Home » Analysis & Comment » Return of the drive-in theatre? A group in High River hopes so
Return of the drive-in theatre? A group in High River hopes so
06/04/2019
A group in High River is hoping to relive some of the glory days of the drive-in theatre.
“It’s just part of our culture, especially our generation. We all loved it,” Jeff Langford said.
Langford is the president of the River City Classics Car Club and a local resident.
He and two other men, Roger Hamel and Wes Shaw, have already purchased a mobile high-tech projector and an FM transmitter. Along with others from the club, they are now working on getting a screen and the land to put it on.
New projector bought for proposed drive-in theatre in High River
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They have their sights set on a five-acre section of land behind the agricultural society’s property on the town’s northwestern boundary.
The site would accommodate about 200 vehicles on any given night.
The club doesn’t expect to make much money from the venture.
The idea is to open the drive-in to charities to host, with half of the proceeds going to those charities and the other half to pay for the equipment and improvements on the site.
“We’re certainly not doing this as a business venture,” Roger Hamel said. “Our plan is to give 50 per cent of the revenue right back into charity.”
It’s also hoped the drive-in will help drive more economic activity into the area.
High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass hoped so too.
“Whenever you’re doing an event that will bring outside people closer to town — maybe they go to the drive-in, maybe they zip into town for supper beforehand — all of those things are just little pieces that mean a lot to the businesses.”
The response from the community and surrounding areas has already been huge. The group expects it will have to sell tickets online to control the number of people who want to come and check it out.
There will also be a few other changes from traditional drive-in theatres. There are no plans for a concession stand. Instead, the group is looking at letting food trucks set up.
And entry will be different from in the past.
“Back in the day, you used to charge a car rate and then people would pack the trunks. We’d like to do a per-person, probably,” Langford said.
Langford will be presenting to High River Town Council on June 10, hoping to get the lease for the site approved.
Parcel of land proposed for drive-in theatre in High River
The group hopes to start by playing movies in the next month or so and added it’s about more than entertainment.
“You put the cellphone away, you watch a movie, you’re all in a car, you communicate with each other,” Langford said. “It’s something that’s needed, I think.”
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Home » Analysis & Comment » Return of the drive-in theatre? A group in High River hopes so
Return of the drive-in theatre? A group in High River hopes so
A group in High River is hoping to relive some of the glory days of the drive-in theatre.
“It’s just part of our culture, especially our generation. We all loved it,” Jeff Langford said.
Langford is the president of the River City Classics Car Club and a local resident.
He and two other men, Roger Hamel and Wes Shaw, have already purchased a mobile high-tech projector and an FM transmitter. Along with others from the club, they are now working on getting a screen and the land to put it on.
New projector bought for proposed drive-in theatre in High River
Related
Cars for the drive-in theatre
They have their sights set on a five-acre section of land behind the agricultural society’s property on the town’s northwestern boundary.
The site would accommodate about 200 vehicles on any given night.
The club doesn’t expect to make much money from the venture.
The idea is to open the drive-in to charities to host, with half of the proceeds going to those charities and the other half to pay for the equipment and improvements on the site.
“We’re certainly not doing this as a business venture,” Roger Hamel said. “Our plan is to give 50 per cent of the revenue right back into charity.”
It’s also hoped the drive-in will help drive more economic activity into the area.
High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass hoped so too.
“Whenever you’re doing an event that will bring outside people closer to town — maybe they go to the drive-in, maybe they zip into town for supper beforehand — all of those things are just little pieces that mean a lot to the businesses.”
The response from the community and surrounding areas has already been huge. The group expects it will have to sell tickets online to control the number of people who want to come and check it out.
There will also be a few other changes from traditional drive-in theatres. There are no plans for a concession stand. Instead, the group is looking at letting food trucks set up.
And entry will be different from in the past.
“Back in the day, you used to charge a car rate and then people would pack the trunks. We’d like to do a per-person, probably,” Langford said.
Langford will be presenting to High River Town Council on June 10, hoping to get the lease for the site approved.
Parcel of land proposed for drive-in theatre in High River
The group hopes to start by playing movies in the next month or so and added it’s about more than entertainment.
“You put the cellphone away, you watch a movie, you’re all in a car, you communicate with each other,” Langford said. “It’s something that’s needed, I think.”
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