HISTORY OF THE ACADIA CINEMA COOP

A pictorial history of Main Street Wolfville's Acadia Cinema, from 1911 to present.

 

Background: Over the years the Acadia Cinema played an important role in the social life of Valley communities surrounding Wolfville. In the year 2000, the cinema closed. The closure was the result of several converging circumstances. Most importantly, Al Whittle, manager of the Acadia Cinema since 1953, retired. The owners chose to close the theatre rather than search for a new manager. But, in addition to its role as a first-run cinema, the Acadia had also hosted the Acadia Film Society and run its own popular Sunday matinee series directed to film buffs. The desire for cinema alternatives led to the formation of the Fundy Film Society in 2001. After searching for screening facilities for more than a year, the group rented space at the Empire Theatres in New Minas. The Society was a resounding success, growing from an initial single screening of 120 seats to three screenings of 174 seats per film in only six weeks. Bolstered by the success of the Film Society and realizing that the Acadia Cinema on Main Street, Wolfville, was again on the market, several area residents began to look at the possibility of reopening the facility. Their investigations resulted in the incorporation of the Acadia Cinema Cooperative Ltd. (ACC) to carry out the purchase and renovation of the building.

Concept: The redevelopment plan for the Acadia Cinema building proposed a comfortable 160-seat theatre, suitable for live performance as well as film. The Fundy Film Society would be the anchor tenant for the theatre. Local theatre and music professionals and community groups lent their enthusiastic support to the proposal as there were no comparable venues in the region. The lobby space for the theatre would be shared with a café, which would provide concession services for the theatre as well as a place to gather after performances. The rental of commercial space on Main Street and remodeled residential units on the second floor would provide additional revenues to support the operation of the building.

Share Offering: The Cooperative initially proposed that the estimated $600,000 needed to purchase and renovate the building be raised through a share offering taking advantage of the 30% Equity Tax Credit (ETC) program. This allowed a 30% nonrefundable NS income tax credit on the amount invested in the Cooperative. While ACC explored other funding sources, the cooperative believed that community participation through share ownership would be essential for the success of the project. The first major goal was the sale of 3,500 $100 shares by March 1, 2003. Individuals could purchase up to 10 shares in any 365 day period.

The Unfolding of the Plans Thus Far (2003 – 2006): The community response was, and continues to be extraordinary. From January 2003 to September 2006, the Acadia Cinema Cooperative has brought in approximately $245,400 in share sales and $19,500 in naming opportunities and donations. There are over 615 shareholders to date. The Fundy Film Society is the largest single shareholder. What follows is a rough outline to date. More details about the process and the generous on-going volunteer contribution made to the project are available in our Archives. If interested in the Archives, please contact Susan Hauer at 542-5157:

• Shares first went on sale in January 2003. Graphic designer Steve Slipp, with help from Ned Zimmerman, gave the new cooperative a logo.

• In March 2003, ACC formed an equal partnership with Just Us! Coffee Roasters and together made a 33% down payment on the purchase of the Acadia Cinema building (ACC’s share was $54, 688). In good will gesture, building owners, Ononette Investment of St. Johns, NB, offered an interest-free mortgage for the first year.

• Web designer, Heidi Priesnitz, volunteered to set up an ACC web site in late spring of 2003.

• Just Us! opened its new café in the old Acadia lobby in July 2003. A hard-working committee undertook basic renovations allowing immediate rental of the second floor apartment, and over the summer George St. Amour and Bill Zimmerman carried out demolition work in the theatre.

• In October 2003, ACC received a second Equity Tax Credit Registration for another ETC share sale period and the ten share limit was lifted and the deadline was extended to February 27. This share sale launched the Open The Doors! fund raising drive (early November to February 27, 2004 – full financial goals in Archives) to get Fundy Film into the new Al Whittle Theatre. As anchor tenant, Fundy Film would in turn generate income for the final phase of the project: to ready the theatre for live performance. Over $50,000 came in during this period.

• By March 2004, ACC and Just Us! refinanced the mortgage and ACC began discussions with the Town building inspector re: design and construction requirements for a building permit to commence reconstruction of a new lobby area (for an expanded Just Us! Café) and enough of a theatre for the Fundy Film Society to begin screening films. The Board mailed letters to potential contractors.

• With financial assistance from Kings CED (Community Economic Development) agency and ACOA (the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency), ACC created a business plan (July 2003 to February 2004) and successfully submitted a grant application seeking federal government assistance through an ACOA SCIF (Strategic Community Investment Fund) grant to underwrite capital costs. As of March 19, 2004, the grant entered the second application phase and with permission from ACOA, money spent became a part of a cost-sharing arrangement if ACOA approved the grant with an anticipated announcement by summer 2004.

• ACC issued bid documents to local concrete and general contractors to execute volunteer Bill Zimmerman’s design for the new theatre, and contacted interested interior designers to solicit their bids and concepts for the decor. After extensive discussions, by mid-May, the ACC Board and Just Us! had hired Denyse Karn to complete the interior design of the new lobby and theatre, and Ideal Projects of Hortonville as prime contractor for construction. The initial contract focused on the lobby area and structural work required for the theatre. As more funding became available, work proceeded to complete the theatre. Preliminary work began on May 31, 2004. Denyse made a model that served as a focus for a window display at the Acadia Cinema building thanks to Just Us! Café staff, Kyla and Frank. Board liaison to the project, Bill Zimmerman, kept the shareholders and interested people informed of the progress in an “Under the Hard Hat” web site column illustrated with a weekly photo (Archives).

• The Town of Wolfville approved ACC’s building permit and the Board applied for a new Equity Tax Credit Registration in June 2004. The Nova Scotia Department of Finance approved it and the Board announced a Summer Share Sale for June 15 to September 15, 2004 to complete the Open the Doors! fund drive.

• ACC Board began advertising for an arts centre manager for the new facility, to be hired in by the end of summer, 2004.

• In August 2004, the Town of Wolfville and Acadia University agreed to contribute $5,000 each toward the restoration of the Acadia Cinema building Marquee.

• And Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison announced that ACC had received a $316,000 ACOA SCIF Grant.

• The Board held final interviews with manager candidates and the hiring committee of Al Whittle, Isabel Madeira-Voss and Lay Yong Tan recommended that the Board hire Bob “Video Bob” Brown as the first manager of the Al Whittle Theatre.

• Throughout August, September and October 2004, a great deal of volunteer painting took place in the theatre and the lobby; the new seats arrived and were installed, the projection and sound equipment were fine-tuned, the screen and curtains were hung, the final contract work took place and the marquee restoration was carried out. Many hands contributed, but in particular George St. Amour came to ACC’s rescue at a critical moment.

• Fundy Film had to begin its autumn program in New Minas until the Al Whittle Theatre was ready. On November 7, 2004, the new marquee was lit and the Fundy Film Society screened its first film, Since Otar Left, in the Al Whittle Theatre. A formal opening took place on November 27, with a screening of one of Al’s favourites, Casablanca.

• Between November 2004 and spring 2005, professionals and volunteers continued work, focusing on the stage and stage lighting aspects of the theatre. A broad range of activities and events found its way to the new facility in a big way beginning in March of 2005 - an exciting start for Acadia Cinema’s Al Whittle Theatre!

This segment of ACC History is now concluded. New material will appear under Shareholder News as appropriate and will eventually be archived as History.