Local rowdies lose their Palace

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by JACQUIE CHARLTON

 The Palace Theatre is no more.

 On Sunday, its last day, ticket takers, theatre cleaners and patrons recalled what made the '70s-era, constantly packed discount theatre so special.

 "There were fights here all the time," said Marc, a young cleaner, describing the unusual energy of the place. "We'd catch couples having sex in the stairways, the toilets."

 "There would be people drinking in the cinema, people smoking in the cinema," said Benoit, another cleaner. "Only at the Palace could you do that."

 All agreed the place had seen better days. On its last day, the hot water wasn't working and heating in some of the rooms was questionable. Even the Interac machine had broken down.

 Famous Players management said they would have kept the theatre open indefinitely, but the owner of the building received a better offer. The place will reopen next fall as a multimedia exhibition hall called Metaforia, presenting a "virtual submarine ride filmed in 3-D."

 

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