For years, Victoria Park was home to one of Kitchener’s most iconic music venues – The Boathouse.
Since 2004 the Boathouse operated as an intimate concert venue and restaurant, where locals could enjoy music by the lake six nights a week. But in 2013, the Boathouse – owned by Kevin Doyle a prominent figure in the local music scene, closed its doors. The Boathouse was reopened in 2015 under different ownership, and then again closed abruptly in 2019.
Since then, the building has sat vacant through the pandemic, and now they are gearing up for a new grand re-re opening, with a reimagined plan for the direction of the Boathouse. James Barr, current owner of the Boathouse, says the new vision for venue reflects the changes in the downtown community over the past few years.
