Port Hope’s Capitol Arts Centre has faced its share of challenges over the years, most notably an epic financial struggle to stay in business. The beloved local landmark draws thousands of tourists to the town every year, yet it has laboured under the shadow of a near-crippling $1 million mortgage for more than a decade, and year after year, any earnings were consistently eaten up by the interest payments on that debt.
Theatres of this size commonly have to fight for their survival. In the case of the Capitol, it’s a survival story with a very happy ending for all concerned. Formed in 1993, the Capitol Theatre Heritage Foundation (CTHF) recognized early on that the facility was unlikely to ever turn a profit while it carried a mountain of debt, so its members worked tirelessly with staff, volunteers and the community on fundraising initiatives, eventually raising more than $900,000 in total contributions...
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