An iconic downtown hotspot is moving closer to returning after Kitchener council approved a proposal from Walkinshaw Holdings Inc to reopen the Boathouse in Victoria Park.
The city says the company plans to open the venue with live music, food, and indoor and outdoor entertainment with an eye on social responsibility.
Walkinshaw Holdings, which is made up of a group of seven local businesspeople, will look to expand the outdoor patio while improving the view of Victoria Park Lake. It also proposes to improve the entrance and upgrade the interior of the historic site.
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The plan also includes paid live local music at the venue at least two days a week, according to a release from the city.
Kitchener says that Walkinshaw Holdings “would also establish a local arts fund and form a Community Advisory Committee to ensure that Boathouse programming is inclusive and diverse.”
The historic building was last home to a live music venue and the restaurant closed its doors without much explanation toward the end of 2019.
The building is leased by the city of Kitchener, which at the time of the closure said it would search for a new tenant after assessing current community needs.
The city chose to hold off on the search for a new venue while we were in the midst of earlier waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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