Tri-Cities rejoice! Or recoil?
Cineplex Cinemas Coquitlam is set to open Friday, July 31, after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The movie theatre chain is offering up a variety of classic favourites like Jurassic Park and Jaws, as well as new features like the new Guy Ritchie film The Gentlemen and the award-winning Korean film (with a Coquitlam connection) Parasite.
Prospective Tri-City movie-goers can now hit up a show for $5 ($2.99 on Tuesdays), including showtimes at Imax and its 4DX motion seat and sensory experience theatres.
For those hesitant to return to an indoor group setting for hours on end, Cineplex has new health and safety guidelines in place to minimize risk.
That includes reduced capacity and reserved seating. Seats can be booked in groups of two, so that if a family of four were to show up, they’d be divided into two pairs, with one adult each.
If that’s not possible — or say the group was three kids and an adult — staff on site will work to make arrangements so everyone can sit together, said Cineplex spokesperson Sarah Van Lange in a call with The Tri-City News.
The company also boosted its cleaning procedures, adopted cashless payment requirements and reduced its food menus to focus mainly on popcorn and candy items. VIP cinemas, which offer food and alcohol service inside the theatre, will be closed until further notice.
Big movies, small price! For a limited time, enjoy $5 movie tickets — including IMAX, D-BOX, UltraAVX and more! ️
— Cineplex (@CineplexMovies) July 28, 2020
Select locations are now open. Click here for showtimes: https://t.co/CVfH53HIRz pic.twitter.com/jKmy3JhpAE
The opening of the Coquitlam theatre comes as the theatre chain looks to re-open 25 of its locations across Ontario as part of a wider phased return to business during COVID-19.
Van Langes said the company will be permitted to admit up to 50 moviegoers per auditorium and guests will only be required to wear masks inside the theatre "in communities where it is mandated."
“We are requiring all of our employees to wear the personal protective equipment they need, and each will be doing a personal health attestation before each and every shift,” said Van Langes in an email.
“In markets where it is not mandated at the municipal level, we are recommending but not requiring our guests to wear a mask.”
And while that is not the case in British Columbia, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has recommended the use of masks in indoor settings where physical distancing is not possible.
Cineplex has already reopened 45 locations in provinces where distancing restrictions were loosened earlier this summer. The includes several others across the Lower Mainland.
