Toronto *** SW EpII: AotC: Countdown thread ***

I believe that the entire "core" of the group
is going which is about 15 people right
Tragic...

 

Advantage of Silvercity is that there's a not bad sized square there. It's a busy place though.

Is the Grande at Yonge & Sheppard still open? That's a good place. There may not be much space on the pavement though, and there's still a lot of construction there right?

I didn't have too much to do with the last Line, I was busy on the inside. Looking forward to it.

So will it be as long as last time? Maybe just one week? One teeny-weeny week?

 

The Grande is open still, and much of the construction has been cleaned up, the last time I drove through there the road went in a straight line, and it wasn't nearly as messy as it had been. I do like the atmosphere of the grande theatre better than that of Silvercity, but home is home, so my preference would still be Yonge and Eglinton.

 

Warning: this is long.

1) Celebration

Roupen and I won't be going; we don't really have the money at this point (the money we have is already for rent and food and tuition). Anyone else staying behind with us in the lonely, cold city? Maybe we should do roll call as to who's going to be where.

2) Location

I'd prefer Yonge and Eg. too, sentimentally, but there were concerns voiced on the little walking tour in the summer about actual lining up space. We don't want to be on those stairs, which is the actual entrance to the theatre, and we don't want to be inside, which is private property owned by people who may kick us out come midnight. There's the courtyard (the square Eric mentioned) right at the corner, which would be great, but it's also private property right below an apartment building and noise complaints could be a problem. Also, we want to be visibly lining, and in the courtyard we'd kind of just be loitering. Aside from those spaces, there really isn't room for us and regular traffic on the sidewalks. No parking lot here, right?

Fran's is indeed closed, as is the Harvey's and I think what replaced it too. There's still 24-hour food, but the selection would probably have us eating along Yonge instead of Eglinton.

As for the Grande, as Greg said, the construction is pretty much cleared. There's a sidewalk right between the subway entrance and the entrance to the theatre proper that is more than wide enough for our needs. I was working right around there for a few months, and there's a decent selection of both cheap and pricey food: a McDonald's across the street, a pretty good food court in the mall (attached to the theatre), a pub right across the street (a Firkin), sushi, paella; it's a fairly short walk to bathrooms, Empress Walk, and the small plethora of restaurants across from Mel Lastman Square. We wouldn't have the exciting kind of street life this time around, but I'd feel safe walking to a bathroom at 2am (several of which exist within 5 minutes walk). We would probably still get new members off the street, though, as it's right in the middle of several large office buildings, the former city hall, two high schools, and two malls. Transportation wouldn't be an issue either, because I'm pretty sure the Sheppard line is supposed to be open by then.

So, to sum up, I'd really love to be at Yonge and Eg., but I'm with Tragic on this one. I'm not sure anymore that it's the best option we've got; more like nostalgia doing its dirty work (back, cursed nostalgia!).

3) Meeting

The length of this post and the ache in my fingers has persuaded me mightily that some things are best hashed out in person, not to mention that it's been entirely too long since I've seen some of your faces. Is anyone averse to maybe having a little meeting on this either before or after LoTR on the 19th?

Phew...I think I'll go soak my typing fingers. Thanks for reading this far, guys.

Cris~

 

Meeting:

I was actually thinking the 2nd of Feb would make for a good meeting day. We've the hockey game with YJN that won't start until the evening. That gives us an entire afternoon to plan and plot. As well, we can trade notes with the YJN crowd when they arrive. Getting the perspective of someone completely removed from the situation can always be helpful.

Yonge & Eglinton:
In my opinion, Y&E has a number of problems as a site for our line. The most pressing is a ?decent? spot to hold the line.

There is no place close to the entrance of the theater that makes for a good place to line up. The stairs are problematic from a safety point of view. I have visions of a civilian, who happens to trip over some of our gear, taking a header down the steps.

The sidewalk adjacent to the stairs is not particularly wide enough for our line - even though it is close, ranging from 2-4 metres. But the area is an extremely high traffic area and the sidewalk is often crowded throughout the day.

