JASON SETNYK
More than 60 residents filled the Benson Centre’s Automotive Room on July 22 for the kickoff of Cornwall’s new Arts, Culture, and Public Art Strategy-far surpassing expectations and requiring staff to set up extra seating. The meeting marked the official start of a multi-month public engagement process aimed at shaping the city’s cultural future.
Led by consultants from The Planning Partnership and TCI Management Consultants, the session featured a presentation and interactive workshop. After the presentation, attendees at each table completed worksheets exploring vision statement brainstorming, community needs, public art locations, and creative programming ideas.
“This ambitious strategy aims to establish Cornwall as a vibrant arts destination,” said Lori Gibeau, Manager of Recreation for the City of Cornwall. “We want to showcase and celebrate our rich cultural diversity and provide clear direction for integrating public art throughout the city, particularly along our beautiful waterfront.”
Donna Hinde, Project Manager and Principal with The Planning Partnership, opened the evening with a global tour of inspiring public art. “We’re starting with some slides and images of public art from around the world to get people inspired about what public art can do for a community,” she said.
Jon Linton, Director with TCI Management Consultants, emphasized the importance of building momentum. “This is the first day we’ve actually started the project,” he said. “We’re hoping people just start getting the conversation going about public art and about arts and culture and its importance to a healthy community.”
Several previous studies have laid the groundwork for Cornwall’s new Arts, Culture, and Public Art Strategy. The 2010 Culturescape report recommended creating a regional arts council and investing in cultural infrastructure. The 2018 Official Plan called for a multidisciplinary arts centre and integrating public art into city design. The 2019 Waterfront Plan proposed linking public art to signage and gateways, while the 2021 Recreation Master Plan emphasized arts trends, partnerships, and the need for a formal public art policy.
The presentation compared Cornwall to other municipalities. While the provincial average for cultural spending (excluding museums and libraries) is about $18 per capita, Cornwall invests just $13-well behind cities like Kingston ($63), Brockville ($52), and Thunder Bay ($42).
Hinde said cultural planning plays a broader role in community prosperity: “We think it’s really important. It can be a key contributor to a community’s economy.”
Demographics were also discussed. Cornwall has a higher percentage of Francophone (27.4%) and Indigenous (5.1%) residents than the provincial average, suggesting a need for bilingual services and Indigenous cultural representation in future planning.
The demographic data shared at the meeting also highlighted key social and economic challenges facing Cornwall. The city’s median after-tax household income is $55,200-well below the provincial average of $79,500. Only 43.3% of resident hold a post-secondary diploma or degree, compared to 57.5% across Ontario. Home ownership is also lower, with just 53.6% of residents owning their homes, in contrast to 69.7% province-wide. These factors may influence how residents access and support local arts and culture.
A second public meeting is scheduled for September, along with an online survey to gather additional input. A draft report is expected in the fall, with a final presentation to council anticipated before the end of the year.
“This strategy will be developed over the coming months with extensive community input,” said Shauna Baggs, Business Consultant at the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre. “We’re thrilled to have the expert team from The Planning Partnership guiding our discussion.”
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