Saying the fate of the Lower Mainland’s last surviving drive-in merits “special consideration,” Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward won unanimous support from council for a review of options to keep Aldergrove’s Twilight Drive-In Theatre open.

At their Monday, June 26, meeting council approved a Woodward proposal for a staff review and report on the situation that called the drive-in “a vital attraction to the Aldergrove area.”

Woodward told council he recently met with the operators of the drive-in, who explained 16.8 per cent of their customer base is local, with the rest, more than 80 per cent coming from outside Aldergrove and Langley, making the theatre a destination that draws people from as far away as Vancouver Island.

“This business stands out in terms of how it is valued and the role it plays with tourism to the Aldergrove area,” Woodward remarked, describing the drive-in as “a great, unique destination” that should be preserved.

“It really stands out as something we need to do for Aldergrove,” Woodward said.

READ ALSO: Can the Lower Mainland’s last drive-in be saved? Langley’s mayor thinks it might be possible.

Councillor Kim Richter wanted to know if any of the options could include tax grants or moving to the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).

Township Chief Administrative Officer and City Manager Mark Bakken said staff don’t believe the drive-in would be a permitted use in the ALR, “so we would have to undertake a process whereby we’ve got a non-farm use approved.”

Bakken indicated a tax break would “likely not” be an option because the theatre is “a for-profit entity .. under the present ownership.”

However the CAO indicated that could change if a “not-for-profit or some other community group” ended up operating the Twilight.

“It doesn’t include us actually running the drive-in would it?” Richter asked.

“We cant rule out anything, but that would not be ideally the direction we would go in,” Bakken responded.

“I don’t think, economically, that would be a wise way to go, but ultimately that will be up to council.”

Meanwhile, an online change.org petition “Save the Twilight Drive In!!” had gathered more than 4,000 signatures as of Tuesday , June 27.

READ ALSO: Aldergrove’s Twilight Drive-In announces it will close

Twilight owner Jay Daulat announced the drive-in, the last one operating in the Lower Mainland, will be shutting down after the 2024 summer season, because of rising property taxes.

According to the www.driveinmovie.com website, the Aldergrove theatre is one of only three surviving drive-ins in the entire province, with the others being the the Starlight in Enderby, and the Park in Prince George.