THUNDER BAY – Two well-known buildings are being recognized for their historical value.
Thunder Bay city council on Monday night voted to list the former Paramount Theatre and the Centennial Botanical Conservatory on the city’s heritage register.
A listing on the city’s heritage register, though it does not carry the same level of protection as a formal designation, requires a review period of up to 60 days with council getting an opportunity of whether to provide the designation.
The conservatory was conceived by the Fort William Parks Board in 1960 as a local project to celebrate the country’s centennial anniversary. The facility, which has 11,800 square feet of viewing space, cost $162,000 with funding provided by federal, provincial and municipal governments. When opened in November 1967, it was one of 10 conservatories in Canada.
The Paramount Theatre on Court Street was designed in 1939 but the Second World War delayed the start of construction until 1947. The 995-seat theatre officially opened in December 1948. The theatre was one of two locally to host the 1963 world premiere of The Incredible Journey, the movie adaptation of the novel written by Port Arthur resident Sheila Burnford.
The two buildings join 47 other listed heritage properties. There are 25 properties in Thunder Bay that have been given the formal heritage designation.