After the Clarick was destroyed by fire, Myrtle Buckmiller was determined to build a new theater to replace it. She immediately began to work with Day Walter Hilborn, an architect from Vancouver, to design a new theater. Her original intent was to build a large theater on Main Street in the footprint of the Clarick. She and Hilborn designed this theater, which was to be called The Tower. The design of the Tower was of a round shaped tower atop a traditional boxy theater.  The theater was quite tall, featuring two mezzanines and the tower above housed a fourth floor apartment with panoramic views of the city. The design was magnificent.

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In a 1938 newspaper article, Myrtle claims that construction was to begin on this theater on Main Street the very next day. However, the theater was never build. Instead, Myrtle and Hilborn went back to the drawing table and spent the next year designing a different theater. This new theater, which was to be called The Times, was smaller and much more practical. The design was a smart and contemporary streamline moderne structure. This new theater was designed to have rental units along the side, to provide an alternate revenue stream. 

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Myrtle Buckmiller died suddenly on January 3, 1940. A week after her passing, her husband Frank hired a contractor and began construction. He changed a few details in the plans, most notably the name of the theater. Instead of naming it “The Times” he renamed it in honor of his beloved wife and called it “Eltrym” which is Myrtle spelled backward.

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The Eltrym Theater opened for business on June 27, 1940. At the opening of the theater, Mark Cory, studio representative, stated, “The structure is a monument not only to the community but to a woman, Mrs. Myrtle Buckmiller, who always wanted a new showhouse for the city.”

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ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

 

Hilborn designed the theater to feature a blending of warm rose shades and cool blue shades. "The main body of the outside of the building will be painted beige and green with the lower, front entrance of beige. The entrance doors will be painted burnt orange. Panels below the entrance show cases will be made of shiny black cararra glass. The marquis... is predominantly a soft green shade, bordered by beige and relieved by deep blue and maroon stripes. The colors inside the building are basically blue, green and rose, and their various shades. The original color scheme, Mr. Hilborn said, was to combine cool and warm colors throughout. Red, fluorescent carpets will be laid on the main floor, and the seat backs will be of coral leather. To relieve the warm colors used for the seats and carpet, the main curtain will be of a lustrous, cool green. The title curtain will be of an iridescent silver blue and border curtains will be in gold. The general wall tone and ceiling will be in beige, with stripes in blue, green and rose, relieving the beige wall. Also, in the interior will be used a quantity of bronze, metal stripes. The design will be horizontal throughout."  

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