Construction of the Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre in Lethbridge

History Biographical: The Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre was funded by a bequest in the will of Dean Roscoe Yates of Lethbridge. He left money to the City of Lethbridge for construction of an arts / cultural centre in the name of his late wife Genevieve. What functions and activities should be included in such a centre became the centre of a public debate among the municipal government and several arts and cultural organizations in Lethbridge during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The decision was finally made that the centre would be built primarily for the performing arts. The Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre was completed in 1966, on the south side of 4 Avenue South at 10 Street South. In 199- the Sterndale Benett Theatre was added at the southeast corner of the Yates Memorial Centre. The theatre was named for Ernest and --- Strerndale Bennett, leaders in local amateur theatricals who later earned national reputations for their work in theatre. The Sterndale Bennett Theatre is designed for rehearsals and performances in the "experimental theatre" genre.