Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
357 Wilson St East L9G 2C1 Ancaster, ON, Canada

Construction has (safely) resumed!

Stay safe everyone! Being a non-essential facility, our construction site has been closed until further notice.

https://www.hamiltonnews.com//9701961-ancaster-memorial-a/

Groundbreaking ceremony will be Wednesday November 13 at noon. All are welcome!Groundbreaking ceremony will be Wednesday November 13 at noon. All are welcome!

And there we have it. In an inspiring display of City unity, Hamilton Council votes unanimously to approve funding for the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre. Wow. We did it. The team would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Council, the community, our arts groups, and you for all the humbling support that has enabled us all to make this dream a reality. Seeya in Spring 2022!

ALMOST THERE! We are happy to report that City of Hamilton Public Works committee just voted unanimously (11-0) to send our funding request to Friday's Council meeting for final approval. Endless thanks to the nearly 100 excited supporters that managed to take time out of their summer schedules to attend the meeting in a heart warming show of support. FINAL STEP: Hopefully for the last time- we are asking for you to appear in support of the Centre. It is very challenging to... predict exactly when the motion will be brought forward on Friday. Council is in session as of 9:30am. Based on the published agenda (https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx) we are guessing that the motion will be brought forward between 10am and 11am (educated guess based on past meetings...could possibly be later). Please consider joining us one last time to kick this thing across the finish line. Yes, if the motion passes we will commence construction immediately and the next time we ask for your presence will be opening night! Hamilton Council Chambers, Friday August 16. In session at 9:30. We are likely up between 10am & 11am.

Tomorrow, Wednesday August 14th, City staff is presenting a motion to the Public Works Committee that asks for funds to enable the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre to completely built. At around 9:30am Fundraising Chair Bob Wilkins will be presenting to the committee. It will be a short (10min) presentation with the goal of proving community support for the motion. City staff and Councillor Ferguson have crafted a very responsible financial plan to justify this ask. Details/agen...da is a public document and is available at: https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx Yes, if this passes we will commence construction ASAP. Bob has worked selflessly and tirelessly for years on this project and has smashed his $3M goal (almost at $5M!). He and the team VERY much need the support of you and your organizations at this presentation to prove to the committee that this motion is what we want. We need supportive bodies in the room. After all this effort and time, it has all come down to this day. Please consider joining us in the gallery to show your support. City Hall Council Chambers 9:30am, Wednesday August 14*. Bob is up immediately after opening remarks etc. Best guess: you'll be out of there in under an hour.

Update: City of Hamilton staff has submitted a motion to Hamilton Public Works with a plan to finance the funding shortfall. Should this motion pass, it will move to Council for final approval. We are very close...Please show your support of this motion by joining us at the Public Works Committee meeting: City Hall Council Chambers, Wednesday August 14, 9:30am.

Had a productive meeting yesterday with my colleague Sandy Shaw, MPP for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, and Colin Lapsley, Executive Director of the Ancaster Arts Centre to discuss how to move forward on making this community project a success.

We can now confirm that the $3M in provincial funding pledged by the previous government in 2017 has been cancelled. PC MPP Donna Skelly is very supportive of the project and is working closely with us as we lobby the current provincial government to find a funding stream that they are more comfortable with.

As far as we know, reports that the provincial PC government have pulled back the Liberal $3M funding promise are accurate. We will keep you informed as the situation progresses.

Please join us on the back parking lot of Memorial School (enter on Queen St across from Fieldcote) at 10:00am Monday for an exciting announcement about the new Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre from Federal MP Filomena Tassi. Let's show our support and gratitude for their efforts to make this dream a reality! Please share!

The Ancaster arts community thanks our longtime MPP Ted McMeekin for his THREE MILLION DOLLAR contribution to our new arts centre. This funding is proof of his ability to get things done for our community! This incredible new facility would simply not be possible without Ted's experience and influence.

Happy New Year to all our supporters and donors! (...Last chance to donate for a 2017 tax receipt:) Thanks to you we are very possibly looking at a 2018 construction announcement. Stay tuned for all new website/social media for the now officially named Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre.