Board members for an historic building in downtown Swift Current are continuing their campaign to receive funding for extensive renovations.

The 105-year-old Lyric Theatre is attempting to gain up to $60,000 in funds by competing in the "This Place Matters" contest. With every $6 generated, contractors will be able to restore one square foot of the municipal heritage property's second floor.

"What we're hoping will be happening (once complete), is a performance space for small concerts, rehearsal space, a place where a cooperative group of artists can teach lessons and then our office space as well," said Corla Rokochy, Program Manager for the Lyric Theatre.

Over 30 years have passed since the second floor has been in use, but this crowdfunding competition has given the second floor of the Lyric Theatre new life.

"We're kind of thinking of this as our summer kick-off (to raising money)," Rokochy explained. "We're hoping to reach our goal, but we aren't going to feel discouraged if we don't because it's $2,000 more than we had two weeks ago. We now have people coming forward to volunteer to drywall, paint and help design the space, so it's going to be a positive thing."

The hope is that the contest will supply the theatre with enough funds to complete the front half of the upstairs level and finish the flooring on the entire level.

"As we are doing renovations, we want to make sure they won't be ripped out, so we're going forward with a plan," she added. "That will allow us to get some programming and renters upstairs (to continue to fund the project)."

Once the front half is complete, the next step in the project is to add a fire escape to make the second half of the floor useable and allow the approximately 5,000 square foot space to come to life once again.

"What we are discovering in this project as we're moving forward as a board, is that there is a number of possibilities for what this space can be used for," Glenn Charles, Executive Board Secretary for the Lyric Theatre told Swift Current Online. "The best stewardship at this point is for us to see what we've got in terms of useable space, make a plan for that space when it is, in fact, useable, generate income, and raise funds. As the ability allows for us to do more with the space, we will revisit at each stage what we're going to do next."

The two-story brick building is currently owned by the Southwest Cultural Development Group and previously served the City of Swift Current as a venue for Vaudevilles, a silent film theatre, a movie house and several night clubs.

Upon purchasing the building, the non-profit organization converted the then-night club into a performing arts cultural centre.

Those wishing to help the Lyric Theatre have the ability to vote once every 24 hours or donate by visiting the Lyric contest page.