The Key City Theatre Society (KCTS) recently formed a steering committee to examine the future of Key City Theatre beyond the replacement of the Mount Baker Secondary School (MBSS).

Along with Michele Bates, KCTS Board member and Steering Committee designate, the committee members include School District 5 Trustee Trina Ayling and City Councillor Bob Whetham but will expand to include members of the public once the initial legwork of the committee is completed.

According to Bates, Key City Theatre's heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrical is integrated into the school's structure, which means the theatre can't function as a stand-alone facility once the school is replaced.

"At this point we're examining how the eventual replacement of Mount Baker will affect the theatre," explained Bates. "We're considering three options: renovating to a stand-alone building, rebuilding in tandem with a new Mount Baker or building at a different location altogether."

In order to make the best decision for the community, the KCTS Board feels that a comprehensive feasibility study is necessary to examine these issues, which would not only help to examine and develop a building plan but also a future marketing plan.

In the meantime, a building evaluation study of the theatre was completed on the 15th of February. A final report is expected this month. According to Trustee Ayling, the School Board recently approved this study as a necessary step in the eventual replacement of Mount Baker.

"The Key City Theatre Society wants to get out in front of any challenges that will become a reality when a new high school is built," said Ayling. "This initial building evaluation will provide information that the District needs as part of our Mount Baker replacement work. We recognize that this evaluation is only one piece of a larger feasibility report needed by the Society, but the Board appreciates that the Society is being proactive and we are supporting that effort where we can".

Councilor Whetham agreed. "While the City of Cranbrook and School District 5 originally partnered to provide the community with a theatre, neither party has the mandate to fund its renovation or replacement. What we can do, and what we are doing, is working collaboratively with the Key City Theatre Society to determine viable solutions to this challenge."

Whetham emphasized that the entire community will need to step up and demonstrate support for the future of the theatre.

"Ultimately, it will fall to our citizens in Cranbrook and throughout the region to assist the Society in raising capital to maintain our local theatre and regional performing arts facility."

According to Bates, the good news is that there is time to take action. "The School District came to us very early on with this challenge, and the KCTS Board has already met jointly with SD5 and the City to discuss the theatre's future. But we need to start planning now because a project this big doesn't happen overnight."

Key City Theatre is a regional performing arts, conference and cultural centre located within the heart of Cranbrook, and serving all of southeast BC.

Their 2009/10 season boasted over 40,000 patrons and 150 presentations including 50 school productions and numerous other community functions, dance presentations and music recitals.