The Stanley.

My Mom and I had a tradition when I was little: she and I would take the bus to Vancouver on Boxing Day every year to watch a Disney movie at the Stanley Theatre. 


 I always felt like the theatre was playing that Disney movie just for us, like they waited until we arrived to roll the film.  It was one of my favourite things about Christmas and I think back to those trips every year on Boxing Day; most people think about sales, I think about Disney movies and the Stanley Theatre.

1991

The Stanley is an amazing theatre, but the coolest thing about it for me as a kid was that it had a balcony.  I mean, what's better than watching a movie from way up in a balcony, overlooking the rest of the theatre?  I never remember the theatre being too busy on Boxing Day, so we always had a great seat, and I'd sit beside my Mom and munch my popcorn and it was perfect.

The Stanley opened as a movie theatre in 1930 and played its last film, Disney's Fantasia, in 1991 before closing its doors to an uncertain future.  After almost seven years, the theatre was eventually (thankfully) renovated and re-opened as a playhouse and it is now a recognized heritage building.

2008

I remember feeling really sad that the Stanley had closed, even though by that time I was a self-centered, self-absorbed teenager who barely had time for my Mom anymore.  But the memories of going to the Stanley were some of the warmest, happiest and most emotive memories I had up until that point in my life and it was hard to imagine I couldn't go back to that place.  It was one of the first times in my life that I had that feeling of not being able to go "home" again.

I'm so glad that the Stanley has a new life and I would even love to go see a play sometime.  It will never be the same theatre I took the bus to with my Mom all those years ago, but that's alright since my memories of the Stanley have already made me start thinking about what Boxing Day tradition I want to start with my own kids.  

And the person who deserves all the credit is my Mom, since our Boxing-Day-movie tradition was all her idea.  Thanks Mom.

Images found online.