FAQ

It is advantageous to create an identity for the shared site of the Library/Art Gallery and Convention and Performance Centre located at 240 Elgin Street. One of the similarities of these projects is that both are striving to be gathering places. The Working Groups for both the Library / Art Gallery and the Convention and Performance Centre have decided to call the integrated site development ‘The Junction’ for the follow reasons:

§  Definition is “a point where two or more things converge”

§  It speaks to what we want to be in the future

§  It broad enough to capture the activities of the site

§  Junction Creek runs just north of the site

§  The streets, Elgin, Minto and Van Horne create an intersection or junction

§  The Sudbury Junction, the original name of the train station that is across the street site selected

The Library/Art Gallery and Convention and Performance Centre are two of the large projects that Council endorsed on April 20^th, 2016. Therefore, these projects will continue to move forward as directed by Council. In the future, should there be delays which significantly affect the progress of these two large projects, our Project Team will advise Council and seek direction on an as needed basis.

The estimated building costs for the Library/Art Gallery is $46,500,000, and the Convention and Performance Centre building cost is estimated at $63,000 000. Additional capital funding sources will be explored such as Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and FedNor. 

Greater Sudbury Main Library and the Art Gallery of Sudbury have served the city and region well for many years. The 1907 Bell Mansion has been the home of the Art Gallery of Sudbury since 1967, and the Mackenzie Main Branch was constructed in 1952.

Both of these organizations have outgrown their current locations, and this has been determine with the assistance of professional expertise and is also based on facility sizes, capabilities and the size of the populations intended to be served.

The Main Library's biggest challenge is lack of space, which affects users, programming, work flow, special events, and storage. Designed over sixty years ago to accommodate for a population of 47,000, the same facility now serves a population nearly four times in size. Other measurements used to reach this conclusion include deficiencies sited in a 2014 Yallowega Belanger Architects report which include building health (temperature variations, HVAC), staff work areas, parking, technology, and washrooms. In a recent building conditions report, independent consultants identified $1.1 million in needed upgrades to maintain existing conditions.

In regards to the Art Gallery, a facility analysis prepared by Lord Cultural Resources in 2010 concluded that it was no longer cost-effective to consider retrofitting the Bell Mansion because the gallery space is too small for exhibitions of sufficient impact, and has insufficient storage space to properly care for, and preserve their collection. Currently, the AGS has a Category A designation under the Cultural Property Act, however due to storage and exhibition space challenges does not meet all the designation requirements. 

The recommended development program for the Greater Sudbury Convention and Performance Centre includes 19,500 square feet of rentable space, with a 13,000 square-foot main plenary/live performance hall featuring 950 theatre-style seats. At this size, the GSCPC could effectively compete with other Tier 3 Convention Centres and regional hotels and event venues for large convention groups in excess of 300 persons, with trade show capacity, banquets of up to 900 persons, and live performance events for up to 950 persons.

Given the dual functionality of the Centre, convention business will be the first priority of the Convention and Performance Centre, and live performances will be secondary.  Along with Conventions, this Centre can host Trade Shows, Consumer Shows, Meetings, and Food/Beverage Events.  From a Performing Arts perspective, the Centre can host Sudbury produced shows, touring shows, comedy festivals, etc.