The corner of King Street and Regent Street will be the home of the capital’s new Performing Arts Centre.
(Fredericton) Fredericton City Council has confirmed that the corner of King Street and Regent Street will be the home of the capital’s new Performing Arts Centre (PAC). The location, in the heart of the city’s vibrant downtown, is next to the site of the new provincial justice building on King Street currently being built by the Government of New Brunswick.
“Choosing a location is a key step that leads to several other phases including detailed design and getting us closer to shovels in the ground,” said Mayor Kate Rogers, adding that the PAC has been Council’s top infrastructure priority for several years now. Locating the new PAC on the current Playhouse site would have meant shutting down operations for three years, dealing a severe economic blow not only to the region’s arts community but equally to downtown hospitality and retail businesses for whom a lively performing arts facility is an important economic anchor.
The King Street location is also supported by the Fredericton Playhouse Board.
“The corner of King and Regent Streets in the heart of downtown Fredericton is an ideal location for the new venue,” said Tim Yerxa, Executive Director of the Fredericton Playhouse Inc. “The PAC will be walking distance to other cultural institutions, the Historic Garrison District, restaurants, retail and hotels – all of which will benefit from the activity that will be happening in this exciting new space.”
In 2021, the City seized an opportunity to transform one of the largest and highest-profile vacant properties in the downtown into an engine of economic and cultural growth for the City and region: The City purchased the parcel of land at the southwest corner of King and Regent Streets from Commercial Properties Limited and then divided the overall property into 3 smaller lots for the Justice Building, the PAC and a parcel fronting on Brunswick St that would be the site of a mix of high-density commercial and residential uses.
“Commercial Properties Limited is excited to see this project moving forward. It will add greatly to the vibrancy of downtown Fredericton and create a variety of important cultural opportunities for both residents and visitors. We are pleased to have supported its development by making the land available,” said Paul Moore, Executive Vice President with Commercial Properties Limited.
