Former Welikoklad Event Centre to become new home for Carnival Cinemas

RDP, meantime, bought the Welikoklad in 2012, and for several years it served as a valuable learning space for students in a variety of programming. It has, however, sat empty and unused for the last handful of years.

“As we’ve reviewed our future strategic plans relating to program growth and facility usage, to best serve our students, industry partners and community members, we are confident we can meet everyone’s needs at our other campuses,” says Jim Brinkhurst, Vice President, Finance and Administration & Chief Financial Officer, Red Deer Polytechnic.

“We feel that now is a good time for the institution to sell this facility and we are pleased to see it repurposed for other community uses that will continue to serve Red Deer and downtown well.”

Inside the former Uptown Theatre in downtown Red Deer, 1997. (CHCA TV fonds/Red Deer Archives/VC337)

Ramji is excited, he says, to revitalize Carnival’s nearly three decades of history in the downtown, noting the new space will be renovated first.

“Carnival Cinemas is proud to announce the acquisition of the Welikoklad Event Centre from Red Deer Polytechnic, marking an exciting new chapter for this venue and the downtown arts community,” says Ramji.

“With this acquisition, Carnival Cinemas reaffirms its commitment to bringing the best value in movies to central Alberta while expanding its focus on supporting local theatre and the performing arts. The Welikoklad Event Centre, previously The Uptown Theatre, was a hub for film lovers and creative voices, and Carnival is eager to build on that legacy.”

Ramji adds Carnival will work hand-in-hand with local artists, performers, and theatre groups to enrich the downtown’s cultural landscape. An opening date remains unknown, but he tells rdnewsNOW he hopes it’ll be this year — it just depends on the development taking place at the current site.

(rdnewsNOW file photo)

“Carnival Cinemas & Event Centre looks forward to collaborating with the arts community and the broader public to ensure the space remains a vibrant and inclusive gathering place for film and theatre alike,” he says.

RDP maintains a presence downtown, with continuing education, as well as corporate training classes, being offered in the Millennium Centre, across the street from the theatre.

Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston spoke with rdnewsNOW Thursday, reacting to the news.

“This is really a great news story for downtown Red Deer. It enables us in many ways to to consolidate entertainment, live entertainment, community groups and so on, into a space that’s been underutilized for quite some time. The history of the place is quite iconic in that it used to be quite a gathering spot,” Johnston says.

The Uptown Theatre at 4931 49 Street, amid an expansion in 1986. The lot next to the existing theatre is fenced off. Two women are sitting at the bus stop. (Red Deer Archives/P12043)

“This is a new chapter in the arts and entertainment scene here, especially when we remember just a month ago or so, the Velvet Olive closed, and that was a loss for some of the live entertainers who come through here.”

Johnston says though, with the Red Deer Arts Council across the street from the new Carnival, and several other arts and culture-focused places on the block, the synergy exists for it to become somewhat of an entertainment district.

As for its long-term impact on downtown, he says “without a doubt,” it will help in rejuvenating downtown and bringing business back.

“Businesses will go where a market is created. When you have an amenity like this coming back to life, businesses will follow,” he believes.

“Downtowns have to begin to remake and restructure themselves, and this is a significant piece of that for Red Deer. I’m hoping Red Deerians will decide this is a good reason to go down there, because Carnival had many choices of where it could go, and Bill Ramji decided to make a stake in the downtown. As citizens, we should be excited.”

On the topic of Capstone, neither Ramji, nor Johnston could comment on what specifically is going to be developed at Carnival’s current site, but Johnston believes people will be excited as more becomes apparent in the months ahead.

RDP also notes something new will be named after the Welikoklads in the future, though their name is on the RDP Simulation Lab.

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by Josh Hall | @Vancan19

Former Welikoklad Event Centre to become new home for Carnival Cinemas

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