Revamped and accessible
Hatters celebrate completed renovation of library theatre
The Medicine Hat Public Library held the grand public reopening of its renovated theatre Saturday, with an official ribbon cutting, speeches, a magician, cake, popcorn and a screening of Despicable Me 3.
“We’re super excited about this renovation,” said Rose Sanchez, the library board chair. “This is one of the only areas of this facility that hasn’t had any significant upgrades until now. It’s just a wonderful milestone for us to reach this.”
The facility upgrade, which includes accessible seating and a hearing loop that people with hearing aids can plug into, has been in the works since February.
It was funded in part through a $50,000 enabling accessibility grant from the federal government, a $125,000 community facilities enhancement grant from the provincial government and a $50,000 donation from TD Bank, as well as community members purchasing seat plaques.
Local dignitaries spoke about the importance of public libraries to the community.
“Public libraries are often vastly underrated resources in our communities,” said provincial NDP House Leader and local MLA Robert Wanner.
“(They) are the epitome of egalitarianism and accessibility ... It doesn’t matter who you are (or) where you come from, public libraries are to us a symbol of the universal principle of the right to learn.”
The Hat’s Dr. Richard Taylor, who won the Nobel Prize in Science in 1990, “took his first step on the path to discovering quarks” at the MHPL, Wanner added.
Although Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes couldn’t attend, his constituency assistant Shelley Beck spoke on his behalf.
“When I grew up, something I felt about libraries is that they’ve always been very inclusive, including rural communities,” said Beck.
Living on a farm, she used to receive books in the mail from her nearest library.
“It’s the best package to come in the mail about every eight weeks,” she said.
Local Conservative MP Glen Motz spoke about libraries’ ability bring people together, as evidenced by the funding of the renovation.
“This cooperative funding partnership between three levels of government, public donations and major fundraising efforts by friends of this library is proof that through community collaboration wonderful initiatives can become a reality,” said Motz.
“This theatre is proof that libraries are more than books,” said Mayor Ted Clugston. “Citizens can come here to express themselves through theatre, or watching a documentary, or perhaps an informative speaker.”
Clugston added that he performed his first poem on that very stage when he was 12 years old.
“I’m carrying that tradition on now,” he joked.
Another Hatter who got their start on the MHPL theatre’s stage is magician Trevor Moore, who performed after the dignitaries’ speeches.
“This is the first theatre that gave me a chance,” said Moore, who also performed at the final pre-renovation show.