There’s a report that the Shaw Festival is going to buy a property on the Niagara River to build two new theatres.

The new venues on the site of the Anchorage Motel would replace the Court House and Royal George Theatres.

The Star says the Festival Board has been considering the possibility for some time, but was moved to take action because the elevator in the Court House was out of service for most of the season.

The Court House is owned by the town, which elected not to repair it until the season ended. It meant the theatre was inaccessable to people with mobility issues.

The decision will require a capital campaign to raise some 50 million dollars to build the new theatres. And it would come at a time when Festival will be looking for a new Artistic Director and Executive Director.