Charles St GRT terminal redevelopment

[westwardloo]

Personally I my top 3 uses for the site would be:

1) a purpose built facilities for The Museum/ KWAG maybe add a little extra performing arts space. I think region needs to start looking at investing more in the arts. Having a diverse city with different amenities will attract wider range of people to call this area home. I hear a lot of people my age question what there is to do in this city. They prefer to live in ottawa toronto or Hamilton that can provide unique entertainment options. 
2) would be a hotel convention centre maybe with a beautiful plaza
3) would be build two condos with decent heights. While providing a public plaza or a connection to the park. 

Personally I am not against a new arena. I just think that it can be built in the aud parking lot. The whole area could become an arena district in itself.

That would put paid to themuseum's expansion plan (has the purchase of the bank building gone ahead yet?).  How about a City of Kitchener annex of the Regional History Museum (lots of their holdings are never seen)?  Or, more ambitious, how about a Canadian Museum of Design (why not in Kitchener?!)?

I would like to see the Canadian museum of technology. I know there is once in Ottawa, but seems like the region would be a perfect fit a museum on computer technology. I would love a museum of design too. I'm not too picky 

[panamaniac]

That would put paid to themuseum's expansion plan (has the purchase of the bank building gone ahead yet?).  How about a City of Kitchener annex of the Regional History Museum (lots of their holdings are never seen)?  Or, more ambitious, how about a Canadian Museum of Design (why not in Kitchener?!)?

I would like to see the Canadian museum of technology. I know there is once in Ottawa, but seems like the region would be a perfect fit a museum on computer technology. I would love a museum of design too. I'm not too picky 

I've always thought that the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa should be the Museum of Science, Technology, and Design, but I'm not sure Canadians are ready for an "STD Museum", hence my suggestion. 

Actually, it has been in my mind since the summer, when the Design Exchange announced that it was closing it's permanent collection, with most of the items going to the ROM or to the Canadian Museum of History.  I found myself wishing that the Region could have snagged it, as the basis of a new national museum.  Sadly, my magic development wand was out of commission so I couldn't make it happen ....

[jamincan]

Some sort of museum re: industrial history would make sense for this region as well.

[panamaniac]

Some sort of museum re: industrial history would make sense for this region as well.

Yes, although the Regional Museum already has that pretty well covered - as I noted earlier, an annex of the Regional Museum would allow them to display more of their permanent collection.

[westwardloo]

Some sort of museum re: industrial history would make sense for this region as well.

Yes, although the Regional Museum already has that pretty well covered - as I noted earlier, an annex of the Regional Museum would allow them to display more of their permanent collection.

Another misstep by this region. Building a car oriented cultural facility. I don't get the planning sometimes in this region. Clearly the Rapid transit discussion was on the table at the time of construction. I get the land was available but that doesn't justify the location in my mind.

[Momo26]

Thanks but no thanks @ industrial museum (what would be the second in the city). Don't bring in things that bore people. We can create biking/walking tours of K-W to show the old factories - now lofts. The village a the Regional Museum is cool and a nice nod to our history.

The Museum in DTK is much closer to what a museum should be - think that, proper exhibits - but 5x the size. Also, should most definitely be free, at the least for local Region of Waterloo residents. (Seen something like this in Chicago)

[tomh009]

Thanks but no thanks @ industrial museum (what would be the second in the city). Don't bring in things that bore people. We can create biking/walking tours of K-W to show the old factories - now lofts. The village a the Regional Museum is cool and a nice nod to our history.

Of course, what it used to be was "the museum at Doon Pioneer Village", where the village was the main attraction ...

[westwardloo]

A bit unrealated, but if a city the size of thunder bay with a shrinking population and economy can build a new facility for the arts, the region should be able to handle it. 

https://patkau.ca/projects/thunder-bay-art-gallery/
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[tomh009]

A bit unrealated, but if a city the size of thunder bay with a shrinking population and economy can build a new facility for the arts, the region should be able to handle it. 

$5M in funding from the city.
$5M from the province.
$11M from the federal government
$12M from donors.

So the city is contributing only about 15%. Plus possibly the land.

In any case, this is a long-established gallery with a large collection of native art. If we built a new gallery like this in Kitchener, I suspect it would have a lot of empty space.

[panamaniac]

The KWAG permanent collection numbers over 4,000 pieces, iirc. Whether that merits a new gallery, or an expansion of the existing gallery, I couldn't say. I suppose the question would arise of what to do with the existing gallery space at CITS, if there were ever a new art gallery.

Off topic, but KWAG, the KW Symphony, the Grand Philharmonic Choir, the KW Chamber Music Society (no government assistance!), among others in town, depend on donations from the public to support their operations. Something to consider.

[westwardloo]

A bit unrealated, but if a city the size of thunder bay with a shrinking population and economy can build a new facility for the arts, the region should be able to handle it. 

$5M in funding from the city.
$5M from the province.
$11M from the federal government
$12M from donors.

So the city is contributing only about 15%. Plus possibly the land.

In any case, this is a long-established gallery with a large collection of native art. If we built a new gallery like this in Kitchener, I suspect it would have a lot of empty space.

Good point the city is actually donating a small amount. The region owns the land and I bet we could scrape up 10 million to contribute. Have the province and the federal government contribute. In order to get private donors the public needs to know there is an intention to build a space. I also am not advocating for a art gallery expansion. I would prefer a multi arts complex that supports a variety of the arts. We build multi sport complexes why not think the same for this site. maybe The Museum move in, a performing space for the symphony, possibly space for rotating local art galleries, Add in community art spaces. I don't know possiblity are endless. I just think this site has a lot of community potential and think it would be a mistake to sell it to a developer.

[jeffster]

A bit unrealated, but if a city the size of thunder bay with a shrinking population and economy can build a new facility for the arts, the region should be able to handle it. 

$5M in funding from the city.
$5M from the province.
$11M from the federal government
$12M from donors.

So the city is contributing only about 15%. Plus possibly the land.

In any case, this is a long-established gallery with a large collection of native art. If we built a new gallery like this in Kitchener, I suspect it would have a lot of empty space.

I was going to bring out the same thing. Those smaller cities in Northern Ontario get so much more help than the cities in Southern Ontario.

Secondly, the price tag up north is $33M, I think down here it would be a lot more, as labour is a premium and everyone is trying to make a tidy profit - so perhaps closer to $50M (this includes inflated land costs).

I think Kitchener could easily do $10M and could easily get $15M from donors -- but the province we'd be lucky to get $2M from Ontario and maybe $3M from the Feds, so it would leave us short by $20M.

[panamaniac]

Nowadays, you'd expect the GofC to be in for about a third of the project cost for it to be viable. I don't think there has been any word yet on possible GofC help for themuseum expansion.

[jeffster]

Nowadays, you'd expect the GofC to be in for about a third of the project cost for it to be viable.  I don't think there has been any word yet on possible GofC help for themuseum expansion.

At least a 3rd. Problem is, Kitchener is an easy vote for the current federal government, so likely little interest in trying to keep us happy.

[panamaniac]

It occurs that one cultural facility that Kitchener lacks, and that could fit easily on this site, would be a small (under 200 seats) hall that could be used for dance and chamber music, perhaps even theatre. That might be too many design demands on a single space, I don't know.