A community hub for all seasons
Located in Southern Ontario, the Town of Aurora is revitalizing its heritage Church Street Museum and Cultural Centre, and nearby Aurora Public Library to create a centralized community gathering place. Aurora’s Town Square project will expand on this existing infrastructure through a 32,000 sq. ft. addition to the cultural centre and a 29,000 sq. ft. outdoor community space.
The new outdoor square will offer residents recreational space year-round. By featuring Amphitheatre seating, the square will be the ideal space for performances and public events. During the summer, an interactive water feature will provide a convenient way to cool down. In the winter, the water feature will convert into an ice-skating loop. Art installations, gardens and seating complete the outdoor square – which will be decorated for seasonal celebrations and community gatherings.
The new addition to Aurora’s Museum and Cultural Centre will include a flexible performance hall with seating for up to 250 people in either theatre or banquet-style settings, as well as a black box performing arts studio, visual arts studio and program room. The library expansion will incorporate two multipurpose rooms which will be available for community use.
The Treasure Hill Bridge will also connect the new museum and cultural centre to the public library, offering visitors lounge seating and shelter from the elements in a convenient indoor pathway. Designed with a vision of bringing people together, this new community hub will offer residents an interactive, engaging and walkable space.
Aurora’s new Town Square will merge a heritage building with modern architecture to create a walkable downtown community hub.
The cultural centre will contain a black box theatre, dance studio and banquet hall, ideal for community events and gatherings.
The square’s outdoor water feature will convert into an ice-skating loop, bringing people together year-round to enjoy both amenities.
Preserving the past, building for the future
The Town of Aurora selected our team to provide Bid Document Review and project management services to support the design, construction and closeout phases of its new Town Square – one of the largest project undertakings in the town’s history.
The town broke ground during the height of the pandemic. As a result, we worked alongside the town, its consultants and contractors to navigate labour, supply, and health and safety challenges. This collaboration, in combination with our onsite presence, helped us mitigate impacts on the project’s schedule and budget. Although the project was delayed, the project team continues to work together to find solutions to keep the project moving forward.
When blending modern construction with a designated heritage building, the project team needs to be mindful of preserving historical features. We are working closely with contractors to ensure the heritage Church Street Schoolhouse remains intact, particularly during the construction of the atrium, which will connect the schoolhouse to the expanded cultural centre.
Aurora Town Square will offer the community an interactive space that respects the town’s heritage while supporting a local arts and cultureresurgence. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2024, the completed Town Square is sure to bring residents together to enjoy theatre, dance, recreation and community celebrations year after year.
