New Floors Installed in South Pavilion Space 

Impressive progress has been made on our South Pavilion renovation and expansion project since the start of 2025.

Light interior demolition was completed in December. This included the removal and demolition of non-load-bearing walls, Gyproc, flooring, air ducts, plumbing, and other materials not connected to the structural integrity of the building.

Structural demolition is ongoing. Two large sections of concrete floor are being removed from the centre block of the building. This will allow for the construction of a new street-level entrance and lobby, creating a far more inviting and accessible space to enter the building.

The inserts between the centre and east blocks, and the centre and west blocks of the building, are also being demolished to make way for new inserts that will allow more natural light into the space.

As you can see, the demolition of these structural inserts is painstaking work. In these photos, workers can be seen lifting just one slab of concrete off the roof of the insert. This process will be repeated many times, but the end result will be worth it.

There is also significant new construction taking place on-site. Structural steel has been installed in the east and west mezzanine levels for the addition of a new concrete floor. This will turn two one-storey spaces with 22-foot ceilings into two two-storey spaces, each with eight- and ten-foot ceilings.

This will increase the usable area of the renovated space by 3,800 square feet. Those floors were poured this week.

In the coming weeks, work will begin on mass timber structure installation in the former library space. Continued work will also take place on the removal of the concrete floor and the centre inserts.

Once completed, these renovations will support the expansion of arts education programs here at the Centre by adding new learning spaces for visual art, performance, dance, and music. They will also create a welcoming space with more natural light and far better accessibility.

These program expansions and physical improvements will make the Centre more attractive and compelling to visitors while inspiring major benefits for the downtown.