Musical Fredericton family makes transformational gift to performing arts centre
Music, live performance, and the arts are an integral part of a thriving, strong community. New Brunswickers, Ron and Erma Hawkes have experienced this first-hand.
Ron, originally from Woodstock, and Erma, from Chipman, grew up with music and have maintained music as an important family fundamental as they moved from Canada to Australia, and returned to Fredericton upon their semi-retirement.
Now they are helping to ensure New Brunswickers will enjoy music and live performance for generations to come through a gift of $3.5 million to the performing arts centre in Fredericton. This support is the largest-ever gift from a donor residing in Fredericton to a Fredericton regional project.
Both Ron and Erma know the powerful influence of the arts. Wherever they have lived, Ron, Erma and family have continued to keep music in their lives.
Erma has played the piano since she was 7 years old. “Surprising me with a piano was one of the greatest gifts my parents gave me, securing a lifetime of musical experiences.”
Ron joined the military reserve army band in Woodstock as a teenager, where he learned to play the trombone. He continued to play in the military reserve army band in Fredericton and the UNB band while studying at UNB for his geology degree. Ron and Erma married while attending UNB, and following graduation moved to Bathurst, where Ron began his successful lifetime career in mineral exploration and mine development.
Currently, three generations of the family sing in the Fredericton Ladies Choir. Erma has been choir director at Grace Memorial Baptist Church in Fredericton since 1996 and has sung with the Fredericton Ladies Choir since its inception in 2008. Ron, noted for his bass voice, was also part of singing groups and choirs in various places. While in Bathurst he played trombone in the City Band, sang in the church choir, and served as President of the Bathurst Music Festival.
Learn More About Ron and Erma Hawkes’ Musical Family
Ron and Erma view this generous gift to the modern and innovative performing arts centre as an opportunity to give back to Fredericton, the communities where they grew up, and New Brunswick. Part of the gift will support local community access programs at the centre.
“Having lived in various communities, comparing those with Fredericton, and seeing how Fredericton has grown into a unique, people-centered community with a strong, family-supportive environment, we see the tremendous benefit to the people of Fredericton and New Brunswick for this highly functional performing arts centre. It is truly an amazing asset to benefit our growing communities, offering opportunity for talent development and personal growth. Having experienced the benefits of music and live performance in our own lives, we feel it is important to support opportunities for other New Brunswickers in this way. What better place to make a contribution?”
Currently under construction, the performing arts centre will be a 72,000-square-foot space that includes state-of-the-art acoustics, technology and design, as well as two theatres totalling 1,150 seats, and large lobby spaces that will act as a community hub, day and night.
Tim Yerxa, Executive Director of Fredericton Playhouse Inc., the non-profit that manages the current Playhouse and new Performing Arts Centre, remarks that, “this extraordinary gift is the story of local people who care deeply about the value of performing arts and care deeply about the community. Their gift will not only help build our beautiful, functional new venue, it will allow many more people in our region the ability to gather, connect, and enjoy a shared experience, thereby contributing to a stronger, more vibrant community.”
In recognition of the gift, the new facility will be named the Ron & Erma Hawkes Centre for the Arts.
Yerxa says that naming this iconic new building represents a human connection to the architecture of our community. “This transformative gift for our community tells yet another wonderful story of commitment and generosity that will leave a legacy for decades to come. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”
He adds that the Ron & Erma Hawkes Centre for the Arts is filled with the names of many in the community and region who have generously given at all levels to support the project. “Symbolically, displaying these names is important because of the stories behind them. They signify the generosity and caring nature of people in our community and what we can achieve together.”
For Ron and Erma, this was at the core of their decision to step forward. “We live in a very special corner of the world, and to be able to participate in our community in this way – through music and performance that has benefitted us so much – is an honour.”
