Through the Eyes of Vic takes readers through Lloydminster’s past, one story at a time, told through the experiences of longtime community builder Vic Juba. It will run every Sunday morning for approximately 8-10 weeks.
Before the lights, before the stage, before the name on the building, Lloydminster had something simpler. It had people willing to leave.
“Well, people would drive to Edmonton or Saskatoon to see a good show,” Vic Juba said. “And usually you’re working, so it meant a trip there and a little sleep afterwards.”
If you stayed, you made do with what was available. At the time, that meant a modest setup and a bit of patience.
“The best we had at that time was the Anglican Church Hall,” Juba said. “You’d go early because the earlier you got, the closer you got to the stage.”
It was not ideal, but it planted the seed for something more. When the idea of a proper theatre surfaced, the community response was immediate and overwhelming.
“When we announced the theatre, boy, we had tremendous support,” Juba said. “A lot of people saying, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s great. It’s going to happen.’”
That support became the foundation for everything that followed. For Juba, success was never just about raising money, but about building belief.
“To be successful in fundraising, you need the buy-in,” he said. “And the only way you can get that is to keep people informed.”
The approach was simple but effective. Share the vision, invite feedback, and make the community part of the process.
“We told the public, ‘Here’s what we’re proposing,’ and we got input,” Juba said. “It wasn’t rushed.”
That buy-in translated into action. Fundraising became less about asking and more about momentum, as one commitment encouraged the next.
“I’m a bit notorious for fundraising,” Juba said with a laugh. “When I approach them, they already know. ‘I know why you’re here – how much?’”
One of the defining moments came during the effort to secure a grand piano for the theatre. The opportunity itself came through a familiar local connection.
Ruth Knispel, who owned a music store in Lloydminster and was a strong supporter of the arts, brought the idea forward after learning of a program that made high-end pianos available to theatres.
“It was $88,000,” Juba said. “And talk about horseshoes.”
A major donation through shares helped get the project nearly halfway there, and word quickly spread through the community.
“When I told Ruth Nispel about that, I said, ‘Hey, we got a good start,’” Juba said.
“She said, ‘Well, if they’re in, then George and I are in. We’ll give you $10,000.’”
Within weeks, the remaining funds came together.
“Honestly, in like a week or two weeks, I had the money,” he said.
For Juba, the theatre was never just about the building itself. It was about what it revealed about the community and its potential.
“For our opening ceremony, we couldn’t believe the talent in Lloydminster,” he said. “Unbelievable.”
The project confirmed what many already believed. The city did not lack talent, only a place to showcase it.
“That just fortified why we got this building here,” Juba said.
A moment he never saw coming
For all the years of work, the fundraising, and the planning, Juba never expected what came next.
When it came time to name the theatre, he had even submitted his own suggestion.
“I wrote this letter to council,” he said. “I suggested the Lloydminster Theatre and Concert Hall.”
He heard nothing back.
Then came the sod-turning ceremony.
Juba was there to take part, unaware of what was about to happen.
“I was going to be the last speaker and then we were going to turn the sod,” he said.
But as the ceremony unfolded, something felt different.
“And then at the very end, he got emotional,” Juba said, recalling then-mayor Ken Baker. “And then he announced the name.”
The Vic Juba Community Theatre.
“I still have a difficulty,” Juba said. “I do get choked up.”
Even today, the moment stays with him. Not because of recognition, but because of what it represents.
“I just see my name on that sign,” he said. “And I think, how many people have that kind of a legacy that is going to be here long after I’m gone?”
The theatre stands today as more than a building. It is a reflection of a community that believed in itself and the people who helped make it happen.
For Juba, the measure of that work remains simple.
“In my book, is it better now than when I first started?” he said. “Yes, I think it is.”
Read more: Through the Eyes of Vic Juba: A Lloydminster Story Begins
