Following a loss of more than $9,000, Burk’s Falls council is being asked to explore initiatives to get people in the Towne Theatre's seats.
The Towne Theatre’s financial health “is currently in a challenging position,” according to a staff report presented at the Oct. 15 council meeting, with programming intended for adults receiving a “less favourable reception” than expected.
The report also asks the council to consider “the importance of managing expenditures (that) support the theatre’s long-term viability.”
During its 2024 summer season, the Towne Theatre lost $9,474.63 after making a small profit of $760.37 last year.
Staff says the spread in both dollar amounts represents “a significant downturn.”
Staff are recommending a revision to the types of films that are selected and that the village give priority to movies that have proven to be popular and that includes family-friendly films.
A second recommendation is to increase community engagement by having events that appeal to local residents, which should attract a wider audience.
With this second recommendation, staff also suggest that the municipality engage in partnerships, with the goal, again, being to draw more people to the theatre.
After being closed during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the report tells council that the Towne Theatre appeared to be recovering in a post-COVID environment because revenue from 2022 and 2023 had increased significantly.
The report states this indicated a potential recovery, but then 2024 arrived and revenue appears to have reverted back to lower levels.
Staff says that “This could pose sustainability concerns for the theatre.”
According to the report, theatre revenue hit $30,596 in 2023, surpassing the projected revenue by $5,596.
For 2024, the municipality had projected the theatre would take in $33,500 in revenue.
However, revenue for the year dropped to $25,466, falling well short of the budget by $8,034.
The large drop-off was enough to have staff warn council that “This indicates a worrying trend of declining attendance and sales.”
Following a successful 2023 season, staff says the decision was made to add more films for adults in 2024 but found this move “did not resonate with the community.”
Not only did these movies result in disappointing ticket sales, but the revenue they generated fell below the actual cost to screen them.
In contrast, the family-friendly films continued to perform well. Staff say this indicates strong community interest in children’s programming.
One area where staff identified a problem was with the expenses side of the ledger.
It found that expenses came in at $34,941, and that exceeded the budget by $546.
While wages and concession/supplies were within the budget, the line item identifying “Other Materials and Services” went over budget by $1,657.76.
The report ends with the note that the information it contains is to help with future discussions the council will have regarding the theatre’s operations and to potentially adjust its operations so that it becomes a sustainable asset in the community.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter with Almaguin News. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
