Snowdon Theatre (Montreal) facts for kids
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The Snowdon Theatre was a cool old movie theater in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was built in a special style called Streamline Moderne. This style looks like it's ready for speed, with smooth, curved shapes. The theater was located in the Snowdon neighborhood on Decarie Boulevard. For 45 years, it showed many films to people in Montreal. After it closed, the building was used for other things. It became a small shopping center and even a gymnastics studio. Sadly, the building was later torn down. Only its front wall was saved and used for new apartments.
Contents
History of the Snowdon Theatre
The Early Years: A Grand Opening
The Snowdon Theatre first opened its doors in February 1937. It had a very fancy inside, designed by a person named Emmanuel Briffa. He was famous for designing the insides of many movie theaters. Mr. Briffa also designed the Rialto Theatre in Montreal. He created the interiors for over 60 cinemas across Canada.
Changes Over Time
In 1950, the front of the theater was changed. A new sign, called a marquee, was added. The cinema kept showing movies for many years. For example, in 1972, it showed Charlie Chaplin films for almost a whole year! After 45 years of showing movies, the Snowdon Theatre closed in May 1982. The building then sat empty for a while.
New Uses for the Building
In 1990, the old theater building got a new life. It was turned into a small shopping center. The large inside space, which was about 25,000 square feet, was rebuilt. It was split into two floors. The ground floor was divided into smaller shops. However, the theater's original fancy wall and ceiling designs stayed on the second floor. A gymnastics center called Flexart Gymnastics operated there for several years. But the shopping center and offices were not very successful. By the late 1990s, most of the building was empty again.
The Building Becomes Empty
Flexart Gymnastics was the last business in the building. They had to leave in late 2013. This was because there were safety worries about the building's roof. After that, the building was boarded up and left empty.
Demolition of the Snowdon Theatre
The City Sells the Building
By January 2016, the city of Montreal owned the building. It was old and falling apart. So, the city decided to sell it. On March 26, 2016, a fire started on the second floor. This fire was caused by vandals and badly damaged the roof.
A New Plan for the Site
On May 4, 2017, the city found someone to buy the building. The buyer planned to tear it down. They wanted to build either new shops or apartments there. The sale was completed on February 3, 2018, for $1.6 million. There was one important rule for the sale. The buyer had to save the building's front wall and its famous sign.
The Final Transformation
In April 2019, the main part of the building was completely torn down. Only the front wall and the sign were left standing. The sign had been changed in the late 1980s to include French words. By 2022, new apartment buildings were finished behind the old front wall. The old facade was changed quite a bit, but it still stands as a reminder of the Snowdon Theatre.
