By spring of next year, Collingwood council and residents could be looking at design ideas and cost estimates for a new arts and culture centre.
The project consultants, Colliers Project Leaders, delivered a brief update to council on Dec. 18, to highlight the ongoing work to create a business case for the future arts centre.
Colliers has been charged with creating a business case for the arts centre, which includes work toward a design concept, estimating the price of the build and the operating and maintenance costs, running public consultation sessions, and creating a plan for fundraising.
Currently, the consultants are working with the idea of a theatre with options for 400 to 600 seats. According to the report to council, they will have a concept design and costing prepared by the spring of 2024.
The latest public feedback session indicated residents would like to see the vision for the arts centre include the concepts of creating, fostering the arts, and developing the arts through education.
In addition to the scope of the project already identified, public feedback suggested an exhibition space, conference space, storage, theatre-sized rehearsal spaces and a residence for performers to use while they’re in town also be included in the considerations.
Chief among the concerns raised for the arts centre was parking.
The site of the future centre has not been chosen yet, and the consultants are still working on the preliminary site analysis.
Currently, the sites being considered are the parking lots at 48 Ste. Marie Street, 140 Ste. Marie Street (Eddie Bush Memorial Arena lot), and 101 Pine Street (Farmers’ Market lot).
A brief pros and cons list indicates the two more favourable options are 48 Ste. Marie Street and 101 Pine Street. But the analysis is still preliminary.
While the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena parking lot at 140 Ste. Marie Street is big and accessible via publicly-owned laneways, it is the busiest lot of the three.
The Pine Street lot is the largest, but it’s surrounded by privately-owned laneways, it has electric charging stations, and it’s the location for the Farmers’ Market in the summer.
The lot at 48 Ste. Marie Street is used the least of the three, but a new watermain would be required if the arts centre was built there.
Colliers continues to work on the site analysis, with an ongoing commitment to reporting to council with updates.
The future Collingwood arts and culture centre plan includes public gathering areas, front-of-house space, a theatre with high capacity and fixed seating as well as an option with smaller capacity and flexible seating, administrative space, theatre support spaces (such as a green room and dressing rooms), one to two studios/classrooms, additional office/catering space and retail/market spaces.
The arts and culture centre feasibility process was first approved by council in December 2019 as part of the 2020 budget. Since then, there have been two phases, led by Nordicity as well as Giaimo Architects.
Based on the consultants’ work in the first two phases, the current estimated cost of building a centre is between $25 million and $34 million, but those figures don’t include soft costs such as the architectural designs, nor do they include furnishings and equipment, which Nordicity suggested could add about 10 per cent to the overall cost. A parking structure, whether under or above ground, would also add to the cost, possibly another $10 million.
Colliers’ work is considered the third phase of the process.
-With files from Jessica Owen
