Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), which includes the Oregon Main Street Network and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), has awarded $615,000 in federal grant funding for the preservation of historic theaters. Eight theater projects were selected in a competitive grant process. In the Bay Area – Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association, for roof repair on the theater in Coos Bay; Little Theater on the Bay, to replace the roof and missing Moorish roof domes on the Liberty Theater in North Bend. The grants were funded through a grant to OPRD from the National Park Service. It was one of nine awarded nationally through the Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program. Funding also covers the cost for the preparation of National Register of Historic Places nominations for four of the theaters not currently listed. These include the Dallas Cinema, Liberty Theatre, Rex Theatre, and Alger Theatre. “These projects will significantly impact the local communities,” said Chrissy Curran, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. “We are pleased to have been awarded this funding so that we can support local theaters and foster our vibrant rural communities in Oregon.” Restore Oregon, a statewide nonprofit, was also funded to help promote the program and assist theaters in the application process.
