Kitchener’s Boathouse to reopen this month

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

After being closed since 2019, the City of Kitchener will reopen a well-known venue in Victoria Park.

Following construction and redevelopment delays, The Boathouse is set to reopen its doors on Nov. 22 at 11 a.m.

In 2022, the city-owned building was leased to Walkinshaw Holdings. The group of local entrepreneurs has been working to revamp the space ever since. Now it will continue to serve as a new and improved venue for live music, food and entertainment.

“I’m beyond thrilled to see The Boathouse open its doors to our community once again,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic in a news release. “For decades, The Boathouse has been a social hub for our city, an important part of our local music scene, and a beloved gathering spot for residents and visitors alike. This amazing new and improved space, in the heart of Victoria Park, will make it an even better place where our whole community can gather and spend time together year-round.” 

A noticeable upgrade is the cantilevered outdoor patio, which offers more space to sit by Victoria Park Lake.

The interior also got a new kitchen, stage area and takeout window.

“We cannot be more excited to re-open our doors to Kitchener and the surrounding community,” said James Barr, Owner, Walkinshaw Holdings, in a release. “We’ve got an incredible team of people developing menus, cocktails, and programming, and we’re absolutely pumped to start showing off what we’ve got in store.”  

The new venue will focus on hiring local musicians, as well as use locally-sourced food and drinks.