Christmas Movies playing at the Clova Theatre

Missing the good old Clova Theatre in downtown Cloverdale no longer playing movies?

The current occupants are playing a few classic Christmas movies this month. Admission? Food bank donations.

Friday, December 11, 2015 at 7pm: Elf

Friday, December 18, 2015 at 7pm: It's a Wonderful Life

Monday, December 21, 2015 at 1:00 and 3:30 in the afternoon: Arthur Christmas

More information - http://clovatheatre.com/christmas-classics-at-the-clova/

Clova Theatre Christmas Movies

The Clova will be showing Christmas movies in December. This appears to be an event organized by the current building owners, Crossridge Church, instead of the former Clova staff.


Admission is by donation to the food bank. Bag of popcorn and a pop for $2. Free coffee and hot chocolate.


Showtimes are at 7pm.


December 12: It's a Wonderful Life


December 19: A Christmas Carol


December 22: The Polar Express


If you miss the Clova and want to see a movie on their screen again, don't miss your chance to enjoy some holiday favourites and help out the food bank.


The Clova is located at 5732 176th Street.

Last Few Days of The Clova

If you're thinking to catch one final show at Cloverdale's Clova Theatre, you only have a few days left. If you're like me and you still have a few stamps left on your "the what you want" pack, pay it forward and give the people behind you in the line a free night at the movies.


This week the shows are Tammy playing at 7pm and Jersey Boys at 8:55pm playing until Thursday July 31, 2014. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies.


On Friday August 1, 2014, the Clova is playing The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the last time at 9:30pm. Admission is $10.


On August 2, 2014 the Clova is once again hosting their version of The Amazing Race. Register at noon for $10 each. Car is needed this year.


Later on August 2, catch a live act at the Clova: ABRA Cadabra! A tribute to the popular 70's group ABBA. Starts at 7:30pm and tickets are $30 each.


On Sunday, August 3 at 1:30pm the Clova will be holding an auction. Your last chance to get some Clova memorabilia.


The Clova opened in 1948. I went to many Saturday matinees here when I was growing up. Saw just about every Disney movie and cartoon of the time. This was also where I first saw Star Wars. The line up for that went down the street, around the Clover Inn (now Henry's) and down 57th Avenue!


If we want to watch a movie we'll have to leave Cloverdale and head to Langley or other parts of Surrey.


Goodbye Clova. We'll miss watching movies here and seeing the marquee lit up at night.

Clova Theatre going dark this Summer

Sad to say, Cloverdale's Clova Theatre will be closing its doors this summer.

For the past 2 years on Sundays the Cross Ridge Church has been holding its services in the Clova and this group has purchased the building the Clova is housed in and unfortunately the Clova will be going dark this summer. I don't know yet what the last day will be.

The Clova is located on 176th Street, Cloverdale's main street, halfway between 57th and 58th Avenues. It was built in 1948. Before the Clova was built my father said he used to have to catch the train into Langley to watch movies. That was back when they had passenger train service and the station was behind the Co-op, in pretty much the same place where the train station is right now that offers rides back and forth between Sullivan and Cloverdale in the summer. According to my father, the problem with catching a movie in Langley was there was no return passenger service to Cloverdale and so they'd have to walk home or stick their thumbs out.

Growing up in Cloverdale the Saturday matinee was a weekly tradition. I've seen just about every Disney movie there - Bambi, Snow White, Lady and the Tramp, Yogi Bear, the Flintstones, and I even remember a movie about a bear named Toklat. Sometimes the theatre was giving out free popcorn in paper bags. The old stale stuff that nobody ate but instead threw it around the theatre aiming for their friends a few rows away. Who remember the pink elephant popcorn. What about the .10¢ chocolate bars? Back then you'd want to get the most bang for your dime and buy a chocolate bar that would last awhile. That usually meant getting a Pep Chew or an Eat More. There was another big chocolate bar whose name escapes me that was pretty big and full of nuts. And another bar that was pretty big and it was twisted in a lattice shape, chocolate coated toffee or peppermint that was chewy.

The Clova was also where I saw Star Wars for the first time. I still remember that night. Huge line ups around the block. By the time my friend and I got to the ticket counter the first show was sold out but they were selling tickets for the 2nd show (9pm?) and we decided to stick around. All I remember was when they opened the doors for the 2nd show there was a huge crush of people shoving their way in. I doubt the staff was able to check anyone to see if they held tickets. I got pushed in by the masses and looking around for my friend saw her getting the old squeeze play while the crowd pushed her inside too. Whew! Fun times!

