When Calgary City Council approved $200-million this week for its downtown revitalization project, the biggest chunk of money went to a theatre project. With the vote on Monday, Arts Commons was granted $80-million for the first phase of its transformation project, which will see a new purpose-built theatre complex connected by an elevated corridor to its current home across the street.
The first phase of the Arts Commons transformation project will see a new purpose-built theatre complex connected by an elevated corridor to its current home across the street.
The new facility across the street, which will be built around a heritage building now housing a restaurant, will include a 1,000- to 1,200-seat theatre, plus two smaller performance venues. In addition to the $80-million granted this week, ACT had already secured $160-million in funding from all three levels of government for this project. It will launch a private fundraising campaign this year.
The Arts Commons plan calls for the construction of a new facility, along with the modernization of the current building.As to the main-entrance question, Sarian isn’t sure Arts Commons will ever really have one – it’s going to be too big for that, he says. But the better question might be: What should its focal point be? He’s thinking a lot about Olympic Plaza, which shares the block where The Roadhouse is planned and is across the street from the current building.