VIDEO: Giant LED screen will be part of public space redesign in Brampton

A giant wrap-around LED screen, updated amphitheatre and a new performance space are all part of upgrades coming to public spaces in Brampton.

The upgrades are part of the city’s Ken Whillans Square and Garden Square redevelopment projects, with construction expected to begin in the fall.

The city has chosen a design by architecture firm gh3* that includes a suspended LED screen in Garden Square and the Shimmer Stage in Whillans Square – a combination art piece, performance area, and digital screen with an overhead shade canopy.

“Acting as a visual landmark and civic anchor, (the Shimmer Stage) will support cultural expression, public gatherings and passive recreation throughout the year,” the city said in a release.

The designers call the upgraded areas “The Flower Squares,” reimagining the two civic spaces “as unified yet distinct destinations inspired by Brampton’s floral heritage.”

The city has released a video showing what the upgrades will look like once the project is completed.

Bird’s-eye view conceptual rendering of Ken Whillans Square redevelopment (subject to refinement). Credit: gh3*

Bird’s-eye view conceptual rendering of Garden Square redevelopment (subject to refinement). Credit: gh3*

The design achieves this through expressive landscaping, sculptural architecture and symbolic motifs that support everyday use, public gatherings and cultural programming.

Garden Square will see the addition of the Rosette Ring, a suspended LED screen that the city says will be “a new civic landmark,” and an updated amphitheatre terrace that connects to The Rose Theatre.

With the design concept now selected, the city says construction on Ken Whillans Square is expected to begin this fall, while the start of the Garden Square upgrades “will be determined as the City rolls out multiple downtown projects.”

The city held two rounds of public consultations on the redesigns, including a survey which received around 200 responses.

Other downtown construction already underway includes a more than $22.5 million streetscaping project to bring new traffic lights, upgraded roads and other improvements to downtown Brampton.