The Capitol Annex Theatre is officially open in the Battlefords. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Tyler Marr

THE BIG SCREEN

Capitol Annex ready to captivate moviegoers with four new screens

Mar 28, 2019 | 8:10 PM

After years of talk and nearly 12 months of watching it rise, the Capitol Theatre’s new cinema is ready to light up the big screen in North Battleford.

Known as the Annex, the downtown build has brought eager anticipation to the city’s moviegoers ever since February 2017, when Magic Lantern Theatres announced it was purchasing property in the city to construct a new theatre.

The city sold the land to Magic Lantern for $1 and, in accordance with its original agreement, the city will build a 50 to 60-stall parking lot in the northwest of the property.

Theatre Manager Ursula Swindler was all smiles discussing the new four-screen property, welcoming the added movie houses and what it will offer the city.

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“The community has been so great coming to the Capital Theatre and supporting us with the one theatre,” she said.

Swindler is equally excited for the new party room, able to accommodate birthdays and special events.

Calling the heart of downtown home, Swindler believes the theatre will have a positive spin-off effect on surrounding businesses.

“We want to work to bring people downtown again,” she said. “We want people to park and go have something to drink and eat and come watch a movie, or go watch a movie and then go have something to eat or drink. There is a lot of opportunities here.”

The Annex officially opens to the public Friday night with a full run of films on tap; Dumbo, Captain Marvel, Isn’t It Romantic, Five Feet Apart, and Wonder Park.

MURAL MAGIC

Those entering the Annex are immediately greeted with massive wall murals, filling the inviting foyer that comes courtesy of vaulted ceilings and floor to roof windows.

Behind them is Fred Harrison, a New Brunswick artist who has painted for over 50 years.

After meeting Magic Lantern’s president Tom Hutchinson 20 years ago, he has trekked from Ontario to Alberta, decorating the interior of every new cinema the Edmonton-based theatre chain has launched.

Inside the Annex are three works of art that Harrison spent the last month meticulously researching and painting.

In the foyer, the piece tells the tale of the past century of the region, speckled with the Treaty Six flag, buffalo, a train, grain elevator, and wide racial and religious representation of the area’s population. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

In the foyer, the piece tells the tale of the past century of the region, speckled with the Treaty Six flag, buffalo, a train, grain elevator, and wide racial and religious representation of the area’s population.

Further into the building is a sports-themed mural, showcasing the Battlefords North Stars, the North Battleford Beavers baseball team and the Saskatchewan Rush.

Further into the building is a sports-themed mural. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

High above the entrance of the four theatres themselves is a vast piece showcasing the communities architectural history and heritage buildings.

High above the entrances to each of the four theatres themselves is a vast piece showcasing the communities architectural history and heritage buildings. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Hidden among the drawing is the post office without a clock face, as the image Harrison was provided showed the building in its 1913 glory, prior to the clock’s arrival in the 1920s.

Despite enchanting the walls of theatres for the past two decades, Harrison said it continues to bring him joy.

“I have always loved movies and the magic of the theatre. It is still there. I have this anticipation and excitement to being part of it,” he said. “I love old theatres and I try to put a bit of flavour into the new ones.”

Three local Indigenous artists also helped him with the motifs in the foyer.

—

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr