Doubts about the roof of Nelson’s Civic Centre are raising concerns for one of the building’s major tenants.
The City of Nelson recently announced the trusses supporting the Civic Centre’s roof no longer meet the required snow load limits.
The city said the building’s tenants were warned if conditions pose a risk to the structure’s integrity, they will be forced to evacuate.
As a result, Civic Theatre executive director Eleanor Stacey released a letter to members addressing the situation and what it could mean for business this winter.
Stacey said the theatre’s roof is fine until it has about 14 inches (35 cm) of snow on it. Once that happens, the building will be forced to evacuate until the snow melts and is reduced to the required limit.
“I know it seems sort of strange that it could be good on Monday and not on Tuesday, and then okay again on Friday,” she wrote. “If anything, this shows the vigilance that comes with code compliance and insurability.”
The theatre has long been planning to add two more screens. Stacey said in her letter that the organization has raised $3.3 million for the renovations, but the roof situation has created complex difficulties that could threaten its future.
“With the likelihood that we will be closed due to snow for 30-60 per cent of the winter months, I have to admit I have been worried about how to get to the other side,” she wrote
“We knew that we would need to close for four months to complete the demolition and construction of our main theatre, but after that we planned to reopen and simultaneously continue construction on the other two.”
Stacey says the theatre will likely be forced to close for at least a year, which she explained they don’t have the financial means to do.
To try and ensure the financial stability and future of the theatre, Stacey says they’ve set a plan in motion to explore other ways to bring in profit if and when the building must close.
The theatre will continue to screen films at both the Civic Theatre (when permitted) and at its sister theatre, the Shoebox.
Stacey explained they’re also in the process of securing backup venues for upcoming annual events in case the building has to close and have added an additional fundraising initiative for March.
Community members are strongly encouraged to continue supporting the theatre by buying or renewing annual memberships, attending movies at both the Civic and Shoebox as much as possible, making donations, attending fundraising events and volunteering.
“We admittedly felt a bit overwhelmed by our current predicament,” Stacey wrote. “But as Thomas Edison once said: ‘Many failures are by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.’ We are so close today, but we need to navigate this year and transition into our renovations. I hope the community will join us in helping get there.”
