Township of Langley mayor calls on council to help save Twilight Drive-In
Posted June 27, 2023 2:32 pm.
Last Updated June 27, 2023 6:59 pm.
The Lower Mainland’s last drive-in movie theatre may not be closing after all, as councillors in the Township of Langley are looking at saving the Twilight Drive-In.
Mayor Eric Woodward says he met with the operators of the drive-in, and says he discovered how important it is to the local economy.
“16.8 per cent of their customer base is Langley-Aldergrove. That means over 80 per cent comes from the region. From Abbotsford to Vancouver to Chilliwack, and even as far away as Vancouver Island,” he said.
Earlier this month, the owners said a huge spike in property taxes was the main reason why the drive-in was going to close at the end of the 2024 season.
“It is with heavy heart that we announce today that next season will be the last for the drive-in. Due to a 260% increase in property taxes over the last 3 years, and with 72% this year alone, our landlord has informed us that they will not be renewing our lease,” the theatre posted on Facebook.
Related article: Metro Vancouver’s last drive-in theatre closing
But in a meeting Monday, council asked staff to come up with some possible ways to give the business a break.
This isn’t the first business to close its doors due to high fees, but Woodward says this case should have “special consideration.”
“To me, this stands out as a great, unique destination for Aldergrove and merits some special consideration, within the bounds of not setting a precedent of helping a business,” he said, noting there’s nothing that Aldergrove could do about Twilight’s property tax situation.
Coun. Kim Richter was cautious about the potential intervention, saying, “Just want to make sure that we’re not going to be setting any precedents here for one particular business that we might have to carry through for all businesses.”
Ultimately, council has asked staff to see what its options are but it’s unclear if the theatre will be saved.
“I think it really stands out as something we need to do for Aldergrove,” he said. “The people that have expressed how much they care and value this is as a part of Langley, so I certainly want to do this, and…hopefully, the only precedent it sets is that we care — and we get things done,” he said.
With files from Emily Marsten and Sarah Chew
