Brockville
Arts Centre
235 King St. West
Brockville, Ontario
Canada

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History of The Brockville Arts Centre

The present Brockville Arts Centre building has a long and colourful history. The building was built in the year 1858 and served over the years as a Town Hall (with a clerk’s room, Council room and a “lock-up” cell room), the market building (with butcher stands) and as fire engine house No. 1 until gradually more space was needed for these purposes. Two of the original date stones engraved in 1858 still exist today and are placed high on the outside walls.
All the town offices were moved to Victoria Hall building in the early 1900’s. The public space upstairs in the old Town Hall was converted into a theatre called the Opera House.
The Brockville Arts Centre itself possibly owes its existence to Mr. George Huntley, an eminent comedian. Disgusted with the backstage conditions in the old Opera House, Mr. Huntley gave a blistering curtain speech declaring that he would never come back unless conditions were improved and moreover, threatened to tell his professional friends. Since, at that time, the building still housed the Fire Department, which used horse drawn fire engines, and the butchers stalls below (the horse’s stalls being conveniently located directly below the actor’s dressing rooms), Mr. Huntley had reason to complain.
Stirred by Mr. Huntley’s speech, a group of local citizens formed the Brockville Operatic House Co. Limited and built the theatre. The “New Theatre” with its fine new stage, the third largest in Canada a the time opened on September 18, 1911 with the play “Baby Mine.” It enjoyed a successful career and the last show booked into the theatre was “The Dumbells” on October 31, 1929.
On November 6, 1937 fire gutted the auditorium. Fortunately, the stage was saved by its heavy asbestos fire curtain and it survives to this day.
The rebuilt theatre was opened as the “Regent” a motion picture house on October 19, 1939. The Regent continued to operate until the popularity of television forced it to close April 6, 1958.
On January 26, 1960, following exterior renovation, the theatre opened with “No-No Nannet” put on by the Brockville Operatic Society and later that year the first big show from out of town was “Once Upon A Mattress” with Imogene Coca and Edward Everett Horton.
In 1975, the theatre was thoroughly renovated and a major addition was constructed on the east side of the building. Funds were donated by the people of this community and grants were received from Wintario.
In 1981-1982, The Brockville Operatic Society and the Brockville Theatre Guild combined forces to raise funds to build rehearsal and construction areas. This was to bring all their activities under one roof, including wardrobe and prop storage. In conjunction with the City of Brockville, the Musi-Theatre was built.
The municipality owned Brockville Civic Auditorium was operated successfully by the Brockville Arts Centre Board of Management until March of 1990 when the Board disbanded and turned the theatre’s operation back to the municipality. The Brockville Arts Centre as it is known now is presently managed by Cultural section of the City’s Community Services Department with community input and advise provided through the Council appointed , Performing and Visual Arts Advisory Committee.
With the present seating capacity of 802, the Arts Centre continues to offer some of the finest stage entertainment in Ontario encompassing drama, music, dance and children’s theatre. With a past history of community commitment and support serving as an example, we can expect the Brockville Arts Centre to remain an important part of the cultural fabric of our community well into the next century.