On Tuesday, the public had the opportunity to see what the proposed cultural hub for Greater Sudbury could look like.

The city held an open house featuring architectural plans and artist renderings for the project, which will be redeveloped into the Tom Davies Square spaces.

The city held an open house Tuesday showing architectural plans and artist renderings for the project, which will be redeveloped into the Tom Davies Square spaces. (Photo from video)

“Projects are more successful when you engage with the community and get people’s opinions,” said Tony Cecutti, the city’s director of infrastructure services.

“What is their intention for how they want to use the services offered, what is important to them.”

Cecutti said the $65 million project will renovate sections of city hall and the adjacent provincial building to accommodate the Greater Sudbury Public Library, the Art Gallery of Sudbury and the Multicultural Association and Sudbury folk arts.

The city has already announced that $25 million of the cost will come from the federal government and a total of $3.1 million will come from the library and art gallery. The Multicultural Association will also contribute to this.

A spokesperson for the gallery said it has long needed a new space and is making big plans for the future, including a new name: the Franklin Carmichael Art Gallery of Sudbury.

The city held an open house Tuesday showing architectural plans and artist renderings for the project, which will be redeveloped into the Tom Davies Square spaces. (Photo from video)

“We can expand our arts education programs. I think that’s the most important thing,” said Susan Levesque, fundraising and development manager.

“We will have many more spaces to provide arts education and we will be able to host several ongoing exhibitions across the five galleries. So I’m really looking forward to it. And many events too, I’m sure. . We will host many events in the common areas.

Lévesque said the new space will include five different galleries: indigenous, francophone, permanent, temporary and the Franklin Carmichael gallery.

Lévesque said she is trying to raise $2 million by the end of 2026, with $1.5 million going toward construction costs.

“We’re also adding $200,000 in art commissions and $300,000 in specialized equipment,” she said.

John Lindsay, president of the Sudbury chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), said he came to the open house as a reviewer. He worries the new cultural center won’t be as accessible as the current main branch of the library.

“Accessibility to Tom Davies Square is really the big question mark,” Lindsay said.

“If you have difficulty achieving that, it’s going to be a challenge (and) it’s something that really should be looked at – and perhaps should have been looked at before considering this cultural center.”

Since detailed designs have yet to be completed, the project schedule is not yet complete.

However, Cecutti said the city hopes to begin work next year and estimates it will take about 12 to 16 months for construction.