Pantages Theatre Arts Society abandons fight to save historic Vancouver venue

The Pantages Theatre Arts Society has given up its three-year campaign to rehabilitate a century-old theatre in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

In a December 18  letter addressed to Heritage Vancouver, the society's president and chair, Peter Fairchild, stated that his organization "came within a whisker of success but were derailed by City staff recommending further study rather than a real decision".

The theatre at 150 East Hastings Street was first on Heritage Vancouver's list of "Top 10 Endangered Sites" in 2009. Architect Edward Evans Blackmore designed the building, which opened in 1908, and it closed in 1990.

According to Heritage Vancouver, it was the second North American theatre built in North America by vaudeville impressario Alexander Pantages.

The society states on its Web  site that a numbered company controlled by  developer Marc Williams owns the Pantages and four buildings to the west.

"Throughout the process, we advised staff and politicians at all levels of government that timing was critical as the Pantages Theatre was deteriorating rapidly and there soon could not be much to preserve, never mind restore," Chapman wrote in his letter to Heritage Vancouver.  "Alas, this has proven to be the case. There was a fire set on the roof of the building in May, 2009; firefighters chopped through the roof to ensure there were no lingering flames. The complete stage area has now collapsed into the basement; the balconies are no longer safe to walk on; and the structural members supporting the front of the theatre are now splitting."

As a result, Chapman wrote that it's impossible to retrieve any remaining heritage elements. "Truth, folks, we have not gained access to the theatre since August 2009 and will not likely be able to do so at any time in the future because of liability issues," he stated.  

He thanked members of Heritage Vancouver for their efforts, and added that the society is not going to give up on its goal of renewing the Downtown Eastside.

In a response to Chapman, Heritage Vancouver president Donald Luxton expressed his sorrow and thanked Pantages Theatre Arts Society members for their work.

"This is yet one more example of how the lack of heritage incentives at all levels of government has thwarted community efforts to protect our precious built heritage," Luxton declared.

Heritage Vancouver has urged its members to contact Mayor Gregor Robertson and members of council to urge them find a way to preserve the building. "This is a most urgent matter, and the last chance for the historic Pantages," it stated on its Web site.

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Comments

1 Comments

terry

Jan 1, 2010 at 8:28am

What a shame. Does anyone else remember when this theatre was the City Nights movie theatre in the mid seventies? I saw Eraserhead there for the first time. Things will never be the same in this greedy city.