This project has been such a long time coming – and it’s finally here! This is the beginning of the next era for the Town of Aurora.
The Library Square Project is the largest capital infrastructure project the Town has ever embarked on and will serve as a catalyst for downtown revitalization.
The project is the culmination of years of planning that demonstrates that strategic municipal investment in the downtown will leverage further investment, foster employment opportunities and support downtown resilience.
It’s also the culmination of years of partnerships – of community, government, individuals all coming together for the future of our town.
I am so proud of this collaboration: when we work together towards a common vision, we can achieve anything and get things done. I want to thank all of our project partners: RAW Design, the Planning Partnership, Colliers Project Leaders and Chandos Construction Ltd…
The groundbreaking for Library Square – a $51.6 million capital project that will transform the downtown and bring the Town of Aurora into the forefront of the region’s arts and culture scene.
Construction on this transformational facility begins this week – and is slated to be complete at the end of 2022.
When complete, Aurora will have:
- A 32,000 square foot addition to the Church Street School that features performance space, visual arts studios, museum storage, multi-purpose dance studio, program rooms, café and catering kitchen.
- A vibrant open air square featuring amphitheatre, water feature, skating loop and seating areas.
- An enclosed pedestrian link between the new facility and existing public library, with accessible connection to Yonge Street and downtown.
- New library programming space and rooftop reading garden.
The addition of a community space like Library Square will contribute to local economic activity and the growth of Aurora’s creative sector.
Evidence from other communities that have similarly invested in the activity generators for their downtown core have seen a return on investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars; this is great news for our community.
Thank you to my fellow members of Council, Sandra Humfryes, Michael Thompson and Harold Kim for your vision, your commitment, and your passion for our town.
Thanks to our staff, who created the path for us to follow to achieve our vision.
And to all the members of the community who are celebrating as we break ground on what is the largest project in Aurora’s history.
Library Square is for you – and it is for our children, their children, and generations beyond them.
I look forward to sharing with you the start of our future, today.
