grandcameo:
No problem, yes it really was sadly amusing how the city officials presented such a “show” on and near the destruction of the Capitol.
Interesting how the stories seemed to change from there being a huge “flood” to the entire building being infested with mould. The media was quite restricted as well.. As Sam mentioned, obviously it was “an offer they couldn’t refuse”..
grandcameo: An interesting reality check, thanks for the info..
It is great to see some facts regarding the business aspect of operating a theatre. Sometimes the dream can lack such details, which evidently has lead to the demise of some small businesses.
Judging by the box office reports is appears that the movie industry is hurting a little.. I wonder if any of this can be attributed to the increasing use of “home theatres” and dvd downloading?
Or is it just lack of interest due to poor movie quality?
Hello all!
This year is proving to be a busy year for the Walker!
When you have a moment go to ticketmaster online and check out the great line-up of shows taking place at the theatre.
With such a great Variety of performances there’s something for everyone!
Of course the local promotions people find no challenge at all in filling the theatre so good luck at the box office. With some of the big names playing on stage the Walker will see crowds comparable to those back in the Walker/Odeon glory days.
cheers!
Thanks for the info Sam,
I agree with garro; it would be great to see a more accurate restoration but as time passes by the future of the Met is slowly fading. At this point if the building were required to undergo some modifications in exchange for a second chance at existence I would support the effort. In the name of survival.
>Winnigirl, It is a great forum, thanks to a larger 3rd party “cinematresures.org” for setting it up!
I’m here too waiting for some news from the others, hopefully they haven’t forgotten!
Like this site, that’s what our theatres need, a private financial investment. As Sam_e explains we can barely keep The Pantageous and Walker alive alone!
In the past years it has become evident that relying on the civic or provincial government to fund and support these great heritage buildings is simply asking too much. Recently I had the opportunity to meet with a property developer who had purchased 2 large buildings on princess in the exchange. Needless to say once you have a private investor what seems impossible (Capitol’s /Met’s ruins) can be reduced to a small obstacle for a large team of professionals who have a plan. I admire these individules for their preservation efforts here in our city, these are the people who get out there and “keep the ball rolling”.
The problem with the Met is finding that viable plan, one that is profitable and sustainable. The buildings on Princess are being converted to Lofts; they only have a few units left to sell hence its great success.
It’s really intriguing to learn about the history of our theatres and I thank the contributors here for providing this information!
Now does anyone here feel like brainstorming on potential ideas & uses for the Met?
What’s your take on the UofW building another theatre for performing arts instead of retrofitting one of the exsisting theatres in the city?
Is anyone here affiliated with the PARK theatre project?
I was on site during the final few days of demolition and taped a good portion of the destruction. I did have the oppertunity to enter the building earlier but I choose not to since I didn’t have the right safety gear handy. (mould issues) however now I wish I had taken the vid camera in for a few shots..
I’m going to transfer the video to DVD; any of you are welcome to have a copy if your interested.
It’s pretty sad, but interesting how the auditorium doesn’t look too bad once exposed in the daylight.
The Walker is a true gem, every performer who visits the theatre often comments on the beautiful venue. I have seen a few live shows from the first balcony and floor and was quite impressed. Despite the great size and architectural beauty of the venue there are still those who complain about the comfort of the seating. Of course when we have modern Cineplex buildings like Silver City it’s expected the seats obviously don’t compare to plush high back ergonomic seats. Quite an unfair comparison.
The walker and its seats are all part of the experience, something we are lucky to have and something I appreciate.
Winnigirl: I have been told the wooden pews on the last balcony are referred to as “the gods”.
Sam_e: As far as outward appearances I agree, I have not seen any repairs / restoration to any part of the building in the last 3 years.. Another disappointment. There are some critical things that should be addressed in order for the building to remain, as well some not so critical, like the exterior of the building. It would be nice to see the paint job restored; I saw some pictures from back in the day shortly after it had been painted by Odeon and it looked really sharp. Of course before any of that could happen the brickwork / windows should be repaired. And as you can imagine this would be a very large expense for a more or less “cosmetic” upgrade.
Though it would help cut down operating costs.
(Some of the windows can’t even close properly or are completely broken) :(
Atop a neighboring parkade with a cam in hand, I watched the same thing happen to our historic Capitol Theatre up here in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada. This is far too common, Shame on your civic authorities for once again bowing to the all mighty dollar.
Hello “friends of the Met” Can’t say how happy I am to see you all here. I was in “Friends of the Met” as well. Wasn’t sure I would have the opportunity to meet others who have such a wealth of information so I did some digging at the archives etc, and to be honest nothing was as vivid as the descriptions and information here.
About 2 years ago I contacted Centre Venture and spoke to some people regarding access for a photo documentation of the Met. They were surprisingly accommodating and directed me to the appropriate personnel at City Hall. I think I still have the contact information handy somewhere. I spoke to the buildings operations person who was also quite polite and was willing to grant access for the project but explained that they could not do so because their had been some mould problems in the theatre and that it was a liability to the City.
Last time I was in with FOTM I noticed they DID take the necessary measures to prevent moulding conditions and building freeze syndrome. The furnaces WERE working and seemed to be effective. I still don’t see why the air exchanger can’t be used; I’m assuming it’s a cost thing.
I agree with Grandcameo Let’s spread the word, Look at the Park cinema on Osborne! It CAN happen!
Granted the Walker is definitely a gem I think the Met deserves some attention.
grandcameo:
No problem, yes it really was sadly amusing how the city officials presented such a “show” on and near the destruction of the Capitol.
