Historic Saint John Courthouse Will Be Transformed Into Performance Centre
SAINT JOHN – The Saint John Theatre Company will transform the historic courthouse building in the city centre into a playhouse and performing arts centre with the help of $2.5-million from the federal government.
In an announcement at the theatre company’s offices and theatre space on Princess Street, MP Wayne Long said that Heritage Canada will contribute $2-million and ACOA $500,000 toward the cost of renovating the 190-year-old building into a playhouse and performance centre.
“You go into the building and you see the spiral staircase and the rooms and it’s crying out for support, and it’s certainly going to get that from the Saint John Theatre Company,” said Long to more than 100 people gathered for the announcement.
“Once completed, the [former] Sydney Street provincial courthouse will be transformed into a new theatre production and performance centre with the ability to host festivals and local performers.
Stephen Tobias, executive director of the Saint John Theatre Company, said the renovated building will include a 200-seat performance venue and office spaces.
In his remarks Long referenced the fire that engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday in speaking about how much communities treasure their historic buildings. Tobias told the assembled group at the Princess Street theatre space, itself a renovated historic building, that the courthouse had also been severely damaged in a fire in 1919 and then restored.
“Here we are, almost 100 years to the day, announcing a new repurposing and rebuilding of that facility, which we hope to complete in [next few years], and we’ll have that building secured for the next 100 years. And then we’ll let someone else worry about,” said Tobias, which got some laughs in the room of people clearly delighted by this announcement.
The theatre company currently has a letter of intent with the province to assume ownership of the building, which Tobias says should happen in the coming months.
Tobias says the overall cost of the restoring and renovating the building to suit its new purpose could cost up to $7-million. He said they’ll continue firming up funding commitments from other sources in the coming months.
At Tuesday’s event, the federal government also announced $500,000 in funding from Heritage Canada and ACOA to renovate the lobby of the Imperial Theatre next door.
The theatre will use the money to enhance accessibility, safety, energy efficiency and comfort for the performers and the public, said Angela Campbell, executive director of the Imperial Theatre.
“We have an amazing auditorium,” said Campbell. “It’s now time to create a lobby space that reflects what exists once you get through those doors,” said Campbell. “We’re going to give our lobbies a much-needed [facelift] that reflects our rich history and incorporates modern elements.”