The lighting, sound and behind-the-scene aspects that makes up the Lester Centre is now technical director Dwain Harrison’s domain, but Richard Wright can remember a time when it was just a plot of land and the only spotlight was the (rare) sun beaming down on the empty plot of land.
Though Pacific Northwest Electric and Controls’ Wright was only involved in the original wiring of the Lester Centre in 1987 for a few days while being built, the longtime Rupertite has overseen the maintenance of its electric components for decades.
“For most of that project I was up in Kitimat, so I really didn’t have much to do with that job, but I do know that we actually took it over from somebody else who wasn’t able to complete the electrical for whatever reason, and then we just completed the project,” Wright said last month.
The list of those who worked on the project 30 years ago and are still around and kicking today are slim, but Wright has seen firsthand the Lester Centre become a staple for his family.
“Personally, we’ve had our kids go through dance festivals every May and different performances like that. We’re just fortunate. I’ve been to Terrace and Prince George and our facility here is as good as anything a small community could expect to have and more,” Wright said.
Working on electrical at the Lester Centre, Wright says is always a good experience thanks to the staff’s dedication and the facility’s nuances that aren’t found anywhere else in town.
“I like the challenge. Because of the construction, the high ceilings and the lighting control systems, it poses some challenges obviously, but it’s very interesting and it’s stuff that you don’t get to do on a regular basis,” he said.
“Working with the staff – I think their passion for the building that they get to look after and work in everyday with so many people – that’s always interesting.”
Wright especially enjoys seeing dancers appear on TV that have some sort of Rupert connection, be they come from the city or have performed here in the past.
“The May dance competitions, especially the early ones where they had the groups come in from Kelowna, Edmonton and Prince George – that calibre and quality of dancing is amazing. Some of those dancers are world-renowned. They’ve gone onto some great careers from New York to Hollywood and we still see their names when we’re watching US dance competitions on TV. Some of those dancers in ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’ were in Prince Rupert,” Wright added.
“And then of course all the local talent here that have played in musicals, you can just go down the list.”