A theater that played an important role in the Crowsnest Pass community has been restored

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In the small town of Coleman in the Crowsnest Pass, the reopening of a historic downtown building will have a big impact not only on the community's arts scene, but also on the local economy.

The Roxy Theater has been vacant since 2003, but was purchased in early 2021. Crowsnest Cultural and Recreation Society (known as Crownest Cando) for $65,000 after a fundraising campaign. Since then, the group's volunteers have been working to reopen the building, which they hope will happen in late 2025 or early 2026.

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“The revitalized Roxy will be a dynamic cultural center for the community, revitalize the local performing arts scene, preserve history, improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, and contribute to the economic and social vitality of our community,” concluded Fred. Bradley, a member of the group's construction committee and project consultant for the Roxy Theater project.

The first stage Revitalizing The Roxy ProjectCompleted in 2022, the team included completing engineering and documentation of the building to move forward with the restoration plan.

“We went in and rebuilt the foundation, did some structural work inside the building,” Bradley said.

The team is now working on the second phase, which will include restoring the facade of the two-story brick structure.

“We're going to completely restore the character-defining elements of the facade, which will make it shine on Main Street,” Bradley said, adding that restoring the neon Roxy sign will be part of that work.

It is this work — valued at $200,000 — that will use any money raised from the National Trust of Canada's Next Great Save competition, in which the Crowsnest Cando Roxy Theater is a finalist. Twelve finalists from around the country compete for $50,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third place. Online voting It starts on April 18th and ends on May 6th, and the winners will be announced on May 7th.

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“It's a big project to restore the building, but that $50,000 will help us with the restoration of the front facade,” said Bradley, who worked on Crowsnest Cando's Next Great Save application.

At the rear of the building is a Quonset structure, later converted into a theater in Canada and the United States. Second world war. Wainwright's Alma Theater in Alberta is modeled after a Quonset Hut theater.

“It's one of the more unique Quonset-style theaters in Canada,” Bradley said. “This Quonset structure has great acoustics for a performance space.”

Restoration of the entire interior of the Quonset structure is the final part of the project, which includes the stage and seating. The theater can accommodate from 250 to 275 people.

“The restoration will help grow the regional arts scene in the community, it will provide us with much-needed cultural entertainment for the entire Crownest Pass, we can provide youth event programming and provide space for other community groups. where they can perform,” Bradley said.

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But that interior work will cost more than $1 million, Bradley said.

“On the street, we're like, 'Why don't you restore this building?' Bradley said. “It might be an easier task in another community with resources, with an industrial base, but we don't have industry.”

The restoration of the Roxy Theater is also seen as an economic development project, with its role as a regional arts center stimulating the local accommodation and restaurant industry.

“Our coal mine closed a long time ago, with the loss of 600 jobs,” Bradley said. “Our gas processing plant was closed a few years ago. Our sawmill is closed.

“So being able to get this theater back will be a major catalyst for economic renewal in downtown Coleman.”

Crowsnest Pass has plenty of outdoor activities for visitors, but the town of Coleman, population about 1,400, could use some evening sightseeing, Bradley said.

“The biggest thing is that we haven't had a movie theater since 2019,” Bradley said, adding that now people won't have to travel to Pincher Creek and Fernie, the nearby towns that have movie theaters.

Coleman Mayor Blair Painter said the council sees the revitalization of the Roxy Theater as an additional economic driver for the city and region.

“I think for all the residents in Crosnest Pass, we're very concerned and can't wait for (the Roxy Theater) to actually open,” Painter said.

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