Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….……………....2
Problem……………………………………………………………………………………….......3
Vision and Community Benefits……………………………………………………………….....4
Inspiration………………………………………………………………………………………... 5
Main Objective and Conclusion………………………………………………………………......7
Sources…………………………………………………………………………………………...10

MATTHEW HUMPHREYS 1
Introduction
There is no doubt that the arts are a key component to an excellent life experience. The
arts are one of the things that brings us joy and are what define our culture. We are all fortunate
to live in Canada and in particular Brampton, Ontario, which is such a great diverse city. Hence,
we are privileged in becoming versatile in the performing and visual arts.
The arts are extremely important to ensuring the development of a grand future
generation. It is essential for the youth of today to experience real life events as opposed to living
online. Undoubtedly, there exists a substantial portion of Brampton’s youth population who are
already involved greatly in music, drama, visual and auditory arts. However, there are many who
are yet to discover their inner talents and capabilities in the arts if given the opportunity to do so.
Individuals who participate in the arts have the ability to build a résumé of transferrable
skills which will prove to be extremely beneficial to them later in life; especially when they
begin to venture out in search of a career. From becoming a great thinker and innovator, to a
concise communicator, acquiring these soft skills are key to building a more confident,
determined human being.
It is apparent that the restoration of Brampton’s iconic Heritage Theatre will be a lengthy
and costly task. However, this effort to gain public interest and commitment for the project will
be an overwhelming proof that it is needed for Brampton and the bordering municipalities.
Funding for the arts is paramount as the arts are key to inspiring greatness and creativity,
building a better community and above all, maintaining our culture and identity as Canadians.

Movie Night at Brampton’s Garden Square

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Problem
In 2006, the Heritage Theatre was closed down after the opening of the brand-new Rose Theatre.
According to Steve Solski (Brampton’s “Manager of Arts, Culture and Theatre” in 2010), “The city
closed the Heritage at that time because we didn’t need it anymore” (Solski, 2010). While this may have
been true in 2006, over a decade later in 2018, Brampton’s population stands at 584 400 citizens and does
not show any signs of slowing down in the near future. No doubt, there is a need for more entertainment
venues to occupy the public in Brampton.
As a professional musician with years of performing experience, I have played at many venues
across Ontario. However, when it comes to performing in my hometown of Brampton, it is very difficult
to find places to play! An issue I have observed is the Rose Theatre, apart from their city program recitals,
does not offer many opportunities for local aspiring small-time artists to perform their craft. To perform at
a venue like the Rose Theatre, you have to have an established audience and almost categorize yourself as
an elite act. On the other hand, how do you become an elite act when you are never given the chance to
display your talent and potential in the first place? I do believe that the Heritage Theatre would be the
perfect venue to facilitate the fantastic grassroots talent that exists in our community at large!
I understand that recently, Brampton has been creating many avenues and opportunities for locals
to perform and broadcast their talents; many of these events take place in Brampton’s Garden Square and
at Gage Park. The city and other independent organizations have been hosting live music events such as
‘Concert Series’, ‘Brampton On Stage’, ‘Monster World Mashup’ and countless others. Other public
events and gatherings also take place such as movie showings, public dance classes, and even Rogers
Hometown Hockey! However, many of these festivities only take place during the summer months, what
happens during the other 3 seasons of the year? If Brampton had a venue that could facilitate the arts and
many other festivities year-round, this would be a fantastic addition to the community at large.
The theatre has been left abandoned for over a decade now and it is apparent that no one knows
what direction to take with the property. According to an article published by the Brampton Guardian in
January of 2018, “17 developers have expressed an interest in redeveloping this property” (Criscione,
2018). It is imperative that they are fully aware of what Brampton’s public interest is, and that they factor
in the public’s ideas into their design proposals. I strongly believe that this is a crucial component in the
redevelopment process as it will help the potential developers avoid creating something that will not be
patronized when completed! It is also important to gain as much public interest for the site as possible to
prove to potential investors and developers that their time, resources and expertise are indeed worth it!
For over a decade, proposals and ideas have been submitted to no avail. It is time for the inaction
to cease, and for great progress to be made. So far in 2018, Brampton has seen many great strides in the
arts and it is paramount that the Heritage Theatre be included in these great endeavours!

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Vision and Community Benefits
Being that I am a young civil engineering student, I obviously lack the capital and ability to
mount this project alone. However, this current reality does not mean I cannot have a vision for what I
would like Brampton to become. I strongly believe that if I along with my local Members of Parliament
can garner enough public support and interest, those with the power and resources to take action will be
inclined to do so.
My vision for the theatre is for it to become a multipurpose entertainment centre, that would cater
towards live music, drama plays, stand up comedy and even to facilitate live guest speakers and seminars.
In addition, it would be fantastic for the theatre to be fitted with a screen to show films; many of which
are shown at the corporate theatres.
It is extremely important that the youth are given the chance to be creative, because through these
partaking’s, it is where they are able to experience life and the real world, building lasting relationships
along the way. Through these creative outlets, they will be capable of maturing into stronger individuals
by building a résumé of transferrable skills that can be applied to any job in the future.
For instance, an individual who plays in a band would have to become proficient in
communication for several reasons. The song writing process requires you as a musician to be receptive
to ideas when collaborating with bandmates. Playing in a band also requires you to practice and perfect
your craft prior to playing to a live audience where, ultimately your brand and product (i.e. your music) is
put to the test. Furthermore, you must be a good communicator as you need to be competent enough to
contact promoters and bookers in efforts of getting the band an opportunity to perform.
No doubt, if the Heritage Theatre is reopened, it will serve as a great entertainment hub and
ultimately, serve as an attraction for all people, old and more importantly, new faces, to visit the
downtown core. There is tremendous potential for local businesses to thrive since many people will
discover them, and in turn, patronize them.
If the theatre reopens, it will be a step in the right direction to fulfilling the vision of building a
better community, and above all, the best Brampton can be!

