Calgary's Grand Theater may be on its last days

Calgary's oldest theater is in danger of closing.

The Bolshoi Theater celebrated its 112th birthday two days ago, but today its chief executive says its days are numbered after a tentative deal with the landlord fell through.

Opened in 1912, the Grand has been the cultural center of Western Canada for most of its life.

“It was a place,” said historian Don Smith.

“It was our performing arts center. It happened.”

Smith wrote a book about the Grand and was deeply affected by the news that he might be forced to close it.

“It makes me sick to think of a relic of our golden days (like this) and it's very sad,” Smith said.

“This is very sad news.”

The Grand was sold three years ago.

Its executive director was working on a deal with a new landlord to keep it in business, but that deal fell through a few weeks ago.

“We are shocked and appalled,” Grand Theater CEO Erin Lyster said.

Lyster says the Grand, which hosted the likes of Fred Astaire, Paul Robeson and Groucho Marx in its century-long existence, may be seeing its last days.

“If nothing changes, we will be closing our doors this year,” Lister said.

The Bolshoi Theater celebrated its 112th birthday two days ago, but today its chief executive says its days are numbered after a tentative deal with the landlord fell through.

This is not the first time that the future of the Grand has been discussed.

A massive show of community support in the 1990s saved it and the Lougheed Building it housed.

The building itself is a historic site, but this does not guarantee that the theater will survive now.

“We really want to preserve the history and heritage here,” Lyster said.

“I think it's indispensable.”

For Smith, who thinks deeply about the meaning of historic buildings, the loss of the Grand pierces the heart of Calgary's history.

“I think it's important that theater stays because it's a sense of who we are. It's who we are. And what was our history? We didn't bother to celebrate it or notice it,” Smith said.

Grand management says it will continue to operate the theater as long as it can, but doesn't know how long it will be until the last act at Calgary's oldest performing arts center.

CTV has reached out to the building's owner, Allied Real Estate Investment Trust, for comment, but has yet to hear back.