Fort Macleod sits comfortably along Highway 3 in southern Alberta, with little attracting attention to the town.
However, a historic main street has drawn eyes for years. Centre of it is the Empress Theatre, which first opened in 1912.
This spring, the theatre closed its doors to complete needed renovations. Now, it’s raising the curtain once again.
“In a small community, the theatre is so important to (us), but even to those in the surrounding area. We’ve been closed for a while, so we’re excited to be back,” said Jackie Nelson, the new president of the Empress Theatre Society.
She referred to the renovations as more of a ‘facelift’ than structural work.
“It needed it. The seats were becoming a little uncomfortable when you’re sitting here for a show that’s going on for three hours. There was a lot of shuffling in seats.”
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The flooring was originally meant to be refurbished, but that didn’t end up becoming a reality due to years of use.
“It was a little too far gone, so we had to replace it. So, we got a brand new floor. The carpet has been replaced. The existing frames of the chairs are the same, but we re-springed them, re-cushioned them, put new fabric on them,” said Nelson.
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The floor was also levelled out to create a more comfortable and safe environment. Accessibility was also at the forefront, with changes to wheelchair seating included in the work.
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The bathrooms were also modernized, with the ladies room seeing an expansion to help limit lines the theatre used to be prone to.
With all these changes, some could be concerned about the historic site losing what makes it great, but Nelson assures everyone that isn’t the case.
“I just don’t think it would be the same if we changed out all of (the classic features) that give it that nostalgic vision and view. I’m glad we kept those things.”
The work wasn’t cheap, so the Empress Theatre Society called S.O.S., running their Save our Seats campaign. By its reopening, they had fundraised around $200,000 — which is $50,000 shy of their eventual goal.
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“I think that, in this community in particular in Fort Macleod, they just pull together. They take pride in their local history and in the thriving economic businesses on Main Street. I think the Empress has always, since it’s been here so long, it’s a landmark,” said Rachel Knudsen, the new executive director at the Fort Macleod and District Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber says the theatre, while a major cultural icon in the community, is also invaluable from an economic standpoint.
“Having the Empress is kind of the icon for Main Street in Fort Macleod,” said Ashley Tebbutt, the outgoing executive director of the Fort Macleod and District Chamber of Commerce.
She says this has helped boost the film industry in the region.
“This past summer we filmed another movie here in June. Independent filmmakers are starting to get to know Fort Macleod Main Street.”
As a result, the future looks bright for the small town.
“Not every town has a main street that’s been revitalized and taken care of with a theatre like the Empress. So, it’s really something we take pride in that’s being utilized more and more,” said Knudsen.
Reigning since the year the Titanic sank, the Empress Theatre isn’t going to see retirement for a long time yet.
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“If it’s lasted since 1912, I think we’re good. It’s looked after by all of the community, the board, the government. It’s a pretty important piece of history here, so I think she’ll be around for a while,” said Nelson.
The first show since reopening is on Nov. 7.
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