Coordinates: 45°23′40″N 75°41′03″W / 45.394528, -75.684072

The Mayfair Theatre, located on Bank Street in Old Ottawa South.

The Mayfair Theatre, founded in 1932, is Ottawa's oldest still active movie theatre. It is famous for its double bills (two films for a single admission price almost every evening), and for its tradition of screening the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Halloween (even encouraging audience participation, within reason). For many years, the theatre adopted a dual format, being both a second-run movie house (playing mainstream Hollywood, Canadian and international features several weeks after their release in first-run theatres), and a repertoire cinema (showing classic films). Its repertoire programming has largely been phased out in recent years, however, due to poor attendance (with the aforementioned exception of Rocky Horror).

Closure and heritage designation

In August 2008, media outlets indicated that the theatre would close effective 30 November 2008, the announced termination date of the theatre's membership programme. The City of Ottawa declared the theatre building as a heritage site under the Ontario Heritage Act on 8 October 2008, a designation which would prohibit outright demolition of the building. This status is subject to a 30-day appeal period.^[1][2][3]

See also

• List of Ottawa-Gatineau cinemas

References

1. ^ Willing, Jon (27 August 2008). "Historic theatre set to take final curtain call", Ottawa Sun. Retrieved on 2008-09-01. 
2. ^ Pearson, Matthew (29 August 2008). "One may close, one may open / Curtain falls on Mayfair, but new cinema in works", Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved on 2008-09-01. 
3. ^ "NR: Mayfair Theatre preserved with heritage designation". City of Ottawa (8 October 2008). Retrieved on 2008-10-10.

External links

• Official site