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Celebrations for Ontario’s 150th Anniversary Coming to Newmarket-Aurora

 

In celebration of Ontario’s 150th anniversary, the province is supporting four exciting local initiatives in Newmarket-Aurora that will bring people together to commemorate the qualities and values that define Ontario and revel in this historic milestone.

 

Today, MPP Ballard was at the Ray Twinney Complex to highlight the four initiatives, which include:

 

  • North Newmarket Lion’s Club-- This project will engage youth to participate in learning about local history and culture through the medium best suited for them:  their cellphones. The "Newmarket 150 Online Historical and Cultural Scavenger Hunt" will empower youth to create myriad online scavenger hunts highlighting the history and culture of any community. They will research and create hunts based on secrets which can consist of a photograph, questions and answers. Each secret has a geohashed location with GPS range and the app guides players to nearby secrets to be discovered. The event will reach out to 20,000 participants.

 

  • Shadowpath Theatre Productions-- This project will assist Shadowpath Theatre Productions to create Dine with Canada, a four seasonal pop-up theatrical dinner parties that reflect the four first provinces of Canada including seasonal foods, national recipes and a dramatization of historical characters and events. The project will reach 200 participants at each presentation.

 

  • Windfall Ecology--This project will enhance the annual Windfall Ecology Festival with the addition of indigenous cultural programming, guest chefs and outdoor learning experiences. The Celebrating Diversity: Food, Land and People initiative aims to attract 8000 attendees from the Newmarket area from June 9-11.

 

  • Ontario Streams--This project will support Ontario Streams in delivering diverse programming over five evenings and one half day leading up to Canada Day. Programming will focus on Ontario's diverse geography and environment, First Nations, Metis & Inuit cultures; history, 150 years of achievements, multicultural & ethnic richness. Over the course of the project, 3,000 attendees are expected.

 

 

These initiatives are just some of 367 events and celebrations that Ontario is funding across the province for Ontario’s 150th anniversary. Ontario has also released a new recording of A Place to Stand (Ontario Song), the province’s unofficial anthem. The 50-year-old song has been refreshed to instill a sense of pride and belonging for all. 

 

The Community Celebration Program is one of three community-based Ontario150 grant programs that will promote community engagement, empower young people and contribute to economic growth.

 

Investing in local communities for Ontario's 150th anniversary is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

 

QUOTES

 

“Our government is helping Newmarket-Aurora celebrate this milestone in a way that is meaningful to our community. These investments will put a spotlight on our region, highlighting our diversity, heritage and culture for residents and tourists to enjoy and discover.  Congratulations to all the recipients, I can’t wait to see the positive changes that this grant funding will bring.”

— Chris Ballard, M.P.P., Newmarket-Aurora

 

“Ontario’s 150th anniversary is an opportunity to come together and celebrate the incredible province we live in. Through the Ontario150 program, we are supporting initiatives that recognize the people, places and events that make Ontario great. The Community Celebration Program will ensure that people in every corner of the province can recognize our 150th year and explore our heritage.”

— Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

“Shadowpath Theatre Productions is excited to be a recipient of the Ontario 150 funding to bring the project, Dinner With Canada to cultural facilities across York Region. This provides new programming and partnerships for Shadowpath while celebrating Ontario at the same time.”

— Alex Karolyi, Artistic Director, Shadowpath Theatre

 

“The North Newmarket Lions and Knowledge Probe thank the Ontario government for the opportunity to launch an online scavenger hunt that will take people through 150 years of Newmarket's culture and history.  Walk your neighbourhoods to discover what secrets are virtually hidden in plain sight. Uncover these visual secrets with our mobile web app for a chance to win some great prizes.”

— Mark Kolb, North Newmarket Lions Club

 

"We are pleased and proud to be part of the Ontario 150 celebrations. TheWindfall Harvest Festival in Aurora will honour diversity through our Food, Land and Peoples showcase"             — Brent Kopperson, Executive Director, Windfall Ecology Centre

 

QUICK FACTS

§  Ontario is investing $7 million in the Community Celebration Program to support 367 unique initiatives across the province.

§  Ontario is recognizing the historical significance of 2017 withOntario150, a year-long commemoration that will honour Ontario's past, showcase the present and inspire future generations.

The song, A Place to Stand (Ontario Song), was first introduced at Expo 67. English, French and bilingual versions of the song are available as well as lyrics, sheet music and choral arrangements.