Save the date – the grand opening celebration for Aurora Town Square will take place Sept. 20.
The long-anticipated opening of the downtown redevelopment, which includes a significant expansion of the Church Street School building, an expansive outdoor gathering space, wide-ranging renovations at the Aurora Public Library, and an eye-catching bridge to connect the library to the new building, will usher in a 24-day celebration, according to Phil Rose, the town’s cultural services manager.
Rose provided his update to council at last week’s committee of the whole meeting.
“We’re very, very close,” said Rose following a question from Ward 6 Councillor Harold Kim on when the full program would be ready.
“Sept. 20 is going to be the beginning of the grand opening of the year and it is going to be a 24-day celebration that ends on Saturday or Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend on Oct. 12 or 13. We’re at about 90 per cent of the schedule being locked in and at this point we’re talking to performers, agents and signing contracts.”
A further report in the “next few weeks” would flesh out the plan, he noted.
Beyond the grand opening month, other organizations have already booked the space, including the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame, which will hold its 2024 induction ceremony at Town Square in November.
“We have a number of performances we will be doing throughout October and November, and we have already figured out what we want to do from January to August of next year,” he said. “The Aurora Cultural Centre is the same – between January and August of next year, there will be 19 activations within the performance hall.”
