Toronto, Ontario, September 20, 2012 – Torontonians celebrated an important milestone today as Daniels Spectrum, the new Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre, opened its doors. Representatives from the governments of Canada, Ontario, and City of Toronto, along with Toronto Artscape, The Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing attended the first performances at the new artistic, cultural and social heart of the neighbourhood.
"Daniels Spectrum is a remarkable facility that will help Regent Park thrive and prosper for years to come,"
said the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "Our government's contribution to this new arts and cultural centre is an investment in the local economy, job creation and the revitalization of the neighbourhood."
"The Government of Ontario is making targeted investments in our communities and not-for-profit organizations because we recognize they are integral to the province's economic and social well being,"
said the Honourable Glen Murray, Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre. "We are pleased to support the establishment of Daniels Spectrum, which will provide the Regent Park community with a social and creative hub, support area youth and families, while providing new arts and cultural opportunities for residents throughout Toronto."
"As part of the Regent Park revitalization, the Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre will offer the community a new platform for cultural and creative exchange and collaboration. The centre will foster culturally diverse performances, events and programming for many local groups and organizations,"
said Toronto Councillor Gary Crawford (Ward 36 Scarborough Southwest) on behalf of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.
"The Regent Park revitalization has been a remarkable success story for Toronto Community Housing and for our partners, including The Daniels Corporation, Artscape and the Regent Park community,"
said Gene Jones, President and CEO of Toronto Community Housing. "Daniels Spectrum will be a social and cultural hub for Regent Park residents. But it will also be a beacon. Now that the doors are open to this marvellous facility, people from across the city will come to Regent Park to enjoy and celebrate the arts, gather with their fellow citizens and neighbours, and experience the vitality of a proud, diverse, dynamic community."
Daniels Spectrum will be operated by Artscape and is owned by a not-for-profit joint venture corporation comprised of representatives from Artscape, The Daniels Corporation, Toronto Community Housing and the Regent Park community.
The creation and development of this new arts and cultural centre was a long-standing ambition for this Toronto neighbourhood located east of downtown, and a key element in meeting its social and community development goals. The newly constructed 60,000-square-foot, multi-purpose facility includes a large performance venue and space for seven arts organizations.
The governments of Canada and Ontario each contributed $12,000,000 to the project through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. The Artscape Foundation contributed $9,800,000, including a $500,000 contribution from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, with the balance of $3,400,000 provided by other sources.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2012 focuses on job creation, economic growth and long-term prosperity. Strengthening infrastructure across the country is an important part of this plan. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership, and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery, with nearly 770,000 net new jobs created since July 2009.
This project also supports Building Together, the Government of Ontario's long-term infrastructure plan to repair, rebuild and renew the province's roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals and courthouses. Through Building Together, Ontario plans to invest more than $35 billion over the next three years to create or preserve over 100,000 jobs on average each year. Infrastructure investments create high-quality employment, support economic growth and helps make Ontario's economy more productive.
For additional information about investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit www.ontario.ca/infrastructure.
Contacts:
Geneviève Sicard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure
416-325-0781
Margaret Dougherty
Senior Communications Advisor
Strategic Communications, City of Toronto
416-397-5313
Sara Goldvine
Toronto Community Housing
416-981-4252 or Sara.Goldvine@torontohousing.ca
David Eisenstadt
The Daniels Corporation
416-696-9900 extension 36 or deisenstadt@tcgpr.com
Luisa Trisi
Big Picture Communications - For Artscape
416-481-1161 or ltrisi@sympatico.ca
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251 or
Toll-free 1-877-250-7154
