Why couldn’t Barnes & Noble convert this spectacular theatre to a book store as was done with the Alabama in Houston and the Runnymede in Toronto. What a great book store that would have made!
Yes, what a shame eh! Still can’t believe that they let the Capitol and Palace go either. Just think of what beautiful show houses they would be now like the Canon and Elgin are in Toronto. They could have complimented the new and modern Hamilton Place. Oh well, some cities don’t seem to care about such things. tsk tsk.
It’s one big theatre was rather large, must have been near 1000 seats. I saw alot of movies there when I was growing up before they added the 2nd screen. And even more when there were 2! I once lived in a highrise on the 18th floor at Islington Ave facing the Westwood. I could look out my living room window and see it and the parking lot and see how busy it was. LOL
The Westwood was one large single screener until they added on to the building and opened the Westwood Cinema in 1968. Then at Christmas 1980 they opened the 3rd screen by dividing up the original large screen theatre. So the former smaller Westwood Cinema became the large Cinema 1. I always thought that Cinemas 2 & 3 were too long and narrow. I wished that they had divided it sideways so that 2 & 3 would have been shorter and wider cinemas. They way they did it created 2 long “bowling alley” type cinemas.
Yes, ridiculous place for a condo. Wouldn’t fit in with the neighbourhood. A 4 screen Humber Cinemas would be nice. I think the locals would like it. They wouldn’t have to trek all the way over to the Queensway. And with all the new condos by Humber Bay and Windermere, they could just so up South Kingsway to the Humber.
Yes, they just opened up the London Westmount in May, 8 regular theatres and 3 VIP screens. I wish Empire would open something new. They opened the Bolton 7 a couple of years ago and are supposed to open a 10 screen in Markham. Maybe they should look at something in Etobicoke. With Famous Players gone, it limits the possibilities of new theatres. I always wished that they had re-built the old Humber in Bloor west village to a 4 or 5 screener. I like the way in Chicago they have old theatres like the Davis and the Logan that are still in the old neighbourhoods but are now 4 screens each. Or even the Century Centre there that once was a big theatre but now has shops in the old single theatre space and 7 new screens built on top and operated by the Landmark theatre chain that shows arty and foreign films. I’m glad that all of our old Festival theatres are now open again but they are all single screen.
Probably although Cineplex just finished a mini building boom having opened up several in the last couple of years including Silvercity Hamilton Mountain, Silvercity Oakville, Silvercity Fairview, Galaxy Brantford and Westmount 11 in London. They also have one under counstruction in Edmonton.
Yes, that would be great. There are sure not many cinemas in this area at all. I always wished that someone would build something in the centre of the old city of Etobicoke around where the Westwood is. Since that closed the only theatres in the area are the Queensway way down at the QEW or the Woodbine Centre up in the north end. Glad the Kingsway re-opened but that’s all in the area now. The former city of North York has 4 multiplex cinemas and the former city of Scarborough also has 4. Seems that Etobicoke got left out when all the new theatres were planned. At one time Etobicoke had the Sherway 13, Kingsway, Westwood 3, Skyway 6, Skyline twin and Woodbine Centre 8. I live right smack dab in the middle of Etobicoke so there is nothing really near me anymore.
The Yonge/Bloor/Bay area used to have more theatres than anywhere else in the city. The Uptown 5, Showcase Cinema, Towne Cinema, Plaza Twins, Varsity Twin, University, Cumberland 4….those were the days. Now it’s just the Varsity 12 and Cumberland 4. :–(
I just looked up their websites. The Crystal Blu is at 21 Balmuto St and the Uptown is at 35 Balmuto St. So, south of Bloor, the Crystal Blu will be the first building, the Uptown the next building. Too bad they couldn’t have included a new Uptown theatre somehow at the bottom of the Uptown condo, but alas Famous Players is no more, and Cineplex Entertainment already has the Varsity 12 across Balmuto St in the Manulife Centre. That is why plans for a new 10 screen multiplex by Famous Players at 1 Bloor E (if IT ever gets built) have been dropped by Cineplex.
As far as I know, the Crystal Blu is a different condo, both on Balmuto St. I haven’t been by lately but the Uptown condo is more or less on the site of the Uptown theatre itself. I think the Crystal Blu is north of that.
