Stratford to sell Tom Patterson Theatre property to Stratford Festival

Stratford has sold the property where the Tom Patterson Theatre is currently located to the Stratford Festival for $4.9 million.

The Festival already has plans to tear down the current structure, which is also home to a community centre, and build a new theatre at the 48 Water St., property.

"We are grateful to members of Stratford city council and the community they represent for their support of the development of the new Tom Patterson Theatre Centre," Anita Gaffney, executive director of the Stratford Festival, said in a release Friday.

• Stratford Festival received $10 million gift for Tom Patterson Theatre
• Stratford Festival unveils plans for new Tom Patterson theatre

Stratford city council voted to sell the property at a special council meeting on Thursday.

The StratfordFestival will pay $4 million for the property and $900,000 in transition costs.

That will help cover costs with moving theStratford Lakeside Active Adults Association to the Stratford Agriplexand relocating the Stratford Lawn Bowling Club to the municipal golf course.

"I can say that we're excited by the opportunities that a new, world-class Tom Patterson Theatre Centre will create in our community, not only from a cultural standpoint, but also from an economic one," Stratford's Mayor Dan Mathieson saidin the release.

The sale is not yet finalized, but the StratfordFestival hopes to begin construction of the new Tom Patterson Theatrein March.

$100 million campaign

The Stratford festival leased the Tom Patterson Theatre from the city for the past 46 years and the theatre,originallybuilt as a curling rink, is getting closer to the end of its life.

The Stratford Festival has had their eyes set onto replacingthe existing Tom Patterson Theatre since 2016.

But to that, the Stratford Festivalneeds substantial funding, which they hope to tackle with their January launch of a $100 million campaign.

• Stratford Festival $20M closer to new Tom Patterson Theatre

The campaign will provide the funds for anew facility, designed by Toronto-basedarchitectSiamak Hariri, andsupport the theatre's presenceandprograms it will host.

To date, the theatre has raised $70 million.