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Enjoy the whales on your last trip up the escalator at the World Exchange cinema |
There's been a disappointing development in the ongoing
campaign to save the movie theatre at the World Exchange Plaza in Ottawa. The
theatre, which is currently the last remaining multiplex in downtown Ottawa,
has been a point of discussion ever since Empire Theatres decided to pull out
of the movie business and left the theatre in limbo. Landmark Cinemas took over
the theatre (as they did the Empire 24 in Kanata) and expressed interest in continuing
their business at the World Exchange despite the fact that Empire’s lease was
up at the end of the year and that the landlord made it pretty clear that a
movie theatre wasn’t the WE’s ideal partner. New developments suggest that the theatre will indeed close at the end of the year.
The news comes from Marybeth in the Facebook group that was
started in support of a theatre at the World Exchange and has been running a
fine campaign to rally public support:
Hi folks. Just wanted to let you know that I have been informed that despite effort from both Landmark Cinemas and the landlord for the World Exchange Plaza, the parties are "unable to reach a mutually acceptable lease arrangement"… Given the time that has passed, this is not too surprising. The landlord will continue to look for a new tenant (which could include a theatre, though it is unlikely).
On the other hand, the controversy of the World Exchange
theatre raised some question marks about the upcoming Lansdowne cinema, which was
left without an owner following the Empire exodus. Potential buyers saw the
World Exchange as undesirable competition, since theatres within close proximity
would be competing for films. However, if the World Exchange is kaput, then
Lansdowne (which is already undergoing construction) might become more
appealing to a buyer.
Blah-ttawa might be a ghost town for a year or two, but now’s
as good time as any to say good-bye to the World Exchange and explore some
really great films that you’ve been missing at The ByTowne and The Mayfair. I
guess my last film at the World Exchange will be a screening of Alexander Payne’s
black and white Nebraska. That seems
ironically fitting.