Piano teacher has high hopes to revitalize historic cinema in Hope, B.C.
CBC
As Ali Marsman walks through the aisles of a newly reopened 80-year-old cinema in Hope, B.C., she tears up and laughs with happiness.
"You feel the history, you feel love, you feel expansion," she says.
Marsman, a piano teacher and author, is the new leaseholder at the Almsgiving Hope Cinema and Performance House — and she has big dreams for the space.
There will be movies, of course, but the theatre will also offer programs for seniors, preschoolers and students from the elementary and high schools.
Music will abound, according to Marsman, who plans to offer lessons for different instruments and rehearsal space for the high school band. Eventually, she wants to organize an orchestra.
Special events will also play a role: a magic show is scheduled for next month and the Vancouver Mountain Film Festival is set for April with more performances to come.
Films will play throughout the week in the 320-seat theatre.
And Marsman is confident she can make it happen.
"I know that I can do it. The town is behind me 100 per cent. I moved here just a month-and-a-half ago and it feels like I've been here my entire life," she said.
She wants to get the cinema to its 100th anniversary.
Formerly New Hope Cinema, it closed in 2024. That same year, the theatre was listed for sale for less than $1 million — though the owners never sold.
District of Hope Mayor Victor Smith said he's excited to see the theatre come back to life.
"Ali has some great dreams and ideas to make a revival again, which is really hard in a small theatre and small town to survive," Smith said.
"But we feel she's got some great ideas, and she's got a lot of support from the community and that's what you need to move ahead."
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