History of the Park Theatre

As many small towns across the country have lost their local movie theatres, Goderich’s Park Theatre stands as a bit of an outlier.

 

The signature building that stands in the centre of the block between Colborne and West Streets on Courthouse Square has evolved over the years but retains a quaint charm with its prominent marquee and outdoor ticket window. While it was not the first movie house in the town, it became a fixture after it opened. The Goderich Signal-Star headline in March 1950 pronounced “Ultra Modern Park Theatre on the Square to Have Premiere on Monday Night, March Sixth”. Its 500-seat theatre was filled to capacity for the screening of the hit MGM musical comedy On the Town starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, with the latest technology in screens, projection and sound, and with a highly-advanced air conditioning system for the patrons’ comfort.

 

A new snack-bar was added in 1971, conveniently located in the lobby for patrons to stock up on snacks before they settled in for their movie. In 1998, the theatre expanded adding a highly-anticipated second screen giving audiences even more options.

 

The theatre has proven resilient throughout its 75-year history. Many theatres closed as television became popular in the second half of the last century and then home theatres became affordable with the popularity of VHS and then DVDs and Blu-Rays. Even more found it impossible to stay afloat with the advent of the internet and cheap streaming services that delivered first-run movies directly into viewers’ homes.

 

It survived the devastating F-3 tornado that struck the downtown core in August of 2011, although it was badly damaged and required months of repairs before re-opening in November of that year. The next major blow was the Covid-19 global pandemic in March of 2020 that shuttered the beloved entertainment icon for two years, but luckily managed to reopen in April of 2022.

 

There is still something magical about seeing a movie on a gigantic screen with surround sound, a big bag of popcorn and sharing the experience with a roomful of people. 

 

Tuesdays are the night to see the latest flick, when regular admission is discounted! The box office opens 30 minutes before showtime and accepts cash or debit. To find out what’s playing, visit https://www.movielinks.ca/park-theatre-goderich or follow them on Facebook. 30 The Square, Goderich