The Columbia Theatre was opened in 1927, with the movie Swim, Girl, Swim starring Bebe Daniels. The walls and ceiling of the interior were painted with a mural depicting a garden wall and trellis, roof tops with clouds and twinkling stars above, giving theatre goers a sense of being in a Spanish garden. Television eroded the entertainment market, and the theartre closed in the mid-1980's.
In 1987 it was purchased by a local group, and in 1996 The Raymond Burr Performing Arts Society, a New Westminster not-for-profit orgainization acquired an option to purchase the building.
The Centre will offer a performance hall with seating for 650 people, a display in a museum of Raymond Burr's memorabilia, rehearsal and teaching space, a tapas bar and cafe and other features to make this a successful and popular venue. Regular performances, events, arts and cultural exhibits will be open to the general public.
The Raymond Burr Performing Arts Society is currently raising funds to secure the purchase of the building and establish an operating vision for the Centre. You can be a "founding member" for C$100 a year, or a regular member for C$25 a year. Contact them c/- P.O. Box 2078 New Westminster, B.C. V3L 5N8, Canada or phone (604) 524-4996, or email them.
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