Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum

Jan 18th 2008 Heritage Vancouver & Opportunities & The Future of Theatres & York Theatre

From the Save the York Theatre Society

A group of community members who are interested in saving and restoring the York Theatre met at City Hall on December 6, 2007 with the new owner of the York Theatre and a number of representatives from the Planning Department, Cultural Affairs, and Heritage Group for the City of Vancouver.

The History and Vision for the York Theatre tells the story of why the York Theatre should be saved and restored. Click here

It was clear from this meeting that the new owner and developer, Paul Phillips of Edge Homes, has no interest in preserving the theatre. During the city strike, he was led to believe there would be no opposition to the demolition of the theatre and a townhouse development.

Continue Reading »

1 Contribution »

Jan 18th 2008 Media & The Future of Theatres & York Theatre

Friday, January 18, 2008
Vancouver Courier
By Cheryl Rossi

Time is running out for those keen to save the York Theatre

The York Theatre on Commercial Drive once home to Vancouver Little Theatre Society - Photo - Dan Toulgoet

If city council doesn’t get behind a campaign to save the building that was most recently the Raja Cinema, it could be demolished within four months, says Tom Durrie.

That’s why Durrie, founder of the Save the York Theatre Task Force and former manager of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, is arranging meetings with individual councillors. Tom Durrie heads up the task force that hopes to save the York Theatre, more recently known as the Raja Cinema, which was built in 1913.

Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 16th 2008 Heritage Vancouver & Opportunities & York Theatre

The York Theatre holds a significant place in the history of Vancouver theatre. It is the only purpose built theatre with fly tower and proscenium stage on the east side of the city and one of only two or three such theatres left in Vancouver. The York Theatre seats approximately 500 people and, according to a survey conducted by the Coal Harbour Arts Complex Society, there are 915 potential uses annually of a theatre in this size range.

The Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance wishes to express its strongest possible support for a civic initiative to help preserve and revitalize this precious and historic cultural facility.

Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 16th 2008 Heritage Vancouver & Opportunities & The Future of Theatres & York Theatre

The York Theatre is the last remaining purpose built building for legitimate theatre in the City and was the home of Vancouver Little Theatre for many years. The theatre was recently purchased by a developer who has plans to demolish the theatre and build a townhouse complex.

Proposed street front of the restored York Theatre - Downs-Archambault design 1982

A History and Vision for the York Theatre has been created by the Save the York Theatre Society. The Forum on the Future of Theatres reflected the community’s concerns about our last remaining opportunities to preserve and restore our heritage theatres. The need for theatre space in Vancouver is clear. The Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance confirms there is strong support from the theatre community. The City’s report on the Coal Theatre Arts Complex concluded there is a shortage of performance venues in the City. And the Vancouver East Cultural Centre indicated it could operate the theatre on an interim basis if it was returned to early use and restored fully later.

Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 16th 2008 Heritage Vancouver & Media & York Theatre

December 6, 2007
News from the arts world
Georgia Straight
By Jessica Werb

Townhouses planned for York site The new owners of the York Theatre on Commercial Drive plan to replace the theatre with eco-friendly townhouses.

Paul Phillips, president of EDG Homes Inc., which purchased the property last October as Vintage Development Corp. with business partners Small Favours Pictures Limited and 0805122 BC Limited, told the Straight he is not interested in preserving the theatre.

“Our interest is to develop an environmentally sensitive, LEED-certified townhome development there—a cutting-edge property in line with the EcoDensity of [Vancouver mayor] Mr. Sullivan’s dreams,” he said by phone. “It will be townhomes with attached garages, with roof gardens and low-toxicity materials.”

Phillips said he and his partners will submit their plans to the city within the next week or two, and expect development to begin in May or June this year.

Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 16th 2008 Media & York Theatre

December 6, 2007
News from the arts world
Georgia Straight
By Jessica Werb

The new owner of the York Theatre on Commercial Drive is set for a face-to-face meeting with advocates of the venue’s preservation on Thursday morning (December 3) at Vancouver City Hall, under the auspices of the city’s planning department.

According to Tom Durrie, former general manager of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and leader of a campaign to save the York Theatre from demolition, the new owner of the property is Paul Phillips of EDG Homes Inc. Durrie said he has rounded up a group for the meeting, including the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s executive director, Heather Redfern; architect David Galpin of Downs/Archambault & Partners; and Philip Boname, president of development planning firm Urbanics Consultants Ltd. “I think we have at least accomplished getting the whole thing on the city’s agenda,” Durrie told the Straight.

Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 15th 2008 Heritage Vancouver & Opportunities & Pantages Theatre

From the Pantages Theatre Arts Society

This year marks the Centennial of the opening of Vancouver’s Pantages Theatre. One century ago, it stood for everything that was beautiful, new and exciting in theatre. Today, the Pantages remains all of that, - and it has also become a beacon of change and hope in the Downtown Eastside.

With the support of the City, the Pantages will be fully restored as the dazzler it once was and upgraded to modern technical standards. It has a superb acoustic, seats 650, and will offer new lobbies, a rehearsal studio, an enlarged pit, and every modern amenity. It will be restored with meticulous attention to its irreplaceable heritage value. And it will be managed in the public interest by the non-profit Pantages Theatre Arts Society on a long-term lease from its developer.

If you believe that live theatre will make a difference in the Downtown Eastside, please tell City Council. If you believe that Western Canada’s oldest theatre deserves to be saved and restored, please tell City Council. If your own company in music, dance, theatre, film, video, whatever your art may be, believes that you need and would use such a theatre, please tell City Council.

Continue Reading »

Comments Off

Jan 15th 2008 Heritage Vancouver & Reports & The Future of Theatres

The Future of Theatres in Vancouver
From Heritage Vancouver

All of these treasures are currently at risk of disappearing or being altered to the point that their heritage value becomes questionable. The most important thing missing from our understanding is that there is no heritage protection in the city, the province or the country that would stop anyone from demolishing a heritage building if they chose to take that action.

The Vogue Theatre is an excellent example. Its future is right now up in the air and even though it is a National Historic Site the current owner could decide to tear it down, and though he may be delayed by the process, there is nothing that would actually get in his way.

The fact that these buildings are threatened and there is nothing in place to protect them is largely unknown to the general public. This is an important overarching story that needs to be told.

Janet Leduc
Heritage Vancouver

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 15th 2008 Events & Heritage Vancouver & Japantown

The Past, Present and Future of Vancouver’s Japantown

Thursday, January 17th, 2008
Time: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Location: Vancouver Museum, 1100 Chestnut Street
Admission: $5.00; Heritage Vancouver Members free
No advance registration required. Doors open at 6:30pm

Join City of Vancouver Planner Hugh McLean for a conversation on the “Past, Present and Future of Vancouver’s Japantown.” Hugh will present interesting information on the evolution of the area, its historical and cultural significance and discuss where the process is heading.

Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »

Jan 14th 2008 Reports & The Future of Theatres & York Theatre

How many theatres are there in Vancouver?

The question is always: Do we need another theatre, and who would use it? Here’s the answer: In 2006 the Coal Harbour Arts Complex Society led an inventory of existing performance spaces and a survey of potential theatre users. The following is a condensation of the results.

The inventory found that there were 22 venues seating under 500, divided up as follows:

• Under 200 seats: 9
• 200-350 seats: 9
• 350-500 seats: 4
• Total Theatres: 22

A closer look is more revealing.
Continue Reading »

Contribute to the conversation »