Winspear Centre Completion Project | 29.87m | 4s | Winspear Centre | Andrew Bromberg

[erudyk_29]

As a member of MacEwen Conservatory, we are supposed to be moving into a new space in the new Winspear, which will be fantastic.

The Conservatory has been in the former Alberta College / current Centre High building for as long as I've taken lessons with there but when EPSB bought the building we weren't sure what would end up happening. Fortunately they been able to hold onto studio space in the upper floors and I've continued to have my lessons there while waiting for the Winspear space to open up.

Muttart Hall in the Alberta College building is a great performance venue, but if those renderings are any indication the Winspear will be even better.

Looking forward to this one.

 

[Greenspace]

^Great to hear, I was worried where the Conservatory might end up.

 

[Airboy]

I recall the conservatory was mentioned that it was moving to Winspear some time back.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Well here's hoping this will bring more activity to 97st which could encourage more retail and/or food options to move to the area.

 

[Rebourn]

Finally starting to resemble what we’ve been waiting for…

 

[channing76]

Finally starting to resemble what we’ve been waiting for…View attachment 632697

It's beautiful, so what exactly is the expansion for? Will the Edmonton Orchestra still be in the same old spot?

 

[TAS]

This is distracting from the real issue, a DOUBLING of the Winspear project cost since the funding was awarded. It's not even primarily inflation! They kept adding bells and whistles until the project ballooned way out of budget. I am a regular patron of the ESO and most years buy a subscription. Love the Winspear but this this project has gotten way out of hand. The City should think very carefully about rescuing the Winspear foundation from this, we have our own financial problems to deal with. This chart from the report is very informative.

View attachment 626843

Regarding the funding shortfall for this project, which seems to have fallen on the city to support, I see in the $427 million Downtown Investment Plan released by various dt business groups in October, there is $34 million ask for this project from the Province.

I believe the provincial budget is coming this week - what are the chances? Ha

 

[constance_chlore]

It's beautiful, so what exactly is the expansion for? Will the Edmonton Orchestra still be in the same old spot?

There's a lot of detail upthread but the short answer is: a new, more intimate theatre and lots of new educational/programming space. Notably, the Winspear is taking over the Conservatory of Music from MacEwan so I imagine they'll need the space.

 

[Airboy]

It's beautiful, so what exactly is the expansion for? Will the Edmonton Orchestra still be in the same old spot?

As mentioned above but they will also have more rehearsal space that is not on the main stage.

 

[MacLac]

Regarding the funding shortfall for this project, which seems to have fallen on the city to support, I see in the $427 million Downtown Investment Plan released by various dt business groups in October, there is $34 million ask for this project from the Province.

I believe the provincial budget is coming this week - what are the chances? Ha

View attachment 632722

Province should pay……they’re paying a 1/3 rd of a something called Arts Commons in YYC - looks like a $400M Citadel theatre….btw….could you imagine being a taxpayer down there? Whewwww! Their debt must be 10X of ours…...

 

[CplKlinger]

The Winspear report is out.

 

[SarcasticMarmot]

The Winspear report is out.
View attachment 633687

That does not sound good. All options to intervene suck for the city.

 

[_urbanite]

That does not sound good. All options to intervene suck for the city.

Well, we just saved 30M of already budgeted cash by not having to pay to demo the Coliseum. This seems like a pretty good place to redirect those funds to

 

[MacLac]

Who wants to start a demolition company with me? Pretty good margins on demo one would figure?

 

[IanO]

You do the demo, I will do the remediation.