Ottawa has offered $2.5 million to help Edmonton’s Roxy Theatre rebuild after a devastating fire four years ago.
READ MORE: Roxy Theatre destroyed by fire
The money from the federal government means theatre owners have $10 million of the $12.5 million needed to rebuild.
Tuesday’s announcement moves the fundraising efforts far enough to break ground this spring.
READ MORE: ‘Our goal is just to get back what we were’: Roxy Theatre on fire
On Jan. 13, 2015, the building on 124 Street that housed the Roxy burned to the ground. The structure dated back to 1938; the theatre company itself was founded in 1975.
The Roxy, run by Theatre Network, relocated south of the river to a temporary home on Gateway Blvd. near 85 Avenue in Old Strathcona.
READ MORE: Edmonton’s Roxy Theatre to be rebuilt on 124 Street
In February 2018, Edmonton and Ottawa announced more than $500,000 in combined funding for design work for a new building.
Two month later, the Alberta government said it would contribute $2.5 million to the facility’s future.
READ MORE: Alberta government puts $2.5M towards Roxy Theatre rebuild
“We felt such a collective sense of loss when we woke up to hear the news that morning of the beautiful and iconic building being lost to a fire,” deputy premier Sarah Hoffman said in April. “It was a stage that hosted many memorable moments.
“We can’t rewrite history, but perhaps together, we can help script a better future,” Hoffman said.
WATCH BELOW: Aerial shots from the Global One news helicopter of the Roxy Theatre fire in Edmonton (Jan. 13, 2015).