We are calling on the City of Barrie’s Department of Recreation and Culture and City Council to reverse their decision to end their operating agreement of the Georgian Theatre with Georgian College, while the Fisher Auditorium remains unfit for use. We also insist that a proper Arts and Culture Committee be set in place to facilitate similar decisions in the future.

From a message published by the Kempenfelt Community Players...

“This decision represents a devastating loss to the performing arts community in Barrie especially when it is combined with the City’s recent decision to put their plans for the development of the Fisher Auditorium Project on hold now until 2022, effectively creating a City that is void of a true, large-scale, accessible live performance space for the better part of the next decade.”

From an article published by Bob Bruton of BarrieToday.com...

"As part of its 2021 operating budget, council cancelled its arrangement for the use of the Georgian Theatre to save the city $300,000 in expenditures; this is offset by lost revenue of $124,000, for a net reduction this year of $176,000. That amount is further offset by a one-time $50,000 addition to the Cultural Grants Program to provide COVID-19 relief for organizations with no revenues while audiences are restricted from gathering.

Leaving the lease also eliminates future costs related to equipment, and furniture upgrades in a facility that is not owned by the city, but by Georgian College."

We believe that the minimal amount of money being saved is simply not worth the enormous impact this decision will have on the City of Barrie's arts and culture sectors.

This will not only impact the various community theatre and performance groups in Barrie who rely on the 600+ seat capacity of the Georgian Theatre to earn back their production costs in revenue, but also the various dance studios who are now left wondering where they are going to hold their dance recitals.

I urge you to sign this petition, contact the Department of Recreation and Culture, Mayor Lehman, or your local town councillor, and demand that this issue be revisited. In a time of great instability and uncertainly for live performance in Barrie and beyond, we must make sure it can come back stronger than ever.