Fort 91原创's community heritage hall will get a connection between its upstairs stage and a downstairs space that can serve as a 'green room' thanks to a $205,270 grant to Fort 91原创 Community Improvement Society from the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), the federal economic development agency dedicated to British Columbians.
Society Executive Director Brigitte Seib told the 91原创 Advance Times the contribution will fund a number of improvements, including the restoration of a stairway that used to directly connect the upstairs stage at the hall with the downstairs.
"If you look at the outside of the hall at the back, you can see where there used to be a door from the stage, and a staircase coming down, which is no longer there," Seib explained.
Without the stairway, there isn't much space backstage for performers.
With the connection restored, she said, people will be able to use the recently renovated former library space downstairs as a 'green room,' as a waiting room for actors is called.
"We want to provide some sort of a staircase from the stage down to the new space, so that the new space can be used as a green room when we have theatre groups like Bard in the Valley, and [Fort 91原创 based] Little Dipper Theatre," Seib said.
"[Little Dipper] had to build the stage in front, kind of a makeshift stage in front of the stage, and use the stage as the actual green room."
Seib is hoping work on the stairway can begin in the spring.
"Right now it's kind of out in the preliminary phase with an architect looking at proposals, and then we've got to go through the Heritage Commission, of course," Seib summarized. "So it'll be a bit of a process."
Once work is completed, the renovated former library space "will be a multi-purpose space used along with the stage upstairs, and also for other, smaller, activities that wouldn't be housed in the ballroom. And with the entrance on the south side, [there could be] more events that are tourist-related for active tourism."
Fort 91原创's grant was among $1.6 million in Tourism Growth Program grants to seven Lower Mainland organizations announced on Friday, Sept. 27 by Harjit S. Sajjan, minister responsible for PacifiCan, in celebration of World Tourism Day.
"This revitalization project will strengthen the local arts community, boost revenue for nearby businesses, and attract more visitors, enhancing Fort 91原创's reputation as a top destination for arts and culture," the announcement stated.
