Valley Drive-In hopes to get on with the show next month

A drive-in movie theatre in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley says it is working with the province to come up with a strategy to open next month in the hope it can offer people a safe night out from COVID-19 isolation.

The Valley Drive-In Theatre has been inundated with questionsfrom school groups, graduation parties, churches, concert promoters even those planning weddings about its plans.

"Everybody is desperate to get out and spend an evening doing something instead of sitting at home," said Kirk Longmire, project chairman with the drive-in, which is run by a volunteer group.

"We've actually had a lot of requests from all kinds of groups and people looking to use the drive-in, kind of viewing it as one of those safe grounds where, if everybody is in their own cars, there's a sense of separation."

Longmire said he was on a call with Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer of health, on Monday. Longmire said he's hoping to have an approved plan to start operations in June.

"The bottom line is we're putting together an operational package, a strategy, of how the drive-in would have to operate," he said.

Longmire said there is much to sort out, including the space between vehicles, who would be permitted in the cars and how people would access the washrooms and canteen. He said the playground would remain off-limits.

There is also the issue of what movies to show. The drive-in usually screens new releases, but many of these have been put on hold because of the pandemic.

"It doesn't look like anything is being released until later June or July," he said, adding that if the plan is approved the drive-in will screen older films.

But while Longmire expects it to be a busy summer for the drive-in, he's not sure of financial success.

"Drive-ins are all about volume. Big numbers, putting people through quickly," he said.

With spacing requirements, thehigh volume of customers is unlikely, he said.

"We'd be happy just to show movies," he said.