Mapleton council has approved the terms of a new lease allowing Drayton Entertainment’s continued use of the Festival Theatre here.
The current lease, which has a 25-year term, expires on Dec. 31.
CAO Patty Sinnamon provided council with the details of the proposed new 20-year lease at the Nov. 11 meeting.
Sinnamon’s report notes the lease, which provides the theatre group use of the facility for $1, is essentially the same as the previous agreement, with a few changes, including removal of references to kitchen space, which has not existed for some time, and storage space the township no longer uses.
The new lease will also acknowledge the township’s responsibility to maintain fire suppression equipment, which was installed by Drayton Entertainment.
A section of the lease provides the township the right to utilize the facility for a maximum of 12 days per year.
Sinnamon explained the township does not have the right to transfer these dates to other groups to hold events. Community organizations wishing to use the theatre are required to make their own rental arrangements with the theatre company, she explained.
“They have a non-profit rate,” she noted.
John Green, of Drayton Theatres Inc. (an arm of Drayton Entertainment), said the current agreement only allows access to the township “for municipal purposes.
“I think you could open that up and renegotiate it,” he said.
However, he cautioned that allowing the township to transfer the privilege to other groups could lead to “infighting” among various organizations over use of the limited dates available.
Sinnamon explained the theatre requires groups to have rental agreements and the revenue to cover the cost of theatre personnel who are needed for events.
“The sound equipment and lighting equipment in there is very expensive and we don’t let just anybody go in and operate those systems,” Green pointed out.
Sinnamon noted it has only been in the last couple of years that confusion has arisen regarding transferring usage to community groups, as the original intent had been to provide an opportunity for use for township business only.
Councillor Andy Knetsch wondered if a lease arrangement was the right way to go.
“As I was reading over this document, I wondered, would it make sense to look at selling this whole facility to Drayton Entertainment and going our own way?” he commented.
Green replied that when the original agreements were drawn up 25 years ago, the theatre was considered, “the most structurally important building in the village of Drayton and (it was felt) it should be protected and it should be municipally owned.
“I think the marriage has been pretty good,” said Green of the relationship between the township and the theatre company, noting Drayton Entertainment pays building maintenance costs in excess of $50,000 a year.
“You have a building that’s being protected and being looked after and that’s not a bad deal,” he added.
Green said a sale proposal “would take further discussion and would certainly contradict the intent of the agreement.”
Council directed the CAO to prepare a bylaw to authorize the mayor and CAO to sign the new lease.
