Cow Head Mayor Adrian Payne says it’s fantastic to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel his town has been staring down for a long time.
Payne was among the many beaming faces in Cow Head when the federal and provincial governments announced there will be a total of $4.2 million contributed towards the construction of a new theatre in town.
Traditionally a fishing community, Cow Head has been transformed into a cultural mecca of sorts in more recent times with the success of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival.
But the festival has had the unfortunate experience of having to turn patrons away on occasion from The Warehouse Theatre. A brand new venue, like the larger,178-seat theatre now being planned, will be welcome by patrons and festival organizer alike.
“An opportunity like this only knocks once in a lifetime and we have to take full advantage of this now,” said Payne after the announcement at The Warehouse Theatre late Friday morning. “We as a council have something to look forward to now, but we also need more accommodations, craft shops and restaurants here in town too.”
While the theatre will be built in Cow Head, Payne said the economic benefits will spin off to other communities within Gros Morne National Park and beyond. He said people will likely stick around for an extra day or two and check out the tourism products other communities are providing too.
That was evident by the presence of town council representatives from many of those surrounding communities at Friday’s press conference.
He said the success of the theatre festival in Cow Head is in large part thanks to both the local volunteers who have helped tirelessly through the years and Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s continued belief in Cow Head as a great location.
The new theatre is expected to open in 2019.
In a prepared statement, Katrina Basha, chair of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s board of directors, said the organization was thrilled to be able to forge ahead with this project.
“Professional theatre is alive and well in this province and this new facility at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival will allow TNL to continue flourishing, offering quality professional theatre and attracting top-notch artists to the region and welcoming audiences from around the world,” she said in the press release. “This new facility will secure the future of the company as a major player in the cultural tourism industry of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Gudie Hutchings, the Liberal Commons member for Long Range Mountains, later noted in an interview that Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador is the second oldest theatre company in Canada, second only to the highly successful Stratford Festival in Ontario, which was established in 1952.
“TNL and Cow Head should strive to be a Stratford,” she said of the potential the festival has with the announcement of this major long-term initiative.
The funding
- Total government contribution: $4.2 million
- Federal amount: $3.7 million ($2 million from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and $1.7 million from the Department of Canadian Heritage)
- Provincial amount: $500,000
The building
- The 2,000 square-metre theatre complex will include a 178-seat venue for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival dinner theatre and musical productions.
- The new complex will include a performance stage and house seating, rehearsal and studio performance space, dressing rooms, a full kitchen and bar service area, a set fabrication workshop, a wardrobe workshop, wardrobe storage space, offices, as well as box office and lobby areas.
- The project is expected to create 100 jobs during construction.
Source: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
