Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

Durable Flooring

New state-of-the-art stage installed at Performing Arts Centre

Jan 29, 2024 | 11:20 AM

The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre has new, state-of-the-art stage flooring.

With financial support from the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO), the Performing Arts Centre (VDAC) was able to install Harlequin RockSure trade-marked stage flooring, which is durable and can stand heavy-duty use.

“We are a busy theatre with many quick turnarounds,” executive director Jim Harding said.

“Our stage must accommodate everything from dance to theatre, comedy to concerts, to the acrobatic Cirque shows, so being a vented floor, durable and with minimal maintenance is critical to meeting our quick-changeover scheduling demands. We’re thrilled with the RockSure stage floor.”

The polymer composite flooring was installed in early January 2024, and replaced the subfloor of the VDPAC stage.

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VDPAC is the first theatre in Canada to use the polymer composite flooring for its stage.

The flooring has been added to the performance space lineup of vinyl marley dance floors, sprung floors, and existing stage floor systems.

The new composite surface has a high load-bearing capacity; is resistant to water, tape, fire, expansion and shrinkage; does not require painting; and overall requires low maintenance.

The RDNO provided $150,000 for the new stage flooring, including the costs of the damaged hardboard tear-out and installation of new perimeter air boards for venting. The new flooring is expected to have some savings over the long term for the VDPAC.

“I expect the new floor will reduce annual stage paint costs by $5,000-6,000 alone, with additional crew and stage maintenance savings,” Harding said.

The theatre stated the previous flooring, installed in February of 2023 following a flooding event the previous December, was in need of replacement as it was progressively damaged by normal performances over the spring.

The total costs of the December 2022 flooding-related RDNO and VDPAC insurance claims, including equipment replacement, reimbursements, stage reconstruction and materials is set to be finalized at some point this year.