A plan is moving ahead to weatherproof a historic outdoor theatre in Stanley Park and give the venue new life as a rehearsal space during the colder months.

Theatre Under the Stars managing producer James Cronk told the Straight the goal is to “winterize” Malkin Bowl so that the stage area can be used year-round.

At present, the venue is mainly used to hold summer concerts and TUTS’s annual musical-theatre performances.

Preliminary plans call for improvements to insulation and heating, and the addition of an exterior door to seal the stage.

The project has a roughly $900,000 budget, with Vancouver park board funds and a federal government infrastructure grant accounting for two-thirds of the money.

TUTS, the nonprofit theatre group that runs Malkin Bowl, is now looking to raise at least $278,000 over the next five years through a capital improvement fee. Starting this year, patrons will pay $1 extra for tickets to both theatre and concert events. Additional funds will come from donations and sponsorship.

“The final plans are not completed yet, but I think the goal at the end of the day is that a lot of the work will just kind of preserve the Bowl itself so that it’ll be around for years and years and years to come,” Cronk said.

On May 17, the Vancouver park board approved a new 10-year lease agreement with TUTS, paving the way for the improvement project.

Cronk explained TUTS plans to use the new rehearsal space once it’s completed, and that it could also be rented to other groups. “We have an impossible time finding rehearsal space,” he said.

The improvements are expected to be complete by March 2011.

In the past, concerns have been raised that the landmark venue might be entirely replaced. But when asked, Cronk replied that replacement has “never been a mandate of ours whatsoever”.