Our story
In the heart of Mattawa stands a remarkable piece of Canadian cinema history: the Champlain Theatre, the only remaining operating Quonset-style theatre in Canada.
## A Mattawa Landmark Since 1949
In the heart of Mattawa stands one of Canada’s most distinctive places to experience a movie. The Champlain Theatre is believed to be the country’s only remaining operating Quonset-style theatre—a rare landmark where Canadian architectural history, local entrepreneurship, and generations of community memories come together beneath one curved roof.
The theatre’s story began with brothers Max and Lou Consky, who were known for establishing movie theatres in small communities throughout Ontario. According to local accounts, the brothers recognized Mattawa as a lively and promising community while passing through town. They saw an opportunity to create a permanent place where residents could gather and enjoy the growing magic of motion pictures.
Construction was completed in 1949. The building combined a traditional entrance and lobby made of wood and stone with an auditorium constructed from a Quonset hut. Originally developed during the Second World War, Quonset huts were lightweight, prefabricated buildings designed to be transported easily and assembled quickly. Their practical curved-steel design was later adopted for many civilian purposes across Canada—but very few were transformed into movie theatres.
That unconventional construction is what makes the Champlain Theatre so special today. From the street, its welcoming entrance leads into a curved auditorium that reflects both the ingenuity of the post-war period and the determination of small communities to create their own cultural spaces.
## The First Picture Show
The first movie shown at the Champlain Theatre was *Family Honeymoon*, starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert. Its screening in 1949 marked the beginning of a new era of entertainment in Mattawa.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the theatre was a bustling centre of community life. Three different movies could be shown in a single week, with two screenings each evening and an additional Saturday afternoon matinee. Young moviegoers attending the matinee were often treated to a 15-minute serial, frequently featuring *The Lone Ranger*.
Screenings regularly attracted large crowds. Admission was only 25 cents, and another quarter could purchase a soft drink and a bag of chips. Many residents also remember stopping at Turcotte’s Chip Stand before joining the lineup outside the theatre. Going to the movies was not simply an evening’s entertainment, it was a community ritual shared with friends, neighbours, and family.
The auditorium contains 225 seats, each facing the screen beneath the theatre’s unmistakable curved roof. Over the decades, thousands of people have sat in those seats, creating memories that remain closely connected to growing up and living in Mattawa.
## The People Behind the Projector
A theatre’s history is also the story of the people who kept its doors open and its projector running.
From 1960 until 1987, Roy and Shirley Parizeau operated the Champlain Theatre. Conrad Belanger and Remi Gravelle also contributed as projectionists whenever needed, helping bring 35mm films to life on the screen.
In 1971, after Roy became ill, Remi Gravelle began operating the theatre on behalf of the Consky family. His connection to the building extended beyond the evening screenings: during the day, Remi ran his barber shop from the theatre lobby. The unusual arrangement made the Champlain Theatre both a place for entertainment and an active part of everyday life in town.
Remi eventually purchased the theatre on March 11, 1994, continuing his long association with the building and its place in the community.
Tim Smith and Michel Royer purchased the theatre in 2004. Under their ownership, the building received its first major renovation since its original construction in 1949, helping prepare the historic theatre for a new generation of moviegoers.
In November 2007, Denis and Claudine Janveaux became the theatre’s next owners. They operated it under the name Mariette Productions, chosen in tribute to Denis’s mother, Mariette Janveaux. Their stewardship continued the tradition established by the theatre’s previous owners: preserving a unique building by keeping it active and welcoming the public inside.
## More Than a Movie Theatre
Although movies have always been at the heart of the Champlain Theatre, the building has served Mattawa in many other ways.
Over the years, it has welcomed the Cinéfest Champlain Film Festival, fashion shows presented by Not Clyde’s, concerts by local bands, birthday celebrations, and other community events. The theatre was also featured in an episode of CBC’s *Still Standing*, introducing audiences across the country to Mattawa’s character, humour, and resilience.
Each of these events added another chapter to the building’s story. The theatre has remained relevant not because it was sealed away as a museum piece, but because it continued to be used, enjoyed, and adapted by the community around it.
## Living Canadian History
Today, the Champlain Theatre remains both a working cinema and an irreplaceable piece of Canadian heritage. Its Quonset-style auditorium recalls the resourcefulness of the post-war era, while its continuing operation reflects the dedication of the owners, projectionists, employees, volunteers, and patrons who have supported it through the decades.
Few historic buildings allow visitors to experience their original purpose so directly. At the Champlain Theatre, history is not something viewed from behind glass. It is experienced by purchasing a ticket, choosing a seat, watching the lights dim, and sharing a movie beneath the same curved roof that has welcomed Mattawa audiences since 1949.
Every screening continues a tradition more than 75 years in the making. By supporting the Champlain Theatre, moviegoers are doing more than enjoying a night at the cinema, they are helping preserve a unique Mattawa landmark and ensuring that its screen continues to shine for generations to come.