Description of Historic Place

The Rex Theatre is a Municipal Heritage Property which occupies one urban lot on Lalonde Street in Whitewood. The property features a wood-frame building with brick veneer, constructed in 1906-1907.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Rex Theatre lies in its association with the development of the community. Constructed 1906-1907 to house the Merchant’s Bank, the building subsequently housed several prominent businesses. These organizations contributed to the economic and cultural development of Whitewood by providing financial and entertainment services to the citizens of the town and the surrounding community. The property underwent many adaptations, including the removal of a second storey, to accommodate its changing uses from a theatre to a telephone office and subsequently to a retail location. The town purchased the property in the early 2000s and rehabilitated it for use as a museum. The columns, cornice, and storefront windows on the front façade were restored and the project was awarded the 2004 Lieutenant Governor’s award for Architectural Excellence for Adaptive Reuse. An important part of Whitewood’s main street, the building continues to be a landmark.

Source:

Town of Whitewood Bylaw No. 7/99.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Rex Theatre resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements reflecting the building's retail and cultural uses, such as the storefront windows, signage on the front window, and open interior;
-those architectural features which speak to its status as a landmark, including the cornice, columns, brick veneer, tin ceiling and the building’s orientation on its original lot.