EDITOR,
It is upsetting to read of Garibaldi 5 Cinema's difficulties. Rent of $36,000 a month, plus staff, plus hydro and of course movie and other attendant costs make for a pretty big hurdle to climb in a community of 17,000.
As a business owner I have often lamented the very high cost of commercial space in Squamish relative to other similar-sized communities. It puts up a substantial roadblock to expansion and potential hiring and very probably contributes to the lack of employment here. If you are working out of your home as I have for 12 years, the thought of taking on tens of thousands of dollars in rent annually (or monthly!), plus staff, plus plus plus, is scary. Being sandwiched in between Whistler and Vancouver is no advantage to most mom-and-pop businesses - very often the city ends up being your biggest competitor, especially with our large commuter base. I don't intend what I say as a "blame greedy landlords" kind of thing, though, just an expression of frustration at factors (such as real estate) that seem beyond our control. Some landlords, having built at the height of the real estate boom, have no choice on their rents. That said, there may be some steps council can take to nudge landlords that do have flexibility and try to discourage leaving space sitting empty for long periods of time.
Perhaps it would make more sense for Garibaldi 5 to downsize and relocate. If I had the money, I'd put a theatre in the former PacWest building. Granted, I'd be giving up highway exposure, and doubtless major improvement costs would be on order, but the rent costs are way, way lower. A comfy "film factory"-style theatre would be just the ticket to giving Cleveland Avenue another economic boost. It, our amazing Howe Sound Brew Pub and a couple of other entertainment/restaurant oriented businesses could form the nucleus of a revitalized downtown that stays open well into the evening.
Brad Hodge
Brackendale
