In 1988 it was decided that in a time of development and modernization of Burnaby, it should consider putting in place public reminders of the city’s rich past. As a result, Burnaby’s Civic Heritage Program was created, dedicated to sharing the events of past generations with those who have come to visit the fair city and to future generations who wish to know about the city’s origins. In 2002, the program launched a new series along Hasting’s Street in the Heights region of Burnaby. From public landmarks to historic buildings, this series is designed to take the viewer on a historic tour around this busy and bustling area.
Please note that the cache is not at the listed coordinates, however, this is where you will find the Regent Building, a two-storied brick building that is now home to a number of local businesses. It was affiliated with the Famous Players playhouses and the Langer Theatre Group. Although only the second theatre built in The Heights, it was the first that offered talkie films, or films with pre-recorded sounds. During the inter-war period, this new form of entertainment changed the cultural landscape of The Heights. Like many places across Canada and the United States, people were drawn to this new attraction where they could experience action, adventure, horror and romance. Affordable prices and popular interest in this medium made this theatre a cultural centre where family and friends could meet up and escape the stress of ordinary life and immerse themselves in a brave new world. The first film to be shown in The Regent was Below the Line, which stared Rin Tin Tin, a German Shepherd who was rescued from the war torn French countryside in 1918 and went on to become a Hollywood silent film sensation. The building also hosted many community events such a hypnotist show, a memorial Service for King George V, Victory Bonds and a Miss Burnaby Pageant. With the rise of household television in the 50’s, the Regent would close its doors. However the building would survive and begin its life again as a drugstore before becoming the home to a host of new industries.
The cache is located not far from the Regent Theatre. Your goal is to learn more about the history of this theatre and to answer the questions below. The questions will give you the coordinates to the physical cache:
N 49.AB.CDE W 123.FG.HIJ
A – The third digit in the Regent theatre’s address.
B – The last digit in the year an Opening Advertisement was made by The Burnaby Broadcast.
C – The last digit in the year that the last movie was played at the Regent Theatre.
D – The last digit in the year the Regent Theatre hosted a memorial for King George V.
E – The last digit of the theatre’s address.
F – The last digit of the year the Heights theatre opened.
G – The last digit of the year Burnaby’s Juvenile Band posed outside the Regent Theatre.
H – The day after the opening performance of “Below the Line."
I – The last digit of the year opening night occurred.
J – The first digit in the amount of money the children payed to watch a film at he Regent Theatre.