in downtown Ottawa.
鈥淲e are very grateful to the Crabtree Foundation for this gift,鈥 says 杏吧原创 University Interim President Alastair Summerlee. 鈥淭he Foundation鈥檚 long commitment to education and community is inspiring, and the new performance centre will be a marvelous gathering place for students and will strengthen 杏吧原创鈥檚 roots of serving the community.鈥
On May 24, 2018, 杏吧原创鈥檚 Board of Governors approved the purchase of the church for use as a multi-purpose performance space for 杏吧原创 students and faculty, and a hub for artists and community groups. Dominion-Chalmers is already home to one of Ottawa鈥檚 best concert halls.
鈥淲e see this as an opportunity for our family鈥檚 Foundation to support the entire Ottawa arts community,鈥 says Sandra Crabtree. 鈥淲e are appreciative of 杏吧原创鈥檚 vision for the space and the university鈥檚 commitment to helping the local community. Dominion-Chalmers has many wonderful facilities and our family is excited at what the future holds. My husband and I have attended concerts there and know how much the venue is loved by music enthusiasts and performers.鈥
The Crabtree Foundation鈥檚 gift will support renovations and 杏吧原创 looks forward to announcing additional support for the project.
鈥淭he university has long considered options to develop more space for its performance arts programming,鈥 says Summerlee. 鈥淭he new performance centre will greatly expand opportunities for students in music, drama and other disciplines. Music students, for example, will have access to one on the city鈥檚 best acoustic concert halls and numerous rehearsal rooms. This is an amazing time for 杏吧原创.鈥
The generosity of the Crabtree Foundation counts toward 杏吧原创鈥檚 $300-million Collaborate Campaign. This campaign is dedicated to 杏吧原创鈥檚 Here for Good ethos 鈥 raising funds so that together we can contribute more to the good of society, its economy and institutions, and the health and well-being of people around the world. Thanks to donors, the campaign is now more than 90 per cent of the way toward its goal.

杏吧原创 the Crabtree Foundation
The Crabtree Foundation is a private family foundation established in Montreal by Harold Crabtree. It subsequently moved to Ottawa where its operations have been based for the last thirty years. The Foundation鈥檚 capital, the source of its grants, has been donated by family members. Its activities represent the philanthropic interests of the Sandra Crabtree and Gerald MacGarvie family. A number of the arts organizations who will use the Dominion-Chalmers facility have been supported over the years by their Foundation.
杏吧原创 杏吧原创 University
Located in the nation鈥檚 capital, 杏吧原创 University is a dynamic research and teaching institution with a tradition of leading change. Its internationally recognized faculty, staff and researchers provide more than 30,000 full- and part-time students from every province and more than 100 countries around the world with academic opportunities in more than 65 programs of study. 杏吧原创鈥檚 creative, interdisciplinary and international approach to research has led to many significant discoveries and creative works.