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PRESENTATION REGARDING THE ORO AFRICAN CHURCH GRAND RE-OPENING
Mr. Shawn Binns, Director of Recreation and Community Services and Ms. Saman Othman, Supervisor of Communications and Customer Service of the Township of Oro-Medonte provided a presentation concerning the grandre-opening of the Oro African Church.
Ms. Othman and Mr. Binns discussed slides concerning the following topics:
• How the church has united thousands across Canada and United States;
• The chronological history of the church including photographs of the church, community members and the 160th anniversary celebration;
• The Cultural Heritage Assessment and building condition assessment;
• Why the church was closed to the public in 2014;
• The fundraising efforts launched in February 2015 and the funds raised;
• A video of the CBC news coverage related to the fundraising efforts and historical significance of the church;
• The social media sites used to support the fundraising efforts and messages from individuals who made donations;
• A visit to the church by the Neema Children’s Choir from Uganda;
• The funding received through the Trillium Foundation and Federal funding received from Parks Canada as well as in-kind donations;
• The recognition of cultural and historical significance of the church by the Federal Government in February 2016;
• A video and photographs illustrating the commitment of those involved in the church restoration project; and
• The events scheduled as part of the grand re-opening celebrations.
In closing, Mr. Binns requested City Council’s consideration of a partnership between the Township of Oro-Medonte and the City of Barrie, as he felt that the significance of the Church aligns well with the City’s Cultural Plan. Further, Mr. Binns requested staff support and participation on a planning task group and sponsorship of the Georgian College Theatre as it is an investment in local and regional culture.
Members of Council asked questions of the presenters and received responses.