The newly re-opened Fergus Grand Theatre was packed with people on Saturday afternoon, and most of them appreciated the new seats that were part of the major renovations done over the past few months.
Between 400 and 500 people attended the event, which was spread over five hours to showcase the $600,000 renovations to the old theatre.
Theatre coordinator Nick Walsh noted the number of seats has dropped to 252 from 258 – but that simply means the audience members will have more leg room. He explained an entire tier of seats was removed to make more space, but those seats were moved to the back of the theatre on the west side of the building.
Walsh said everyone he talked to that day was pleased with the work, which includes new lights, new sound, new flooring and a new interior design. As well, last year the theatre got a new roof, washroom repairs and a new air conditioning and heating system that is silent enough audiences can barely hear it during performances.
“They’re really excited about it,” he said of groups that are using the theatre. And there are a lot of groups.
Walsh said there are 10 different shows being performed there between the grand re-opening and Christmas. “I’m really excited about the shows coming in,” he added.
The theatre began its life showing movies, and for some parts of the year, it will now resume that, in between a great deal of theatre and music concerts.
Walsh is the recently hired coordinator of events for the building. He has some experience and noted, “I used to bring shows in here.”
He was raised in Kitchener-Waterloo, and studied at the University of Waterloo and then the University of Toronto. He also founded the K-W Youth Theatre and has already started Centre Wellington Youth Theatre, which will focus on children who are too young for the Children’s Drama Club that has been running for years.
And, Walsh added, “We’re looking at getting a movie screen and a theatre projector. This place is going to transform.”
As well, area artists will be given a venue and a couple of months to display their work at the theatre.
But, while a lot is new and modern, Walsh said it is important to be able to reflect on the roots of the theatre. There is already an old fashioned candy vending machine there, and he hopes for movies to be able to sell old fashioned treats as well as the traditional popcorn.
“It’s important to reflect that element of history,” he said.
The afternoon at the theatre included skits and presentations by a number of groups who hoped to stimulate interest in coming shows. There was also musical entertainment as people came and went, many of them sampling treats provided free of charge by local restaurateurs.
The federal government provided $280,000 for the upgrades as part of its Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. The provincial government added another $150,000, with the township covering the remainder of the costs. The work, over the past two years, includes:
– new environmental white membrane over main roof and steel roof over front canopy;
– new eavestrough and flashing;
– a few new windows and doors;
– new heating and air conditioning system;
– repairs to the exterior stone work;
– new theatre seating and no air ducts under any seats;
– stage lighting system upgrades;
– various painting, carpeting and tile work; and
– replacement of old fluorescent lights with new, energy-efficient ones.
