Established and new residents alike have kept an eye on the Lafayette Park Theater, all hoping to one day see a bright marquee and thriving entertainment. The Park Theater has remained an icon though closed since 2005. Built in 1941 and designed in the ‘streamline moderne’ style of the times by William Bernard Davis, the theater was once a vibrant gathering spot for our community. It helped to drive our year-round economy and provided a safe place for youth to commune.

That marquee will soon shine brightly again, thanks to the all-volunteer efforts of those involved with The Park Theater Trust (TPTT.) This non-profit, formed in 2019, is working to renovate The Park Theater into a highly functional, multi-use space – a sustainable cinema, music, and rental venue that will be enjoyed for generations. The Park Theater Trust’s mission is to restore and operate the iconic building and revitalize it into an accessible and inclusive, community-centered cinema, arts, and culture hub with programming that includes critically acclaimed films, throwback favorites, and engaging non-film events. The reopened Park Theater will aim to present film at its finest, its most engaging, and its most impactful for the local community and beyond.

TPTT is also working closely with Lafayette Park Trails and Recreation to create an easement that ties into our City goals of a greenbelt play space along Lafayette Creek. TPTT’s research into the economic impact of the reopening reveals that it will have an immediate, materially beneficial effect on all downtown businesses and the community at large. It will lead to a more vibrant downtown, further increasing the appeal of Lafayette as a place to live, work and visit. Sounds great to us!

TPTT’s goal is that The Park Theater open for daily operation by Holiday 2023. Please join the Dana Green Team in supporting the efforts of TPTT by donating here.