Turning the lights on: The impact of the cinema on small town public space (Ontario)

Even with the vacating of major chain movie theatres from small towns across North America, the small town cinema continues to persist. As a gathering space it still has the potential to influence people's experiences in many different ways. In light of this, can the presence of a cinema activate public space in a small town?; In order to explore this question each component of the question is analyzed: cinema, activation and small town public space. Framing these different components is the design exploration site located in Brockville, Ontario, Canada (population 24,000). Through these different studies it is concluded that a cinema alone cannot activate public space in a small town. In order for the full social, economic and spatial impact of a cinema to be exercised on small town public space there must be spaces that mediate between the cinema auditoriums and the street. As the most important public space in a small town, there must be a connection established with the street.