Portugal fans watching the World The Heritage Theatre: A potential venue
Cup games in Garden Square. to house similar festivities year-round,
rain or shine.

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Inspiration
Work for this project began during the summer of 2017 after reflecting on my past performances
at Brampton’s Garden Square years prior.
I was further inspired to hatch this project after witnessing and learning about the revamp of
several vintage style theatres in Toronto. The Kingsway Theatre, situated near the main intersection of
Royal York Road and Bloor Street West in Etobicoke, was the first venue that captivated me. My band
has a rehearsal space which is located close to the Kingsway and upon finishing practice one summer
evening, the flashing marquee lights immediately caught my eye. I decided to check out the Kingsway
and was so intrigued, I bought a ticket to view the film ‘Dunkirk’. I was very impressed with the theatre
as it paid attention to the small details. From the design of the lobby, to the employees dressed in special
attire (contrary to the typical corporate theatre golf shirt and visor uniform), the entire experience felt very
intimate; a concept I believe the corporate theatres and multiplexes fail to replicate.
After doing further research, I learned that an architect named Rui Pereria was the visionary and
planner behind the successful relaunch of the Kingsway Theatre as well as the Humber Cinemas. His aim
was to create a space where people could go to “change their life in way” (Pereria, 2011). He is a firm
believer that the theatres have the ability to bring people together and enjoy films as a community. He
states that, “Whether you go with your friends or by yourself, it’s all about sitting down, watching a
show. You might be with strangers, but no matter whether it’s a comedy or a sad film, there’s a vibe
there. You watch and enjoy together. People want a reason to go out from their homes” (Pereria, 2011).
In addition to Mr. Pereria’s projects, I learned about the relaunch of the Revue Cinema, located at
400 Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto. Built in 1912, it was the longest operating movie theatre in Ontario
until its closure in June of 2006. Upon closing, a grassroots community organization rallied together and
managed to get the right people involved to save the theatre and reopen it the following year in October
2007. The Revue is now operated by the not-for-profit organization called the Revue Film Society.
The Revue Cinema, Kingsway Theatre, Humber Cinemas, The Royal Cinema and The Fox
Theatre are all examples of perseverance and vision put into action; they serve as prime examples of what
can and should be done in Brampton! The idea of bringing a community together through the arts and
film is a concept that works and must be realized here in this great city!

Kingsway Theatre – 3030 Bloor Street West, Toronto

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 The Revue Cinema – 400 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto

Humber Cinemas (Formally the Odeon) – 2442 Bloor Street West, Toronto

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Main Objective and Conclusion
As stated earlier, I lack the resources and ability to launch this task alone, but if the right people
are persuaded, real change can be implemented!
My main objective is to act as a link between the public and any and all aspiring developers that
have a vision for the Heritage Theatre. For many years, no group has made any effort to reopen the
property. According to the Bramptonist news outlet, “In 2012…later that year the city released a “Request
for Expressions of Interest” to the private and public sectors, asking for proposals…that request fell flat”
(Mistry, 2017). This lack of interest is understandable; it would be irresponsible for anyone to invest in
creating something with no finalized end goal. Furthermore, it would be unwise to create something
without consulting the public as there is a greater risk of no one patronizing the finished establishment!
Using an online petition and making public presentations, my aim is to gain a formidable level of
public interest and support into reopening the Heritage Theatre. In addition, I wish to provide the citizens
with a platform for them to express their ideas and wishes for what the theatre’s new design should
include. Ultimately, I will be able to gauge the levels of support for certain concepts. For instance, after
collecting 25 000 signatures, 45% have expressed an interest in the theatre incorporating live music, 25%
for stand- up comedy, 30% would like to be able to watch films there. Once all of this data is collected, it
can be taken to potential developers and organizations who would be interested in developing the
property. By collecting and forwarding them this data, it shows the prospective developers that there is
indeed a great interest for arts in the City of Brampton and their efforts would not be put to waste!
In efforts to gain public interest and to serve as a visual aid for upcoming presentations, I
constructed a 1:87 scale planning model of downtown Brampton. 3D models and dioramas are a fantastic
way to immerse individuals into an environment, and to give them a better understanding of what you are
trying to convey to them. For example, the theatre is situated within close proximity to multiple transit
outlets; the Brampton Bus Terminal, the Zum Bus stations as well as the Brampton GO Train Station. The
average person may not visualize this. Thus, having the model to point to and display definitely can help
others understand that the Heritage Theatre is a piece of prime real estate.
The model was originally going to only feature the Heritage Block but I later decided to include
all the establishments on Main Street from Nelson Street to Queen Street. The display is 95% scratch built
using cardboard, styrene and a variety of different materials, photographs can be see below and on the
following pages.

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Sources
https://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/3072639-the-heritage-theatre-let-it-go-or-let-it-grow-/
https://www.toronto.com/news-story/34000-etobicoke-kingsway-theatre-reopens/
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMMKJK_Uptown_Theatre_Orangeville_ON

https://dufferincountyrealestateguide.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/day-339-of-365-the-uptown-theatre/
https://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/8100216-city-considers-options-for-heritage-theatre-
redevelopment/

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/881/photos/1376
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/23407
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revue_Cinema
https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2011/04/21/howell_dreams_of_moviegoing_glamour_as_the
_humber_rises_again.html
https://www.healing-power-of-art.org/benefits-of-art/

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2011/06/humber-cinema-returns-its-former-glory
http://bramptonist.com/city-poised-sell-off-heritage-theatre-block/

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