IT is easy to look at the images of the Inverell Capitol Theatre, and rue the day the walls came crashing down, but like every tale, the story was not in the rubble alone.
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Every town has its history, but Inverell in the mid-1970s was a reflection of Australia and the developed world.
Lines of automobiles waiting at the bowser to fill a tank was common sight across the country and the economy was stuttering.
As former Inverell solicitor and one-time owner of the theatre John Butler observed, he saw teams of youth leaving town in those years, taking their skills and dreams elsewhere.
Inverell needed jobs, but today is no different.
The Australian Department of Employment Labour Market Data July 2015 report states our New England/North West youth face an unemployment rate of 20 per cent.
In an atmosphere like that, should the decision need to be made between those three jobs that kept a diminishing theatre afloat, and 100 new, sustainable jobs, it is likely the same decision would be made.
We always need more jobs. We also need more of just about everything.
That’s not to say we don’t need more history, heritage and beauty.
The dust is so long settled on the demotion of the Capitol Theatre, it is likely far adrift somewhere past Bourke by now, but some memories are still a little raw when it comes to remembering the loss of the building.
When we remember the Capitol, we should cherish what we had, and those memories, but also venerate other heritage in existing bricks and mortar, or history that lies in storytelling and along the Nhunta Karra Kara track at Goonoowigall.
We should applaud the past and recent history of some of our high achievers who have left town to become outstanding in their field to make Inverell proud, but also laud those who have returned or remained in our district to keep our community healthy and growing.
We can keep the Capitol alive with stories of stolen kisses in the back row that meant everything and squirming for Saturday matinees to begin. Maybe we recall the moment a film inspired us, or the rare visit of a musician like Winifred Attwell who captivated an audience.
We will always have memories, and the Capitol Theatre will stand out as one of Inverell’s best, but let us not forget why it was sacrificed, and keep trying to heal our issues to build a bright future.
