BU buys Strand Theatre

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/12/2016 (3362 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Strand Theatre, which has sat vacant since closing in 2005, has a revitalized future thanks to Brandon University.

Landmark Cinemas sold the former movie theatre, which is turning 100 years old in 2017, to BU for a bargain price of $1.

“It really represents Landmark Cinemas’s commitment to the community, as well as their willingness to engage with the university and be a partner,” BU president Gervan Fearon said. “It’s a really positive development for the university to get a footprint in downtown Brandon … to be a part of the downtown revitalization initiative that’s been spearheaded by the city and Renaissance Brandon.”

Brian McIntosh, executive chairman of Landmark Cinemas, said in a statement he is pleased to have found a solution for the property that works for everyone.

“Landmark Cinemas has been entertaining the moviegoers of Brandon and district since the 1970s, and in a small way this is our opportunity to give back,” McIntosh said. “We will watch, with great interest, what new plans Brandon University has in store for this site.”

The university doesn’t have any concrete plans for the space as of yet, other than to complete an engineering analysis of the building, Fearon said.

“The building has been sitting vacant for quite some time and unfortunately buildings from that time period deteriorate … we’ll have to take a very careful look at the engineering report and see what the options are for the building,” Fearon said.

“We’ll have consultations with students, faculty and staff. Already our students have … made mention of the need for student housing. We’ll pay attention to that as well as what faculties come forward with.”

One major consideration BU must take into account is the financial viability of the options, Fearon said, whether that be looking at options that would be self-sustaining or open to partnering with the community.

But with BU showing some record enrolment numbers over the last year — a seven per cent growth in enrolment throughout the university and a 30 per cent growth in enrolment at the graduate level — the time couldn’t be better to start expanding the campus, said Fearon.

“To have that growth not only benefits the university, but also the entire city and community at large,” Fearon said. “As a university within a city of 50,000 (people) … we have a responsibility to look at how our growth can benefit the city and how we can support and be complementary to downtown revitalization and downtown growth.”

Bringing a new demographic of the population downtown, like students, can be a game changer for the city, said Elisabeth Saftiuk, executive director of Renaissance Brandon.

“A university presence in the city’s core would be absolutely transformational downtown,” Saftiuk said. “This is likely the most exciting opportunity that the downtown has seen, just based on the possibility of change this could bring. It’s a perfect fit, it will bring new people, new amenities, new services and without a doubt, it will breath new life into downtown.”

More announcements regarding The Strand Theatre should come in the next couple of months, Fearon said.

“We’ll try and see if we’re ready at that time to come up with some plans and give a better sense of direction,” he said.

» edebooy@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @erindebooy