One of Moose Jaw's most famous landmarks got an upgrade recently, and just in time for its busiest time of year.

The Moose Jaw Cultural Centre recently replaced the marquee on the front of the historic Capitol Theatre in the heart of the city's downtown. It was finished just in time for the start of the Cultural Centre's 2019 - 2020 concert series. 

Executive Director of the Cultural Centre, Derik Cronan, says the old marquee was more than ready for an upgrade.

"The previous one was mostly made out of wood and it was starting to deteriorate over the years from the rain and sun. So there was quite a bit of damage and it was just time for it to be replaced."

In addition, many of the LED lights that had been installed on the marquee were second-hand and had stopped working altogether. A new design had been in the works for some time, but changes to building codes had delayed the project until now.

Cronan says it was very important that the design be historically accurate, given the Capitol's legacy.

"We paid a lot of attention to the details and historic qualities of the original design. With historic buildings being so important here in Moose Jaw, I think it is great that so much effort was put into keeping it classic and accurate to what it looked like."

The inspiration for the new design was itself drawn from the theatre's original marquee.

"[We drew from] a painting that Yvette Moore did of the Cultural Centre based on a picture from the 1930s. So the styling of the marquee and the historic portions of it are actually based in the '30s."

Next time you're downtown, make sure to appreciate this resurrection of Moose Jaw's rich past.