The Boathouse reopening pushed to next year

The Boathouse in Kitchener is seen on May 15, 2023. (Stefanie Davis/CTV Kitchener)

The redevelopment of The Boathouse, a key venue in Kitchener’s Victoria Park, will not be ready until 2024, with construction set to start later this year, the company behind the project says.

This isn’t the first time it has been pushed back.

At the end of 2022, Walkinshaw Holdings, the group selected to take over operations of The Boathouse, said construction would begin in 2023 with doors opening in the summer.

Then, earlier this month, the company said construction would start this summer.

Walkinshaw Holdings sent a news release on Tuesday morning saying: “good things take time.”

The process, design and planning has been a long process and they’re not going to rush it now, Walkinshaw Holdings said.

“With any project of this scale, there are a lot of hurdles to clear,” James Barr from Walkinshaw Holdings said in an email to CTV News. “We're really excited to be past the administrative and design work, and moving onto the next phase.”

LOOKING BACK AND AHEAD

The waterside restaurant and live music venue has been closed since 2019, after five years in business under the previous operator. The venue was a popular spot and known for being one of the most scenic patios in the city.

In December, the City of Kitchener approved a redevelopment proposal for The Boathouse, including plans to add a patio over Victoria Park Lake.

As for what the redevelopment will include, on Tuesday, Walkinshaw Holdings said the venue will be reinvisioned and will include a cantilevered dock and opening walls and windows to connect the interior with the surrounding park.

“We’re extremely excited to bring the Boathouse back to life with a simple message: Real Food. Real Music. Real Community,” the company said.