The Beacon Theatre’s digital projection system will be paid for by the end of July, thanks to the generosity of Lakes District residents and the region’s community-minded businesses.
Michael Riis-Christianson, president of the Lakes District Film Society said the society’s executive has voted unanimously in favour of repaying its $50,000 digital projector loan from the Bulkley Valley Credit Union.
“Initially, the earliest we thought we might be able to repay this loan was this fall,” Riis-Christianson explained.
“However, the success of our digital projector fundraising campaign, combined with better than expected revenues at the theatre, will enable us to retire this debt within the next few weeks.”
The Lakes District Film Society converted the Beacon Theatre to digital projection in December 2010 after its aged 35 mm system failed on start up. The conversion cost the society $104,000, $50,000 of which was financed by the Bulkley Valley Credit Union.
According to Riis-Christianson, the decision to convert to digital projection was the right one. “We could have repaired the old equipment, but we elected to follow the advice of veteran theatre owners such as the Salmar Community Association and go digital,” he said. “It was definitely the right thing to do.
