TIME TRAVELLER: The grand opening of the Lonsdale Theatre

This photo was taken for the grand opening of the Lonsdale Theatre on Dec.  11, 1911. Located at 1545 Lonsdale Ave., the Lonsdale was the first purpose-built theatre to open on the North Shore.

The Express covered the opening of the theatre for the Dec. 15, 1911 edition of the newspaper. They reported that the theatre was “filled to overflowing with a good humored and admiring throng, most of the civic and municipal dignatories [sic] and their ladies being present.”

The orchestra played an overture to start the evening off followed by two “steady and interesting” motion pictures, the Ernest Fisher Players with the drama “The Devil,” and an operatic performance by vocalist Miss Grace Maynard. The closing act was Graham’s Miniature Circus where “an aggregation of cats and rats” performed circus tricks.

The Lonsdale Theatre closed in 1954 and the building was demolished in 1997.

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Currently, the Archives of North Vancouver at 3203 Institute Rd. in Lynn Valley is open by appointment only. Contact: archives@monova.ca