Toronto adieu to the York?

I think i might have been the one who died. But only my hairdresser knows for sure...

 

EGADS!! WHAT in TARNATION is going on here?

The sad part is that it's not the first time I've heard someone say: "This was probably the one and only ideal location for lining up in the entire city."

Here in Los Angeles, we've been slowly trying to accept the fact that the Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood has been sold... (it could be renamed the Warner Bros. Chinese Theatre!)... meaning that it's not going to have a FOX motion picture, like Ep2, playing in it!

And in San Francisco, people who spent weeks in line for Ep1 outside the famous Coronet Theatre returned late last year to line up again... to watch them close down shop and prepare to bulldoze it to the ground! :-(

This is a bad, bad, bad trend...

Kahunna

 

Way back when we were planning the original line up, a couple of the ad hoc committee members met with the management of the York and the regional manager for Cineplex Odeon to discuss our plans with them. I remember complimenting them on what a beautiful theater the York was and we got into a brief discussion on the history of theatres.

The reg. mngr. talked nostalgic of the many old theatres, and of the dark times when they decided to bulldoze a lot of them in favour of the multi-plexes (Eaton's Centre being an example). No more giant screens, but rather hundreds of shoe box sized theatres under one roof. He talked of what a mistake that was.

Nowadays, the trend is towards the mega-plexes. While I will admit they are an improvement on the multi's, they still lack the charm and atmosphere of the grand old theaters. The big box theater is a trend. But trends come and go. When the trend goes, all you're left with is hundreds of million dollar buildings that can't pull the weight of their own neon. But there will always be the diehards that prefer the grand ol' theaters.

 

Thanks Greg.

I think this will be his toughest assignment yet.

First he must eat a jelly donut, then digest it. From their...well, that's up to him, but I'd assume it involves waxing his toes so he can kick some murderers arse!

Go Matlock!!

 

TragicLad wrote:

>Nowadays, the trend is towards the mega-
>plexes. While I will admit they are an
>improvement on the multi's, they still lack
>the charm and atmosphere of the grand old
>theaters. The big box theater is a trend.
>But trends come and go. When the trend
>goes, all you're left with is hundreds of
>million dollar buildings that can't pull
>the weight of their own neon. But there
>will always be the diehards that prefer the
>grand ol' theaters.

I recall that time here in SoCal. Going to high school in Irvine, I remember there was just one or two theatres in my area. It wasn't even a year later (1995) when I could count close to 30 SCREENS, in about 8 theatres in a 4 mile radius from my house!

Of course, you're right TrajicLad - they do come and go (the theatre chain that owned most of the theatres is now bankrupt)... but they can't replace the history that the Chinese, the Coronet or the York has. :-\

I'm glad that they at least make the Graumann's Egyptian (where ESB and ROTJ premiered) a historical landmark... now there's no way it can be torn down.

Kahunna

 

Think the York could get historical status?

What kind of criteria would it require?

 

Well, the Eglinton is on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties. I'm not sure what the Inventory is exactly, or what the criteria is to be listed - but there you go.

Perhaps some enterprising person with a bit of spare time could nip over to the Toronto Ref. Library and check for us?

 

I'm pretty sure it requires a lot of money and a good reason to make it historical. Possibly a couple thousand signatures as well. I suggest that once you find out the details of the requirements for making it historical, I'd submit the info to the media. If you even have the slightest chance of making it a historical monument, you'll need a ton of support from the community. Newspapers and tv couldn't do just that any better.

Good luck!
Kahunna

 

I'll find out about that heritage thingy tomorrow night....ah, the advantages of working down the block from Metro Ref....

Cris~

 

I'd find out tomorrow night as well, only i have the advantage of not working anywhere...its a good life...