In the heart of downtown Coleman’s National Historic Site in Crowsnest Pass rests the Roxy Theatre, a significant cultural venue built in 1948 was vacated in 2003.
The Roxy Theatre’s classic facade features aluminum cladding, brickwork, and a neon marquee sign. The Quonset style auditorium has seating for 250 and space for a large movie screen and stage.
The vacant historic Roxy Theater was threatened with demolition in 2019. Recognizing the heritage value and potential of the building, the volunteers of the Crowsnest Historical Society and the Crowsnest Cultural and Recreation Society (Cando) embarked on saving the building in 2020. Through a successful community fundraising campaign, the Roxy was purchased by Cando in January of 2021 with the vision of restoring it as a multi-use performing arts centre. It was designated an Alberta Provincial Historic Resource in 2022.
The Roxy Theatre has played an integral role in the cultural life of the community of Coleman as a performance centre and movie theatre. It is an iconic, historic landmark building and one of three surviving Quonset style theatres in Canada. Its restoration will see those heritage values maintained for future generations.
This listing was uploaded by the National Trust for Canada, on July 8, 2024. Please confirm details at the site’s own website before planning your visit. Are you the owner/operator of this historic place? Would you like to make changes to this listing? Please contact us at historicplacesday@nationaltrustcanada.ca
The Roxy Theatre, erected in 1948 on Coleman’s main street, emerged as a vibrant hub for entertainment following the destruction of the original opera house in a fire. Renowned for its impeccable acoustics and timeless design, the Roxy stands as one of only three surviving Quonset style theatres in Canada. The project aims to refurbish this historic landmark into a multi-use community performing arts center, accessible to the public and managed as a social enterprise.
