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In December, I looked at the three major developments contributing to the revitalization of downtown St. Catharines and yesterday it was officially announced that FirstOntario Credit Union had secured the naming rights to the soon to be completed New Performing Arts Centre with a $3 million donation. The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, which sits at the corner of St. Paul St. and Carlisle St., is a 95,000 square foot cultural and educational complex. The donation demonstrates the local business communities continued commitment to investing in and revitalizing downtown St. Catharines.
A commitment to the arts
The centre, which is set to open in September of 2015, will feature four performance venues, two of which will be utilized as lecture halls for the Marilyn I. Walker Fine and Performing Arts Centre (MIWFPAC). It was designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects and is funded through the Government of Canada ($18 million), the Province of Ontario ($18 million), the City of St. Catharines ($19 million) and a capital fundraising campaign (currently at $6 million). The centre hopes to host upwards of 600 events each year, cementing an art and culture scene in the downtown core.
Revitalization of St. Paul St. and the Carlisle St corridor
The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre is just one in a string of commercial developments and revitalizations in the St. Paul street and Carlisle Street corridor. Brock University’s MIWFPAC is on time for completion in September and across the street from the former site of the Leonard Hotel, now Carlisle Suites, is on it’s way to completing a major interior overhaul and exterior refacing. As these developments near completion, interest in commercial and residential investment in downtown St. Catharines should continue to grow.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre by the Facts:
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$65 million dollars
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95,000 square feet
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Four performance venues - Partridge Hall, Cairns Recital Hall, Robertson Theatre and the Film Theatre
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600 annual events
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20 full time staff, 70 part-time staff
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Designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects
