The show must go on: community helps theater after roof collapses from snow

NEW ROCKFORD, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Dealing with snow is a costly hassle, but it hasn’t just cost some their time and money, it cost one small town their historic movie theater after the roof caved in from snow on Monday.

“They were basically on the roof trying to get some of the snow off of there,” said Sydney Carr, assistant manager at Rockford Theatre. “They were on the ground and five minutes later the entire roof collapsed.”

Damage is extensive on the building, which has stood in the town of New Rockford for over a hundred years. But what’s rich in history, is also rich in cost, especially since they finished renovations just 2 years ago.

“With it being an old building, you only are able to have so much for coverage,” said Carr.

While the roof of the theater has given out, one thing that remains rock solid is the help of their small town community.

“Honestly, it’s just kind of what our community does, any small town community,” said Carr. “Everybody’s always willing to donate or lend a hand.”

As well as a GoFundMe from the North Dakota Film Society.

“A lot of these are the only places that a lot of people in North Dakota have to see something on the big screen,” said Scottie Knollin, cofounder of the North Dakota Film Society. “These kinds of small-town cinemas are the arteries for art, and especially for film. Once we saw that this one was going to close, we knew we had to do something.”

“They just came out of nowhere and made a go fund me page. I didn’t even think of doing a go fund me page,” laughed Carr.

Carr says they have been hit hard, they’re just thankful no one was hurt.

“There was supposed to be a whole group of kids that we’re going to be watching a movie exactly when the roof collapsed, so we’re just very very thankful that nobody was injured,” said Carr.

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