A $1M donation accelerates construction of Cornwall’s new arts centre, now slated for opening around Labour Day 2026.

A $1 million donation from Barbara and Bill Etherington, announced at the Cornwall and Area Arts Hall of Fame gala on November 1, 2025, has accelerated construction of the city’s new arts and culture centre at 159 Pitt St. The gift, made through the Stewart-Etherington Foundation, builds on a prior $100,000 contribution and helps address rising costs that now total $13.3 million. The project, at the former Bank of Montreal site, is expected to conclude by early July 2026, with an opening planned around Labour Day. Officials and attendees praised the donation as transformative for the community.