Ground was broken on the new Roxy Theatre Monday morning, four years after the building burned to the ground.
Representatives from Theatre Network and Nextfest, as well as local and provincial governments, gathered with ceremonial shovels at the 124 Street site.
“I feel like it’s getting more real every day, and this is a big, real moment,” Artistic Director Bradley Moss said.
The rebuilding will result in a 14,600-square foot facility. The fully-accessible space will consist of a 200-seat black box theatre, an 80-seat studio theatre, a rehearsal hall and gallery.
“We don’t get new theatres very often in Edmonton,” said actor Davina Stewart.
“It's a true celebration. It's not a renovation or a restoration or a rebuild—it's a brand-new theatre built specifically for theatre, which is thrilling.”
In January, the federal government announced it would contribute $2.5 million to the project, which will cost a total of $12.5 million.
Actual shovels will hit ground within a month. The new space is expected to be completed by 2021.
