Innisfil's Town Square is officially open.
The grand opening of the Town Square began on Friday evening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, speeches and free entertainment that was enjoyed by attendees despite winter’s chill.
The fun continued with more performances and activities on Saturday. Community members took advantage of the free skate rentals and free shuttle service to and from Innisfil Beach Park.
Under construction since June 2021, the Town Square is located at 971 Innisfil Beach Road between Lakeside Retirement and the Lakeshore branch of the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library.
It boasts a 240-metre refrigerated skating trail that loops throughout the Square, which will be used as a walking/rollerblading trail in the warmer months. Eager skaters are reminded to consult the town’s official social media accounts and the signage posted at the Town Square for trail conditions.
“When we asked our community what they wanted to see in this space, we heard you wanted more fun things to do close to home, more places for social interaction with neighbours — especially after what we've been through the last three years,” Mayor Lynn Dollin said at the Town Square’s grand opening on Friday.
In addition to the skating trail, the Town Square includes a fire pit, warming station, stage and event space, a playground, a vendor and market space, and washrooms and lockers. A splash pad will be open this summer.
“This Town Square will be a great space for families to enjoy all year round. There's always a lot of preparation and planning that goes into building any new facility or space and this town square is no exception,” said Dollin.
“I would like to acknowledge the contributions of OLG in our community. The casino that they placed here in Innisfil has been a significant source of revenue for our town, and I'm proud to say that the next quarter cheque we receive from OLG will take us past the $100 million in total contribution since the casino’s opening. And it's made such a significant importance in our residents’ lives here. We take all of that money and we invest it in our residents, and we thank you for that.”
Kathleen Devine, OLG's senior municipal relations manager, said “OLG is proud to be a vital part of Innisfil for more than 22 years and we look forward to continuing to build on that support.
"Each and every year, 100 per cent of OLG profits are invested in Ontario. From healthcare, to education, to community festivals, OLG’s profits are hard at work in Innisfil and all across our province. And, we appreciate the contribution of gaming site employees at Gateway Casino Innisfil for making life in Innisfil that much richer," Devine said.
The teams at Rutherford Contracting Ltd., PMA Landscape Architects Ltd., Ted Handy & Associates, Jones Consulting, McGregor Allsop, MJS Consultants, Blackwell Structural Engineers, and CIMCO Refrigeration worked together to build the Town Square, in addition to the support of staff at the Town of Innisfil, including Meredith Goodwin, C.E.T., Capital Project Manager.
“I’m so very proud to have had the opportunity to lead this project," said Goodwin. "It’s such a pleasure to get to work with such a wonderful group of people here at the Town, and along with a great design/build team, together, we brought the Town Square to life.
"This space was designed to be unique and a place where the community could come and gather, meet new neighbours, and make memories. It’s a space designed for all ages and abilities. I also got the pleasure to work and learn from the Innisfil Accessibility Advisory Committee members. They are a very dedicated group of volunteers who are working to ensure the spaces we design are more accessible," said Goodwin.
Goodwin has worked on Innisfil’s Town Square project long before they broke ground — from budget approval to community engagement; from submitting grant applications to successfully receiving grant funding for $750,000 from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund; from design and construction to the grand opening, Goodwin has seen it all.
She said she looks forward to seeing how the people of Innisfil use the space and watching the space grow. “(I) hope that the Town Square can enhance Alcona’s core and maybe bring businesses for the community to enjoy, like more restaurants, and coffee shops.”
Goodwin explained that the Town Square is intended to encourage a sense of belonging to residents while offering diverse opportunities as it brings people together.
Goodwin told InnisfilToday that they have been proactive in having conversations with surrounding businesses regarding parking, and they will work with them as they observe changes stemming from the Town Square. The goal is to encourage people to walk or cycle to the Town Square as there are many bike racks available to use.
“Subject to council’s approval is a request in the 2023 budget for a new pedestrian crossing at Innisfil Beach Road for residents on the north side of Innisfil Beach Road to safely walk to the new Town Square," said Goodwin.
The Town Square has Wi-Fi and high-quality cameras for security purposes. The Town of Innisfil is working with members of the community and local organizations to bring events to the Square. Goodwin said that a “2023 budget request to council was made for a culture and events specialist. If this new position is approved, we will look to improve our programming and many more events in the space.”
To learn more about the Innisfil Town Square, please click here.
