Trent celebrates grand opening of Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre

Trent University recently celebrated the grand opening of the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre, a new outdoor performance space at Catharine Parr Traill College. The facility features tiered seating for 140 people, professional lighting, and carefully directed sound. It is named after Jalynn Bennett, who served as a Trent Board of Governors chairperson from 1994-1999. Bennett passed away in 2015 and challenged the university to do something “bold, audacious, and effective” with her $1.3M estate gift. Catharine Parr Traill College Principal Dr Michael Eamon said that the amphitheatre “will be a space where professional artists and performers will entertain the community and provide experiential learning and mentorship opportunities for students in various programs including Culture and Media Studies, English Literature, and Canadian Studies.”