The Old Church Theatre

Building History

For almost a century, the brick church on the corner of Elma Street and Centre Avenue served as a gathering place for the Okotoks community - a place to worship, gain inspiration and where music and praise filled the rafters. Although no longer a church, the facility continued to be a gathering place for celebration and inspiration in its new role as the Old Church Theatre.

The building was originally the Methodist Church, built in 1906 at a cost of $5,100. It became the Okotoks United Church in 1917 when the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations joined together. As the town grew, so did the congregation and in 2002, members of the Okotoks United Church had outgrown their space and they made the difficult decision to put their beloved church up for sale.

The Okotoks Arts Council (OAC), together with the administrative support and driving spirit of the Town's Cultural and Historical Services Team Leader Tracie Ward, led the movement to purchase the former United Church and turn the facility into a theatre. The OAC contributed $39,000 to the building's purchase and renovation, and sought the assistance of other community groups to help raise additional funds. Several community not-for-profit groups contributed. The Okotoks and District Historical Society donated $61,000. Grants from Okotoks Family and Community Support Services, Calgary Foundation, Alberta Arts Touring Alliance, Arts Presentation Canada, Heritage Canada, and Community Initatives Program totalled $58,000. The Rotary Club of Okotoks donated $55,000. The Dewdney Players donated $7,000. At project completion, the purchase and renovation was valued at $360,000, including the donation of time. Once the purchase and renovation was complete, the OAC turned the building over to the Town of Okotoks to operate. 

After an investigation, Town staff determined that the building's foundation was severely compromised, and in 2009 the building underwent a $1 million structural stabilization funded by three levels of government. The theatre opened to the public in November 2010, featuring The Dewdney Players' production of "Sorry Wrong Chimney." The Town organized an official re-opening that took place on the weekend of February 25th to 27th, 2011.

The space held the name Rotary Performing Arts Centre (RPAC) from 2002 to 2024 when it was renamed the Old Church Theatre.

The Old Church Theatre has the amenities and technical equipment for any event. 

Amenities

Technical Information

The Old Church Theatre is located in the former 1905 Methodist Church and boasts excellent acoustics. The Theatre is available for rent for performances in periods from as little as three hours to several weeks. A full range of technical support is available for users booking the facility. The Theatre seats a maximum of 150.

The theatre can also be booked for a variety of private meetings, public forums, weddings, funerals, and birthday parties.

Click the button below to submit a booking request for approval. 

Booking Form

Rental Rates

Birthday Parties

Security Deposit

• A security deposit of 100% of booking fee may be required to secure venue.
• All venue rental cancellations will be refunded in full up to and including 14 days prior to the event date. All venue rental cancellations with 13 days or less notice forfeit 100% of Booking Fee. 
• All venue rentals are subject to cancellation at any time by the Town of Okotoks. In the rare occasion this should occur, a full refund will be issued to the Renter.

PLEASE NOTE:

• All venue rentals are subject to approval by the Town of Okotoks.
• Rentals must be a minimum of three hours. 
• In the event of an emergency, including but not limited to: power outages, fire, flood, train derailment, where the Town of Okotoks is required to evacuate, all venue rental bookings will be immediately cancelled, no exceptions and the Renter will receive a full refund.
• *Additional charges at $25.00 per hour apply when additional cleaning is required.