And those fun times are coming to an end. I've seen hundreds of movies at the Clova ever since I was a little girl and I'll catch a few more in the next months. Then its going to mean driving to another part of Surrey or over to Langley.

The end of an era.

Playing at the Clova from August 30 to September 5, 2013

Playing at the Clova this week from August 30th to September 5th is:

7pm - Turbo

8:55pm - Monsters University

Last show lets out around 10:30pm. Admission is $8 or $15 for 2 people. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.

The Amazing Race Cloverdale 2013

The Clova Theatre is holding The Amazing Race Cloverdale on Sunday September 1, 2013 starting at 2pm. Teams must be between 4 and 6 people with at least one adult in the group.

Start at the parking lot behind the Clova to receive the first clue and figure out which business to go to. When you arrive at that location you get your next clue. There are prizes for the first 3 teams to finish plus participation prizes for everyone else.

Cost is $5 for children up to 12 years and $10 for over 13 and adults.

Email clovacinema@telus.net to sign up.

Playing at the Clova from June 7 to 13, 2013

It's a little confusing at the Clova Theatre this coming week since Friday, June 7 is a private function sponsored by the Anglican Church.

7pm:  Les Miserables

Show lets out around 9:40pm. They are selling tickets for $8 at the door and selling in advance too. Check their website for more information: www.ctrchurch.com

Playing at the Clova from Saturday June 8 to 13, 2013 is:

7pm: The Great Gatsby

9:40pm: Pain & Gain

Last show lets out around 11:50pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.

Playing at the Clova on Friday February 8, 2013

The Clova is playing a documentary called Off the Wall in China for one night only on Friday, February 8, 2013. Show starts at 8pm and costs $24.99.

It features William Jans and his slides of travels through the Philippines and China.

Playing at the Clova from August 3 to August 9, 2012

Playing this week at the Clova from Friday August 3 to the August 9, 2012:

7pm - The Amazing Spider-Man

9:35pm - Rock of Ages

Last show lets out at 11:40pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If there are 2 in your group admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person. Tuesday night is $5 per person.

Playing at the Clova from July 13 to July 26, 2012

Playing at the Clova beginning July 13 until the 26th is:

7pm - Ice Age: Continental Drift

This is a first run movie that premieres everywhere on July 13 2012. That means the Clova's contract is to play it for 2 weeks and no second feature movies. Admission is $8. Or $15 for 2 people. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.

SOS Security Solutions Cloverdale

There's a company in Cloverdale called SOS Security Solutions. They are in a building on 176th Street next door to the Clova Theatre.

A little bit of trivia. My father owned that building in the sixties and sold it in the seventies.

I don't know anything about SOS Security Solutions other than I've seen their office when I'm walking down 176th Street. I use a different security company.

Across the street from us we have what we refer to as the party house. Its a rental - obviously! There were some young men in their 20's there last year and they moved out to a bigger and better party house but they recommended two females they know to the landlord and those girls moved in. Well it wasn't long before their boyfriends moved in and the house became party central. I'm pretty sure all the neighbors have the landlord's phone number to complain about the late night loud parties. Their parties don't bother me. What really bugs me is some guy in a blue Camaro that badly needs a good, quiet muffler!

Nobody in this neighbourhood used to have blocks on their lawns to prevent people from driving on the lawns before those kids moved in and turned it into a party house. One neighbour's lawn was messed up pretty badly by one of those kids peeling out and creating huge ruts. We have concrete parking bumpers along our lawn to keep the partiers off. I think one of those kid's friends didn't see the bumpers and drove over one because it was dragged out of place by several feet. Those things are heavy, over 100 pounds, and about 6' long. You couldn't see that?!

The landlord was over there a couple of weeks ago and came over to talk to us when he saw us working in our yard. He told us he was getting ready to evict them when they told him they're leaving at the end of July. He's still trying to collect their rent but that's his problem. We told him we suspected they were going to have one last good party before they left. We've seen them moving stuff all month. Just how much stuff do they have in that little house anyway?!

This past Saturday night they had an eviction party. There were cars all over the street and they were pretty loud. I was watching TV after midnight so they weren't bothering me but I could see how their next door neighbor with 5 children under age 8 would be a little ticked. The following morning the house was toilet papered.

One of the partiers arrived in a van plastered with SOS Security Solutions advertising. He - or she I didn't see the driver - parked it on our neighbour's lawn. That's always nice. At least its dry right now so couldn't cause much damage but I bet the driver didn't ask the house owner's permission to park there before going over to the party house. It was still there on Sunday morning so I'm assuming the driver had too much to drink and did the responsible thing by not driving the van home.

