Theatre renovation makes dramatic statement on environmental scene
The groundbreaking ceremony this summer for the new Mulgrave Road Theatre had all the necessary components for such occasions: Dignitaries digging, speeches, photo-ops and refreshments. They even had cupcakes decorated with tiny shovels.
The $9.5-million retrofit of the former Nova Scotia Liquor Corpora- tion building in Guysborough has an important additional feature. When it opens in 2026, Mulgrave Road Theatre will be Atlantic Canada’s first purpose-built, net-zero-emissions cultural facility.
“This is the future of construction,” says the theatre’s artistic director, Emmy Alcorn. “This gives us the opportunity to be an example for others who may be thinking along. these lines. People can see that it really is possible.”
Taking its name from a Charles Bruce poem, Mulgrave Road Theatre first raised its curtains in 1976, but has never had a dedicated space to develop and present its own work. Planning began eight years ago for a permanent home.
The new facility will have a black box theatre with a catwalk and 75 retractable seats that can be configured in a number of innovative ways. It will also serve as a community gathering space.
“As a theatre that develops its own new work, this is the kind of space that we love,” Alcorn says. “It enables playwrights to think from the beginning about how the production is going to interact with an audience.”
Enter the environment
Sustainability took centre stage from the beginning of the planning process, with Solterre Design of Halifax commissioned as the architect. Solterre has long been at the forefront of green building design, pioneering LEED certification for commercial and institutional projects in Atlantic Canada.
The theatre will have a rooftop photovoltaic solar array that will provide up to 87 per cent of the facility’s energy needs, plenty of windows for passive energy collection, as well as heat pumps. It will also be wrapped in insulation that is beyond code requirements. As Guysborough lacks a public water system, the facility will have its own 35,000-gallon cistern.
“We will be reducing energy needs as much as possible, and using the most efficient mechanicals available,” Alcorn says.
While sustainable construction is a trend that cuts across all sectors, arts organizations, being innovative by nature, should take a leading role, Alcorn believes.
Arts as vanguard
“Theatre companies feel a responsibility to provide a vision of how to move forward as a society,” she says. “We are often the first to adopt innovative technologies, just because of the work we do.”
Arts organizations sometimes exist on the sharp edge of environmental impacts. Take, for instance, Caravan Farm Theatre, an outdoor theatre company in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, which is often upstaged by Mother Nature.
“We’re in the belly of the beast in terms of climate impact and wildfires,” says Vicki Stroich, artistic and environmental programs manager with the theatre. “By the time August arrives, it is very dry here.”
The theatre has had to cancel shows because of intense smoke, and a fire caused by a nearby lightning strike this summer had everyone prepared for evacuation. The theatre’s summer season at one time extended throughout August and into September, but is now condensed to primarily July.
“That has certainly impacted our revenue, and made it difficult to move forward with confidence.”
Besides looking at contingencies to move some productions indoors, the theatre is collaborating with neighbours on wildfire mitigation. They host public meetings on planning strategies, the sharing of resources, and wildfire education and prevention.
“We’ve become a convener,” Stroich says. “We’re an organization that is part of this community, and that involves mutual care.”
Disaster can sometimes open doors to greater sustainability. After fire destroyed 80 per cent of the Chester Playhouse building in June 2021, the rebuild presented an opportunity for green initiatives. The theatre reopened in August 2023 with all new LED lighting, improved insulation, heat pumps and a top-of-the-line HVAC system.
“We’re in the process of working towards net zero,” says Andrew Chandler, executive director of Chester Playhouse. “We’re forming a sustainability committee at the board level to see what else we can do over the next little while to get closer to that net-zero target.”
There is great benefit, as well as government assistance, for organizations of all stripes in pursuing green initiatives in projects both large and small, Chandler adds.
“Properly insulating the theatre was costly at the outset, but (it) now requires much less energy to heat and cool, while allowing us to operate year-round.”
Ready to build
The Mulgrave Road project was the beneficiary of fortuitous timing. In 2018, the theatre held a public consultation with donors, businesses and the local arts community, during which they received enthusiastic support for a new facility with net-zero emissions.
“By the time we were ready to apply for federal and provincial funding, all levels of government were looking for green infrastructure projects,” Alcorn recalls. “Because we had been working with Solterre for two years, we had all the information we needed for the application process, which can be very complex.”
A $2.6-million grant was provided by Ottawa through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Fund, while $500,000 in provincial funding was provided through the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund and the Department of Tourism and Culture. The Municipality of the District of Guysborough donated the building and provided financial support.
This combined with funding from donors, businesses and arts organizations to bring the capital campaign to a current total of $6.2 million.
“We are seeking philanthropists who are interested in naming rights, or are just interested in supporting rural and green projects,” Alcorn says. “As we move away from fossil fuels, it makes sense to use renewable energy from the sun to reduce our carbon footprint.”
To learn more about the theatre performances, the progress of the project or to make a donation, check out mulgraveroad.ca
