If you've missed going to the movies in Coquitlam and munching on theatre popcorn, your patience may soon be rewarded.
Today (June 9), Cineplex Cinemas announced its movie theatres across B.C. are scheduled to reopen on June 15, but only if COVID-19 data and immunization rates continue in the right direction.
It's the same day phase two of the province's restart plan begins.
Cineplex Cinemas Coquitlam and VIP, formerly known as SilverCity, was forced to shut down last November as public health orders implemented by Dr. Bonnie Henry restricted organized public gatherings of any sort — indoors or outdoors — and was listed among other related facilities like community theatres and banquet halls.
“We recognize the new appreciation our guests have for the theatrical experience and we can’t wait to welcome them back to our theatres, as nothing compares to the big screen and big sound that we’ve been missing for so long,” said Cineplex spokesperson Sarah Van Lange in a statement.
“We continue to prioritize health & safety measures to ensure that our theatres are a safe, relaxing, and inviting space for movie-lovers to escape with family and friends.”
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Coquitlam's movie theatre reopened at the end of July 2020 after the initial shutdown resulting from the pandemic's uncertainty.
At the time, enhanced health and safety guidelines were implemented and are set to continue with the latest reopening.
Residents must book tickets in advance as seating will be reserved for each showing and limited to 50 people per auditorium, including UltraAVX and D-BOX. The VIP Cinemas are not set to open, the company says.
Physical distancing will be in place to ensure safety for guests, Cineplex says, and are also asking everyone to arrive 15 minutes before your showtime.
The company says face masks are also required; if you forget a mask, the theatre is set to provide one for free.
Employees are set to sanitize and wipe down every seat in a theatre with Health Canada approved disinfectants between show times and hand sanitizer will be put in strategic areas for guests to use.
Cineplex says, at the end of each night, all auditoriums "will undergo a deep cleaning and disinfection."
For more information, you can visit Cineplex's enhanced health and safety protocols page.
WHAT WILL BE PLAYING?
Movies scheduled to take the Coquitlam screen on Tuesday — all new releases — include:
- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
- Spirit Untamed
- A Quiet Place Part II
- Cruella
- In The Heights
- Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
The next day, June 16, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard will be added to the bill starring B.C.'s own Ryan Reynolds.
For more information, you're encouraged to visit the Cineplex Cinemas Coquitlam website.
Cineplex Cinemas Coquitlam and VIP is located at 170 Schoolhouse St.
