Since 1874, the Armoury building has stood in the northeast corner of Town Park in Aurora.
On Sept. 7, the Town of Aurora, Niagara College and a military museum will open the doors of the historic building for its sesquicentennial anniversary, with an open house celebration recognizing its lengthy history.
Built as a drill shed for the 12th Battalion of Infantry, or York Rangers, the building was bought by the Town of Aurora in 2014, and was restored and is now used as an event space by Niagara College.
The open house will feature exhibits brought in by Jeremy Hood, curator of the Queen’s York Rangers Regimental Museum. The exhibits include a silver bugle, gifted to the regiment in 1866, a piece of signed hardtack, an infamous ration similar to a cracker, dating from 1885, and the white universal pattern helmet of William Henry Taylor, a born-and-bred Aurora soldier who went on to become captain of the regiment.
The town will also be giving out free copies of a book detailing the history of the regiment to the first 30 people who attend.
“It's had so many different purposes throughout its years when it wasn't acting as a headquarters for the Queen’s York Rangers,” said Michelle Johnson, collections and exhibitions co-ordinator at the Town of Aurora, adding the building has acted as a music venue, staging for horse riding competitions, and wrestling arena in the 1940s.
“When you look at the Armoury's placement within the park and how much it was a part of the community, the local residents and the town as a whole, you can really be transported back to a time, when you could almost envision the military parading around,” she said. “It wasn't that long ago that they moved out of this location, and so to have this headquarters so central to the town and so embedded within the community, I think is a history that deserves celebration and recognition.”
Niagara College, who regularly host catered events out of the building, wanted to open its doors to recognize the “big anniversary,” according to Emily Hlusko-Huard, events manager with Niagara College.
“A lot has happened over the last couple of years. The building itself reopened in the middle of COVID and this is the first big celebration we're able to have post-COVID, where we can celebrate its history, celebrate the men and women that made the Armoury what it was, and honour them, but also celebrate everything that the town and Niagara College are turning the Armoury into."
An open house for The Armoury’s 150th anniversary will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Armoury building is at 89 Mosley St., at the northeast corner of Aurora Town Park.
