SCUGOG: The board of directors of Town Hall 1873 and the Township of Scugog are excited to announce they have received funding from the government of Canada’s investing in Canada Program (ICIP): community, culture and recreation stream. The project will include restoring the historic bell tower, renovating the main floor spaces, and installing a fully accessible freight and passenger elevator to all levels of the theatre. Work for this project has already commenced and will continue into 2027.
The Government of Canada is investing more than $306,000 towards these projects, and the Government of Ontario is supporting more than $255,000. A combined government funding total of $562,182. As this grant is a cost-share program, a capital fundraising campaign will be put into place to cover the remaining expenses by the Town Hall 1873 ICIP committee.
We are thrilled to confirm the Bell Tower’s restoration and reunite it back onto the building, restoring the original, historic structure and appearance. The Bell Tower has been a landmark for Scugog since the building’s inception, and a partnership with the Township of Scugog has been put into place for this monumental heritage project.
“We are very proud of our heritage buildings in the downtown of Port Perry,” said Scugog Mayor Bobbie Drew. “We are grateful to the Board of Directors for their work pursuing funding and thankful to the Provincial and Federal governments for recognizing the importance of preservation and restoration of key heritage landmarks.”
Other projects include refurbishing the marquee for greater visibility, upgrading the audio equipment, renovating the kitchen to meet additional catering and rental opportunities, redesigning the green room for greater performer access and improving the Patrons’ Lounge to increase rental opportunities. Interior renovations will be completed over the next 3 to 4 years.
The final major project will take place between 2026 and 2027 with a complete redesign of the current lift. A fully accessible multi-purpose elevator will be constructed, giving access to all building levels, including the stage level.
This exciting overall project will improve existing infrastructure and will benefit the community of Scugog by creating a fully accessible building for patrons and performers alike to allow the Town Hall Theatre to become a recognized destination performing arts venue.
“As one of the industries that have faced many obstacles over the past few years, we are thrilled to see the hard work of our theatre funding committee come to fruition.” said interim chair of Town Hall 1873 Dale St. John. “We acknowledge the generosity of the Federal and Provincial Governments for their approval of this exciting project and to the Township of Scugog for their unwavering support.
Many improvements to Town Hall 1873 will now be realized, including the long-awaited restoration of the historic Bell Tower. We look forward to coming together with the community of Scugog to see this multi-phase project completed.”
“Our Government is pleased to provide funding for renovations and accessibility improvements to the historic Port Perry Town Hall 1873 in Scugog,” said Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.
“For over 100 years, this landmark has been at the heart of the community, and accessibility improvements will help remove barriers, allowing more residents to enjoy this beautiful historical venue.”
“Our beautiful heritage buildings in small towns like Port Perry are an important part of the cultural fabric of our community and tell important stories,” said Durham MPP, Lindsey Park. “The funding going to renovate and restore Town Hall 1873, including the historic Bell Tower, will enable the community to enjoy the arts in Port Perry for many years to come.