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Yates Centre closes for renovations as the final curtain draws until May 2018

Sep 2, 2017 | 8:10 AM

LETHBRIDGE – The last summer performances at the Genevieve Yates Memorial Centre are wrapping up as the doors get ready to close for several months for theatre upgrades.

The facility will no longer be accessible to the public as of this Tuesday, and isn’t expected to reopen until May 2018.

Renovations have been ongoing for the past several months, but the site now requires a complete closure so construction work can be completed in the theatre spaces.

A release from the city states that once upgrades are completed, the Yates will offer increased performance capabilities and improve audience experience.

The work being done includes upgraded mechanical and electrical systems, performance audio/visual systems and acoustic systems. Upgraded finishes like paint, flooring and ceilings, as well as a roof replacement will also be finished as part of the work.

It also includes the addition of elevators, signage and a concrete floor under the auditorium.

Lethbridge City Council approved advancing improvements to the Yates back in November 2016, after receiving $3.5 million from the Federal government’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.

The money helped get work that was already planned to be done more quickly, including some changes that are expected to make the centre more accessible.