Disappointed Pitt Meadows residents are trying to save the independent Hollywood 3 Cinema in their city.
The theatre announced last week that June would be its last month in operation after 15 years, sparking residents to try and keep the second-run theatre.
Rodolfo Assinger started a petition in that has more than 3,000 signatures in a week. It is titled Save Hollywood 3 Theatre in Pitt Meadows.
"For many of us, it is not just a place to watch movies; it is a cherished landmark where we have created countless memories with our loved ones. This small yet vibrant theatre, with its unique charm and character, has been an integral part of our community, offering entertainment and joy to all ages," he writes.
"The theatre鈥檚 closure would mean more than losing a business; it would mean losing a part of our town's identity and soul."
There are close to 100 comments on his petition page, where people talk affectionately about what the theatre means to the city, and their preference that it not be replaced by a discount retailer.
Amy-Lyn Shaw took her students with the Pitt Meadows Shotokan Karate club to a year-end party there, and they played the original Karate Kid movie for the club. Shaw took videos of the kids doing the "indefensible" crane kick, from the movie's climactic scene, outside the theatre.
"When my kids were little we would do birthday parties there," she said of the theatre, adding it was an affordable place to entertain her family when she was a single mother raising them in Pitt Meadows.
Second-run theatres get movies after they have had a run in mainstream cinemas, and allow admission at a discount 鈥� $6 for adults and $5 for children, seniors and on matinees at Hollywood 3. Tuesday admission is $3 for everyone.
"I'm really sad, but I don't think there's anything we can do to stop it," said Shaw.
Owner Moby Amarsi said his business has never rebounded after the Covid-19 pandemic. Most movie buffs have streaming services, so at the same time as second-run theatres are starting to screen movies, many are also available on Netflix and other apps.
He has been forced to close theatres in Surrey and Duncan already.
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