Bydstown’s Good Neighbors Theater Finishes Roof Repairs

Byrdstown’s Good Neighbors Theater has finished repairing its roof with an unexpected $35,000 price tag.

Theater Board Member Tony Milsted said the 38-year-old roof has never been serviced, and the cost ended up being $20,000 more than expected. Milsted said the theater had been building up a nest egg over the last three years for various needed maintenance projects. Milsted said the theater had put away around $25,000.

“So, now we’re broke,” Milsted said. “We have no more money left for taking care of things in the building. We’re fine, we’ll still have productions and everything is, we still got our Christmas Spectacular coming up this December.”

Milsted said after joining the board four years ago he began taking notes on what around the theater needed upkeep. Milsted said that the roof was prioritized above all else as its condition was only worsening as time passed.

“We had already had some leaks going on, we had shingles blowing off, and it was just time to fix the roof,” Milsted said.

Milsted said after taking off the shingles, more problems were discovered, leading to the entire roof needing to be re-framed.

“It’s a relief, we’ve got a good sound roof now, it’s been re-framed,” Milsted said. “The roofer couldn’t believe that we had not lost the roof in a big snowstorm because it didn’t meet any codes whatsoever.”

Milsted said the income the theater gets comes from its ticket sales and corporate sponsors. Milsted said that the theater welcomes any and all donations from the community, whether it be financial or donations of time to come help around the theater.