Abbotsford Reach Gallery Museum has ambitious plans for its immediate and long-term future.

Reach executive director Suzanne Greening told city council Monday the gallery wished to undertake renovations this summer and has devised plans for a substantial expansion within the coming decade.

Council agreed to The Reach renovations, which will allow the gallery's lobby to double as a reception hall for events and openings. The Reach needs a space where it can serve alcohol and food to the public during openings, or that can be rented out to organizations or corporations for functions, said Greening.

The renovations, expected to cost under $15,000, are slated to be complete by October.

The Reach has also developed a 10-year plan that incorporates some significant expansion projects that include a restaurant and gift shop, an extended lobby and additional gallery and archive spaces, a new plaza and a black box theatre.

"Our current space doesn't quite fulfill all our needs yet," said Greening, adding the extensions will be additions to the Reach's current footprint.

"We're fortunate to have this building. It's exciting to think about where we could go in the future . . . and create a presence in the civic plaza."

The plans are in the preliminary stage and might be implemented in phases, she said.

The black box in particular would allow a large flexible space for use by The Reach and community at large for concerts, theatre performances, lectures, and large receptions.

The Reach's future plans were showcased as part of a presentation around its activities in 2010.

Since opening in September 2008, The Reach has had 52,000 local, national and international visitors and hosted a large variety of exhibits from the community and across Canada. The Reach's total expenses last year were just under $898,000, with salaries, benefits and programming posing the biggest costs, making up 52 per cent and 21 per cent of the money spent.

The gallery's total revenue was $899,255, with 68 per cent of that being provided by the city through a fee for service contract.