Kate Center for the Arts asks CPC for one-year grant-extension after rigging redesign

North Terry, executive director of the CATE Playhouse, asked the Dennis Community Preservation Committee for a one-year extension to complete work at the Kate Center for the Arts, saying recent changes to the facility’s rigging design required new drawings and repositioning of four steel columns.

“We’ve changed lately the type of rigging system we are going to require, which meant that we needed more of an infrastructure to support the rigging system,” North Terry said, explaining that the contractor, Stell O, is reluctant to start until the steel-beam work is farther along for safety reasons. Terry said the interior work is expected to be finished by May 15 and that the team hopes to begin site work in March.

Town counsel and committee members discussed permit status and whether the grant’s terms allow an extension. A committee member moved that the CPC recommend the select board extend the Kate Center grant to Dec. 31, 2026; the motion was seconded and the committee voted unanimously to forward that recommendation.

Committee members confirmed the applicant holds the necessary town permits for rigging and construction and advised the grantee to petition the select board and follow the liaison’s instructions for submitting the amendment request. Kelly Race was identified as the administration liaison for next steps.

The committee’s recommendation does not itself change the grant agreement; the grantee must petition the select board to amend the contract. Next steps are for the Playhouse to contact Kelly Race and for the select board to consider the CPC recommendation.