Movie theatre reopening generates excitement
The Garry Theatre in Selkirk is open and will soon be showing movies. (Supplied)
Selkirk got an extra dose of lights, cameras and action this weekend. And ribbon cutting — for the grand reopening of the city’s sole theatre.
“It’s fantastic,” Mayor Larry Johannson said. “The sky’s the limit.”
The Garry Theatre now operates under a non-profit charity. It’s been closed since 2021, when Landmark Cinemas left the city.
The private company said the theatre didn’t make sense from an economic perspective.
Selkirk and the provincial government funnelled a collective $1.8 million into theatre renovations over the past years. Sponsorships and donations have boosted the revitalization project by hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Duane Nicol, Selkirk’s chief administrative officer.
“It is a new theatre in an old shell,” Nicol said.
The renovations included new floors, bathrooms, lighting equipment and sound. The building is now fossil-fuel free and has a cold climate air source heat pump. Its stage has been extended by 2.5 metres to accommodate bands and other live performances.
“We envision a space where young people can be inspired,” Nicol said.
“There’s just so much potential here.” Johannson said he hopes to see events at the venue on a near daily basis, from educational seminars to comedy.
However, the theatre’s main use is still for movies. Leadership has tapped a film booker to pull films for the single-screen, 248-seat space.
Eight staff will run the theatre for now, though that number could grow, Nicol said. Seventy people have filled out applications to volunteer; around thirty more have expressed interest via email.
“It really comes down to how the community embraces it,” Nicol said.
“I am so encouraged by the creativity and the excitement that has been generated.”
“It’s an important asset to Selkirk’s downtown,” Johannson added.
Despite the weekend celebrations — complete with speeches about the site’s history — movies aren’t being shown yet as there are issues with the digital movie download system.
Leaders are “days away” from announcing the theatre’s public opening, Nicol said.
The City of Selkirk has tabbed $70,000 per year for the next three years as the non-profit gets its bearings, Nicol said.
The city has also created an endowment fund for the space.