Cairns business: Calvary church in bid to transform old Event cinema on Grafton St

Everything from graduation ceremonies, dance and yoga to conferences could be held at what was originally the Odeon Cinema on Grafton St if a fast-growing church gets the green light.

IT’S a place where many Far Northerners would have seen their favourite movie or worked their first job.

The former Grafton St cinema complex, which closed in 2018, is about to come to life again as home to a growing church congregation.

Calvary Christian Church has bought the building with grand plans for a church and multipurpose community facility.

The development application is from the Calvary Temple Assembly of God Townsville.

Calvary general manager Matt Pappas said the Pentecostal church launched in Cairns in 2012, operating from Edge Hill State School.

“During Covid we were able to secure Cairns Central Event Cinemas and last year we negotiated with Event Cinemas to purchase the Grafton St site,” Mr Pappas said.

The old Grafton Street cinemas is about to be reborn - as the new home of Calvary Church. Calvary’s Cairns campus pastor Josh Douglas, pictured in the old projector room, is set to lead his first service in the converted venue on February 20. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Our desire is to be a key part of revitalising the city, engaging the community and be a blessing to the community.

“We are really excited to have this opportunity.”

Mr Pappas said current Sunday services attracted between 300 and 400 people.

He said the church hoped to have work complete and be in the building by March.

The application states the building would not change substantially, it would run predominantly as a place of worship.

The church is also seeking approval for a function facility to use the premises as a conference centre, indoor sport and recreation such as dance schools and yoga, a theatre and concert and dance hall.

There is already approval for a food and drink outlet.

The Calvary Christian Church encompasses a offers a Calvary Leadership College, Calvary Group Connections, Calvary Kids, Calvary Care Services and annual conferences.

The original Odeon Cinema at Grafton St, which opened in 1973.

Mr Pappas said the church would make the premises available for community use and community hire for dance concerts, school speech nights, conferences and functions, community outreach programs and counselling services.

He said Cairns City would benefit from having a large site that had sat vacant for some time back in use.

“The changes are mainly cosmetic and infrastructure, we are not changing the layout of the cinema but converting it into a more church-friendly environment, plus school groups and dance groups can use the production equipment we are putting in.” Mr Pappas said.

“We are repurposing a significant building, breathing life back into it.

The old Grafton Street cinemas is about to be reborn - as the new home of Calvary Church. Calvary’s Cairns campus pastor Josh Douglas is set to lead his first service in the converted cinema on February 20. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We have hosted Christmas Carols at the Esplanade for a few years, we have a strong relationship with local businesses and our desire is to continue to be a blessing for the Cairns community.”

As peak demand for community use would be outside office hours, it would be unlikely to exacerbate any carparking issues in the CBD, Mr Pappas said.

The VMAX wide-screen cinema closed its doors in July 2018.

It was originally the Odeon Cinema, which opened in 1973.

Event Cinemas operates three other sites in Cairns at Earlville, Cairns Central and Smithfield.

Assembly of God – rebranded Australian Christian Churches in 2007, has more than 1,000 churches nationwide and describes itself as vibrant, contemporary, evangelical and Pentecostal.

Originally published as Cairns business: Calvary church in bid to transform old Event cinema on Grafton St