Movie Mill looks to offer drive-in theatre experience

By Herald on May 17, 2021.

A large movie screen sits atop the entrance of the Movie Mill. The local theatre hopes to launch a drive-in. Herald photo by Al Beeber

Al Beeber – Lethbridge Herald

For the first time since 1986, Lethbridge is getting a drive-in movie theatre. 

Len Binning, operator of the Movie Mill, says he expects films to be showing in the parking lot by the long weekend if the weather co-operates.

The Movie Mill did a trial runlast week and Binning says he was happy with the results.

“We did a technical test run last night,” said Binning Friday, with about six seconds of Michael J. Fox in “Back to the Future” projected onto the screen.

“It turned out brilliant. I was expecting average to good; it turned out excellent in my opinion,” said Binning.

The screen is 32 feet wide and 15 feet high, said Binning. It’s also 15 feet off the ground.

“That gives you a nice elevated view ….you can probably sit on the deck at the Keg and see a movie.

“The colours and motion were awesome, the sound spectacular crisp and nice,” said Binning.

Sound is transmitted to vehicles by a low-power FM transmitter “used in drive-ins across the country. . . gone are the days of the old speaker that will break your window,” he said.

“Tonight’s show might be on 92.1 or whatever frequency is available.. We also encourage people to consider a portable radio or anything they have that can pick up an FM signal.”

The drive-in will not be intrusive on the area including neighbouring homes, he said.

“There won’t be any undue or additional noise pollution and we’ll make use of an empty parking lot.”

Due to social-distancing regulations, vehicles will have to be parked six feet apart. This will give the Movie Mill a capacity of between 90 and 100 vehicles, he said.

“We can socially distance between 90 and 100 vehicles. Believe it or not cars are supposed to be six feet apart,” said Binning.

 “It’s crazy, maybe the cars can catch COVID. We haven’t heard of that variant but maybe it’s coming down the pipeline.”

The price of admission, said Binning, will be per vehicle rather than per person. Gone are the days, he said, when people needed to hide in trunks or under a blanket to avoid paying admission to a drive-in.

“Film companies have gotten wise to that.”

“We’re in the drive-in business or will be shortly. I’m told there may be some new restrictions coming down the pipeline so we’re cautious moving forward. We’re hoping for the May long weekend but right now the forecast does not look conducive.

 “At this point in time, we’re not inclement weather friendly. Our projector is totally exposed…so if we encounter a rainy evening, the show will not go on, unfortunately. But southern Alberta doesn’t get many of those.”

The city’s only other drive-in, Green Acres, was opened by a Calgary company  on April 28, 1950 on the corner of Scenic Drive South and Mayor Magrath. Two years later, its operation was taken over by A.W. Shackleford. It had a 60-square-foot screen and initial capacity of 400 vehicles, which was later expanded to 575.

The opening film at Green Acres was “The Kid from Texas,” starring Audie Murphy. The final showings were on Oct. 6, 1986 with “Legal Eagles,” featuring Robert Redford and “Sweet Liberty” with Alan Alda.

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