The layout the potential movie theatre will have if the Nicola Valley Theatre Society can raise the $3.2 million it will cost to construct.
Merrittonians were given a look into the possible future of its downtown on Thursday (Sept.17).
The Nicola Valley Theatre Society was shown the concept art and building schematic for the 550-seat cinema and performing arts centre they hope to build on the corner of Garcia Street and Coutlee Avenue.
Architect Chris Allen with Landform Design Build Ltd. presented the plans and said the 14,000 square-foot building is designed to incorporate local materials and style.
The plans show the parametres of a four-bay theatre with three 100-seat theatres on one side of the building and a larger 250-seat theatre across the hall.
By comparison, the lecture theatre at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology sits 144.
All four theatres are designed to contain movie screens and stages, and the designs show 1,200 square feet of storage space behind the stage of the largest theatre.
The plans also show the basic layout of the building’s concession, parking spaces, multipurpose room, green room and its washrooms.
The primary structure will be concrete and steal, but the exterior finish can incorporate wood.
The sides of the building are proposed to incorporate wood cladding between steal verticals.
This is modeled after the cladding of the town’s historic Coldwater Hotel.
Allen said architecture at it’s best is an expression of a town’s culture.
“This culture has a history in ranching, the forest industry, so that creates a certain material palate that’s appropriate to Merritt, and so we’re trying to draw on that,” Allen said.
“If we do that, then we’re able to use local contractors, local sawmills, local concrete plants — local producers to build the building — which truly makes it a public enterprise, and it spreads the money that’s being raised for the theatre back out into the community.”
The amount of time Allen estimates it will take to construct this theatre is one year and the building will fill about two-thirds of the property.
It’s lifespan is estimated at 50 to 100 years depending on maintenance, Allen said.
The facility is designed to act as both a movie theatre and a performing arts centre. It will run as a non-profit, with funds from movie tickets helping to support the performing arts function of the facility, said society spokesperson Kurt Christopherson.
He told the Herald the movie theatre operations, however, will be run like any other business, with regular employees paid to maintain and operate the facility.
The three smaller theatres will show Hollywood movies, Christopherson said.
“Without first-run movies, we can’t compete with Kamloops,” he said.
The design plans now in place, the next step for the society is to raise money and find in-kind support for the construction of the building.
Christopherson said these designs are a huge step forward as the community can now see what this theatre will look like if they can get it off the ground.
“It’s going to take a community to build this theatre, it’s not going to be a little group saying ‘Here’s a present for you.’ If we want this project, people have to get involved,” Christopherson said.
The theatre society is asking for residents and local groups to contact them with any input regarding the design for the theatre.
“There will be some time for some tweaking of it, but not unlimited time,” Christopherson said, adding that the theatre society has earmarked Oct. 28 as the date for a public meeting and membership drive.
