Finding Funding for the Fisher
Facility to Serve as Western Anchor to Creative Corridor
Fisher Auditorium is starting to take shape, but there’s work to be done yet. City Hall has given the nod to footing a few bills at the facility, as council works towards a final approval of the Fisher Auditorium and Events Centre. First presented last Fall, city staff have been given the initial approval to spend about $550,000 on some improvements to the structure along with about 200 grand to raise funds to offset the overall cost. City Hall has yet to give approval but about $25 million is expected to be added to next year’s budget to refit the theatre, while city staff have been instructed to find new sources of funds to bring that number down. The design calls for a large capacity theatre space in central Barrie, in the hopes of enabling a “Creative Corridor” in the downtown area. The Fisher Auditorium would form the western anchor of this corridor, and include the Five Points Theatre and Meridian Square in between, with the MacLaren Arts Centre to the east. The facility is also expected to serve as a conference and events venue to serve what the city says is a recognized need in bringing visitors and tourists to the city.
