After an 18-month closure that strained resources and tested the resilience of the nonprofit behind it, Nelson's Civic Theater is finally moving forward with major renovations.
Structural issues at the Civic Center forced the theater to close in the fall of 2023 – a significant setback to the Nelson Civic Theater Society's (NCTS) long-standing plans to expand into a three-screen venue.
Fundraising began in 2017, but the pandemic, inflation and ongoing structural concerns at the civic center have significantly delayed the project.
Now NCTS chief executive Eleanor Stacey said there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.
The architectural plans are now available and a construction schedule has been set. The theater plans to break ground in January and hopes to reopen next Christmas.
“The time frame for the project is somewhere between 12 and 14 months, but we're really vying to have a usable building that, quite frankly, is ready for occupancy in time for the Christmas blockbusters, which is the time of year when we make the majority of our money,” Stacey said.
Stay afloat
Although the Civic Theater has been closed for over a year and a half, NCTS has not gone dark.
The association kept its 21-seat Shoebox Theater at 225 Hall Street active and revived a drive-in theater in the summer of 2024 to generate revenue.
“People often say to me, 'Wow, I can't believe you're still here,' and when I look back over the last 18 months, I almost can't remember exactly how we did it. It was a lot of creative thinking and a lot of community support,” Stacey said.
Stacey said the drive-in brought visibility, but it only broke even financially. Meanwhile, income from shoebox screenings, video rentals at Reo's Video and grants have helped keep the company sustainable.
Greater costs
The theater renovation was originally budgeted at $4.1 million in 2019, but the estimated cost has since increased to approximately $6.5 million, reflecting inflation and needs in order to remain sustainable through the extended closure.
Stacey said the theater renovation will add two screening rooms behind the original auditorium, transforming the building into a three-screen performance venue.
Additional plans also include lobby upgrades, a new concession area, modern mechanical systems, etc barrier-free washrooms.
“It's still going to feel like the Civic Theater that we all know when you look out front at the screen and at the stage. But at the back, where we've had sort of a makeshift sound barrier for quite some time, there's actually going to be a cross-walk that's new for everyone,” she explained.
“And this cross passage takes you into these two back cinemas. These will now be their own rooms, so we will have two more cinemas at the same time, so we can show a lot more content.”
To date, NCTS has raised approximately $3.625 million, including contributions from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, the Columbia Basin Trust, the BC Gaming Fund, the BC Arts Council and a $1 million line of credit from the City of Nelson.
The association still needs to raise about $3 million and is launching another fundraising campaign – with the possibility of receiving naming rights, major gifts and future community campaigns.
“We're trying to approach this in a more generous way. So we have naming rights in the theaters and some throughout the venue. There may be some seat sales down the road. All of those opportunities will arise,” Stacey said.
Looking ahead
During much of the closure period Communication surrounding the renovation was limited
Stacey said this was primarily because the city's roof repairs took priority, something NTCS had no control over.
But she said that will soon change.
“Over the next year, we'll be involving the community every step of the way. They'll hear everything that's going on. We still have a lot of work to do, but it's a lot more fun to do it with the community,” she said.
This is how you help
Stacey and NCTS are calling on the community to support in a variety of ways.
This can look as simple as purchasing an NCTS membership, which Stacey says can help with funding applications.
“When people become members of a non-profit organization or a charity, it's really important when we apply for grants. Currently our membership is around 1,000 and we're really excited to see our membership back up to around 1,500.”
Other ways to show support include attending demonstrations at the Shoebox, contributing to the NCTS operating fund and paying attention upcoming fundraising initiatives.
“We're going to need people to help us get this done. I would love for everyone to think about the capital campaign and think about how we can raise that last bit of money,” she said.
Despite the delays and challenges, Stacey remains optimistic.
She noted that the original vision for the Civic's revitalization, formulated nearly a decade ago, has not changed.
“Our company was founded on the premise of being a social enterprise that reinvests in the community and supports the community in other ways. That plan has not changed,” she said.
“We've always sung the same song; it just takes a little longer to get there.”
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