The City of Cornwall has contracted GRC Architects to complete architectural and engineering design services for the Arts Centre. Through an 8-month period, the GRC team will develop a design for the building at 159 Pitt Street.

The Ottawa-based firm has completed significant work that is relevant to the project being undertaken in Cornwall:

• Robert C. Gillett Student Commons at Algonquin College, which includes a new theatre
• Pat Clark Community Centre Renovation, City of Ottawa
• Korean Cultural Centre in Canada for the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, which includes a black box theatre
• L’Excentricité at La Cité Collégiale, a multi-purpose facility that includes a theatre

GRC's vision for the Arts Centre is to create a “community-centred facility” that is innovative, interactive, supportive, stimulating, and flexible. The architects plan to retain and enhance the qualities already present in the former Bank of Montreal building, including its heritage, prominent location in a central business area, and proximity to the waterfront.

Cornwall residents will be invited to share their ideas and feedback during two public information sessions, to be announced at a later date.

“Awarding the design contract to GRC is an exciting step in this process,” said Mayor Bernadette Clement. “I look forward to seeing their experience and vision come together with the dreams of the arts community here in Cornwall.”

Fundraising efforts for the centre have reached $663,133. To learn more about making a donation, please click here. This includes $100,000 over four years from the Tourism Development Fund Corporation. The City of Cornwall has applied for provincial and federal funding for the Arts Centre project and foresees a response this summer.

To follow the progress of the Arts Centre, follow the City of Cornwall on Facebook, continue visiting www.Cornwall.ca, or sign up for email updates by clicking here.

Background on the Arts Centre

In 2018, the City of Cornwall purchased the former BMO building at 159 Pitt Street, with the intention of renovating the space for an Arts and Culture Centre.

The City of Cornwall completed a “fit test” of the facility in 2018, which concluded that the building can accommodate the program required for an Arts and Culture Centre, including a multi-use, flexible black box theatre space.

The next step of this process is the preparation of a preliminary design. This design phase will be followed by the tendering of the design for contractor pricing, then proceeding to construction.

Media Questions:
Jamie Fawthrop
Division Manager, Parks & Recreation
jfawthrop@cornwall.ca
613-938-9898 ext. 4026