Ridge Theatre closes its doors [VIDEO]

After decades of being a crucial part of Vancouver’s film scene, the Ridge Theatre is shutting down for good.

“It is very sad after 35 years,” says owner Leonard Schein. “Today is the last day of films here. It’s been a hard day for me so far.”

Schein has been with the theatre through the good times and the bad.

He says the time has finally come to say good-bye to the theatre along with hundreds of patrons whose lives it has touched throughout the years.

“People are really sad to see it go — people who had their first date here, or they were taken her as a child… a lot of people have a lot of memories here.”

The theatre is marking its last day with four showings – a mix of Dr. Seuss classic, two foreign language films, and Woody Allen’s ‘Midnight in Paris.’

“I’ve been going to this movie theatre since I was 12, so it’s very emotional today,” one woman told Global News.

“Maybe this theatre is just a cause to consider how many of our cultural institutions we are losing,” said another long-time patron. “Ultimately, the death of this one might be a bit of a shot in the arm for cultural institutions, and spark the debate in Vancouver about whether or not we just passively let development continue to overshadow some of the cultural heritage that we have.”

Schein says much of their memorabilia will be donated to theatres and organizations across the city.

The theatre’s stain glass window is going to the Cineplex Theatre, and the iconic doors will now be part of the auditorium at the Rio Theatre on Broadway.

The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture is taking the curtains, and Vancouver Planetarium is inheriting the ticket booth and popcorn machine.

“We hope to have items from the Ridge all around this city,” says Schein.