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Cineplex Odeon theatres came to the Park Place Mall in Lethbridge in the '80s, offering another movie-going option. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/ (May be subject to copyright) |
It offered so many more movies and created more memories in the summer of ’88.
Famous Players
If I wanted to go to a movie in the theatre, the closest theatres were in Lethbridge, which was about a half hour from our farm.
If I wanted to go to a movie in the theatre, the closest theatres were in Lethbridge, which was about a half hour from our farm.
The entire time I was growing up, there were three theatres and six screens total. Interestingly, they were all owned by the same person, so there really was a monopoly.
Paramount
By far, the coolest theatre was the Paramount Theatre located downtown. It was majestic and almost palatial, with a brightly lit movie marquee announcing the Paramount was open for business. It had two screens, one larger than the other, that were the best movie watching experience in Lethbridge. Outside, on one side of the theatre was the “Paramount Smoke Shop”, which offered an amazing array of magazines, including anything to meet your tobacco needs. On the other side was a diner or lunch counter.
By far, the coolest theatre was the Paramount Theatre located downtown. It was majestic and almost palatial, with a brightly lit movie marquee announcing the Paramount was open for business. It had two screens, one larger than the other, that were the best movie watching experience in Lethbridge. Outside, on one side of the theatre was the “Paramount Smoke Shop”, which offered an amazing array of magazines, including anything to meet your tobacco needs. On the other side was a diner or lunch counter.
It really was an experience going to the Paramount.
The theatre was more than just a place to watch movies. The main theatre had an actual stage, so it played host to other events. The one I remember best was the Kiwanis Music Festival. I was in Grade 6 when our music teacher, Mrs. Sorge, took us to the Paramount. When the school bus pulled up to the building, you could hear this murmur throughout about how we’d all been to movies there.
This time, the lights never went to black. Instead, they stayed on, as we sat in those familiar theatre chairs. Wedged kind of in the middle was a table where the adjudicator sat, and offered comments after we finished on stage.
I remember walking up to the stage and thinking, “Where’s the movie screen?”
In the end, we exceeded all expectations, and finished second. Mrs. Sorge was thrilled, as were all of us.
On the ride home, I sat on the bus in the seat just behind Mrs. Sorge. She was talking in a low voice to one of the parents. Then she unfolded this piece of paper. I recognized it as the scoresheet. The adjudicator had not announced our score, just the winning score. At that moment on the bus, I got a peak at our score.
We finished second by one point.
College Cinema
The first movie I ever saw in the theatre was “The Three Musketeers”, and it was in the College Cinema. That was another interesting venue.
The first movie I ever saw in the theatre was “The Three Musketeers”, and it was in the College Cinema. That was another interesting venue.
College Cinema was located in the College Value Mall, but we all called it the Woolco Mall. It was on the very southern edge of Lethbridge at that point. The theatre was located at the far end of one side. During matinees, the mall was open and people could access it from all directions. At night, a good chunk of the mall was lockecd up behind a sliding door.
When you entered from that end, you actually had a bit of a walk because immediately to the left was a long grocery store.
The two theatre screens were much smaller at the Woolco Mall, but it give it an intimate quality when you were watching a movie.
Lethbridge Centre Cinema
The newest theatre was built just off the downtown, in the Lethbridge Centre Mall. We called it the Woodwards Mall.
The newest theatre was built just off the downtown, in the Lethbridge Centre Mall. We called it the Woodwards Mall.
The two theatre screens were accessible right from the street, In fact, if the line up was long enough, you’d go out onto the sidewalk running beside the theatre. The theatre screens were small here too, but it also made the experience more intimate.
Green Acres
I would be remiss if I did not mention the Green Acres Drive-In. It was actually located outside Lethbridge, just south of Woolco, and was an experience to behold.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the Green Acres Drive-In. It was actually located outside Lethbridge, just south of Woolco, and was an experience to behold.
I only went there a handful of times, but I remember them all. The first was a double feature of “When Worlds Collide” and “War of the Worlds”, with my Uncle Ed, Aunt Johanna, and cousins Nina and Carl. What struck me was the screen was so big, there was an entire playground underneath for us to hang out until this thing called “dusk” came.
The second time was again with Uncle Ed, Aunt Johanna, Nina and Carl. This time the double feature was “Hero at Large” and “Voices”.
Both times I fell asleep part way through the second movie – “War of the Worlds” and “Voices”.
It would be another six or seven years before I went back. I went a couple times with my friend and neighbour Mat. We saw “Conan the Destroyer” and “Goonies”. “Goonies” was rough, because it takes place mostly underground where the lighting is dim. I had a heck of a time trying to follow a movie about being in the dark while sitting in the dark.
The dawn of a new age
These were the options if I wanted to go see a movie in Lethbridge when I left home in 1987. When I left for university in Edmonton in the fall, this new mall was under construction north of the downtown Galt Gardens, in some old railyards.
These were the options if I wanted to go see a movie in Lethbridge when I left home in 1987. When I left for university in Edmonton in the fall, this new mall was under construction north of the downtown Galt Gardens, in some old railyards.
When I returned home from school at the end of April 1988, something had changed. Something was new. I don’t recall hearing it in advance, but maybe I did.
The new complex was called the Park Place Mall. It had two major anchor stores. It had managed to lure away Simpson Sears from its place in the Centre Village Mall on the north side of Lethbridge, and Eaton’s, which had been in its own building right downtown.
And it had a theatre. Not just a theatre, but six screens.
Instantly, the number of movies we could go see had literally doubled.
The theatres were much smaller, but that really didn’t matter because there were more movies.
It was a life changer.
Summer of movies
The summer of 1988 was the summer of movies. I had had such a good first year of university, I didn’t want it to end. Moreover, I didn’t really want to go back to the farm because it was lonely, isolated and I was beholden to my dad to borrow the car, twice a week max. I had decided pretty early on, that would be the last time I came home to the farm in the summer. I had to stay in Edmonton, around people.
The summer of 1988 was the summer of movies. I had had such a good first year of university, I didn’t want it to end. Moreover, I didn’t really want to go back to the farm because it was lonely, isolated and I was beholden to my dad to borrow the car, twice a week max. I had decided pretty early on, that would be the last time I came home to the farm in the summer. I had to stay in Edmonton, around people.
My best friend of the time, Chris Vining, had gone up north to work with his dad, but I had re-kindled my friendship with Bill, my friend and neighbour who was now going into Grade 12 in the fall.
He was my saving grace that summer, the person I hung out with.
Him, and the Cineplex Odeon Theatres that had come to Lethbridge.
Over that summer I saw a lot of pretty cool movies, including, “Die Hard”; “Young Guns”; “Sunset”; “Cocktail”; “Midnight Run”; “Willow”; “The Great Outdoors”; “Bull Durham”; and “Coming to America”.
I saw movies that summer in the other theatres, such as “Crocodile Dundee II” and “Red Heat”, but the Cineplex Odeon had become the place to go..
Parting thoughts
Those theatres in the Park Place Mall are still the place to go to see first run movies in Lethbridge. The complex is called Galaxy now, and I have seen a lot of movies there since. My niece Megan also worked there for a very long time.
Those theatres in the Park Place Mall are still the place to go to see first run movies in Lethbridge. The complex is called Galaxy now, and I have seen a lot of movies there since. My niece Megan also worked there for a very long time.
Interestingly, none of those other theatres exist in Lethbridge anymore. Gone are the two screen at the downtown Paramount Theatre; the two screens at the Lethbridge Centre, or Woodward’s theatre, and the two screens at College Cinema, or Woolco.
Yet, Cineplex Odeon prevails.
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