The Fenelon Theatre Opened, 1948
In the 1950s and 1960s, a night out at the Fenelon Theatre was much anticipated event for local families. It often involved stopping in for a treat at Northey’s Restaurant (later J’n B’s), which was located on the opposite side of Colborne Street. With a soft drink and popcorn in hand, families would settle in to watch favourite entertainers like Ma and Pa Kettle, Elvis Presley, and Audrey Hepburn. In a generation when most families did not have television, it was exciting to be able to see a motion picture. “Can you imagine the line-up when the theatre opened?,” Donna Logan recalls.
In 1948, Lou Consky and his father Abe commissioned the Fenelon Theatre—they also owned theatres in Minden and Haliburton. Mark Fell, Joe Gamsby, and Milt Perryman constructed the theatre using brick and handmade concrete blocks. In its early years, high school students often went to the show several nights a week. However, by the late 1960s many families were buying televisions. Early TVs were typically small, black and white, with limited viewing options. Into the 1990s, going to the theatre had a video and sound quality that could not be matched at home. Plus, visitors got to spend time with their friends.
In the twenty-first century, home theatres became commonplace, and with the streaming services available today, operating a theatre has become a challenging business. Long after the theatre had ceased to be an everyday outing for Fenelon Falls residents, it remained a local landmark. Its prominently located marquee was one of the most striking symbols of the village. In 2016, when the building was demolished, Steve Gibson donated the sign back to the community. Today, the sight of a Fenelon Theatre Marquee continues to welcome visitors to the village, after a group of dedicated volunteers found a new home at the Chamber of Commerce, creating as much of a landmark for the boats passing through the Fenelon Canal.
