County supports Civic work

Chair Scott Hege agreed to sign the letter during Wednesday morning’s meeting.

“The Dalles Civic Auditorium is a Wasco County treasure, not only for its rich historical value but for its potential to serve as a cultural hub for the community,” the letter stated.

“Restored and revitalized, The Dalles Civic Auditorium would not only bring a wide variety of arts and entertainment to our county but would contribute to economic development by encouraging tourism and attracting business to Historic Downtown The Dalles.”

Trish Neal, who serves on the Civic Auditorium Historic Preservation Foundation, said they had planned to restore the theater in phases but once the foundation realized three-fourths of the cost would be in Phase I and overall it would take longer and be more expensive, they decided to tackle the project all at once.

“We’ve decided to bite the bullet and go for the whole project at one time,” she said. “It’s been on the stove cooking for a while but on the back burner. We decided to make it a priority this year and restore the theater to what it once was but even better.”

The Civic Auditorium was built in 1921 as a memorial to war veterans. It was a venue for cultural, entrainment, social and recreational events like concerts, plays and high school graduations. In the 1950s, the Civic was operated by The Dalles Parks and Recreation Department but by the late 1960s was closed for safety reasons. After 20 years of disuse and facing the wrecking ball, the building was purchased by the city. Shortly after, a group of concerned citizens formed the Civic Auditorium Historic Preservation Foundation. Since then, the ballroom, fireside room and gymnasium/community room have all been restored, leaving just the theater. The theater is in use. The Dalles Theater Company is currently performing “Dracula the Musical?” It has 450 seats. After completed restoration, which would include an orchestra pit and balcony, the theater would seat more than 700 people, which Neal said would make it the largest such facility between Portland and Boise.

The foundation also plans on updating the theater’s technology and adding Wi-Fi.

“The sky’s the limit,” Neal said.