The school district and city are meeting with New Westminster's arts community tonight to discuss the future of the Massey Theatre.

The meeting is one of a number of public information sessions on the plans to build three new schools being built in New Westminster. Tonight's meeting, at 7 p.m. at Centennial Community Centre, will focus on the proposal for a new performing arts centre to replace Massey Theatre at New Westminster Secondary School.

"These three new school centres and the partnership with the school district provide us with an opportunity to create a state-of-the-art regional theatre in our community," Mayor Wayne Wright said in a recent press release. "The city has made a commitment to provide additional funding required to make this happen."

Representatives from the city and district will make a presentation and answer questions at the meeting, says an e-mail from Greg Magirescu, the city's manager of arts and cultural development.

Tearing down the 60-year-old theatre has been a contentious issue for Massey Theatre supporters.