Kelowna to consider a $220M performing arts centre in Waterfront Park

Murmurs and rumours about a new performing arts centre in Kelowna have been swirling for years, but now the city has made a major step in making it a reality. 

Last year, the city’s task force on the arts said it’s in favour of a new performing arts centre and next week city council is going to hear some more details about what the new Okanagan Centre for the Performing Arts would look like.

A report for city council mentions four potential locations including Pioneer Gardens in Waterfront Park, next to City Hall, at the Rotary Commons and Roxby Square in the Rutland neighbourhood.

The report said that Pioneer Gardens would be the best choice since it’s downtown on two acres and it’s in the city’s cultural district so there are hotels, restaurants and lots of parking nearby. But there would need to be some more research to figure out if there are any flaws with that spot. 

The estimated cost in today’s construction market for the new performing arts centre is between $190 million and $220 million, but costs could rise by 17.5 per cent if the project isn’t built until 2030.

The Kamloops performing arts centre has been controversial with its $211 million price tag.

The design for the centre incorporates a lot of features that a local community group has suggested like a multi-form theatre for different types of events and 1,600 seats.

Citizens for a New Performing Arts Centre Society recently organized an event on Nov. 13 to discuss the likelihood of a new centre. 

“When we started five years ago, it was if. Today it’s when,” Ballet Kelowna founder and president of Citizens for a New Performing Arts Centre Myles Bruckal previously told iNFOnews.ca.

The event looked at different ideas for a performing arts centre in Kelowna and talked about what kinds of things people should look for in a theatre.

“Flexibility is key, and that is one thing that we don’t currently have here,” he said. “The Kelowna Choir have moved on because the (Kelowna Community Theatre) is too small. And you think about the graduating classes that we have in Kelowna now. They’ve moved on from using that facility because it’s too small.”

The city council is going to have a look at the report at the meeting on Dec. 1 and will decide whether it wants to move forward in the planning process.