The tenants of the City of Nelson-owned Civic Centre will have to either move their services or shut down for the summer as construction crews repair the roof.
In October, city engineers found the wooden trusses supporting the roof do not meet current minimum standards for snow load.
The city intends to repair the roof starting in May, and the tenants have been asked to leave during the construction.
The City of Nelson has not responded to the Nelson Star’s questions about the timeline for the construction work, its effect on the city budget, and how the roof repair will be co-ordinated with other renovations that were already planned.
The closure for roof repairs will not affect the Civic Centre rink.
Bob Schmitz of the Seniors Coordinating Society, one of the tenants that will have to leave, says the city is assisting the group in finding an alternate office space for the summer.
If no location is found, they will set up a system whereby their services can be maintained online and by phone and email.
“COVID gave us the experience of operating successfully with a closed office,” Schmitz said, “and we are using our learnings from that going forward.”
The society runs the Cycling Without Age program, a farmers market coupon program, an income tax and financial advocacy service, the TEETH Clinic Society, and a resource and information centre.
“We continue to be quite satisfied with how city reps are communicating with us with respect to building issues,” Schmitz said.
Civic Theatre
To allow for the renovations, the Civic Theatre will be closing for up to five months as of April 18. During the closure, the theatre will prepare for its own renovations that will turn the auditorium into three spaces: two small theatres where the back rows of seats are located, and a third larger theatre with the current main stage still in place.
“We are excited about what is to come, and of course, nervous about how much there is to do, but we have a great team who will navigate with knowledge and experience,” executive director Eleanor Stacey wrote in a Nelson Star column in March.
“Of course, we also know that this exciting news comes with the disappointment of not having The Civic open for a while.”
Stacey said there will still be events at the Shoebox Theatre at 225 Hall St. during the closure of the main theatre.
“Even though The Civic Theatre will be out of the equation for a bit, Nelson Civic Theatre Society is still a vibrant and busy cultural operator,” Stacey wrote.
Dance and gymnastics
Danielle Gibson, an instructor and administrator at Dance Umbrella, another tenant in the Civic Centre, said she is happy the renovations are starting and that “we won’t have to navigate another on-again, off-again winter.”
She was referring to the winter months when tenants were told they might have to leave if the snow load got too heavy, which they did once for a short period in January.
Gibson said the upcoming move “obviously comes with a financial toll but we are looking forward to being back in our beautiful space after the upgrades.”
Dance Umbrella will be able to find alternate locations during the roof repair, Gibson said.
Steve Long of Glacier Gymnastics said it is unclear whether the group will be able to finish its season and they may have to wrap up early. Glacier’s annual showcase is also at risk of cancellation. There will be no summer programming and fall startup might have to be delayed.
“These kinds of closures are harder on the gymnasts than most people realize,” Long said. “Thankfully we’ve got a strong coaching team to guide the kids with adjusting their goals and appropriate skill development when they’re able to return. Still, a participation drop-off like we saw after COVID will need to be managed.”
Long said the city has done a good job of communicating with the tenants about the need for repairs.
“We greatly appreciate the considerable efforts and commitment the city and staff are making to repairs of the Civic facility,” he said.
Long said the organization between June and September sees about 350 kids through the facility each week, with approximately 60 classes scheduled, seven days per week. They employ 15-20 coaches during that part of the season.
The shutdown will have serious financial implications for the club. Total lost revenue could be as much as $60,000.
“Unlike COVID, there are no grants available for this situation, and no insurance,” Long said. “Refunds and revenue shortfalls far exceed any cost-saving measures. So we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
He said their annual corporate sponsorship program starts this month. Last year community businesses contributed over $10,000 through sponsorships. The group also has a donations program where individuals can receive tax receipts, while a 50-50 sales drive with a $10,000 prize is in the works that the group hopes to launch in May.
The Restorative Justice Program and the Tumbleweeds Gym are also both tenants at the Civic Centre and will have to leave during the roof repairs.
Correction: In a previous version of this story, it was stated the Seniors Coordinating Society runs the Nelson Seniors Centre at 717 Vernon St. In fact the two are separate organizations.
READ MORE:
• HISTORY BUFF: The Civic Centre is a giant of Nelson social life for over 80 years
• LARGE POPCORN, EXTRA BUTTER: Civic Theatre to close up to 5 months for renovations
• Heavy snow on roof forces closure of Civic Centre
• Nelson council approves snow load risk reduction plan, waives tenant lease fees for Civic Centre