Old Calgary stuff you miss...(The Nostalgia thread)

[Swift]

We went to watch Sing 2 at Canyon Meadows Theatre last night just to get out of the house. We used to go a few times a year pre-pandemic but this was our first time since. Sadly I have to imagine that they won't be long for this world. Most of (all?) the movies they're showing are already available to rent at home. The only reason to spend more more money to see it in the theatre is for the night out/big screen experience.

I'll be opining its loss in this thread in a decade and will miss the place as we had some good family memories there.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Swift

We went to watch Sing 2 at Canyon Meadows Theatre last night just to get out of the house. We used to go a few times a year pre-pandemic but this was our first time since. Sadly I have to imagine that they won't be long for this world. Most of (all?) the movies they're showing are already available to rent at home. The only reason to spend more more money to see it in the theatre is for the night out/big screen experience.

I'll be opining its loss in this thread in a decade and will miss the place as we had some good family memories there.

Yeah, I really like that place, too.

Last year I rented an entire theater for all my friends. I think it was $15 each or so. Included a drink and a popcorn each. It was really fun, so there are a couple ways to continue to support them if you can get a crew together.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by Swift

We went to watch Sing 2 at Canyon Meadows Theatre last night just to get out of the house. We used to go a few times a year pre-pandemic but this was our first time since. Sadly I have to imagine that they won't be long for this world. Most of (all?) the movies they're showing are already available to rent at home. The only reason to spend more more money to see it in the theatre is for the night out/big screen experience.

I'll be opining its loss in this thread in a decade and will miss the place as we had some good family memories there.

Oh man, in my poor student days, I took many a date there because that's all I could afford. I have many memories of chilly walks to catch the C-Train, but the ones from the theatre up Lake Fraser and across to the train after a movie are very deep ones.

[Misterpants]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, I really like that place, too.

Last year I rented an entire theater for all my friends. I think it was $15 each or so. Included a drink and a popcorn each. It was really fun, so there are a couple ways to continue to support them if you can get a crew together.

Should rent it and play Goldeneye64.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Misterpants

Should rent it and play Goldeneye64.

That would be heaven.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Misterpants

Should rent it and play Goldeneye64.

No one would be immune to screen looking accusations.

[Misterpants]

I still scout locations for where I would put proximity mines...

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Swift

We went to watch Sing 2 at Canyon Meadows Theatre last night just to get out of the house. We used to go a few times a year pre-pandemic but this was our first time since. Sadly I have to imagine that they won't be long for this world. Most of (all?) the movies they're showing are already available to rent at home. The only reason to spend more more money to see it in the theatre is for the night out/big screen experience.

I'll be opining its loss in this thread in a decade and will miss the place as we had some good family memories there.

I used to live in the area and I’d always assumed that was their entire business model. Late run movies on a $5 ticket, cheap snacks, it’s a night out with a big screen for not a lot of cash. I’ve no idea what their overhead is, but pre-pandemic they seemed to be doing well enough to keep the lights on and some kids employed.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Swift

We went to watch Sing 2 at Canyon Meadows Theatre last night just to get out of the house. We used to go a few times a year pre-pandemic but this was our first time since. Sadly I have to imagine that they won't be long for this world. Most of (all?) the movies they're showing are already available to rent at home. The only reason to spend more more money to see it in the theatre is for the night out/big screen experience.

I'll be opining its loss in this thread in a decade and will miss the place as we had some good family memories there.

That’s the problem with these 45 day release windows. They basicaly are still making small amounts at 1st run theatres and cut out the whole 2nd run business.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I worked at Palliser One for years and the interior architecture of that area always baffled me. It's like someone just drywalled over layers and layers of 1970s brutalism.

Maybe it was some sort of fountain/garden area? Most of the 70s/80s style buildings in Calgary had those garden/fountains in it. The angular shape makes me think it had plants?

Who knows. The 3rd level has mall style doors to the parkade (now the valet parking level for Palliser Hotel) so originally it was probably some sort of centerpiece to greet shoppers...that said it being done in the late 80s tile that covers the rest of the floor could mean it was something else in the 70s. Bit the ceiling at look the same as it wasn't altered. A peek down below and there doesn't appear to be anything under it that was there before and covered up.
Somewhere there's old pictures I'm sure.

Looking the old Herald articles of when that place opened and there was about 35 or 40 retail stores, unfathomable what it must have looked like then.

And then other articles said in about 1982 Via said it was going to move across to the old Post Office building because the main post office functions were now at the new Harry Hays building. That said, that post office building stayed in operation until mid 200s. Anyways, Via said the facilities at Palliser were inadequate and would build something out of the post office building.

