ELORA – It was January 2022 when the last reel of Belfast scrolled through a projector at the Gorge Cinema in Elora and the almost 50-year-old theatre closed its doors for a much needed update.
More than a year later, a revamped Gorge Cinema aims to welcome back movie goers in July.
It hasn’t been an easy journey for cinema operators Payton Curtis and Julianna Cox, a husband and wife team who have owned it since 2017.
On top of a global pandemic, Curtis previously told GuelphToday they were at the mercy of landlords who did not plan to renew the cinema’s lease as part of their redevelopment plans. This changed when the historic building at 43 West Mill St., which houses the Gorge Cinema, was bought by Kristy Hillis in January 2022 with plans to restore it and keep the movie theatre in place.
In an email, Curtis said with that assurance he was able to pursue work as an animator, something he’s done for 20 years.
He ended up working on the Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio in Portland and a short film in Vancouver this year when he got a call from Hillis saying it was time to reopen the Gorge Cinema.
“I really wasn’t expecting this as the idea was to wait until the building had been fully restored but I agreed with Kristy that the process was taking a very long time and if possible we should reopen the cinema and deal with any interruptions as they come along, especially with the 50th anniversary in 2024 looming,” Curtis said via email.
While Hillis confirmed via email she has the green light from the township and heritage committee for the planned restoration of the front facade of 43 West Mill St., there’s some work to be done inside the Gorge Cinema.
Much is cosmetic as Curtis explained the building has been empty long enough that a thorough cleaning, painting and overall maintenance is required.
The Gorge Cinema also got a brand new furnace, which Curtis described as a “first gift” from the new landlord.
“This means a new and updated filtration system and more importantly, you won’t hear that old cold war era monster kick on in the middle of a film,” Curtis said. 
The wildcard upgrade, and what could delay the opening according to Curtis, is a new projection system to replace the cinema’s aging one. He explained this is a specialized piece of modern equipment and has to be built to spec, delivered, professionally installed and fine tuned.
“Build and delivery are approximated, so as much as we’d like everything in the booth and ready to roll by the end of June, it’s not guaranteed,” Curtis said. “Having said that, I have great faith in our techs … after so long, I’m happy to wait. It’ll be a great day when we once more cast ‘magic shadows’ onto our screen, which also needs a good cleaning.”
