Posted Mar 27, 2021, 8:15 PM
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Ham-burgher
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 6,650
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Bridgeworks Community Space, 125 Barton St. W
I had thought the city had this building up for sale, but I guess not (or did Potocic buy it?). Great use of the space, and there is going to be demand for it once the pandemic eases that will only grow larger once all the development along the west harbour happens (and downtown west isn't far away either).
Satellite view of the site
Street view
Feds give $206,679 to new community hub near Barton-Tiffany
The Supercrawl-run space will be a venue for concerts, events and community meetings
Saira Peesker
CBC News
Mar 27, 2021
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamil...fany-1.5964305
The federal government is chipping in $206,679 to help bring the Bridgeworks Community Space — a municipal building in the Barton-Tiffany area being operated by Supercrawl Productions — to life.
The vast industrial building at 125 Barton St. W. has already been hosting live-streamed concerts, but the new money will help transform the building into a place for live shows, events and community meetings, said officials involved in the project in an online press conference on Thursday.
Navy cadets displaced in the revitalization of Pier 8 will also use the space, said Coun. Jason Farr (Ward 2).
Local MPs Filomena Tassi (Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas) and Bob Bratina (Hamilton East–Stoney Creek) made the announcement on behalf of the Ministry of Heritage, which is providing the grant from its Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. It is meant to fund "renovations and refurbishments" to buildings that foster "arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation." Money from the fund can also be used on equipment and feasibility studies.
On Thursday, Mayor Fred Eisenberger said some of the money would help the space become more accessible and energy-efficient. He noted downtown lacks a mid-size performance space, so a facility of that size will "increase the variety of art and entertainment accessible to residents and visitors alike."
Supercrawl festival director Tim Potocic said the money will go toward air-handling systems appropriate for a 500-person capacity, more office space and a serving area.
The city-owned building was a public works carpentry shop until 2016. It was "lightly renovated" by the city in 2018. When ready for crowds, it will have a capacity of 500 people.
Potocic says that money is focused on "putting... people to work," including artists and technical staff. Supercrawl has already built a stage and washrooms there, and been running live-streamed concerts out of the venue "quite robustly" since the fall, he said. They have "yet to have a single audience member through the door."
He says Supercrawl recently announced a spring series of 15 more live-stream concerts to be broadcast from the venue. However, he was quick to note that the goal is for the facility to be used by a variety of community groups, not just for concerts.
"This (will be a) multi-functional community hub dedicated to showcasing dynamic events, and also a space for the community to gather."
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