Description of Historic Place

The Chipman Community Heritage Centre is a two-storey brick and speedtile commercial building erected in 1939, located on Main Street in the Village of Chipman.

Heritage Value

The Chipman Community Heritage Centre is designated a Local Historic Place for its architectural features and its association with mid-20th century community life in Chipman.

Built in 1939 as a local movie theater named “the Capitol,” the Chipman Community Heritage Centre is a much-altered, but surviving, example of a simple and well-designed commercial structure that formed part of the main street’s business core of Chipman. Significant ornamental treatment from the popular 1930s/1940s ‘moderne’ style are visible in the walls and ceiling of the open-space interior hall.

The building operated as a movie theatre until December 1980. It was directly sold to the local Kinsmen group who maintained it as their meeting place and a community centre, hosting numerous public events and receptions. In 2001, it was purchased by the Village of Chipman to continue its use as a public community centre.

Source: Village of Chipman, Village Office, Historic Places File, “Chipman Community Heritage Centre”

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Chipman Community Heritage Centre include:
- the overall rectangular two-storey volume and spatial relationship of the building, located tight to the main business street;
- the functional architectural design with a low-slope roof and unadorned symmetrical front facade, typical of many early- to mid-20th century unassuming commercial structures throughout smaller Canadian towns and villages;
- the external material treatment of the building: a brick front façade of symmetrical design with groupings of double windows, two of which have been filled in at the bottom level; the front façade is capped by a staggered parapet with a higher central portion that once contained a flagpole and neon sign; the rear and side walls are clad in red speedtile with few openings;
- the interior open space with its two-storey high overall form, central entry, and 1930s/1940s ‘moderne’ style ornamental treatment of the patterned ceiling and rows of thin side wall pilasters.