Of course Via being a crown corporation talk is cheap and that never occurred.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

It makes me feel old when people say they saw "Phantom Menace as a kid". I remember when the Palace was an actual movie theatre and I saw A New Hope and The Empire Strikes back there. I also remember seeing Gremlins at Studio 82 on Heritage Drive right across the street from Bonsai.

You're really old if you remember it like this



I didn't realise the Palace was that old, Tom Sawyer the Mark Twain tale was released in 1930

[Sliver]

I miss when you could throw coins to the seals at the zoo.

[nomad]

As a kid in elementary school I saw Jaws at a Saturday afternoon matinee at The Palace when it was released in the mid-70s. Couldn't believe my mom let me go all the way downtown from the burbs with some kids I barely knew.

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[Engine09]

Originally Posted by Swift

We went to watch Sing 2 at Canyon Meadows Theatre last night just to get out of the house. We used to go a few times a year pre-pandemic but this was our first time since. Sadly I have to imagine that they won't be long for this world. Most of (all?) the movies they're showing are already available to rent at home. The only reason to spend more more money to see it in the theatre is for the night out/big screen experience.

I'll be opining its loss in this thread in a decade and will miss the place as we had some good family memories there.

Swung by there yesterday to catch a movie, lobby was packed. The concession line filled the ribbon barrier things and ended up by the front doors. I turned around and went home, will come back another day at a later time.

Maybe with everything getting so expensive this place will survive, hope so, still a good deal at $5.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by nomad

As a kid in elementary school I saw Jaws at a Saturday afternoon matinee at The Palace when it was released in the mid-70s. Couldn't believe my mom let me go all the way downtown from the burbs with some kids I barely knew.

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I saw Star Wars and Empire there. Amazing.
And then yeah, I used to take the 'ol #3 downtown and go to movies at Esso Plaza, Bankers Hall, and that weird one that I think was called Calgary place on around 6th Ave I think.

There were so many downtown theatres:
Showcase Grande
Uptown
Globe
Bankers Hall
Eu-claire
Ezzo Plaza
Calgary Place
The Palace
The one in the Calgary Tower (name escapes me).

I know they weren't all open at the same time, but of that entire list only Eau Claire and The Globe remain.

Going downtown to a movie always felt a little special.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I miss when you could throw coins to the seals at the zoo.

Don’t worry Sliver, there are some of us who remember the plaque.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I saw Star Wars and Empire there. Amazing.
And then yeah, I used to take the 'ol #3 downtown and go to movies at Esso Plaza, Bankers Hall, and that weird one that I think was called Calgary place on around 6th Ave I think.

There were so many downtown theatres:
Showcase Grande
Uptown
Globe
Bankers Hall
Eu-claire
Ezzo Plaza
Calgary Place
The Palace
The one in the Calgary Tower (name escapes me).

I know they weren't all open at the same time, but of that entire list only Eau Claire and The Globe remain.

Going downtown to a movie always felt a little special.

I saw Empire and Jedi there. Both felt like a huge event and there seemed (to 11 and 14 year old me) no more suitable venue in the world.

For Jedi, my Mom made me take my little brother. When the line started moving, me and my buddies noticed he’d disappeared.

The panic I felt was unreal! The panic being that I’d lose my place in line and not get in.

Narrator: They found him and his big brother punched his little brother just before they succeeded entering the theater.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I saw Star Wars and Empire there. Amazing.
And then yeah, I used to take the 'ol #3 downtown and go to movies at Esso Plaza, Bankers Hall, and that weird one that I think was called Calgary place on around 6th Ave I think.

There were so many downtown theatres:
Showcase Grande
Uptown
Globe
Bankers Hall
Eu-claire
Ezzo Plaza
Calgary Place
The Palace
The one in the Calgary Tower (name escapes me).

I know they weren't all open at the same time, but of that entire list only Eau Claire and The Globe remain.

Going downtown to a movie always felt a little special.

Calgary Place was on 4th Ave. My parents were like lets go watch that Oscar best picture there.. yay lets go! It was Chariots of Fire and for a kid who just watched Clash of the Titans there it was SOOOO boring.

The one at the tower was the Palliser.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I saw Star Wars and Empire there. Amazing.
And then yeah, I used to take the 'ol #3 downtown and go to movies at Esso Plaza, Bankers Hall, and that weird one that I think was called Calgary place on around 6th Ave I think.

There were so many downtown theatres:
Showcase Grande
Uptown
Globe
Bankers Hall
Eu-claire
Ezzo Plaza
Calgary Place
The Palace
The one in the Calgary Tower (name escapes me).

I know they weren't all open at the same time, but of that entire list only Eau Claire and The Globe remain.

Going downtown to a movie always felt a little special.

You forgot the Tivoli

It is interesting that movie theatres used to all be downtown even though hardly anyone lived downtown back then. Up until about 1983, there wasn’t a single screen south of Chinook.

[nomad]

Except the Corral Drive-In!!

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