Although raising $13 million to save the Fisher Auditorium will be a challenge, Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said it’s more than possible.
Monday night, Barrie councillors approved a motion to talk with HIP Developments, owner of Barrie Central and the auditorium, about a land swap.
“If you talk about creating something that supports downtown, HIP and the city should be talking about how to develop the lands that are beside each other in a comprehensive way,” said Lehman.
An architect told the city to save the auditorium could cost up to $13 million, a project that would include severing the performance space from the former high school.
“Fisher was built through public fundraising years ago,” said Lehman, who acknowledged the $13-million estimate “is a very high number”.
But he believes it can be raised.
“One of the things that gives us some confidence is the last three campaigns all raised more than the target,” he said, recalling the Painswick library, the Mady Centre and the redevelopment of Memorial Square/Meridian Place.
He said they were much smaller campaigns, roughly $1.5 to $2 million, but they show there’s community spirit.
There’s also been an ongoing desire for a large performance space, he said.
“We’ve always said no because it was $70 or $80 million. What I think is amazing here is a chance to do what Steve Sperling, Bruce Owen and the Huronia Symphony Orchestera want….for a fraction of the price.”
He said the city has been criticized for years for not saving public buildings and this is an opportunity the city can’t ignore.
“So Fisher may be saved. That’s a good thing,” said Aerarium Development’s Steve Sperling, who is also an arts advocate.
He questioned, however, where the city would put the required parking; the ratio used is one spot per two seats and with room for 1,000 people, the theatre would need 500 spots. For that parking, the city would need three acres, he explained.
A decade ago, the city’s Building A Creative Future: A Plan for Culture recommended renovating Fisher Auditorium to serve as an interim performance arts centre, as well as constructing a smaller performance space. The strategy focused on building cultural infrastructure in the city core.
The city has since taken over programming the Georgian Theatre, a flexible performance space which can accommodate up to 700 people when both pods are open.
Lehman acknowledged the city has been struggling to program both the Mady and Georgian theatres.
When asked how the city would program a third theatre, he said “That’s a very good question. How would this theatre work with the other two?”
He said the arts community has been demanding another space.
“The Georgian Theatre doesn’t work for them. That’s why they’re in churches and rented facilities.”
He added “there are a lot of issues up there (at the Georgian Theatre).”
The city has applied for a federal Cultural Spaces grant to assist with required $1.3 million in work there.
The city could also apply for funding for Fisher, Lehman added.
“First we have to see if we have the community support.”
