Mulgrave Road Theatre, located in the remote seaside community of Guysborough, Nova Scotia, is receiving more funding to renovate and expand the former Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation building to create a new arts and culture centre for the region. Once complete by March 2026, the RoadHouse Creative Centre, as its being called, will also become Atlantic Canada’s first purpose-built net-zero cultural facility.
The province recently gave $500,000 through its Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund to incorporate solar heat, LED lighting, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, water conservation, and solar energy to generate electricity.
The 12,000-square-foot building is designed by Solterre Design and will include a community creation room, workshop facilities, a rehearsal and performance space with automatic retractable seating for 90, digital capabilities for virtual collaborations and outreach, offices, an art gallery and exterior gathering spaces.
The theatre was established in 1976, has produced more than 75 new Canadian works and currently stands as Eastern Nova Scotia’s longest-running professional theatre company.
According to its website, MRT has operated without a dedicated creation, development and performance space for 47 years, often working in venues outside of their community. Plans for a new space began brewing in 2016. After four years of working with all levels of government, as well as corporate and individual donors, MRT has raised more than $5.5 million.
Agriculture Minister and MLA for Guysborough-Tracadie Greg Morrow made the new announcement on September 1, on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman.
“Projects like these demonstrate local, community action to reduce carbon emissions and waste and make our communities greener, healthier and more sustainable,” said Minister Morrow. “Our government’s Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund helps make community-based solutions, which address climate change and create a better tomorrow possible and inspire all of us to make the changes required to create a better tomorrow.”
