Several tents have popped up on the grounds where the Palace Theatre once operated in downtown Courtenay.
Heaps of clothing, propane tanks, bicycle parts, a baby stroller and other items are strewn across the grounds, which are enclosed by a fence at the corner of Fifth and England.
The City of Courtenay says the tents have been there for a couple of weeks. Since it is private property, the inhabitants of the tents are trespassing.
“It is the property owner’s responsibility to deal with the trespassers,” the City says.
A weather-beaten sign on the alley-side of the property lists the owner as First Nations Enterprises Inc., which has a Vancouver address. The signs reads: Prime mixed use site for sale. However, the company’s phone number is not in service.
The Palace Theatre, formerly known as the E.W. Bickle Theatre, opened in 1940 with a screening of Boom Town, starring Clark Gable.
The theatre temporarily closed after sustaining damage in a fire in 2007. The building was demolished the following year.