Outside the east and west sides of the theatre were long wooden ramps. They were meant as fire exits but were often used for a quick exit after the show. Construction of the theatre began on May 1, 1927, and it opened 22 Jan 1928. With a seating capacity of 1,360 seats and a cost of $165,000 ($3,055,803 in 2024), it was a state-of-the-art facility; more up-to-date than Toronto’s Runnymede Theatre, the Capitol had a stage as large as Toronto’s Hippodrome.