VIDEO: Renovations continue at Medicine Hat’s historic Monarch Theatre

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“Last year we did the stucco and waterproofed it. This year is a little more of the details, the tile around the windows and that,” Robison said.

“The marquee is a big one. We’re aiming to get the marquee done in October/November. All the pieces for it have been ordered. Just waiting for them to come in and then get it assembled.”

The marquee will be taken back to a 1935 look, while the former Mac’s Cigar store area will represent a few years later.

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Work being done on the tile around the former Mac’s Cigar Store area of the Monarch Theatre building. Jesse Gill/CHAT News

“The Mac’s Cigar store is a representation of what it looked like in the 1941 era,” Robinson said.

“We’re going to we have the TVs that do some advertising. We’re going to try to enhance those and maybe put some artifacts in the bottom just to get some interest,” he added.

“We feel that the old Mac’s Cigar store showing on the building gives a lot more character. There’s a lot more street appeal.”

Tiling on that area was starting to wrap up on Monday.

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The front two rows of 25 seats have been taken out at the Monarch Theatre to accommodate an 11 foot stage extension. Jesse Gill/CHAT News

The front two rows, a total of 25 seats have been removed from the theatre to allow for a stage extension to be put in.

“The new stage will be 11 feet bigger than what it was in permanent, and it’ll just give us a lot more opportunities for acts and things that can happen in it,” Robinson said.

“Our intention is we’ll be back up and running in September, we have quite a few things that are booked and plan to come in,” he added.

“With the stage extension, the building will be programmable. I think we’re getting where we want.”

Eventually a green room is planned behind the theatre stage for performers coming into the venue.

Several other updates are in the works for the interior over the next year as funding allows.

Robinson said their is importance to showcasing this historic building.

“I think it’s really important. I mean, that was the goal of the Monarch 1911 Society. We got it to save the building,” Robinson said.

“It looked good, but there was a lot of things behind the scenes. This wall, these windows were fairly rotten. There was quite a bit damage. The bricks up the top were letting a lot of water in. So we’ve fixed it physically,” he added.

“They’re interested in using the theater, using it for whatever new adventures it can have.”

The Monarch 1911 Society is formed formed by Rotarians from the Saamis and Medicine Hat Rotary Clubs .

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Street views of construction in front of Monarch Theatre. Jesse Gill/CHAT News

“There’s lots going on behind the scenes. This past year, we had the conservation report that we did. We’ve been able to get a few grants and some funding, you don’t see a lot going on outside, but we have a stack of paper and designs and things like that we’ve been working on,” Robinson said.

“We need the grant money and the funding and the donations from citizens, things like that to help us. We’re working on that every day for sure.”

The group has received funding for the project from the Community Foundation with $5,000, the Heritage Preservation Partnership with a $50,000 matching grant, community donors and local business partners, and through operations of the facility.

The Monarch is Canada’s oldest surviving purpose-built movie theatre built in 1911.

by Jesse Gill

VIDEO: Renovations continue at Medicine Hat’s historic Monarch Theatre

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