SANDPOINT - A new Panida Theater grant is poised to help officials maintain the theater's cultural and historic legacy with a restored plaster ceiling.

The Idaho Heritage Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving Idaho's history through grants and architectural, engineering and conservation advice, announced Monday it was distributing $127,184 in grants plus $59,000 in technical assistance. The Panida Theater was one of the many beneficiaries, taking in $4,000 for the restoration of the ceiling's plasterwork following the installation of a new fire-prevention sprinkler system scheduled for the summer. The institution also provided $4,000 for the Odd Fellows Lodge in Priest River and $800 for the steam tractor at the Priest River Museum.

According to Panida Theater director Patricia Walker White, the installation of the new sprinkler system, a necessity to meet fire code requirements, is going to seriously damage the theater's iconic plaster ceiling.

"It's going to end up crumbling, so they'll have to restore the plaster," she said.

"It also needed to be replaced simply due to the age of the building," she added.

The work is expected to take place over the summer. One downside of the project is the necessity to close the theater down for several weeks in order to ensure everyone's safety throughout the restoration process. Since the theater will bring in no revenue during that time, the grant funding is a very welcome gesture in completing the project. According to White, Panida officials hope to mitigate loses with events scheduled for the Panida Little Theater.

"Safety-wise, it's just easier to have the theater not be active," White said.

This isn't the first time the Idaho Heritage Trust has supported the Panida Theater. Most recently, the theater received $5,000 in April to fund additional restoration of the theater's interior. It's just a few of several contributions since the theater board of directors launched its restoration plan in 2009. The board has also received substantial support from other grant-distributing organizations and local institutions like the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency.

The plaster restoration project joins a multitude of other efforts that have already been completed. Earlier this year, workers completed the removal of asbestos to prepare for the sprinkler system. The restoration project has also replaced most of the theater seats and the curtain; repaired, plastered and painted the building exterior; restored the theater marquee; refurbished the lion head fountain in the lobby and installed a new digital projector to keep up with new movie releases.

"This is just putting us closer to our goal in restoring our beloved Panida Theater," White said.