Construction on the Kamloops Centre for the Arts will move into full gear beginning Monday, Feb. 2, marking a major milestone for one of the city’s largest and most anticipated cultural projects.

Located at 393 Seymour Street, the Kamloops Centre for the Arts is the priority project under the City’s Build Kamloops program and is expected to open in 2029. Once complete, the facility is designed to become a major cultural destination and a driver of economic activity, creativity, and community connection in the downtown core.

The construction phase follows 18 months of planning and project validation, involving architects, engineers, builders, and City staff. According to the City, the construction plan balances the scale of the project with the need to carefully manage impacts in a busy downtown environment.

Road closures and traffic impacts

As early work begins, 4th Avenue will be closed between Seymour Street and St. Paul Street for approximately two weeks while crews complete shallow utility work. Once that work is finished, the roadway will reopen to two-lane traffic.

As construction advances and deep excavation begins, portions of surrounding streets will be used for construction staging and deliveries. This will result in lane closures, pedestrian detours, and changes to traffic patterns throughout the downtown area. Motorists are advised to plan extra travel time and follow posted signage.

On-street parking immediately adjacent to the north, east, and south sides of the project site will be restricted or unavailable until construction is complete in 2029. Additional parking restrictions may also be introduced in accordance with the project’s traffic management plan. To help reduce pressure on downtown parking, satellite work areas and off-site crew parking will be used.

Transit changes

The southbound transit stop on 4th Avenue at Seymour Street will be temporarily out of service. Transit users can access the next available stop at 4th Avenue and Battle Street. Riders are encouraged to check BCTransit.com/Kamloops for the most current route and schedule information.

What the centre will include

When completed, the Kamloops Centre for the Arts will feature:

• Theatre One: A premier 1,100-seat venue with advanced technical capabilities

• Theatre Two: A 450-seat, more intimate theatre designed for Broadway-style productions

• Lobby, café, and gallery: A 17,400-square-foot feature lobby, café space, and art gallery

• Back-of-house facilities: Including rehearsal halls, dressing rooms, green rooms, offices, loading dock, concessions, and storage

• Underground parking: A two-level parkade with 158 parking spaces

The project is funded through a combination of debt, reserves, fundraising, and the reallocation of existing funds, and addresses a long-identified gap in Kamloops’ cultural infrastructure outlined in strategic plans dating back nearly 20 years.

City officials thanked residents, businesses, and visitors for their patience as construction gets underway, noting that regular updates will be shared throughout the build.

More information and project updates are available here.