That IS the Uptown condos…the one that is at 5 stories…glad to know it is finally above ground. Yes, I agree with you….it took so long to sell the condos, they could have kept the Uptown for another few years but I guess they had to close since they weren’t going to make it accessable for the disabled.
Oh so many…but one of the last ones i ever saw there was Tomorrow Never Dies when it briefly became a discount house right before closing. I went there alot since it was about 10 min. from my house. Also went to the Skyline Cinemas in the Skyline Hotel (now Doubletree) alot too.
I agree. I liked the Sherway lobby much better than Queensway. All that space with the cafe right in the middle. And it was much closer to Sherway Gardens. I used to work next door at the Chapters, and often people would come in to the store before or after the movies.
I agree igoudge. Apparently the city will be building a new west end court house on this site. Just waiting for final approval. But you are right, would have made a perfect Rainbow cinema all these years!
Actually probably a perfect location for a restaurant considering it’s right on the airport strip with all those airport hotels and restaurants. It’s now a Jack Astor’s and Canyon Creek. Still miss it as a theatre though.
I like all the AMC “multiplex” theatres in the Toronto area. They are comfortable, have all the amenities and are not noisy, garish with that carnival atmosphere that the others have, especially the former Famous Players locations.
That’s a beautiful picture. But it’s actually the old Odeon Carlton which has it’s own site on Cinema Treasures and not the current Carlton Cinemas that is next door to where the original Odeon Carlton was.
Were the new additions added on to the north side of the original theatre? Towards W 2nd St.? Just trying to figure out from satellite shot which parts of the buildings make up the 9 screens.
Still miss these theatres alot. Wish they had been turned into a 2nd run house that Toronto sorely lacks but other cities have such as the Cinema City theatres in Winnipeg or Movies 12 in Edmonton. Still boggles the mind that no major theatre chain in Canada has matinee pricing before 6pm like most major chains do in the U.S. This 13 screen theatre was perfect for watching movies even though it didn’t have stadium seating. Would have made a fantastic 2nd run theatre at lower prices.
Any photos?
Why couldn’t Barnes & Noble convert this spectacular theatre to a book store as was done with the Alabama in Houston and the Runnymede in Toronto. What a great book store that would have made!
Yes, what a shame eh! Still can’t believe that they let the Capitol and Palace go either. Just think of what beautiful show houses they would be now like the Canon and Elgin are in Toronto. They could have complimented the new and modern Hamilton Place. Oh well, some cities don’t seem to care about such things. tsk tsk.
It’s one big theatre was rather large, must have been near 1000 seats. I saw alot of movies there when I was growing up before they added the 2nd screen. And even more when there were 2! I once lived in a highrise on the 18th floor at Islington Ave facing the Westwood. I could look out my living room window and see it and the parking lot and see how busy it was. LOL
The Westwood was one large single screener until they added on to the building and opened the Westwood Cinema in 1968. Then at Christmas 1980 they opened the 3rd screen by dividing up the original large screen theatre. So the former smaller Westwood Cinema became the large Cinema 1. I always thought that Cinemas 2 & 3 were too long and narrow. I wished that they had divided it sideways so that 2 & 3 would have been shorter and wider cinemas. They way they did it created 2 long “bowling alley” type cinemas.
I used to go to the Humber when it was single screen. Runnymede too. Well actually ALL of the Toronto theatres before ANY of them were divided. LOL
Yes, ridiculous place for a condo. Wouldn’t fit in with the neighbourhood. A 4 screen Humber Cinemas would be nice. I think the locals would like it. They wouldn’t have to trek all the way over to the Queensway. And with all the new condos by Humber Bay and Windermere, they could just so up South Kingsway to the Humber.
Yes, they just opened up the London Westmount in May, 8 regular theatres and 3 VIP screens. I wish Empire would open something new. They opened the Bolton 7 a couple of years ago and are supposed to open a 10 screen in Markham. Maybe they should look at something in Etobicoke. With Famous Players gone, it limits the possibilities of new theatres. I always wished that they had re-built the old Humber in Bloor west village to a 4 or 5 screener. I like the way in Chicago they have old theatres like the Davis and the Logan that are still in the old neighbourhoods but are now 4 screens each. Or even the Century Centre there that once was a big theatre but now has shops in the old single theatre space and 7 new screens built on top and operated by the Landmark theatre chain that shows arty and foreign films. I’m glad that all of our old Festival theatres are now open again but they are all single screen.