The courtyard is ? I?m close to positive ? private property. Without permission to be there, we are trespassing and can be removed at any point. We can seek permission from the land owners, but I can tell you that it is highly unlikely that such permission would be forthcoming. We are a large insurance risk and not something that any office or residential complex is going to be too keen to have encamped on their property. And even were we to secure permission ? it is something that can easily as not be revoked. Public property we can stay on for as long as we like, barring someone doing something stupid resulting in the police asking us to move on Private property puts us completely at the whims of the property owner. I personally don?t like handing our fates over like that.

Inside the mall has the same problems as the courtyard.

Y&E has not been eliminated from the short list, as the Paramount has, in that it meets the three base requirements. And if it is where the vast majority choose to be, then that is where it will be. But in my opinion it is not a suitable place for the line.

 

The Grande has a hyooje amount of space inside - I've worked there - but that's hardly a substitute for anyone who wants to stick around overnight.

 

I may be remembering incorrectly, but Tragic, wasn't there a concern about the Grande getting Episode 2?

Eric, for the Grande space inside we have the same problems as at Y&E with private property.

For a meeting, I favor sometime the weekend of the 19th since I'm sure I'll be coming in for that weekend, and it's my understanding that Greg, Adam, and Joseph also plan to be in town that weekend, while I'm not sure about the Hockey game day.

 

What theater will have it?
At one point or another this past year, I may have quipped about the Grande possibly vanishing out from under us. This was likely during the financial woes that Loews-Cineplex was undergoing and their culling of 30% of their screens. The Grande is still there and looks like it will be for a while more.

SC:Y&E is not guaranteed to have every film. You will note that they do not have the current Box Office big-wig, LotR.

As I understand it, Cineplex gets preferentiality from Fox films. This would make the likelyhood of the Grande not recieveing the film pretty low.

Hyooje space inside:
If we can come to an understanding with theater management, then I'm sure that we can use the indoor entranceway as a safe zone from the elements. However, the sidewalk is the best place for us to be. As Adam noted, it's the interaction with the passers-by that was a big part of the overall atmosphere. And one of the things that inures me towards the Grande is that it has a large amount of sidewalk for us to occupy. Several Darth Vaders worth towards the street and, lengthwise, a good 20m or so before our line would reach a point where it might obstruct pedestrian traffic.

 

I agree with Tragic Lad. The Y&E site does not look very promising from a safety and lineup position. Tragic is also correct when
it comes to the liability a theatre would have with 50-100 people lined up there for a
week or so. That in itself is why most theatres would not want the hassle. All they
need is a civilian to get hurt by tripping
over a bag and getting sued. I completely
forgot about the legal ramifications of
the lineup. I fear that we have a big problem...

 

Theaters, I've found, are willing to trade off some of the legal ramnifications in favour of all the publicity an event like this generates for them. Your theater being highlighted in dozens of articles and news programs is just a whole mess of free advertising. And as long as their association with us is casual - they can avoid much of the legalities.... ("gosh, we had nothing to do with those people on the sidewalk. Not our responsibility.")

It's property owners that don't like us. They have nothing to gain from us being there and risk our disturbing their tenants.

The owners of the parking lot at the York didn't want us there. We inquired into renting a spot or two for the two weeks so that we could legitimately set up chairs and stuff. IIRC, the owner started off by quoting us some insanely large figure equivilent to the GDP of some mid-sized European country. When we tried to contact him again, he became very unavailable to talk.

As long as our line is on public property, we're cool and the gang.

 

Well then, let's celebrate good times, c'mon!

 

Then there is hope.....

 

Sorry I'm so late at posting this but I think I prefer the the Grande. I'm glad CrazyMike pointed out the safety issues.
The stairs at Young and Englington are not only a saftey concern, of people taking a tumble because of our bags and junk but also are a problem becase if our line becomes long, whre will the line go? Winding down the court area which is private property?

