Province injects $40,000 of funding to Aurora Town Square

The Ontario Government has announced an investment of $40,000 into the Aurora Town Square redevelopment project.

Newmarket-Aurora MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy announced the funding last week in the foyer of the addition to the historic Church Street School, joined by Mayor Tom Mrakas, Aurora Town Square Project Manager Phil Rose, municipal staff and cultural partners.

“Arts and culture organizations are important to Aurora's economy and its residents,” said MPP Gallagher Murphy. “This support from the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF) will help the Town of Aurora continue to provide unique, made-in-Ontario events and programming in our community and develop new ways to experience and proudly showcase culture right here in our own backyard.”

Support was also voiced in a statement from Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Neil Lumsden: “Ontario's cultural tourism events and attractions provide residents and visitors alike with unique experiences that create lifelong memories. The investments that our government is making in and through OCAF will help to bring these one-of-a-kind events to life, boosting local businesses, creating good-paying jobs and enabling audiences of all ages to experience the best that Ontario has to offer.”

Warm words were also offered by Mayor Mrakas, who hailed it as a “very important investment in our community.”

“These funds are helping us ensure community members build a strong and lasting connection with Aurora Town Square, where they will have access to world-class arts and culture right here in our downtown,” he said. “This will not only help us foster a distinct arts and culture community in Aurora, it also brings more people to our downtown to support our great businesses and grow our local economy.”

The September 24 announcement wasn't the only positive news on the financial front for Aurora Town Square, which formally opened to the public on September 21.

Mayor Mrakas announced September 28 Town Square had surpassed the goals of its $5 million capital campaign.

“I'm thrilled to share that we've surpassed our capital campaign goal of raising $5 million from community members and businesses for Town Square!” he shared in a social media post, which was accompanied by a photo of the project's public-facing donor wall. “I want to sincerely thank all of our donors for their incredible generosity; we simply couldn't have completed this project without you. You're now part of a legacy of true community building that will have a profound and lasting impact on our Town and residents for generations.”

By Brock Weir