The timelines for the build have blown out, a Lithgow City Council spokesperson confirmed this week, with an estimated completion date now expected in February 2020.

Unexpected complications in the demolition had combined with some wet days to delay the process so far, the spokesperson said, but building was set to begin with contracted firm Renascent.

"It should roll along fairly quickly now," he said.

Considering the extra time allowed due to a Christmas shutdown, the project's expected date of completion has been pushed out to February.

It can't come too soon for the regular users of the theatre, particularly the Lithgow Musical Society, which normally hosts two performances a year in the venue and has big plans for its return in 2020.

In 2018, the State Government announced $775,664 in funding to upgrade the Union Theatre's which, in conjunction with the council's contribution, added up to a $1m refit focused on improving back stage amenities.

You can learn a bit more about the theatre's history in this video.

Long time advocate of the theatre, Al Ritchie, said at the time of the grant announcement everyone who had been involved in the renovation was thrilled to see movement on the project.

"It's seeing something that you were not sure was ever going to happen, you hoped it was going to happen, and you had ideas about it, but to see it virtually on the threshold of happening is really exciting," he said.

"This would allow us to invite visiting groups. Say you wanted to bring in the youth orchestra, or something like that, there's nowhere to leave their equipment backstage.

"There's nowhere to change out of their travelling and into their performance gear.

"And another simple thing there are no toilets backstage, so if someone needs to go to the toilet, they've got to get out from the backstage area and go up to the toilets right up the front."

The Union Theatre was saved by community efforts and then taken over by Lithgow City Council. It is hoped that the renovations will allow the historic building, which was originally the Oddfellows Hall, to be put to a greater range of uses in the future.

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