Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum

The York Theatre has been sold!

A purchaser has come in with a strong offer and has bought the York Theatre. It’s a done deal.

Because of privacy legislation, the realtor is not allowed to tell us the name of the purchaser or what their intentions might be. We can only hope that it is someone who is going to use the building for its original and intended use otherwise we can say goodbye to one of the finest and most historic theatres in Vancouver.

Thank you all for your support, letters, and interest. Who knows, there may be more work ahead, especially if a demolition is planned. As most of you know, we’ve just lost the Imperial Theatre, built in 1912, running as the Venus Theatre for the past 20 or so years, now demolished without notice. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that those of us who work in the arts spend a lot of time talking about “if only” and “what if” without any action.

The York Theatre was on the market for over a year, and, except for Jayne Holmes valiant effort, for which she deserves full credit, no one in the arts community has stepped forward and said, “I’m going to make this happen!”

Please again accept my thanks for everything. Maybe we’ve learned a  valuable lesson.

Onwards and upwards,
Tom Durrie

Save the York Theatre Society

From the Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum
Vogue Theatre Event
October 4, 2007

This conversation is about Vancouver’s heritage theaters, the Vogue, the York, and the Pantages, about our community interests, about ideas and opportunities related to our theatre and performance spaces, – and what we would like to see and do as we move into the future

The Participants

Christopher Gaze, Creator, Bard on the Beach
Tanja Dixon Warren, President, Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance
Don Luxton, President, Heritage Vancouver
Tom Durrie, Chair, Save the York Theatre Society
Roger Chilton, Chair, Arts and Culture Committee, Downtown Vancouver Association

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From Herb Auerbach

There are several major issues to be addressed in the preservation and restoration of theatres in Vancouver, like the York and he Vogue. They are Heritage, Cultural Infrastructure, Cultural Development, and Economic Development. There are also environmental issues around the use of materials and energy required for new construction, and around the disposal of the proceeds of demolition that should also be a consideration if we take a holistic approach to these projects.

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