Local Vibe

Sadly, Kevin Doyle (owner/operator of The Boathouse) has announced that the City of Kitchener has taken over the Boathouse and his option to be located there will end. This will bring an end to the fantastic experiences that both local artists and International legends have shared on this near famous stage.

The Boathouse in Victoria Park

For many local artists this will mean an end of an era. Several artists enjoy the opportunity to have regular BOHO gig’s, while others regularly attend to offer support to their peers. If an independent artist is coming through the Kitchener area, you can be sure they are going to be booked at The Boathouse. It’s become a must see/play venue for anyone in the industry.

It is hard to imagine what the impact will be on the Kitchener Blues Festival as The Boathouse is a huge supporter and active participant, providing a well sought after stage for performances. People would cram into the standing room only performances providing Blues mash-ups of too many artists to mention here. It is sad to think we have seen the last of these.

There is a Facebook group started in the past few hours to gather support called Save the Boathouse and at the time of writing this article it has already seen fantastic membership growth.

I am sure we are going to be hearing more about this. The announcement of the closing of The Boathouse in Victoria Park has got the attention of the local musicians, their fan base and community members who see the value it provides.

We will keep you posted on what happens with this story.