LCRA, City of Brady award $10,638 grant to McCulloch County Historical Theater Society

Replacing old tile and carpet will help complete Palace Theater renovation project

May 10, 2023

BRADY, Texas – The McCulloch County Historical Theater Society will install new tile in The Palace Theater’s lobby and new carpet throughout the theater, thanks to a $10,638 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Brady.
 
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $2,660 in matching funds from the historical theater society, will help the group upgrade flooring in the theater, which has served as an entertainment venue in the community off and on for more than 110 years.
 
“One of our local historians worked as the theater’s projectionist from 1943-1946 when he was in high school, and he told us The Palace Theater was among three theaters in the area operating during World War II,” said James Stewart, president of the McCulloch County Historical Theater Society. “It’s the only theater still here, and new flooring is among the final upgrades that will help us maintain the venue for future generations.”
 
The theater’s prominent location on Brady’s town square also makes it an attractive venue for local events.
 
“Besides showing current movies, we also want to encourage anyone in the community to rent the theater for private showings and live events,” Stewart said. “We have a new laser projector that allows people to bring their own DVDs and rent the theater for parties and movies, and schools also rent it for student reward events and activities.”
 
A three-year fundraising effort that began in 2014 culminated with The Palace Theater reopening in 2017 after sitting vacant for years. In 2020, the pandemic led to a complete shutdown until the theater started slowly reopening for events in 2021, Stewart said.
 
“Our downtown is resilient, and we want the theater to continue playing a part in welcoming new residents and businesses to the community,” he said. “The Palace Theater has always been part of the downtown square, and we hope it always will be.”
 
The 152-seat theater shows modern movies but started adding live theater and music events to its schedule last year, giving residents the opportunity to enjoy the convenience of live entertainment locally.
 
“I was serving as mayor when we were working with LCRA to become our wholesale electric service provider, and we really appreciate the opportunity to work with LCRA in improving our community,” Stewart said. “We appreciate LCRA’s involvement and commitment to the communities within its service area, and this is another way LCRA’s partnership benefits our residents.”
 
The community grant is one of 34 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. The City of Brady is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
 
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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