It’s been five years since the town started exploring the idea of an arts centre in Collingwood, and some councillors aired frustration this week over the $250,000 spent already on consulting without any shovels in the ground and a decision to spend more.
During their regular meeting on July 22, councillors voted in favour of paying $40,000 more to consultant Colliers Project Leaders to hone in on the cost estimates for an arts centre in Collingwood, and to defer further decisions on the matter until the town’s downtown visioning master plan is completed. To date, the town estimates its spent $269,000 on various phases of the arts centre feasibility study, with the new amount approved on Monday pushing the total past $300,000.
But the vote was not unanimous.
“We’re going to spend $40,000 to have the same consultant tell us whether their numbers were right or wrong? I don’t think that’s good spending,” said Coun. Rob Ring who, along with Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer and Coun. Christopher Baines, voted opposed to the spend. “We’re spending an extra $40,000 for information we already know. I’m not convinced.”
“I’m surprised we’ve done so many studies and invested so many dollars, and now we’re being asked to spend more money, again,” said Coun. Deb Doherty. “I’m in a quandry.”
“We need to stop studying this to death and move forward,” she said.
Phase 3 of the arts centre feasibility study was first presented to council earlier in July.
Colliers recommended building a facility to include a 600-seat main hall, 300-seat recital hall, multi-purpose rooms and administrative space. They recommended any facility should also have outdoor gathering spaces, catering facilities, and parking.
There are two options Colliers recommended for location: Option 1 is a standalone building at 101 Pine Street totalling 107,974 square feet, while Option 2, totalling 128,522 square feet, combines the standalone building at 101 Pine Street with a secondary building at 84 Hurontario Street connected by a “skywalk” bridge. The secondary building would provide frontage on the main street and accommodate “community hub” programming including a gallery, restaurant, and tourism centre.
The two options also come with cost estimates, which for Option 1 comes in at $61.6 million, and Option 2 coming in at $72.8 million. Underground parking would add another $18.9 million to either option.
Based on estimates explored through the report, potential funding through other levels of government and grants could account for between $40 million and $46 million of the cost, while donations raised through the community are expected to come in at $10 million. The town would be responsible to address any funding shortfall, which is expected to be between $10 million and $16 million, not including the parking options.
During discussion on Monday, CAO Sonya Skinner noted that the current cost estimates for the project are “probably a stretch for Collingwood.”
On Monday’s consent agenda, there were two letters relating to the arts centre feasibility study. The first was a letter from the Collingwood Downtown BIA signed by chair Sarah Pennal noting that while the BIA is in support of an arts centre being placed in Collingwood’s downtown, they want 84 Hurontario St. to remain as a downtown market square community space, and asked for the town to continue investigating a location on Ste. Marie St. instead.
A letter signed by Collingwood resident Paul Shaw who listed his residence as being on Schoolhouse Lane, wrote to express opposition to locating an arts centre in the Pine St. parking lot citing heritage concerns and the impact on the surrounding buildings.
Richard Lemoine, of the Collingwood Art Culture Entertainment (CACE) Group, spoke in person during the meeting about the progress made over the past five years on the file, throwing the group’s support behind the Pine St. option.
During council discussion, Mayor Yvonne Hamlin pointed to the work also underway on a potential multi-use recreation facility in Collingwood, and the dichotomy between arts and sports.
“We deserve both and we should have both, and I’m committed to getting both,” said Hamlin. “I’ve been sitting on the steering committee for a number of months now...there has been considerable discussion over sites. We made a decision some time ago as a council to have this downtown.”
Baines agreed.
“I think the time has come to move on with this. I’d rather this $40,000... be spent to get this implemented,” he said.
Fryer shared concerns about the new cost request.
“I was disappointed in what was delivered to us due to the subsequent request by Colliers,” said Fryer. “To me, this is like considering a change order request in a construction project. I don’t see any current circumstances to justify this one.”
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 and Giaimo Architects.
An alternate recommendation that was included in the agenda and also could have been considered by councillors was to instead pay Colliers $80,000 more, and have them include two new potential locations for the arts centre into the mix: the Federal Building at 44 Hurontario St., and the current site of the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena at 97 Hurontario St.
No councillor brought forward a motion during the meeting to explore other location options.
To read the full Phase 3 arts centre feasibility study report, click here.
On Monday night, council voted 5-3 in favour of spending the $40,000 on Colliers to drill down further into the cost estimates for the project, and to defer future decision making on the project until after the downtown visioning master plan is completed. Coun. Brandon Houston declared a conflict and did not vote or participate in discussion on the matter.
The town’s downtown visioning master plan exercise is currently underway and is expected to be delivered this fall. More information on how to participate can be found here.
