Fundraising expands to save the Towne Theatre

Jan 28, 2021 | 12:55 PM

Theatres and other entertainment venues have been hard hit by the COVID-19 restrictions, and Vernon’s historic Towne Theatre is at risk of shutting down.

Some Vancouver theatre venues have converted into bars in order to stay open under the public health orders.

“After 20 years of running our beloved family business, and a couple more decades before that running other movie theatres, we have made the decision to retire from the movie business,” owner Gerry Sellars announced in late December.

The Sellars family offered to turn the theatre over to the non-profit Okanagan Screen Arts Society (OSAS) and donate the equipment for them to run it.

In order for the society to save the theatre, the group needs to raise at least $75,000. A GoFundMe campaign has raised just over $13,000 as of Jan 28, 2021.

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There are also opportunities to make private and corporate donations, and sponsorships. To find out more about donating, please click this link.

The society has also announced a series of perks for those donating to the fundraising campaign.

The OSAS has raised significant funds within the organization and from public grants, but they are looking to do some large renovations/upgrades to the building and will be looking to complete to the venue.

The society is entirely volunteer run and operated, and has been hosting successful weekly Arts events at the Towne Cinema for several years.

The Towne Theatre originally opened in 1929 as dance hall, and converted into a movie house in 1938.

by Kevin Rothwell

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