Kitchener’s Centre In The Square theatre is about to see some significant renovation work.

The federal and provincial governments announced combined funding of more than $3.1 million on March 9 for two projects at the downtown theatre. When combined with the more than $800,000 being provided by the City of Kitchener and the $360,000 being provided by Centre In The Square, the project value is more than $4.2 million.

The first project will completely renovate 12 theatre washrooms, which includes replacing the fixtures, plumbing, ventilation and electrical components, and adding automatic door openers and handrails.

The second project involves the replacement and reconfiguration of almost 1,900 theatre seats to allow for more accessible seating and to improve access to the main lobby. The lifts used to remove and store theatre seats in the orchestra pit will also be replaced or refurbished.

These upgrades will improve the accessibility of the Centre In The Square theatre to better accommodate and improve the experience for nearly 150,000 yearly visitors, and reduce annual maintenance costs.

"The Centre In The Square is a treasured gathering place where memorable experiences of community, culture and entertainment are had,” said board chair Elizabeth Sproule. “Being able to improve its accessibility and amenities ensures that it will be a more inclusive and comfortable space for all going forward. We are extremely thankful to the federal, provincial and municipal governments for the funds being contributed to make these improvements possible."

Centre In The Square is the largest and busiest performing arts centre in Waterloo Region. Its main hall is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and design, making it among the highest-regarded performance spaces in North America.

The building was designed by Rieder, Hymmen and Lobban, and built at a cost of $11 million. The facility opened in September 1980 and usually hosts as many as 200,000 visitors annually.