A few reasons on why Nelson needs to keep the Civic Theatre
By Letters to the editor
Editor, The Nelson Daily
(Mikaiya Austin of Nelson decided to pen her thoughts on why the Heritage City needs a local theatre to watch movies.)
How many people, no matter their age, could honestly say that they hate the movies? I am willing to bet very few.
A night out to the theatre can be magical, romantic, adventurous, emotional, and exciting. Visions of lives that are not familiar to us can be lived by everyone for an evening. An evening where one story is told yet hundreds of emotions are felt.
Some of my fondest memories have occurred within the walls of the movie theatre. My friends and I all packed into rows of the red cushioned seats, enthralled by not only the movie playing, but by the atmosphere, the night out, the popcorn!
Nothing feels better than walking to the theatre on a warm summers evening, the daylight slowly fading away. You are guaranteed to see at least a few friends or acquaintances in the winding lineup, and when the movie credits have rolled, everyone piles out into the already descended darkness of nightfall.
No matter what movie is featured, by glancing around one will always see the variation of ages all together to enjoy the same experience. This is not a scene not easily found.
From Grandmas to teenagers on their first date, everyone, and anyone is welcome to a night out at the cinema.
To think that this beautiful sense of integration and community is going to be lost is undeniably sad.
To take away the cinema is to take away Friday night. There is no where else that a movie can be watched with the actors faces expanded beyond realistic size so that your entire body feels as though it is in the story.
Nowhere else that a young couple, with the shyness of a first date surrounding them, can go to spend an evening together that is socially acceptable and enjoyable.
No where else that a swarming mass of teenagers can all lounge around a screen and enjoy a movie together, while of course eating copious amounts of buttered popcorn.
I will admit that I myself am a climber, and do indeed miss the convenience and enjoyment that the past indoor climbing wall offered our town. This feeling, however, does not trump my feelings in favor of the theatre staying a theatre.
Our community is an active, and outdoorsy one, and many argue that a climbing wall is needed to serve this part of the population. However, the majority of Nelson’s population are not active climbers, and thus building a climbing wall would be serving a minority rather than a majority.
In contrast, the movie theatre is always open for anyone, no matter their, age, physical ability, or interest. By changing the genre and movie every few weeks, the opportunity of enjoyment for each individual is increased.
A climbing wall, no matter its benefit to some, does not have the ability for this array of availability.
The youth of our small, and slightly isolated town, have limited options for activities on the weekends. People always seem to point out when teenagers are getting into trouble or just hanging around the downtown center after dark.
A movie theatre provides a place to go, an activity, something to do on a Friday or Saturday night that is deemed respectable by others as well as enjoyable by the kids themselves. No one can deny the benefits this offers to our community.
A night out to the movies is a classic night out for everyone, but especially for high school students. We can easily get to a local theatre, often without a car.
Hanging out downtown is not our first choice yet it seems to be our only choice.
A cinema experience is like no other. It is a shared experience. It is a place where we sit together watching and listening to one single story.
Moments and opportunities such as this can not be left behind in exchange for something so exclusive and specific. A community needs a place for all generations to be together.
This experience is a night out at our cinema.
Mikaiya Austin, Nelson, B.C.
