It is hard to believe that this year, as we enter the final weekend of the season, it has been 47 years. Don’t know where it all went. It sure has been a wild ride. 47 years since I embarked on a crazy idea to build 5 screens in a town of 300 people. It took quite an effort, considering I wasn’t flush with money, to in the end wind up with an 18,500 sq. ft complex, with over 631 reviews on Google, a movie about the place, over 350 news spots, and newspaper articles. Not to mention visitors from all over the world.
There have been a lot of touching comments from patrons who told me how much the place meant to them. Not hesitating to remind me they came here as children, and now are bringing their children or grandchildren! Sure makes a fella feel old! Just tonight a gentleman said, we really appreciate you being here. Therein lies the problem. None of us are here forever. Next year I will be 80, Roland who has been here since the beginning and helped build the place is nearing 70. (He’s the guy who has been selling you tickets for 47 years!) Originally he was to take it over, but health conditions are overshadowing that. Then we found a former staff who was qualified and agreed to take it over, but for various reasons including he has a great job with a lot less headaches, but more importantly the Capital Gains tax it would attract if given as a gift, he backed out.
So here we are thinking about what to do. There are ongoing discussions, but I have decided to open up the conversation with some reservations that doing so could attract the wrong people. So here is the deal. The property will be a gift, on my death or inability to continue, to a person or persons, who are qualified. Qualified means a good business sense, credit worthy, loves movies & cats. (Bears too!) (Sorry, forgot, deer, racoons, foxes, wolves, skunks, & groundhogs!) Is honest and hard working. Looking after the Theatre business, cats, & wildlife consumes in excess of 100 hours a week in the summer. The cats chew up 40 hours a week in the winter. The cats must remain here, afforded the same care they now have, until they die naturally which could be 15 years or more. No other cats have to be taken in. The bears need to be protected and looked after as we have a programme in place to keep them away from customers. (They have been here 10,000 years, we haven’t.) The business has to continue as it has, relatively unchanged, using the same formula that made it a success.
The fly in the ointment so to speak is that in Canada, your income is taxed, your purchases are taxed, your property is taxed, and when you die there is a 1.5% Probate Tax, and a Capital Gains tax which is 50% of the value of the property at death. Normally the estate is liquidated, and the Government paid off, however that can’t happen here as the cats need a home, and it is here, no matter how much the Greedy Politicians want! A Registered Charity can take over the property, tax free and we have a Registered Charity. Sure gives one a migraine and high blood pressure, thinking about it.
Any one or group who are interested in taking the place over, who feel they are qualified, should contact me to view the place to discuss specifics. Then if still interested put forward a proposal, business plan, & map of the future as they see it. As well as adequate personal information, so a decision on where we are going, can be made down the road. Contact: keithstata@nexicom.net or the Office line and leave a message if no one is in 705 488 2199. Other than all that, thank you for your patronage, donations to the cats, your kind words, and just being you. We close for the season after Oct. 12th, to re-open April 30, 2027 When We Hope To See You At The Movies! Keith….still on the right side of the grass!
I thought I would leave you with a small glimpse of the Highlands Cinemas Family & friends past and present!
