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Rolling out the red carpet at the restored Westdale Theatre

The Westdale Theatre reopens on Thursday following a major restoration. Ken Mann

The Westdale Theatre roars back to life this week following a volunteer group’s $4.5-million purchase and restoration of the 1935 heritage building.

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A sellout crowd of 345 people will walk the red carpet on Thursday night for a Valentine’s Day showing of Casablanca.

Westdale Cinema Group’s Graham Crawford says their success is a result of community “goodwill.”

Crawford notes that they were able to fundraise the cost of the restoration with “no provincial money, no federal money — all of it from Hamiltonians.”

There are plaques on each of the theatre’s 345 seats to recognize people who have donated $250 or more.

The Westdale Theatre will primarily show films on its single screen, but there will also be concerts, plays and community events.

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Crawford says the opportunity to save the building while upgrading the picture and sound quality and showing movies in a space that looks like it did in 1935 was a “prime motivation.”

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