Phase I – Conceptualization of the infrastructure capital project completed

After 18 months of continuous efforts, the ROCS completed Phase I of the “Place des Arts” capital project in May 2012. This phase included a needs assessment of the ROCS’ eight member organizations, preliminary analyses of the required space and functionalities, square footage and volumetric evaluations of each functional area within the centre, and hypotheses relating to the governance structure and business model, which are still in development.

In the spring of 2012, a community consultation, which included artists and numerous arts & culture organizations of the region, demonstrated the high potential of such as centre to become an important cultural hub in downtown.  Encouraged by these results, the ROCS undertook Phase II of the project in the summer of 2012, moving on to the feasibility and business planning stage.

Recruitment of a highly qualified team of experts

Following an RFP process last summer, the ROCS is pleased to announce that a consortium of seven well-established Canadian firms has been selected to conduct the independent feasibility study of the “Place des Arts” project. These highly regarded specialists include l’Atelier Pierre Thibault, Go Multimédias and Gagné-Leclerc Groupe Conseil.

The Greater Sudbury Development Corporation has recently allocated $50,000 to this next phase of the project.

It is worth noting that the “Place des Arts” capital project has been identified by the Downtown Masterplan as one of the early engine is its revitalization, with the School of Architecture and the new home for the Art Gallery of Sudbury.

Market study underway

To ensure the long-term sustainability of its business model, the Place des Arts concept includes complementary services of a commercial nature to generate revenue.  Three main concepts have been retained for further study: a bistro (which doubles as a secondary venue for the performing arts), a cultural boutique and a small-scale microbrewery.

With the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and FedNor, Collins Barrow is presently conducting a market study to evaluate the economic potential of these businesses.  A series of seven focus groups with local consumers will be completed by mid March and the final report is expected next April.