Eglinton Theatre architects recognized for heritage works

TORONTO—Kaplan & Sprachman, Architects and the Eglinton Theatre have been given heritage honours by Parks Canada.

On Nov. 15, Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada announced the commemoration of the works of Kaplan & Sprachman as a national historic event and the firm’s signature Eglinton Theatre as a national historic site at a ceremony in Toronto. In attendance were members of the Kaplan, Sprachman and Eglinton families and Dynamic Hospitality and Entertainment Group, current proprietors of the venue now known as the Eglinton Grand.

Kaplan and Sprachman "left their unique and distinct design fingerprint on theatres across Canada, evoking an architectural spectacle on main streets and in neighbourhoods all across the country, including the Eglinton Theatre in Toronto," stated a Parks Canada media release. The Eglinton Theatre is one of the best examples of Art Deco style in Canadian theatres, said Parks Canada.

Sam D’Uva, managing director, Dynamic Hospitality and Entertainment Group said, "We’re thrilled that the Eglinton Theatre is being recognized with this honour. We want to thank the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada for choosing to commemorate the property, one with such a storied history of cultural, corporate and social significance for the citizens of Toronto and the rest of the country."

Opened in 1936, the theatre featured large signage, aerodynamic shapes and neon lights on the exterior and a sophisticated interior with curved lines and new synthetic materials suggesting futurism, said Parks Canada. Situated in the newly developed suburban neighbourhood of Forest Hill, the building continued the mid-1920s trend of building luxury movie theatres in the suburbs of major Canadian cities, said the Parks Canada release.