ELORA – As the Elora Centre for the Arts (ECFTA) gets close to breaking ground on its expansion project, the arts organization is calling on the community to help fundraise for it.
The good news is it’s already more than three quarters of the way to raising the $4.5 million needed for the project, officials told a crowd attending a free concert and fundraiser kick-off outside the ECFTA Thursday evening.
In between sets of music from roots rocker Harry Lee Follon, attendees heard about the 3,500 square foot expansion at the ECFTA which is housed in a schoolhouse built in 1856.
This expansion is the first at the site in 85 years and is expected to begin in October. The addition will be a multi-use space to use for events, performances, exhibitions and other community uses with a new universal washroom, new servery-style kitchen and new front and rear entrances.
“Some of you may be wondering why we are doing this expansion, but the truth is the arts centre is actually bursting at the seams,” said Shannon Kornelson, ECFTA volunteer and co-MC of the event with author Rio Youers. “The centre has to turn down more than half of the requests they’re getting … there are so many people in our community who can’t participate in the incredible, life changing programs at the centre.”
When all is said and done, this expansion project will cost $4.5 million but Mayor Shawn Watters announced to the crowd $3.4 million has already been raised from 71 individual donors, funders and businesses.
Molly Kleiker, ECFTA director of development, said in an interview most of what’s been raised so far has come from government funding and now the next focus is on the community.
“What is a personally meaningful amount for individuals, community and people who use the arts centre and support us … hopefully they would come to the table,” she said on what’s next. “Also our conversations that have been ongoing for three plus years now are still continuing so we still have lots of family foundations and businesses that we’re in conversations with.”
Kleiker said it was exciting to get to share the news more broadly to get the momentum going to get to the $4.5 million finish line.
“We’re going to get there, it’s not a doubt in my mind, this is happening shovels are going in the ground in October,” Kleiker said. “People know this is what the community needs and everybody’s speaking volumes that this is what the community needs and that support is there.”
