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MEDINA THEATRE AND PICTURE GARDENS, Pace Rd, Medina

This imposing theatre and gardens was built on the northern side of Pace Rd for Medina Pictures Ltd., a company controlled by Joel Moss (of the Mayfair Theatre, Perth), Neil Robinson (WA Manager for RCA Photophone and also of the Regal Theatre, Subiaco) and Duncan Glasfurd. The gardens opened on 26 November 1954 and the theatre on 30 August 1955.

The building cost more than had been expected, and the population of the locality was not yet sufficient to support such an establishment, so it suffered a loss in the first year of operation, began breaking even towards the end of 1956 and made a small profit in 1957. But, under the impact of television, this recovery was only temporary, and the company, after making a loss in the financial year 1959-60, went into liquidation 31 October 1960. The gardens was sold and became the site for a new Post Office. But in those days of cinema depression, the theatre building was difficult to sell, so liquidation proceedings were drawn out over many years (not fully wound up till 1971) while attempts were made to find a buyer at a reasonable price. In the meantime, Robinson kept the company going with the proceeds of occasional hiring of the premises, including – at least in 1963-4 – occasional use as a cinema, though seating was reduced in the theatre from 800 to 450.

One tenant was the Police Boys Club, which in 1970 applied for permission to once again use the premises for the screening of films. The fate of the building became a major local controversy, but it was not again used for regular film screenings. It was demolished and a tavern built on the site: the new Medina Memorial Hall was built by the shire just next door, on the north-west corner of the intersection of Pace Rd and Harley Way.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -