Client
Canada Ireland Foundation

Year Completed
2020-2022

Type of Work
Feasibility Study

Feasibility Study for Creation of New Cultural Centre at Bathurst Quay Corleck Building, Toronto

Canada Ireland Foundation (CIF) is a Toronto-based not-for-profit arts, culture and heritage organization that celebrates and commemorates the story of the Irish in Canada as well as the experience of migration and new Canadians. In 2020 Bespoke was engaged to carry out a feasibility study and a business analysis for the Corleck Building on Bathurst Quay, a venue for arts, culture and heritage along the waterfront. We were brought into this adaptive reuse project to identify what cultural and community experiences would engage diverse audiences. To support this planning work, Bespoke closely reviewed the CIF’s mission and mandate, past partnerships, comparable and benchmark data, and ambitions for the future. We also conducted interviews, a survey with the local community and a scenarios workshop. 

In 2022, Bespoke was re-engaged by CIF to update the feasibility study with current financial and operating data, including a new revenue projection and updated programming breakdown. Our research reflected contemporary standards and ambitions for cultural facilities. We considered the local and global aftermath of the pandemic, and provided guidance on short term and longer term goals for the CIF's programming and building launch. Bespoke’s recommendations and planning guidance provided a way forward for: contemporary to historical programming, activations along the waterfront, audience development, partnerships, revenue generation, staffing and operational budgets. In 2024 it was announced that the Government of Ireland has committed $2 million towards the implementation of this proposed cultural centre.