In the fall Kitsilano.ca wrote about the Hollywood Theatre’s 75th birthday but a report in today’s Vancouver Sun implied that the legendary cinema may not be around for its 76th. Owner David Fairleigh confirmed with the Vancouver Sun’s John Mackie that the Hollywood will “probably” be closing.
Hollywood Theatre to close?
The theatre at 3123 West Broadway has an assessed value of $2.426 million and according to the Sun is rumoured to be on the market for $2.9 million. A price that Leonard Schein of Festival Cinemas believes is too much and will likely rule out the property being run as a theatre.
Schein’s company leases two neighbourhood theatres, the Park and the Ridge. And he hinted in the Sun article that the Ridge’s days may be numbered as well.
“The whole shopping centre [the Ridge is in] has been put up for sale by our landlord,” Schein said. “If someone buys it he or she may decide to tear down the whole shopping centre and build condos and other retail there, but you never know until there’s a new buyer. They may decide to hold the location for years, or they may decide to redevelop it.”
How would you feel if the Ridge and Hollywood Theatres no longer operated in Kitsilano?
Photo: Weirdnose on Flickr
