Inside Selkirk's Garry Theatre

© 2021, Christian Cassidy

I've written a lot about Selkirk's Garry Theatre in recent years, (you can read more about that here), but have never been inside the building. I got a tour last week courtesy of the its new owner, the City of Selkirk.

The theatre certainly had not been "mothballed". It was very good shape with all of the equipment, from the projector to fountain drink machine, intact and ready to serve again if called on.

The auditorium portion is what you would expect from a modern cinema with black fabric covering the walls and ventilation system taking up most of the ceiling. The only architectural detail of note, (like here and here), could be found in the lobby area which appears to have been built with poured concrete. (This makes sense as the only flammable items - water heater, concession stand, and projector room - are all located in this front section.)

One thing I noticed when comparing the building with the couple of 1954 fire damage photos that exist is that the lobby section of the building appears to have survived the blaze. Those architectural details, then, are likely original to the building.

The city will soon have public consultations to decide what to do with the theatre.