Interesting how the stories seemed to change from there being a huge “flood” to the entire building being infested with mould. The media was quite restricted as well.. As Sam mentioned, obviously it was “an offer they couldn’t refuse”..
grandcameo: An interesting reality check, thanks for the info..
It is great to see some facts regarding the business aspect of operating a theatre. Sometimes the dream can lack such details, which evidently has lead to the demise of some small businesses.
Judging by the box office reports is appears that the movie industry is hurting a little.. I wonder if any of this can be attributed to the increasing use of “home theatres” and dvd downloading?
Or is it just lack of interest due to poor movie quality?
Hello all!
This year is proving to be a busy year for the Walker!
When you have a moment go to ticketmaster online and check out the great line-up of shows taking place at the theatre.
With such a great Variety of performances there’s something for everyone!
Of course the local promotions people find no challenge at all in filling the theatre so good luck at the box office. With some of the big names playing on stage the Walker will see crowds comparable to those back in the Walker/Odeon glory days.
cheers!
Thanks for the info Sam,
I agree with garro; it would be great to see a more accurate restoration but as time passes by the future of the Met is slowly fading. At this point if the building were required to undergo some modifications in exchange for a second chance at existence I would support the effort. In the name of survival.
>Winnigirl, It is a great forum, thanks to a larger 3rd party “cinematresures.org” for setting it up!
I’m here too waiting for some news from the others, hopefully they haven’t forgotten!
Like this site, that’s what our theatres need, a private financial investment. As Sam_e explains we can barely keep The Pantageous and Walker alive alone!
In the past years it has become evident that relying on the civic or provincial government to fund and support these great heritage buildings is simply asking too much. Recently I had the opportunity to meet with a property developer who had purchased 2 large buildings on princess in the exchange. Needless to say once you have a private investor what seems impossible (Capitol’s /Met’s ruins) can be reduced to a small obstacle for a large team of professionals who have a plan. I admire these individules for their preservation efforts here in our city, these are the people who get out there and “keep the ball rolling”.
The problem with the Met is finding that viable plan, one that is profitable and sustainable. The buildings on Princess are being converted to Lofts; they only have a few units left to sell hence its great success.
It’s really intriguing to learn about the history of our theatres and I thank the contributors here for providing this information!
Now does anyone here feel like brainstorming on potential ideas & uses for the Met?
What’s your take on the UofW building another theatre for performing arts instead of retrofitting one of the exsisting theatres in the city?
Is anyone here affiliated with the PARK theatre project?
I was on site during the final few days of demolition and taped a good portion of the destruction. I did have the oppertunity to enter the building earlier but I choose not to since I didn’t have the right safety gear handy. (mould issues) however now I wish I had taken the vid camera in for a few shots..
I’m going to transfer the video to DVD; any of you are welcome to have a copy if your interested.
It’s pretty sad, but interesting how the auditorium doesn’t look too bad once exposed in the daylight.
The Walker is a true gem, every performer who visits the theatre often comments on the beautiful venue. I have seen a few live shows from the first balcony and floor and was quite impressed. Despite the great size and architectural beauty of the venue there are still those who complain about the comfort of the seating. Of course when we have modern Cineplex buildings like Silver City it’s expected the seats obviously don’t compare to plush high back ergonomic seats. Quite an unfair comparison.
The walker and its seats are all part of the experience, something we are lucky to have and something I appreciate.
Winnigirl: I have been told the wooden pews on the last balcony are referred to as “the gods”.
Sam_e: As far as outward appearances I agree, I have not seen any repairs / restoration to any part of the building in the last 3 years.. Another disappointment. There are some critical things that should be addressed in order for the building to remain, as well some not so critical, like the exterior of the building. It would be nice to see the paint job restored; I saw some pictures from back in the day shortly after it had been painted by Odeon and it looked really sharp. Of course before any of that could happen the brickwork / windows should be repaired. And as you can imagine this would be a very large expense for a more or less “cosmetic” upgrade.
Though it would help cut down operating costs.
(Some of the windows can’t even close properly or are completely broken) :(
What goof smashed into the front of the theatre?
BD Canada:
Congratulations to the resto team, and the many supporters on what appears to be a job well done!
Your work is inspiration for the nations!
Atop a neighboring parkade with a cam in hand, I watched the same thing happen to our historic Capitol Theatre up here in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada. This is far too common, Shame on your civic authorities for once again bowing to the all mighty dollar.
Hello “friends of the Met” Can’t say how happy I am to see you all here. I was in “Friends of the Met” as well. Wasn’t sure I would have the opportunity to meet others who have such a wealth of information so I did some digging at the archives etc, and to be honest nothing was as vivid as the descriptions and information here.
About 2 years ago I contacted Centre Venture and spoke to some people regarding access for a photo documentation of the Met. They were surprisingly accommodating and directed me to the appropriate personnel at City Hall. I think I still have the contact information handy somewhere. I spoke to the buildings operations person who was also quite polite and was willing to grant access for the project but explained that they could not do so because their had been some mould problems in the theatre and that it was a liability to the City.
Last time I was in with FOTM I noticed they DID take the necessary measures to prevent moulding conditions and building freeze syndrome. The furnaces WERE working and seemed to be effective. I still don’t see why the air exchanger can’t be used; I’m assuming it’s a cost thing.
I agree with Grandcameo Let’s spread the word, Look at the Park cinema on Osborne! It CAN happen!
Granted the Walker is definitely a gem I think the Met deserves some attention.
I’d be happy to hear from any of you.