The City of El Reno has closed the historic Centre Theatre to the public until further notice, after city officials determined that failing sewer lines left the building's restrooms unusable and created unsafe conditions inside the venue. The closure, announced Friday, halts public use of the downtown landmark while crews plan a full sewer line replacement and city leaders weigh the building's long-term future.
City officials say severely restricted sewer lines have caused unsafe conditions at the theatre, according to a report from elrenotribune.com. The restrooms do not function properly, the city says, making it impossible for the Centre Theatre to remain open to the public, as first detailed by KFOR. The sewer line serving the building requires complete replacement, and the city plans to update the bathrooms as part of that work.
No Timeline Yet for Reopening
A reopening date has not been determined as of yet, the city says, since the project will require planning, coordination, funding and construction before work can move forward. Beyond the sewer line itself, the station's report notes that the city is evaluating additional repairs, updates and renovation options aimed at the historic building's long-term preservation and future use.
Those evaluations are being driven by city leaders looking at what it will take to keep the decades-old theatre viable for years to come, per the same account. No cost estimate, funding source or construction schedule has been released alongside the closure announcement.
Alternatives for Scheduled Events
For groups that already had events booked at the Centre Theatre, the city says it will offer other city-owned facilities at no charge, subject to availability, capacity, safety requirements and suitability. Affected event organizers are encouraged to contact El Reno city staff at 405-262-4070 for help arranging alternatives, the city says.
The city has not named which specific facilities might be offered as substitutes or detailed which events are affected by the shutdown. OKC Fox also reported on the closure as the city moves to address the building's plumbing failures.
A Downtown Fixture Since the 1940s
The Centre Theatre has anchored downtown El Reno since it opened on February 26, 1945, with Rita Hayworth's “Tonight and Every Night” as its debut feature, according to cinematreasures.org. The theatre was built to replace the El Caro, an earlier movie house that was destroyed by fire in late December 1943, as detailed by the Canadian County Historical Society Museum Complex. More than eight decades later, the building's aging infrastructure is now at the center of the city's preservation planning as officials figure out what comes next for the venue.
