Construction underway for The Boathouse

If you’re walking around Victoria Park, you might notice blacked out fences surrounding the former Boathouse restaurant.

That’s because construction is underway to revamp the popular venue.

Shovels are in the ground this week to clean up landscaping surrounding the area, with interior demolition right around the corner.

James Barr, owner of Walkinshaw Holdings, a group of business entrepreneurs overseeing operations of the venue, explained that the overhaul will include expanding the patio and redesigning the interior.

“Rebuilding kitchen, setting up the bar, the dining room, revamping the entrance so that it’s not kind of a side door, but in fact, it’ll be sort of a main front entrance, that’ll be really welcoming and inviting to people.” Barr remarked.

The former owner of The Boathouse closed the restaurant’s doors in 2019.

In 2022, Walkinshaw Holdings received Kitchener council approval to update the restaurant.

Construction has been delayed several times for the popular venue and was expected to start earlier this year, with plans to officially open this summer.

The new and improved Boathouse is now expected to open in 2024.