Montreal's Centaur Theatre finally accessible after woman donates elevator in honour of husband

For the first time in 56 years, Montreal's oldest English-language theatre has made its venue accessible to all patrons. The Centaur Theatre, located in Old Montreal, has installed a street-level elevator, allowing individuals with mobility challenges—such as those using wheelchairs or walkers—to enter the building with ease.

This improvement was made possible thanks to the generous donation of Marisa Testa, a dedicated theatre enthusiast, who contributed the elevator in memory of her late husband. "I wanted to keep his memory alive, but I also wanted to do something good for society," Testa explained.

Testa's husband, Tiziano Giacomini, passed away 22 years ago at the age of 44. Testa fondly recalls their shared love of the theatre and describes him as an "amazing man." "He loved to help people, and this helps people," she added.

The elevator holds even deeper personal significance for Testa, as it also honors her brother, who spent the final years of his life in a wheelchair. "It means even more that it is something that will help people with accessibility issues," she said.

Centaur Theatre, a landmark institution in Quebec, is housed in a heritage building. As a result, the five front steps could not be altered. Earlier this year, both the federal and provincial governments announced a $6.2 million investment to improve the theatre's infrastructure, which includes modifications to the main entrance to enhance accessibility.

Eda Holmes, the artistic and executive director of Centaur Theatre, shared that staff had long been searching for a solution for the front steps. "We had kind of an ersatz ramp situation that was a bit difficult, but really, we weren't accessible to everybody," she said.

Since the installation of the elevator in October, Holmes noted it has been used before every show. A staff member greets patrons at the building's side door, escorts them onto the lift, and transports them to the theatre's main floor.

Holmes recalls the emotional moment when a former board chair, who had been unable to access the theatre for three years, was finally able to enter again. "The goal of Centaur Theatre is to be the theatre for all of Montreal, and that includes people with mobility issues," Holmes explained. "We really just want to make everybody feel welcome."