Empire 6 Cinemas
650 Portland Street,
Dartmouth,
NS
B2W 6A3
650 Portland Street,
Dartmouth,
NS
B2W 6A3
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I saw my first movie, The Lion King, here in 1994. I’d see many more up unti its closure. This theatre almost seemed luxurious compared to the Penhorn 5, considering it was at least more open and less cramped, with a large central hub. The individual auditoriums were nothing special. Auditorium 2 with stadium seating was interesting, but the rest were standard.
I came across an interesting tidbit while doing research in newspaper clippings. Apparently, this theatre was actually designed and built by Cineplex Odeon, as the first theatre of an intended expansion into Atlantic Canada. However, on February 28, 1990, Empire Theatres purchased the still-under-construction theatre from Cineplex for $3.4 million, and Cineplex Odeon abandoned their expansion plans, including a planned multiplex in downtown Halifax, which would have been attached to the Maritime Centre office tower.
This theatre opened on July 29, 1990. The headline opening film was “Die Hard 2.” Stadium seating was added to Auditorium 2 in the early 2000s, but not to any of the other auditoriums. After the opening of the Dartmouth Crossing 12-plex in 2007, the theatre was changed to a second-run discount operation.
After closing, it was converted to become the Woodlawn Public Library, and still retained many elements of its multiplex days. The former lobby became the central area of the library, retaining the same shape. The circulation desk is located where the concession stand was. The areas previously occupied by an auditorium each became a different section of the library, also retaining roughly their original size and dimensions. Auditorium 1 became the Teen section, Auditorium 2 became the Children’s section, Auditorium 4 became the Adult section, Auditoriums 3 and 5 were converted into a shipping and distribution centre for the entire Halifax library system, and Auditorium 6 was converted into a 100-seat auditorium with raised stage, and a (significantly smaller) movie screen. The former 2nd floor projection corridor was converted into storage and office space, and original Empire Theatres signs are still visible on several doors in this area.