Historic Estevan cinema forced to temporarily close after flooding

The screens are dark at one of Saskatchewan's oldest independent cinemas after flooding forced the owners to temporarily close the already struggling business.

Estevan's 110-year-old Orpheum Theatre has been a community staple for more than a century.

A heavy rainfall on Aug. 21 flooded the Orpheum's basement and the front of its two screening rooms.

"It's very disheartening," said Jocelyn Dougherty, who has owned the Orpheum along with her husband Alan since 1998.

Dougherty said road construction fronting the theatre likely contributed to the flooding, with holes several feet deep filling with rainwater during the storm. Crews had been refurbishing Fourth Street, which fronts the Orpheum Theatre, Estevan's Mayor Roy Ludwig confirmed.

"It was a very unfortunate weather event and we got over an inch and a half of rain in like half an hour. We had lots of areas of our community that were inundated," she said.

Dougherty said that when she arrived the day after the rain, the basement had several inches of water in it and it was clear the building wasn't fit to be open.

"My accounting books are down there. We have a lot of precious posters we were saving throughout the years. A lot of things are damaged and are going to have to be thrown out," Dougherty said, adding that the water also contained sewage.

Dougherty said all the basement tiles and theatre carpet runners need to be replaced.

"Because it's sewage water there is so much decontamination needed," she said.

A restoration company is already mucking out the building. Dougherty hopes insurance will cover the bill, but said it could be months before the Orpheum is restored and can open for business.

It's just like an icon in the community.- Jackie Wall

The flood is just the latest in a series of challenges the Orpheum has faced.

The COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a Hollywood writers' strike which halted the release of many big movies, meant a lot fewer moviegoers filing into the cinema.

Dougherty said revenue has been down 60 per cent from 2019 and pre-pandemic levels.

"It's been kind of a roller-coaster. We had a few good movies here in the summer and business was picking up and [now] we're kind of back to Square 1."

Movies aren't the only thing being put on hold. The theatre also hosts live music acts. The Midsouth Band and the Daae Family were slated to perform Sept. 26.

When it opened in 1914, the Orpheum showed silent films with a pianist or full orchestra providing sound.

Over the years it has played host to live music performances from Randy Bachman, April Wine and Nazareth.

Jackie Wall, executive director of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, said the Orpheum is a community anchor.

"It's just like an icon in the community. It really is. And we're very, very proud that we still have a theatre here."

Wall said the temporary closure is a loss for the community, but added that the building is historical and also important to Estevan.

"It's generational right? They remember being there as a child. They remember their grandparents taking them to the movies. So there's this whole culture that's around theaters and especially the Orpheum Theatre."