The Last Picture Show: Final day at Pitt Meadows theatre filled with sadness

Connor Wilson finished getting his ticket Sunday at Hollywood 3 Cinemas in Pitt Meadows when he took a moment to look at the piece of paper in his hand.

“I’m going to save this,” Wilson said. “Had a lot of good memories here.”

Sunday was the final day for the movie theatre, which shows second-run films at discounted prices in the shadow of the Cineplex theatre down the road – ending a 35-year run in the city.

Staff and patrons alike looked sad and wistful, with hugs all around and tears in their eyes.

Everyone in the lobby knew what the city was losing. Some didn’t want it to end. They were a few of the thousands of people who signed a petition to have the theatre kept open. But the current owner looked at the finances and decided it was no longer feasible and so Sunday was the final day.

A small-town vibe

For Pitt Meadows resident Sheri Blake, Hollywood 3 Cinemas has special meaning – it was the scene of her first date with future partner Alex McGuire.

They went to World War Z in 2013 and have been together ever since.

“This theatre is our go-to place,” Blake said. “I can’t believe it’s gone now.”

McGuire agreed, shaking his head.

“This theatre felt like a piece of small-town life,” he said.

The final group of moviegoers on Sunday included me taking in the Karate Kid sequel. The day hit especially hard because I was there on the very first day the theatre opened, way back in July 1990.

Yes, I am that old.

The first show

I am sharing my memories to re-introduce myself to Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows readers, who might remember me as editor of the now-defunct Times newspaper. But I am also writing this to honour the original builders of the theatre in Pitt Meadows.

It used to be called Harris Road Cinemas and it was created as a first-run theatre. Back then, there was no Cineplex theatre. Heck, there was no movie theatre anywhere close to Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Paul Bondar decided to fix that issue.

Paul was a school teacher in Maple Ridge who loved, loved, loved movies. He had a home theatre that blew my socks off, complete with a real projector and a screen that covered an entire wall of his home.

It’s hard to accurately describe Paul because I don’t know if there are enough words to capture just how charismatic he was in person. He was a force of nature and a born showman.

To him, he wasn’t just opening a movie theatre – he was on a mission to bring some magic to the community.

I was still in journalism school when the theatre opened, but had been working for the Times on weekends and after hours, covering elections, covering meetings, mopping the floors – anything my first editor Bill Marler wanted me to do.

Getting to cover the opening of a theatre was a dream assignment because I am a true cinephile.

People were pumped to see the opening weekend of Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

Not only would I get to cover the theatre opening, but I was hired to write weekly movie reviews, which included a free movie pass. For a struggling student journalist, this was a dream.

Harris Road Cinemas was a family affair, with Paul, wife Joanne, and kids Carin and Bill all working to ensure its success.

I reached out to Joanne for some background details I had forgotten, wondering if she knew the theatre would be closing. She did and said it was sad, but indicative of the times. She didn’t want to do an interview, but agreed there were “lots of good memories” that took place at Harris Road Cinemas.

There were so many amazing moments, but perhaps the best was when Jurassic Park (the original) opened in 1993.

Imagine the biggest movie of the year opening and Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows residents lined up around the block to see it.

A consummate showman

The atmosphere was electric and Paul was a big reason why. He loved to greet customers with that incredible smile of his and infectious laugh.

By that time, I was a full-time reporter at the Times, writing news stories and features. But nothing compared with writing my weekly movie review – it didn’t even feel like work.

Paul didn’t always like my reviews, but he was so charming about it as we’d banter back and forth about whether or not I was too harsh about the latest blockbuster.

My relationship with Harris Road Cinemas wasn’t always about work. My ex-wife threw me a surprise 30^th birthday party at the theatre with a special showing of Austin Powers. We also had a couple of birthday parties for our daughter Emily at the theatre, plus plenty of date nights.

Such good times.

They didn’t last, of course. Paul tragically passed away much too young and I was heartbroken at losing my movie buddy. Then Cineplex moved into town and the theatre moved to second-run movies.

After a couple of decades at the Times, I moved away for other opportunities, but since my doctor was still in Pitt Meadows (and my amazing daughter), I was back regularly. The first thing I ever look at when I come back to town is the movie theatre because it was such a big part of my life.

And now it’s supposedly going to be a dollar store.

Like the customer I met at the top of this story, I will also be keeping my ticket from that final day because there are few memories that run deeper than my time at the movies in Pitt Meadows.

Chris Campbell has worked in community journalism for 35 years. He heads up our Surrey Citizen publication and will be contributing stories for The Ridge. You can email story ideas to him at Hello@readtheridge.com.