Secondly, no one's mentioned the screens at these theatres. If I am going to stand in line for a week, I want to see it at a decent screen with good sound. Personally, I have a problem with the Younge and Eglinton screen because the screen are curved and for whatever the reason it blurs things on the side and during close up. During the Green Mile it was so blurry I kept cleaning my glasses because I thought there was something wrong with my eyes, but it was there again at A.I.

Just my two cents worth.

Also, I have a question to the people who did the rounds looking at the theatres can I ask where can we go at both theatres if it rains?

 

Raindrops keep falling on my head:

The Grande:
If we can get the support of theater management, the entrance way is big and mostly unused by the street entrance. Regardless, there are overhangs by the entranceways to the Sheppard Center that we can take refuge under.

Eglinton:
Overhang by the entranceway at the top of the stairs.

SC North York and Varsity:
I Don't recall any place that is safe from the rain. David? Cris~? Any recollections on this?

 

As far as I can remember SC:NY had the interior area of the mall, but not much in the way of overhangs. Can't recall about Varsity.

SHMII, I share your feelings about the SilverCity screens, but I don't think the ones at the Grande are much better. (someone correct me on this if I'm wrong, it's been a while since I was in a Grande). I don't know about the sound at the Grande though... not that it's great at the SCs.

 

I think we'll have to have a movie night at the Grande at some point soon.

I believe the Grande isn't THX certified simply because it is above a subway and because of that, doesn't meet THX qualifications. The auditorium, on the main screens (are they all the same size?) is bigger than those at SC by my recollection.

Anyway, we should have a movie night and check things out. Perhaps, if it's playing there, Black Hawk Down on the 18th?

 

18th might be a bit tough for those wanting to see FOTR on the 19th.

My biggest concern with all the suggested theatres is that they all appear to be in malls, meaning we really cannot line up near the doors.

We'd have to line up outside the building, quite a ways from the theatres doors (up to the day of the movie where, presumable, we'd be let in early)

It's a strange point but it's got me bothered.

Nor do I have any other suggestions for convenient theatres either.

Bleh.

 

Not such a strange point Ken - it's one that I've had rolling around the back of my mind as well. If we aren't lining directly in front of a theater, then we could just as easily be lined up anywhere. Someone sitting at home could have just a good a claim to lining up as any of us.

Y&E Silver City entrance is close enough to the mall entrance that our lining up there would be fine -- save for the steps of doom. The Grande does have an entrance which leads directly onto the street, it's just that most people use the mall entrance.

Adam - I think it would be a good idea to have a movie night at the Grande. I've been wanting one for a while now, but opportunity hasn't been forthcoming.

Should, for whatever reason, LotR not be playing at the Eglinton on the 19th, how about we move things over to the Grande?

 

Sounds like a good idea Tragic, assuming of course that it's still there on the weekend, which is very likely I suppose.

Adam, and others, I'm in for your idea of seeing Black Hawk Down on Friday evening. Anyone else interested? I'll probably put up a movienight thread for it later today.

 

We'll have some Cawfee, we'll tawk.

February 2nd, this coming Saturday, is the YJN/Toronto hockey game in the back lot of Square One. I'm going to be going to the mall a few hours early to just sit in the food court, and draw up our much needed FAQ. If anyone would like to join me early on and just chat about plans for the coming year - movies we'd like to see, Celebration II, the line, other events and get-togethers - you will find me camped out in the food court from about 2pm onward. Let me know if you want to come join me so I can keep an eye out for you.

 

I'd be interested in joining you early. Are any of the car people thinking of doing the same? *Really doesn't want to do the two-plus hours on public transit thing to get to Square One*

Cris~

 

Well I'd join you but I'll be in Ottawa this weekend. I think I'll give you a call some evening this week so we can chat about some of this stuff ahead of time.

 

I'm probably going head out for two, we just need to figure how many torontites need a ride out there and arrange pick ups etc.

 

Adam and I will both be there.

 

I am crazy ass sick right now but if I have regained the strength to breathe properly I will try to make it out this weekend.

This is will also give me an opportunity to try those Krispy Kream donuts I've heard so much about.


Robin T.