That's the picture of the SOS van above parked on the neighbour's lawn with the party house in the background. Talk about great advertising! Does SOS Security Solutions not care where their employees park their vehicles and that they're driving them to and from parties instead of using the company van for business purposes?

A company I used to work for had company vans with our company name well advertised on them that were assigned to the staff members who drove them for maintenance calls. They had to keep them at their houses instead of at the office in case they were on call and there was an emergency and they had to leave ASAP. Also sometimes that day's schedule may have included a call to a location closer to their home and they would start there instead of coming in to the office first. They were not allowed to use the vans for personal business. Just to and from their house, the office, and to service calls. Many companies have a similar policy especially when there may be times for after hours emergencies and dispatching service calls directly from the employee's house. Otherwise they don't want their staff driving a well advertised company vehicle to somewhere that might give them bad advertising.

There was that very sad story in the news in May of the 22 year old woman who was driving home from a baseball game at the Cloverdale Athletic Park and was killed by a drunk driver. The woman driving the van fled on foot but was captured a short time later. She was driving a van that said Precision Restorations on it. Like there's a big clue to the police! If they couldn't find the driver one phone call to the boss would have told them who was in control of the van. Apparently Precision Restorations has a company policy that their vans are only to be used for business purposes and they did not have any service calls that night and there was no reason for their employee to be driving it. They fired her for violation of company policy. That was probably the easy way out for them. Very sad.

At least the driver of the SOS Security Solutions left their van parked all night on the neighbor's lawn instead of getting behind the wheel.

Lining up at the Clova for the latest Harry Potter movie

I was walking the dogs through Cloverdale around 8pm on Thursday night when I noticed a group of about a dozen mostly teenage girls sitting in front of the Clova Theatre. They'd brought camp chairs with them and seemed to be having a good time. I was on the other side of the street otherwise I might have found out how long they'd been there.

And the wait? At exactly 5 minutes after midnight Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be playing.

China Tea Cup Company Closing March 19

The China Tea Cup Company on 176th Street next to the Clova is closing for good this Saturday March 19. Hours are 10 to 4. Unfortunately it does not look like they found a buyer for the business.

The old Chinese Food restaurant in Cloverdale

There used to be a Chinese restaurant in Cloverdale on 176th Street next to the Clova Theatre. I hate to say I can't even remember the name of it. Clover Garden Restaurant? Clover Leaf Restaurant? When I was a kid it served both Chinese and Western food. My parents liked to eat there at least once a month. I was glad for the Western cuisine and always ordered a burger and fries. As a kid I never liked Chinese food all that much. As I got older I found I could go into a Chinese restaurant and enjoy a dish or two and find something to eat, but its not my first choice when we're going out to eat.

As the years went by it changed hands. The last time I actually recall getting something to eat there was in the mid-90's, take out at a friend's place after enjoying looking at Christmas lights around Surrey. When smoking bylaws came into place the proprietors blatantly disobeyed and still kept ashtrays on the tables and allowed patrons to smoke in there. I saw this quite clearly when I walked my dogs past in the early part of the 2000 decade. Eventually the bylaw officer must have fined them because the ashtrays were removed and I didn't see anyone smoking in there. I'm not sure if it changed hands because I hardly saw anyone dining there. I don't think they even offered Western food choices anymore either. Mostly I just saw the proprietors and their family sitting at a table and kids jumping all over the booths whenever I walked past. Eventually it closed down and sat empty for awhile.

A couple of years ago I was walking the dogs through Cloverdale and I stopped at the restaurant when I noticed activity inside, particularly the door open and a lady outside cleaning something. I stopped to chat with her and learned that her and a partner were opening up a tea shop here. From what I gathered the premises were quite filthy and they had a big cleaning job ahead of them. This was in May and unfortunately they were not going to be open in time to catch the crowds of people enjoying the parade and rodeo.

As I walked away I wondered what the chances of survival were for a tea shop in Cloverdale. However I'd thought the same thing when a tea shop opened up in White Rock near my parent's house called Clancy's Tea Cosy. That was in the mid 90's and its still operating. So people in White Rock must like going out for tea! But Cloverdale is another story.

I'm not a tea drinker myself. Neither coffee. Or any other hot drink. Its not like I'm at Tim Horton's or Starbuck's a lot but I go in occasionally mostly for a donut, muffin, or pastry and will have a cold drink.

