City to begin visioning process for the future of three major community spaces

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

Kingston City Council has unanimously approved to embark on a “visioning process” for three major public properties: the Memorial Centre, Centre 70, and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.

The move comes after a controversial proposal earlier this year to build a 4,000-seat soccer stadium at the Memorial Centre site. That plan was withdrawn following strong opposition from neighbours and community organizations that use the space. The debate raised larger questions about how to safeguard the future of these community spaces, which currently host events ranging from Queen’s University hockey to weekly farmers’ markets.

Commissioner of Community Services Jennifer Campbell explained that the visioning exercise will be “… an opportunity to really think about how these spaces and places want to be used by our community.”

Public consultations will begin soon, with a final report to council due in late 2026.'

Listen to the full story here.