Concepts for the new Grace Hartman Amphitheatre, to be built at Bell Park, were unveiled at a council meeting on Aug. 12.

The new venue will be accessible to everyone in the community, according to Dennis Castellan, architect with Castellan James and Partners Architects, the firm preparing the conceptual design work.

“This will be an entirely accessible project, and it goes beyond the Ontario Building Code,” he said.

“It speaks to how we want to have access within the park and it will communicate how we want access within the community. That’s our intent.”

Accessibility will be key all the way from the parking lot, Castellan said.

“For example, one of the things we want to address is parking across Paris Street (opposite the park). When people park on the other side, we want them to be able to walk across and be able to go down a ramp that will take them down to the lower levels and to the amphitheatre area, as opposed to stairs.”

Castellan said the venue is being treated like a building, as opposed to a typical outdoor amphitheatre.

“The key to focus on here is we’re using all the principles we’d use in a building for this project. Here’s how you’d do a performance theatre, here’s how we’ll do the amphitheatre.”

There is also potential for the venue to be a four-seasons destination for events. “We’re not talking about an enclosed space, but we’re talking about the opportunity to schedule events in a four-season context,” Castellan said. “We don’t know what that will mean yet, but it’s come up as a suggestion from a number of people. It’s something that’s going to be looked at.”

Designs for a roof over the amphitheatre are unfinished. There is potential for the roof to cover more than just the performers on stage — it might extend out onto the crowd, budget permitting.

“We don’t know what the roof context means yet,” Castellan said. “It will definitely be a roofed stage area. We want to provide, first and foremost, protection for all the equipment, musicians and performers. How far it extends beyond that will be a function of the concept that we move to, the needs and requirements that are expressed by everyone, and the budget.”

The project is using $5 million, which has been granted through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. This fund is equally supported through federal, provincial and municipal contributions.

Primarily, Castellan said the design must fit the environment of the park and the people who use it. “It can’t be a big tin box on the lake, it has to be something aesthetically sophisticated.”

The final design will reflect input received during a community consultation process involving amphitheatre users, community members, city council and staff, according to the city.

All venues should aim to provide the audience “with a memorable experience,” Castellan said. “Those are the things you walk away with.”

The old amphitheatre sits roughly 1,900, according to the architect. Seating for the new venue hasn’t been decided yet.

“In the end, it will be a success for all of us if someone walks away and says, ‘that was great,’” Castellan said. “It’s not a question of size, it’s a question of quality.”