City of Saskatoon to look into preservation options for Roxy Theatre

Councillors on Saskatoon's planning committee have asked administration to look into ways to preserve the historic Roxy Theatre.

The theatre is one of a handful of atmospheric cinemas in the country that are still standing. In February, the theatre's owner placed the building up for sale.

News of the theatre's potential sale alarmed many people in Saskatoon's historic preservation community, including Peggy Sarjeant, president of the Saskatoon Heritage Society.

Speaking to the council committee, Sarjeant asked councillors to intervene in the process and make sure the theatre is preserved.

"We must step to the plate as a city and explore every avenue to support the Roxy," said Sarjeant.

"This could include reviewing property taxes, and also we would like to see the building protected, both exterior and interior, through heritage designation."

There is no heritage designation on the theatre, which opened in 1930.

Coun. Hilary Gough made a motion saying administration should talk to the theatre's current owner, Tom Hutchinson, and report back on any opportunities for heritage designation and any other supports the city could offer. The motion passed unanimously.

"I think that we need to be hearing from property owners about what they're looking for in terms of support," said Gough.

"What the scale of that would be or what would be meaningful to property owners of properties of this scale."

Leslie Anderson, the city's director of planning and development, said the Roxy Theatre is under a holding bylaw, which means if a demolition permit were requested, the city would have 60 days to intervene and find another solution.

She said the city normally leaves any decisions on heritage preservation to the owner of the building.

"We have really tried to rely on that owner's consent as one of our key pieces when we go forward with the designation," she said.

"We need to have a willing party to pursue that."

No date was set for when administration would come back with a report.