Government of Canada Invests in Barrie’s New Downtown Community Theatre

September 11, 2009

BARRIE, Ontario – On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament (Barrie), today announced funding for the City of Barrie’s new Downtown Community Theatre.

The City of Barrie will renovate a former bank building in its historic downtown district to create a new 120- to 200-seat performing arts venue. The municipally-owned and -operated facility will be the residence of Barrie’s two professional theatre companies. The venue will also host independent artists and community groups for music and theatre performances, as well as special presentations.

“Our Government is proud to support the creation of a new performing arts space in the City of Barrie,” said Minister Moore. “With advanced specialized equipment, this site of artistic production will be an essential addition to the city’s cultural infrastructure.”

“I was a council representative on the 2001 Theatre Feasibility Committee that determined we had the desire but not the financial means to build a theatre in the downtown core,” said Mr. Brown. “Eight years later, it gives me great pleasure to deliver the federal funds that make this dream a reality.”

“An iconic performing arts facility located at the historic five points will represent a significant achievement in our downtown revitalization efforts and lead to quantifiable progress in our strategy of nurturing Culture as an economic driver,” said Richard Forward, Infrastructure, Development and Culture General Manager, City of Barrie. “For the leadership and residents of Barrie, this is a significant milestone.”

The Government of Canada has provided funding of $2,500,000 for the 2009–2010 and
2010–2011 fiscal years under the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (formerly Cultural Spaces Canada). This program of the Department of Canadian Heritage seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and arts presentation or exhibition. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing, visual, and media arts, and to museum collections and heritage displays.