A true community-wide committment
This prize fits wonderfully with Aurora’s celebration in 2008 as the Year of Arts, Heritage and Culture. It reflects the dedication and commitment of the Town and our citizens to the conservation and celebration of local heritage. We are proud and honoured to accept this award on behalf of our citizens. Aurora’s award is a considerable achievement for a town of our size. It's a reflection of the progress made in enhancing the municipal heritage conservation program in recent years. It is also a testament to the enthusiasm of volunteers and willingness of heritage property owners in Aurora to preserve and celebrate local heritage. As you know, Aurora has introduced a series of measures to protect heritage buildings and districts, some dating to the early 1800s. With the community focused on efforts to conserve local heritage, Aurora has been able to maintain more than 95 percent of the heritage buildings that existed on the outbreak of the Second World War. Aurora is a town rich in history and has a wealth of heritage resources including Hillary House National Historic Site, one of Canada’s best examples of Gothic Revival architecture, and the Church Street School one of Canada’s prime examples of public school architecture. The Church Street School historic site is currently undergoing a $2.5-million renovation, funded largely by the Town and is to become the Church Street School Cultural Centre. Click here to learn more about that project and to express your interest to become involved. Aurora’s growth has not and cannot come at the expense of its history and culture. Thanks to a dedicated community and strong municipal support for conservation, Aurora has maintained a remarkable sense of history, community and identity that is unique in the Greater Toronto Area. Previous recipients of the Prize include Markham, Ontario; Victoria, British Columbia; Saint-John, New Brunswick; Québec, Québec; Perth, Ontario; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia and St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Phyllis Morris, Mayor |
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Aurora Council extends thanks to all those who supported the nomination of our Town for the Prince of Wales Prize. Council is grateful to the many individuals who have helped preserve heritage in Aurora – over the years their hard work is greatly appreciated and their efforts have helped to further enrich and beautify our community.