Exterior work at the Kineto Theatre in Forest is moving ahead thanks in part to $120,000 in funding from the federal and provincial governments.
The front façade will be updated, and a marquee will be installed which will stretch across the entire building.
Forest Kiwanis member Ruth Illman said it'll be nice to refresh the outside of the building which she said is long overdue.
"The downtown in Forest, right now, just looks terrible with our façade which is just dirty plywood and then a fire that took out a block across the road from us," said Illman. "It's pretty dismal and pretty dreary looking. This work will transform King Street in Forest, it's just going to make things pop. The marquee will look stunning, it's in the Kiwanis colours of royal blue and gold. It's going to be lovely."
Illman said the recent $1.4 million renovation and expansion went amazingly well.
Work included expanding into an adjacent former flower shop, as well as updating their kitchen to a more industrial facility, improving their serving area and adding an accessible community room.
"The inside is gorgeous, it's stunning," she said. "Back before we were able to open, we brought small group tours in last summer just to take them around. People were just amazed with the expanded area and the entire thing inside, it's just gorgeous."
It's hoped the exterior work will be completed by the fall.
The Kineto Theatre opened in 1917 after the Rumford family converted the facility into a theatre.
The Kiwanis Club of Forest purchased the theatre from the Rumfords in 1977, and have owned and operated the facility since.
