The York Theatre (presently called the Raja Theatre) is located at 639 Commercial Drive, between Venables and Hastings.

Timeline of efforts to save the York Theatre 

In 1981, Grandview-Woodland resident Tom Durrie was involved in a group called the Save the York Theatre Society.  The society produced a document, brought up-to-date by Tom, that provided a history of the York Theatre and included drawings of the original design of the 1913 theatre and a 1982 vision of what the restored York Theatre could look like.

In December 2006–January 2007, artist Jhayne Holmes led an effort to purchase the old York Theatre and turn it into a multidisciplinary arts centre and performance space.  She called the planned arts centre “Heart of the World.”  The plan was to have three types of arts programming at the centre: theatre, film, and music.  You can read about the Heart of the World project at its website http://www.foxtongue.com. 

The Heart of the World group put down a $48,000 deposit on 8 December 2006.  They were set a deadline of 15 January 2007 to raise $500,000, as a milestone toward the end goal of outright purchase of the Raja Theatre for $935,000.  Ms Holmes is reported to have raised the $500K, but not in time.  The purchase ended in limbo, with Ms Holmes seeking a proxy to purchase the theatre with the money she had raised.

The project received coverage from media including:

·         The CBC on 1 December 2006  (http://www.cbc.ca/arts/theatre/story/2007/01/12/raja-campaign.html).

·         The Georgia Straight on 1 February 2007 (http://www.straight.com/article-68153/news-from-the-art-world). 

In August 2007 or so, a Task Force, headed by Tom Durrie, was created to buy the old York Theatre.  The Task Force wants to seismically upgrade the theatre and restore it to its 1913 appearance, while also furnishing it with modern equipment.  Tom Durrie is the former general manager of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra.  Here’s some early media coverage from August 2007:

·         The Georgia Straight on 30 August 2007 (http://www.straight.com/article-107562/vancouver-playhouse-restruct-uring-raises-questions).

·         24 Hours on 31 August 2007 (http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2007/08/31/4459798-sun.html).  

Grandview-Woodland Area Council and Britannia Board (plus its Community and Cultural Development Committee) wrote letters in support of the Task Force’s plans in the Fall-Winter of 2007, as did many others.

In October 2007, the theatre was purchased by Vintage Development Corp. with business partners Small Favours Pictures Limited and 0805122 BC Limited.  These folks want to re-develop the site as townhouses, meaning demolition of the theatre.

On 6 December 2007 at City Hall, members of the Save the York Theatre Task Force met with the theatre’s new owner and representatives from the City Planning Department, Cultural Affairs, and the Heritage Group.

In a phone conversation on 11 December, Tom said that it’s the “overwhelming response” of people and groups that has put the York Theatre on the radar at City Hall and led to the Task Force having a meeting there.  Here’s some media coverage from January 2008:

·         The Georgia Straight on 10 January 2008 (http://www.straight.com/article-127667/notes-from-the-arts-world).

·         Vancouver Courier on 18 January 2008 (http://www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=b98aae04-a939-4bab-90bd-08ed2da49ed9&k=82167&p=1).

A web page about saving the York Theatre, last updated 18 January 2008, including contact information for coordinator Tom Durrie, can be found at the Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum (http://www.vancouverartsandculturesforum.com/category/york-theatre).

On 4 September 2008, an article in the Georgia Straight reported that on 27 August demolition began at the York Theatre, but Tom Durrie managed to obtain a stop-work order to halt the demolition. Durrie is quoted in the article as saying that "a well-known developer is negotiating to purchase the theatre from its current owner, Vintage Development Corp., and restore the venue.... [T]he developer is in negotiations with the city for density transfer credits in exchange for restoring the building."

At the 18 September 2008 meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets, an Administrative Report recommended that "the exterior and interior of the York Theatre, at 639 Commercial Drive, ... [has] heritage value meriting conservation" and that a 120-day protection order be issued. Council passed this by a vote of ten to one.   A video clip of this commitee meeting (53 minutes approx.) is available online.   Here’s some media coverage from September 2008 of Council's decision:

·         Vancouver Courier on 24 September 2008 (http://www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=e8346916-ed96-41a9-a0cf-fb3dc9d4120a).

·         The Georgia Straight on 25 September 2008 (http://www.straight.com/article-163353/york-theatre-gets-reprieve?).

At the 18 December 2008 meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets, an Administrative Report supported the idea of saving and restoring the York Theatre, but only supporting a density transfer of ⅓, leaving supporters of the York Theatre to fundraise the remaining ⅔ before the expiration of the theatre's 120-day protection order on 15 January 2009.   Council voted unanimously to support a full density transfer.   A video clip of this commitee meeting (122 minutes approx.) is available online.   Here’s some media coverage from December 2008 and January 2009 of Council's decision:

·         The Georgia Straight online on 18 December 2008 (http://www.straight.com/article-176943/council-votes-unanimously-save-york-theatre).

·         The Georgia Straight online later the same day (http://www.straight.com/article-176952/york-theatre-owner-still-threatening-demolition).

·         The Province on 19 December 2008 (http://www.theprovince.com/news/vancouver/City+offers+density+save+theatre/1093769/story.html).

·         The Georgia Straight on 1 January 2009 (http://www.straight.com/article-177764/density-bank-bloated).

·         Vancouver Courier on 7 January 2009 (http://www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=fd445b2f-3cc3-46aa-9119-b542ad15b087).

On 31 January 2009, Wall Financial Corporation purchased the York Theatre from Vintage Development Corporation for $2 million.   The previous owners paid either $960,000 in August 2007 (Courier) or $952,000 in October 2007 (the Straight) for the property.   Wall Financial plans to spend up to $12 million to restore the theatre and then turn it over to the City, in return for a density transfer and possibly other incentives.   After the theatre re-opens in 2011, it is to offer rental space at cost to community groups when the theatre is not otherwise in use.   Here’s some media coverage from February 2009 about the acquisition:

·         Vancouver Courier on 4 February 2009 (http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=8f76a506-728b-4aa3-bdbc-18fb3474f6bc).

·         The Georgia Straight on 5 February 2009 (http://straight.com/article-199643/york-theatre-revamp-revealed).

On 17 May 2011, Vancouver Council unanimously approved a Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) for 639 Commercial Drive (the York Theatre) at a public hearing.   Video clip of the agenda item.   Staff Summary and Recommendation (9 pages) and Policy Report (50 pages).   The agreement allows Wall Financial Corporation to transfer 106,000 square feet of heritage density to other properties in Vancouver owned by the company.   The theatre is expected to re-open in 2013 as a 365-seat live venue for theatre and music.   Here’s some media coverage from May 2011 about Council's approval of the HRA:

·         The Vancouver Sun on 19 May 2011 (www.vancouversun.com/news/playing+York+facelift/4808028/story.html).