Street Photography by Denis Bouvier

Midnight in Paris was the last screening at The Ridge Theatre on Arbutus St., February 3, 2013. And it’s midnight for the theatre as well since it will be demolished to make way for a new condo development. As in the film, nostalgia for the past was evident in the saddened film goers who loved this venue. They sang Auld Lang Syne after the final address of Festival Cinemas’ president Leonard Schein who has operated the theatre for 35 of its 63 year history.

The Ridge was one of the last few surviving neighborhood theatres and one of the most unique. In 1978, it became an independent theatre showing classics and first run specialty films. It was integral to the Vancouver International Film Festival which began in 1982. The theatre itself had many unique features – a scalloped ceiling, art deco clamshell frames on each side of the screen, an entrance with early modern doors above which was a stained glass mural of a projector in flight. It housed Vancouver’s first cappuccino machine and was the only theatre with a “crying room” – a sound proof balcony where parents could attend films with their children. Fortunately, some of these features will be transferred to other Vancouver and regional theatres. But basically what’s being lost is a cultural centre integral and responsive to its community.

Now it’s been sold to Cressey Developments by the property owner for $15.6 million. Leonard Schein proposed a multiplex theatre be incorporated into the development and this was considered by Cressey, but it seems condos are more profitable.

The situation of losing our neighbourhood single screen theatres, as well as other heritage cultural sites, to development certainly isn’t unique and the problem is complex. There’s the high property values in the city which entice developers – with single screen theatres such as The Ridge, taxes on the property sometimes exceed the rent owners receive – city zoning and by laws can create insurmountable obstacles, especially financial. Particularly costly for old theatres is upgrading from 35 mm film to digital technology.

The city of Vancouver is aware of all these problems and is beginning to develop strategies to remedy the situation. What many people feel is needed are pro-active planning initiatives rather than the city reacting after the fact. It’s been proposed to set aside city land for theatres and other cultural venues. Real dialogue and true participation by community groups with the city and developers is crucial to maintaining neighbouhood cultural heritage. Otherwise, the only type of cultural identity we will have left will be something akin to the Ridge Theatre sign which will be saved to name the new Cressey development.

Don Richardson