Fort Smith Conibear Park - Small Venue Site and Cultural Centre

in progress

The Conibear Park project supports the re-development of a central downtown park as a small outdoor venue and open-air museum concept. This year-round park will be available for concerts, recitals, plays and an open-air museum located in a central retail zone. The former infrastructure that was used for these activities was previously destroyed by a fire. The first phase of the project includes the remediation of a derelict property adjacent to the park to develop additional parking. Historically, lack of parking and barrier free access has been the limiting factor in use of this site. The development of the stage area is designed using a theatre-in-the-round concept with two-tiered seating using natural and readily available materials. New, wider more accessible walkways will lead to the central stage area, and trees located around the seating and in various places in the park offer shade and variety. The design of an open-air museum for the park is a key part of the project that will include high level consultation with local first nations and user groups. Upgraded fencing and an outdoor power supply will be installed for lighting and sound systems, along with benches and trash receptacles that tie into the look and feel of the park.