Something is happening on the fence outside 159 Pitt Street, and if you’ve walked by lately you may have already noticed it. A brand new bilingual progress sign has gone up, and it’s doing something simple but kind of exciting: it’s showing Cornwall exactly how close the new Arts Centre is to being done.
The City of Cornwall confirmed this week that the final stages of construction are now underway, with a Grand Opening officially targeted for Fall 2026. The progress tracker, currently sitting at 60% completion for this final phase, will be updated as crews continue putting the finishing touches on the facility. It’s a small gesture, but a meaningful one. After years of planning, fundraising, and construction, residents finally have a real-time window into the home stretch.
“We wanted a fun, visual way for the community to share in the excitement as we reach the home stretch,” said Shauna Baggs, Supervisor of Art, Culture and Tourism for the City of Cornwall. “This sign represents more than just construction milestones. It represents the coming together of our arts, music, and performance communities in a dedicated home.”
The sign is bilingual, reflecting the community it’s meant to serve, and it will track progress right up until the doors open.
Plans for the grand opening celebration are currently being developed alongside local arts committees, with early discussions pointing toward immersive tours and live performances as a way to welcome the public into the space for the first time. The Centre is designed to be versatile, meant to host everything from theatre and dance to visual arts and music, and the opening event is expected to showcase the full range of what the building can do.
For Cornwall’s arts community, this moment has been a long time coming.
The road to this building stretches back to 2018, when the City purchased the former Bank of Montreal building at 159 Pitt Street for $450,000 with the intention of transforming it into a cultural hub. From there, the community-driven fundraising campaign known as “Be the Link” set out to raise $1 million to help offset renovation costs. It was a goal that took years of effort, art auctions, galas, donations large and small, and the dedication of countless volunteers and arts advocates to reach.
The Seeker was proud to be part of that story from the very beginning, even earlier, back in 2014 when the Art Centre Concept was merely an idea. We were the first to make a formal donation to the Arts Centre fundraising effort, helping to kick things off at a time when the campaign was just finding its footing. It was a decision rooted in a simple belief: that Cornwall needed this building, and that someone had to go first. We’re glad we did.
Since then, the momentum has been remarkable. The campaign went on to surpass its $1 million goal, fuelled by donations from individuals, businesses, foundations, and families across Cornwall and the surrounding region. One of the most memorable contributions came in November 2025, when former Cornwall resident Barbara Stewart Etherington and her husband Bill Etherington announced a staggering one-million dollar pledge at the annual Cornwall Arts Hall of Fame Gala, building on an earlier $100,000 donation the couple had already made. Their generosity brought the project significantly closer to the finish line and paid tribute to the Stewart family’s deep roots in this city.
The Arts Centre itself, once complete, will serve as a home for artistic expression, community gatherings, and cultural events in the heart of downtown Cornwall. It is expected to draw visitors, support local artists, and contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the downtown core in ways that extend well beyond the opening weekend.
For anyone who has watched this project develop over the years, the countdown sign on that fence is more than a construction update. It’s a promise being kept.
The City of Cornwall is encouraging residents to keep an eye on the fence, follow along on social media, and check the City’s website for updates on the grand opening celebration as details are finalized in the months ahead.
Fall 2026 is getting closer. And Cornwall is ready.
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