Momentum gaining on Barrie’s new performing arts centre

A ceremony was held to unveil a sign at the site of the old Sea Cadets building on Simcoe Street.

A building dedicated to Barrie’s rich arts scene is in the beginning stages of becoming a reality.

The city is getting a new theatre and performing arts and convention centre and City Council did the honours of unveiling the sign.

The ceremony was on Wednesday at the site of the old sea cadets building on Simcoe Street near the Spirit Catcher along Barrie’s waterfront.

Several dignitaries were in attendance including Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall and some councillors.

The new venue will not only be home to live entertainment but will transform and act as a conference space for businesses.

“This is a beautiful 600-seat theatre as well as a 300-seat dinner theatre that when you take the chairs out of those, it turns into about a 2000-person convention space so there’ll be some pretty large business gatherings, pretty amazing arts shown in this venue and certainly a great community centre for our entire city,” says Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall.

Additionally, the venue will be complete with a lobby, backstage, production spaces and a restaurant. The City says there will be 5,000 square feet of additional program space incorporated into the design.

Currently, the project team is working on the site plan, which is getting momentum and focusing on technical requirements for the site plan approval and building permit applications. Submissions are expected at some point this year.

The sea cadets building will be demolished this fall and construction for the performing arts building is expected for spring 2027. Construction will continue through to summer 2029, when officials will focus on interior, testing and system commissioning.

The venue will be open for business and start welcoming performers beginning some time in 2029.

The City says timelines are dependent on weather.