News

Oak Bay's first theatre

20 April 2026

Many people in Oak Bay are aware that the Oak Bay Theatre (1936-1986) used to occupy a large section of the Castle Block on Oak Bay Ave, between Hampshire and Wilmot. Its historic sign was recently restored to its original place, and is once again a Village landmark. More about it here. But did you know it was not the first movie theatre on the Avenue, or in Oak Bay? That credit goes to the Avenue Theatre, the exterior of which is still standing at 2013 Oak Bay Avenue, closer to Foul Bay Rd on the south side of the street. The address was originally 2009 Oak Bay Avenue. The Avenue Theatre has been claimed as Victoria's first purpose-built movie house, but read below...

The Avenue Theatre was built by Fleet & Beale in 1913, opening in the autumn of that year to show the silent films of the day. Times were tight throughout and after the First World War, and the theatre closed after only a few years, in 1921. It was converted to an automotive garage in 1922, and eventually into apartments in 1944.

Who was behind the theatre? From the 1914 city directory we learn that Leslie C Davey (living at 405 Michigan St in James Bay, boarding with Miss Elizabeth H Jones) was the secretary of the Victoria Motion Pictures Ltd. company, with an office at 407 Sayward Building (now 1201-1213 Douglas at View). In 1915, AE Roberts is listed as president. The shared addresses 407, 1207 Douglas and 407 Sayward Building confirm that this is A Edward Roberts (living at 1017 Linden), managing director of real estate & insurance firm Roberts, Beasley & Gallon.

Opening announcement, Victoria Daily Colonist, 30 August 1913, p.4

"In three weeks, at the outside, the Victoria Motion Pictures, Limited, announce their handsome theatre, situated on Oak Bay Avenue, close to the Foul Bay Road, will be formally opened. The structure, which has accommodation for the seating of three hundred and fifty people, is constructed of brick and concrete. Its interior gives the impression of even greater capacity than it possesses, and it will be cosily and comfortably furnished. This is the first moving picture show to be established in any of the outlying residential districts, and the promoters of the company believe that their confidence in the desire of the residents of one of the city's most popular suburbs for some convenient and high-class entertainment will be endorsed by the patronage received. The enterprise represents an investment of $15,000, and the block is a real acquisition to the district, being most attractive in appearance. "

https://archive.org/details/dailycolonist55y223uvic/page/n5/mode/2up

Interestingly, this announcement does not claim that the theatre is the first purpose-built moving picture house in all of greater Victoria, which has later been claimed elsewhere; the qualification (and neighbouring ads in the newspapers) show that they existed earlier in the City of Victoria. How does the Kinemacolor Theatre's history compare? The Avenue Theatre's films seem to have been competing with this emerging technology right from the start.

The Dominion "Theatre De Luxe" also offered a range of films including some in colour. Cinema Treasures notes that the Dominion opened in May 1913, and newspaper ads show evidence of the "new" Dominion Theatre showing e.g. "Adrienne Lecouvreur", starring Sarah Bernhardt, in June 1913 - so the Dominion beats the Avenue Theatre by 4 months. The opening is announced in the Colonist of 16 May 1913 (p.14)

Opening night at the Avenue Theatre was 17 September 1913:

Victoria Daily Times, 17 September 1913, p. 10 https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19130917/page/n9/mode/2up

An early schedule:


Some early notices following this announcement:

The Avenue Theatre has an illustrated entry at https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/43446 , see also Photos and Comments tabs. The article with the original newspaper illustration clearly shows the date 26 April 1913, but I can’t track down that issue in the online Daily Times archive:

https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes

Despite being purpose-built for showing films, the Avenue Theatre was never a single-use space: from its first year, plays, concerts, wartime fundraisers, and church services were also held there:

A new chapter: The theatre was still new at the outbreak of WW1, and wartime proved a difficult period to run a silent film theatre, particularly outside of downtown, though plays, musicals, and stage comedy seem to have thrived at this time. After a hiatus, it reopened in December 1917: "For many long months the Avenue Theatre at Oak Bay has remained with doors closed save for an occasional patriotic concert; but as a picture house it has had a long rest. Residents of the district will herald its opening under new auspices and with a new name. Henceforward it will be known as the Somme Theatre, while its appeal will be strengthened by the fact that the new lessees are two of Canada's army who have served their country on the battlefields of France and Flanders.

"Norman Harrap and Fred Luxford intend to set a high level for the quality of their entertainment. An excellent film service has been secured with changes three times a week arranged for. There will be a continuous entertainment from 7 o'clock until 11 each evening with a matinee performance on Saturday afternoons commencing at 2 o'clock. Harrap and Luxford desire to enlist the support and sympathy of the public while they on their part guarantee in return a first class show at each performance.

"Harrap joined the Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery in July 1915, and was attached to the 8th Siege Battery. For nearly a year he did service with the "heavies" [i.e. heavy artillery] in France, and was invalided back to Canada in June of the present year. Luxford enlisted at Ottawa as long ago as August 1914, when the war was but a few days old. He reached the front with the First Canadian Contingent, and for nearly twenty months had exciting experiences as a dispatch rider, a shell hole accident finally compelling his admission to hospital and return to Canada."

- Victoria Daily Times, 4 December 1917, p.8. https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes1917...

There are numerous December 1917 , and only December 1917, notices in the Daily Times for events in the Somme Theatre. By May 1918 the theatre had been leased by the newly formed Unionist Association, a wartime organization "concentrating its efforts on assistance to the Federal Government in every move calculated to enhance the Dominion's part in bringing the war to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion." (Victoria Daily Times, 1 May 1918, p.11)

https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19180501/page/n9/mode/2up?q=%22avenue+theatre%22

More to come about the history of the Avenue Theatre. Back to #Archive30 2026!

The theatre's page on Gary Wilcox’s Oak Bay history site, formerly http://www.webturf.com/oakbay/history/memorabilia/a/avenue_theatre/avenue_theatre.html , is no longer available online (2026). View static copy


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