Co-operators Hall, River Run Centre, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Co-operators Hall is the smaller of the two theaters within River Run Centre. The Centre opened in 1997, and also houses the Main Stage concert theatre; Canada Company Hall, a glass-sided public space; shops; dressing rooms; wardrobe shop; and "green" rooms. The Centre accommodates local performing arts groups in Guelph, as well as outside presenters.

With flexible lighting positioned on pipe grid, a flat sprung floor, and fine acoustics, Co-operators Hall is an ideal space for recitals, recordings, rehearsals, small dramatic productions, cabaret concerts, and business meetings. The room features telescopic seating for 225, as well as the ability to position loose seating around the sides of the room to accommodate a thrust stage configuration. Retractable acoustic curtains allow the room to be adjusted for speech and amplified events. When extended, the acoustic curtains absorb some of the reverberant energy, and create the "dry" environment. Co-operators Hall is accessible to wheelchairs and has an infrared sound system to assist the hearing-impaired.

Great care was taken by Artec acousticians to create innovative ways to isolate the Centre's performing spaces from the ground-born noise and vibration caused by nearby railroad tracks.

Artec provided Design and Planning services covering Pre-Design Phase services, Auditorium Design, Facility Planning, Specialized Performance Equipment Systems Design and Background Noise and Vibration Control consulting. Architect for the Centre was Moriyama and Teshima, Toronto.