Fenelon Theatre Marquee
Fenelon Theatre
Fenelon Marquee at the Chamber of Commerce Office - 15 Oak Street
Motion pictures first appeared in Europe in the late nineteenth century, and “talkies” (films with synchronous dialogue) quickly became the norm for Hollywood productions in the late 1920s. The Revue Cinema opened in Toronto in 1912, however, for a few decades, going to see a film was reserved for larger centres. Lindsay’s Academy Theatre began showing silent films around 1918, then talkies in the 1920s. By the 1930s it was primarily functioning as a movie theatre. Smaller communities could improvise to show films on a bedsheet in a community hall.
In 1948, Lou Consky opened the Fenelon Theatre—in a building constructed of bricks, along with concrete blocks that had been handmade by Mark Fell, Joe Gamsby and Milt Perryman. The theatre created an immediate sensation in the village—making it practical to regularly watch films. At that time, many families in the region did not have electrical service in their homes, and televisions were rare, though battery-operated radios were common—farm families had to come to town to get their batteries recharged. Many teenagers would go to Northey’s Restaurant (later J’n B’s) for a soda, then head over to the Fenelon Theatre to watch the latest show. As theatres opened across the country, feature films became international events and movie stars like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne became household names.
Almost overnight the Fenelon Theatre became a local landmark. At the time, only a minority of villages of that size had a cinema, and it became an attraction that local families looked forward to visiting. When farmers came to town on Saturday night, their kids dreamed of going to the theatre. Prominently placed in town, its “FENELON” marquee announced to many travellers from the north that they had arrived in the village. It was one of the most conspicuous buildings in town.
By the 1960s, most local families had a television and could watch broadcasts any time they wanted. Going to the show lost some of its lustre. In the 1980s, home videos became the norm, and Fenelon Falls struggled to secure new releases in competition with Lindsay and Kinmount’s cinemas. The Fenelon theatre continued to operate into the new millennium, but by then many preferred to watch movies in the comfort of their homes, while digital projection was becoming the norm. The Fenelon Theatre fell into disrepair and after the roof collapsed, the building was demolished in 2016.
On November 9, 2016, as news was spreading about Donald Trump’s first electoral victory, local volunteers were working with demolition company to salvage the Fenelon Theatre Marquee. The theatre used two 35 mm Century Projector Company, model C projectors, which served until the building closed, one was salvaged and is on exhibit at Maryboro Lodge Museum. Steve Gibson donated the marquee to the community, and volunteers raised the funds to ensure that visitors to Fenelon Falls could continue to be welcomed by the sight of a “FENELON” marquee—fronting the canal instead of the main street. On September 20, 2018, the sign was officially lit at the Chamber of Commerce.
