After four and a half months of darkness, the big silver screen in Barrie’s south end will be lighting up with moving pictures once again Friday.
“We’ve used this time… to ensure that everyone’s going to be safe,” said Barrie native Sarah Van Lange, who is executive director of communications for Cineplex.
Galaxy Cinemas Barrie is among the 25 theatres across Ontario to welcome back movie-goers just in time for the long weekend.
The theatres will reopen showing the films that were being featured on the big screen when the COVID-19 pandemic forced their closure in March. A healthy staple of some of the classics are also being thrown into the mix.
Titles include: Beauty and the Beast, Jaws, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Invisible Man, Bloodshot, Sonic the Hedgehog, My Spy, Jurassic Park, Gravity, and Jumanji: The Next Level.
The best part is the cost: $5, or $2.99 on Tuesdays, at least while filmmakers dust off their equipment and get their directors, actors and gaffers back to work again to bring out new movies.
“Until we see the content coming back from Hollywood… the prices will be $5,” said Van Lange.
Changes to accommodate the 'new normal' include reserved seating, debit and credit payments only, limited food offerings, enhanced cleaning, reduced capacity, staggered show times, and a cleaning of seats between shows.
Updated procedures have also been introduced to allow for physical distancing, both inside and outside auditoriums.
The north-end cinema, located on Cundles Road East at Highway 400, will likely open in coming weeks as Cineplex takes a phased approach to reopening its 43 other locations, Van Lange added.
“We have been entertaining Canadians for over 100 years and we can’t wait to get back to doing what we do best,” she said.
The complete list of Galaxy Cinemas reopening is as follows:
- Galaxy Cinemas Barrie, Barrie
- Cineplex Cinemas Hamilton Mountain, Hamilton
- Cineplex Odeon Gardiners Road Cinemas, Kingston
- Cineplex Cinemas Kitchener and VIP, Kitchener
- SilverCity London Cinemas, London
- The Rec Room (CF Masonville Place), London
- Cineplex Cinemas Milton, Milton
- SilverCity Newmarket Cinemas, Newmarket
- Cineplex Odeon Niagara Square Cinemas, Niagara Falls
- Cineplex Cinemas Winston Churchill & VIP, Oakville
- Cineplex Odeon Oshawa Cinemas, Oshawa
- Scotiabank Theatre Ottawa, Ottawa
- Cineplex Cinemas Ottawa, Ottawa
- Cineplex Cinemas Pickering and VIP, Pickering
- SilverCity Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill
- SilverCity Sudbury Cinemas, Sudbury
- Cineplex Cinemas Empress Walk, Toronto
- Cineplex Cinemas Mississauga, Toronto
- Cineplex Cinemas Queensway & VIP, Toronto
- Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Eglinton and VIP, Toronto
- Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Dundas and VIP, Toronto
- Cineplex Cinemas Yorkdale, Toronto
- Cineplex Odeon Eglinton Town Centre Cinemas, Toronto
- The Rec Room (Roundhouse), Toronto
- Galaxy Cinemas Waterloo, Waterloo
- Playdium, Whitby
- Cineplex Cinemas Vaughan, Woodbridge