Hollywood 3 Cinemas closing its doors in Pitt Meadows

A beloved movie theatre in Pitt Meadows is closing its doors at the end of the month, and management is blaming the rising cost of rent.

Hollywood 3 Cinemas made the announcement on Facebook this week, saying June 29 will be its last operating day.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have not been able to renew our lease for the beloved theatre out of no fault of our own,” the theatre posted.

Manager Sarah Hargitt-Rowe says the theatre is not able to keep up with the rising cost of rent and they would have to make $30,000 a month to compete for the space.

“Even if we did accomplish that down the road, we still have a lot of overhead,” she said. “We still have to pay employees, etc., etc., so it’s tough to come to that decision, especially for the owner, because it is their baby. They’ve had it for 15 years.”

Hargitt-Rowe says the theatre’s landlord at the Meadowvale Shopping Centre, BentallGreenOak (BGO), is looking at replacing the cinema with a Dollarama. With the planned closure, Hargitt-Rowe says they will have to lay off staff and have also cancelled a planned wedding at the theater in September.

A petition against the closure has garnered more than 2,500 signatures online as of Saturday afternoon.

“Hollywood 3 Theatre has been a cornerstone of Pitt Meadows for generations, providing a beloved space where families, friends, and neighbours come together to experience the magic of cinema,” the change.org petition says. “For many of us, it is not just a place to watch movies; it is a cherished landmark where we have created countless memories with our loved ones.”

Local Rodolfo Assinger created the petition and is urging all of those involved in the decision to reconsider.

“This theatre holds memories and stories that bond this community together in a way that big theatres can’t,” said Rodolfo. “It became part of Pitt Meadows identity.”

Hargitt-Rowe says they’re thankful for the support and suggests the theatre should be designated as a heritage site.

“To see that the community is standing up and supporting us in the same way and trying to make a change so that we can stay here is just so phenomenal and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

We have reached out to BGO for more information on this story.

–With files from Emma Crawford.