Probably although Cineplex just finished a mini building boom having opened up several in the last couple of years including Silvercity Hamilton Mountain, Silvercity Oakville, Silvercity Fairview, Galaxy Brantford and Westmount 11 in London. They also have one under counstruction in Edmonton.
Yes, that would be great. There are sure not many cinemas in this area at all. I always wished that someone would build something in the centre of the old city of Etobicoke around where the Westwood is. Since that closed the only theatres in the area are the Queensway way down at the QEW or the Woodbine Centre up in the north end. Glad the Kingsway re-opened but that’s all in the area now. The former city of North York has 4 multiplex cinemas and the former city of Scarborough also has 4. Seems that Etobicoke got left out when all the new theatres were planned. At one time Etobicoke had the Sherway 13, Kingsway, Westwood 3, Skyway 6, Skyline twin and Woodbine Centre 8. I live right smack dab in the middle of Etobicoke so there is nothing really near me anymore.
The Yonge/Bloor/Bay area used to have more theatres than anywhere else in the city. The Uptown 5, Showcase Cinema, Towne Cinema, Plaza Twins, Varsity Twin, University, Cumberland 4….those were the days. Now it’s just the Varsity 12 and Cumberland 4. :–(
I just looked up their websites. The Crystal Blu is at 21 Balmuto St and the Uptown is at 35 Balmuto St. So, south of Bloor, the Crystal Blu will be the first building, the Uptown the next building. Too bad they couldn’t have included a new Uptown theatre somehow at the bottom of the Uptown condo, but alas Famous Players is no more, and Cineplex Entertainment already has the Varsity 12 across Balmuto St in the Manulife Centre. That is why plans for a new 10 screen multiplex by Famous Players at 1 Bloor E (if IT ever gets built) have been dropped by Cineplex.
As far as I know, the Crystal Blu is a different condo, both on Balmuto St. I haven’t been by lately but the Uptown condo is more or less on the site of the Uptown theatre itself. I think the Crystal Blu is north of that.
That IS the Uptown condos…the one that is at 5 stories…glad to know it is finally above ground. Yes, I agree with you….it took so long to sell the condos, they could have kept the Uptown for another few years but I guess they had to close since they weren’t going to make it accessable for the disabled.
Oh so many…but one of the last ones i ever saw there was Tomorrow Never Dies when it briefly became a discount house right before closing. I went there alot since it was about 10 min. from my house. Also went to the Skyline Cinemas in the Skyline Hotel (now Doubletree) alot too.
I agree. I liked the Sherway lobby much better than Queensway. All that space with the cafe right in the middle. And it was much closer to Sherway Gardens. I used to work next door at the Chapters, and often people would come in to the store before or after the movies.
I agree igoudge. Apparently the city will be building a new west end court house on this site. Just waiting for final approval. But you are right, would have made a perfect Rainbow cinema all these years!
Actually probably a perfect location for a restaurant considering it’s right on the airport strip with all those airport hotels and restaurants. It’s now a Jack Astor’s and Canyon Creek. Still miss it as a theatre though.
I like all the AMC “multiplex” theatres in the Toronto area. They are comfortable, have all the amenities and are not noisy, garish with that carnival atmosphere that the others have, especially the former Famous Players locations.
Mine too Jon. Much classier than all the others, and a great location too!
That’s a beautiful picture. But it’s actually the old Odeon Carlton which has it’s own site on Cinema Treasures and not the current Carlton Cinemas that is next door to where the original Odeon Carlton was.
Were the new additions added on to the north side of the original theatre? Towards W 2nd St.? Just trying to figure out from satellite shot which parts of the buildings make up the 9 screens.
Still miss these theatres alot. Wish they had been turned into a 2nd run house that Toronto sorely lacks but other cities have such as the Cinema City theatres in Winnipeg or Movies 12 in Edmonton. Still boggles the mind that no major theatre chain in Canada has matinee pricing before 6pm like most major chains do in the U.S. This 13 screen theatre was perfect for watching movies even though it didn’t have stadium seating. Would have made a fantastic 2nd run theatre at lower prices.
Thanks CW, always wondered about that.
Was this theatre pronounced “SINstage” or “SIN-EHstage”??