Coaticook Arts and Culture Pavilion back in business after more than $5 million in renovations
The Coaticook Pavilion of Arts and Culture welcomed its first visitors in a year on April 19. During the inaugural press conference, nearly 50 Coaticook residents, local media, and politicians of all levels celebrated the renewal of performances at the Pavilion. The venue, Sisco Memorial Church, underwent 11 months of extensive renovations.
In June 2022, Compton-stanstead MP Marie-claude Bibeau and Saintfrançois MNA Geneviève Hébert announced a $3,617,400 investment to renovate the Pavilion, according to an April 19 press release.
This funding included $1,808,700 from the Community, Cultural, and Recreational Infrastructure component of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and an equal amount from the Cultural Infrastructure Development Assistance Program (PADIC). The total cost of the renovations approached $5.3 million, with the city of Coaticook contributing $1,664,600.
The renovations enabled the reconstruction of the ground floor structure, a complete overhaul of the stage, the installation of new sanitary blocks on two floors, enhancements to building ventilation, improvements to two dressing rooms and the kitchen, reconfiguration of the administrative sector including the ticket office and a cloakroom, and updates to meet all fire resistance regulations.
More than just a performance hall, the Pavilion serves as a hub for cultural, community, and family gatherings. It has been instrumental in the professional development of artists and has provided locals their first opportunity to perform onstage.
Since its inception in 1923, the Sisco Memorial Church has been a central feature of downtown Coaticook. It underwent significant renovations from 1993 to 1995 when the city acquired and transformed it into a cultural center. As the building celebrated its 100th anniversary, its interior was transformed yet again.
Press conference
Presiding over the press conference was Shirley Lavertu, who is responsible for communications for the city of Coaticook. Lavertu emphasized the floors of the pre-renovation Pavilion had become “dangerous” and gave a brief history of obtaining the grants for the project before introducing Bibeau.
“The Pavilion is the cultural heart of the city,” Bibeau said. She noted its importance to local families and its role as a place where people can discover new artists. She said the renovations maintained the building’s “unique character” and its “stability for years to come.”
“The opening of the Pavilion will benefit the entire Coaticook community,” Hébert said, speaking next. She thanked the city for its generous donation of over $1.6 million, which she said serves as an inspiration to other municipalities in her riding. Since 2018, she said, her party has aimed to protect Quebec’s religious heritage “because it is a part of our history.”
Coaticook Mayor Simon Madore then took the floor. “Coaticook is as strong in culture as any sport,” he said. Madore noted many artists debut in Coaticook every year and love to return, something of which he is very proud. He said the importance of
culture to the city justified the large amount of money it spent in renewing the Pavilion.
Sylviane Ferland, chair of the Pavilion’s board of directors, addressed the gathering. “A municipality… is not complete without its cultural component,” she said. She added Coaticook has a rich and diverse cultural life. She reminded everyone that the Pavilion has been a vibrant
part of Coaticook since the first performance at the venue in 1995. She thanked Lavertu for her integral role in obtaining the grants for the project. “Conserving culture delays the end of the world,” Ferland said.
The event concluded with the cutting of a ribbon to officially inaugurate the refurbished building, followed by a time of socializing and refreshment.