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Construction on the Visitor Centre The Visitor Centre project which is the centrepiece of Fort York’s bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812 is about to take a big step forward with the calling of building tenders in early July. They will close four or five weeks later and are expected to produce a structure ready for fixturing and the installation of exhibits by October 2012. This is about three months later than first hoped, but in good time to take up the $4.6 million in grant monies from the Government of Canada that must be spent before April 2012. Saving the project from being deferred by the City for want of anticipated support was the announcement by the Hon. Michael Chan, Ontario Minister of Tourism & Culture, on April 29 that the provincial government would support the building of the Visitor Centre with a grant of $5 million. These grants by the senior governments, besides being welcome endorsements that will help fundraising by the Fort York Foundation from private sources, represent the first time that Canada and Ontario have supported capital improvements at the Fort York National Historic Site. The City of Toronto which owns Fort York and its surrounding 41 acres of parkland is committed to providing $7 million in funding to the project, including $2.7 million in monies from payments under Section 37 of the Planning Act. These contributions have been required from the developers of nearby condo projects because the building will serve also as a community centre for the upwards of 30,000 residents in the new neighbourhoods immediately surrounding the site. Besides having a multipurpose theatre, the Visitor Centre
Begins will contain seminar rooms, a library for research into the fort and local history, a cafe and a service kitchen to support receptions and the like. Some part of the monies tabbed for the project, particularly the privately-raised funds, will go towards upgrading the Garrison Common surrounding the Visitor Centre and fort to park standards. Construction of a pedestrian-cycling bridge over the rail corridors north of the fort, when and if it occurs (see related article below), will greatly improve access to this precious green space. On June 1 the Fort York Foundation held a big-ticket dinner co-hosted by Earle and Janice O’Born and Valerie and Andy Pringle to raise money for the Visitor Centre. Attended by over 200 persons at tables set up in the fort’s blockhouses and barracks and prepared by five celebrity chefs, it was a sellout. Andy Pringle is chair of the Foundation’s fundraising cabinet that’s busy canvassing for donations. Currently it is in touch with several donors capable of giving major gifts. To date it has raised nearly $1 million towards a goal of $6 million.
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