The new restaurant opened named the China Tea Cup Company. They've done a nice job of fixing it up inside with cute tables and chairs. They offer pastries and a light lunch menu in addition to all kinds of tea choices. I'm embarrassed to say that I have not gone in there but I'm not big on drinking tea. Their hours are a little limited too. They're open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm so they're mostly targeting retired customers who don't work during those hours. Its their shop they can choose the hours. That's all part of the fun of owning your own business. Choosing when you'll work. Sadly I never see many customers inside when they're open and I'm walking past with the dogs. I don't know if that's because of the hours or whether Cloverdale residents just aren't tea aficionados.

They have a sign on their window saying the business is for sale and to enquire inside. Obviously they have decided to move on for whatever reason and I wish them the best.

Sorry I'm not a tea drinker.....

Prince increase at the Clova

I was walking my dogs through Cloverdale this morning and spotted a new sign in the window at the Clova Theatre. Bottom line is the prices have increased, undoubtedly thanks to the HST that came in a couple of days ago.

Admission is now $8.

However, if there are 2 people in your party, price is $15.

If there are 3 people in your group, the total is $19.

For each additional person add $4.

More events happening in Cloverdale May 2010 long weekend

I've just returned from a 3 week vacation and I have a few more additions to my previous post about what's happening around Cloverdale this May 2010.

To start off I still have been unable to find a map of the Cloverdale Rodeo Parade route, so I'm sticking with what I said before and hoping its staying to the same route. To be safe, find a spot on 176th Street between 58th and 57th Avenues. I'm pretty sure the parade is starting somewhere around 56A Avenue and 177B Street - the staging area. Parade proceeds south along 177B Street while everyone gets in line to Highway 10. Which means that the west bound lanes of traffic are closed and all traffic is diverted to the eastbound lane. Then its a couple of blocks west to 176th Street, north until 58A Avenue, then north again on 176A Street where the parade peters out by the time it reaches 60th Avenue and the fairgrounds.

Friday, May 21 - 4:30pm to 6pm its the Chili Cook off at the Clover Square Village on the south side of Highway 10 and 177B Street. Chili is free for the testing and voting. Sometimes free comes with a price and you have to listen to the chef's political agenda.

Saturday, May 22 - 8am to 10am is a rodeo pancake breakfast in Hawthorne Square on 176th Street across from the Clova Theatre. This is put on by the Cloverale Lions. Live music with Cloverdale's own Trailer Park Playboys.

Saturday, May 22 - 8:30am to 10am is another rodeo pancake breakfast, and this one is my personal favorite because its free. Its held at the Cloverdale Canadian Reformed Church at 17473 60th Avenue.

Saturday, May 22 - 1:30pm the Clova Theatre is hosting a vaudeville act Susie Francis and the Versatiles. Tickets are $5. This will be repeated on Sunday May 23 and Monday May 24, same time, same place, same act.

There are all kinds of activities happening in Cloverdale in conjunction with the rodeo. For more information see their web page. Apparently the free trolley rides will be running around Cloverdale all weekend. Unfortunately I can't locate their route, but a safe bet would be the stops are at Clover Square Village, Hawthorne Square, and the fairgrounds.

No matter what you have planned, I hope you have a happy and safe long weekend.

Playing at the Clova from April 2 - April 8 2010

No big surprise here. How to Train Your Dragon is playing for a second week at the Clova Theatre from April 2 - 8. Just like last week showtimes are 7pm and 9pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and the rest of the week is 7pm only.

No second feature when a first run movie is playing. Admission is $7 or $4 on Tuesday.

Playing at the Clova from February 26 - March 4 2010

Playing at the Clova Theatre in downtown Cloverdale this coming week, beginning Friday February 26 is:

7pm - Valentine's Day

9:40pm - Dear John

Last show lets out at 11:25pm. Times are approximate. If the concession is busy, the Clova doesn't start the show until the lobby has mostly cleared out. Admission is $7, stay for one movie or watch both. Tuesday nights is $4.

Playing at the Clova from February 19 - February 25 2010

Playing at the Clova Theatre in Cloverdale this week from February 19 - 25 is:

7pm - Invictus

9:30pm - Nine: the musical

Last show lets out at 11:30pm. Times are approximate. The Clova delays starting the movie until there's no line up at the concession. Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies. Tuesdays night's admission is $4. Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink containers and fill up for $2.

Playing at the Clova from February 12 - February 18 2010

Playing this coming week at the Clova Theatre from February 12 - 18 is:

7pm - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

9:05pm - Leap Year

Last show lets out at 10:45pm. Times approximate. The Clova waits until there are no more patrons waiting in line at the concession before starting the movie. If its a busy night, could be 15 minute delays. Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies. Tuesday nights admission is $4.