The City of Richmond is proposing an estimated $2.2 million budget to upgrade equipment at Richmond’s Gateway Theatre.
An estimated total of $2,210,305 is needed for technical equipment upgrades, something that is long overdue for the local theatre, according to a city staff report.
Most equipment at Gateway are 20 to 30 years old and are deemed “obsolete” and “unreliable” by city staff.
“Investing in this infrastructure will update the venue to current standards and technologies, plus provide both an enhanced experience and reduce the need to rent equipment for both Gateway Theatres’ productions and rental clients,” reads the report, which will go before city council’s finance committee on Monday evening.
Equipment upgrades would include base electrical and networking infrastructure, replacing sound systems such as wireless microphones and audio consoles, two high-definition cameras in the lobby, two laser projectors and a roll-down screen, new theatrical lighting and safety rigs.
In the breakdown of the budget report, the upgrade project is expected to be eligible for the Department of Canadian Heritage Cultural Spaces grant funding, which could cover up to 50 per cent ($1.1 million) of the costs.
If grant funding falls through, a “revised proposal will be presented to Council for consideration and approval,” reads the city staff report.
