Andorlie Hillstrom
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report 

For years, I have watched children walk into our small space in Virgil, unsure of themselves. Some are quiet. Some are anxious. Some don’t quite know where they fit.

And then something happens.

They step into a role. They find their voice. They stand a little taller. They begin to see themselves differently.

This is the work of the Yellow Door Theatre Project.

Over the years, I have seen children who could barely speak above a whisper take the stage with confidence. I have seen friendships form across schools and communities. I have seen young people discover a sense of belonging that stays with them long after the final curtain.

Some have gone on to perform professionally, including at the Shaw Festival. Many more carry these experiences into their lives in quieter but equally meaningful ways.

The children come from Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Virgil, St. Davids — from across the Niagara Peninsula. They come because they want to be part of something. They come because they are curious, or shy, or full of energy, or searching for confidence.

They come, and they grow.

What we have built is an incubator for young people. Not just for performance, but for confidence, creativity and self-expression.

We have done this with very little.

So, I often ask myself — what would be possible if we had a space that matched the potential of the children we serve? A space where we could welcome more participants. A space designed for rehearsal, learning, and performance. A space that signals to young people that what they are doing matters.

176 Wellington offers that possibility.

This beloved building gives us an opportunity to invest in the next generation — to create a place where children from across this region can come together, learn, create, and grow.

The children are already here. The need is already here. The work is already happening.

What is missing is a permanent home.

As decisions are made about the future of 176 Wellington, I hope there is room to consider what it could mean for young people in this community to have a place that reflects their potential.

Because I see that potential every day.

And it deserves a space to grow.

Andorlie Hillstrom is the artistic director of Yellow Door Theatre Project in Niagara-on-the-Lake.