Construction begins on Place des Arts

Next week will mark the start of construction on Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury at the corner of Larch Street and Elgin Street north of Medina Lane in downtown Sudbury. This second phase of the project involves erecting the building for Northern Ontario’s first multidisciplinary centre of artistic excellence.

“With the preparation of the site last fall, we have the ground all ready for us to start construction this summer,” said Stéphane Gauthier, President of Place des Arts. “The start of construction is the culmination of 20 months of intense and inspiring design development sessions with architects Yallowega Bélanger Salach Architecture and Moriyama & Teshima Architects. The project will incorporate precious relics from the past and a public art installation by Lise Beaudry into the interior architectural design. It’s very exciting to be embarking on the home stretch,” he concluded.

The building, which will house eight French-language cultural organizations, features bold, dynamic lines in a bright, modern design. It will be partly covered with corten steel, a rich, strong, durable material with colours reminiscent of Northern Ontario ore.

With 40,000 square feet of floor space, the arts centre will house a concert hall with nearly 300 seats, a 120-seat multifunctional studio, a contemporary art gallery, a bistro with a sidewalk terrace in the summer, a gift boutique/bookstore, an early childhood arts centre with a playground, and nearly 10,000 square feet of office and collaborative workspace.

The contract to build Place des Arts was awarded to HEIN following a competitive public tendering process. HEIN has more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry and specializes in the institutional and commercial sectors. This will be the Eastern Ontario-based contractor’s first construction project in Northern Ontario. In the coming weeks, HEIN will be hiring subcontractors, some of which will be local companies. Construction spinoffs are estimated at $18.7 million, creating nearly 180 jobs by the time the work is substantially completed at the end of 2020.

Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury is working closely with the City of Greater Sudbury and Downtown Sudbury (BIA) to keep the public, merchants and business owners in the downtown area apprised of the next steps and to mitigate disruptions during the work.

Place des Arts is a $30 million project. It is expected to host 850 events and generate 50,000 admissions in its first year.

Place des Arts is supported by Canadian Heritage, FedNor, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the City of Greater Sudbury, and many community partners.