Pantages Theatre (Vancouver)

The Pantages Theatre was a vaudeville and film theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Located in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. Opened in 1907, it later became a film theatre. Vacant after 1994, its roof collapsed and it was demolished in 2011. It was considered the oldest remaining vaudeville theatre in Western Canada. The building was demolished along with others on the street to build the Sequel 138 housing complex.

Pantages Theatre
The Pantages Theatre circa 1912
General information
TypeTheatre
Town or city144-156 East Hastings St., Vancouver, British Columbia
CountryCanada
Coordinates49.2811°N 123.1012°W / 49.2811; -123.1012
Current tenantsWorthington Properties
Completed1907
Inaugurated1908
Demolished2011
OwnerAlexander Pantages
Design and construction
ArchitectEdward Evans Blackmore
Other designersB. Marcus Priteca

It was built by Alexander Pantages in 1907.[1] The Pantages was converted in the 1920s to a movie house and operated under several names during its lifetime, among them the Royal, State, Queen, Avon and City Nights. It was a Chinese-language theatre named Sun Sing until it closed in 1994. It was left vacant until its demolition.[2]

The Pantages was listed on Heritage Canada's 2009 Top Ten Most Endangered Places List[3] and the Vancouver Heritage Register[4] as a heritage building. On 30 September 2008, Vancouver City Council refused the proposal to restore the 650-seat Pantages Theatre, and similarly refused the blackbox studio, art gallery, and 136 units of housing associated with the venture. After that, the entire half block was put up for sale. After the City of Vancouver rejected the renewal proposal the roof of the building collapsed due to the weight of years of water collection.[5] The Sequel 138 residential project of 76 condominium units and 18 social housing rental units was built on the site.[6]

A second Pantages Theatre was constructed in the same area at 20 West Hastings Street, beginning in 1914 but not finished until 1917-18 due to World War I. It was also known as the Beacon, the Odeon Hastings and finally as the Majestic. It was demolished in 1967 for a parking lot.[7][8]

See also

References
  1. "Future of Vancouver's Pantages Theatre in doubt". CBC News. October 24, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
  2. "Vancouver heritage theatre demolished". CBC News. April 8, 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
  3. Heritage Canada Top Ten Backgrounder
  4. Vancouver Heritage Register (Note: Since removed from register after demolishment)
  5. John Mackie (August 26, 2011). "Final curtain for historic Pantages theatre". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2015-09-01.
  6. St Denis, Jen (May 3, 2018). "Broken promises, but no fix, for Downtown Eastside condo building". Star Metro. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  7. Chuck Davis. "The Pantages in Vancouver". The History of Metropolitan Vancouver. Retrieved 2015-09-01.
  8. Vancouver History website, 1932 page
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