PAL Stratford

  Under the leadership of President Dan MacDonald, additional Chapters were soon established. In October 1999 Tom Patterson, having been encouraged by Herbert Whittaker, Critic Emeritus of the Globe and Mail, took an active interest in spear-heading the development of PAL Stratford.

Tom recognized that with all the innovations the Stratford Festival had created, over nearly fifty years, it was also developing a substantial legacy: an aging theatrical community in and around Stratford. He brought PAL Canada representatives into Stratford, created a nucleus of enthusiasm and spun it off to others who appreciated his vision.

Among those early supporters of PAL Stratford were Robert Ihrig, Norah Polley, Margaret Ryerson, Katharine Jackson and Bruce Swerdfager. PAL Stratford became incorporated in 2002 and achieved charitable registration in 2006.

Over the last five years the constant priority of the Stratford chapter has been the search for the location for a PAL Place Stratford.  In 2007 they are still making a particular effort to achieve significant progress on this front.