Category Archives: Arts and culture

Members of Guelph Symphony Orchestra perform kid-friendly performances of Sorcerer’s Apprentice at River Run Centre, February 2 GUELPH, ON January 18, 2019 – Experience a magical introduction to classical music for kids when members of the Guelph Symphony Orchestra perform Sorcerer’s Apprentice at River Run Centre on Saturday, February 2, at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The performances are presented in Co-operators Hall as part of the Wooly Kinderconcerts series. Wooly Kinderconcerts introduce children aged five and under to the rich variety of instruments and sounds of the symphony. Members of the Guelph Symphony Orchestra play samplings of works by great composers, which provide the soundtrack to fun, interactive stories. Kinderconcerts are hands-on experiences kids learn from and remember, with audience participation highly… Continue reading A magical introduction to classical music

Mike D’Urzo and Ray Chance bring incredible illusions and mental demonstrations to River Run Centre, February 2, 2019 Continue reading Mesmerizing magic with the Dueling Magicians

The fans have spoken—Scott Helman plays a full house when he takes the stage at the River Run Centre on Friday, February 1, 2019 at 8 pm. Continue reading Scott Helman destined to wow audiences at River Run Centre

This Is That Live Farewell Tour arrives at River Run Centre January 24, 2019 Continue reading Fabricating news to hilarious effect

Famed performer and songwriter comes to River Run Centre January 23, 2019 GUELPH, ON January 9, 2019 – Dan Hill is best known for his classic hit, Sometimes When We Touch, and has also shared his songwriting talents to help create countless gold and platinum recordings. The famed Grammy and Juno-Award winner will discuss his life and career as part of River Run Centre’s Miijidaa Life Stories speaker series on Wednesday, January 23, at 8 p.m. During an intimate Co-operators Hall conversation, audiences will get the chance to meet the award-winning singer, songwriter and author. With more than four-decades in the business, Hill enjoyed great success as a performing singer-songwriter and “behind the scenes” songwriter for many music superstars. Celine Dion performed his songs Seduces… Continue reading Dan Hill opens up about his life and work

Canada’s Ballet Jörgen brings acclaimed production Coppélia to River Run Centre Sunday, January 20 GUELPH, ON January 7, 2019 – Experience daring, bold and captivating ballet when Canada’s Ballet Jörgen brings its acclaimed production Coppélia to River Run Centre on Sunday, January 20, at 2 p.m. The Main Stage performance is presented as part of River Run Centre’s Showcase Series. First performed in 1870, Coppélia is one of the world’s oldest ballets. Renowned as a “comedy with love,” the ballet takes audiences into the mysterious mind of Dr. Coppélius, a lonely and disillusioned toymaker who wishes he could bring his creations to life. Canada’s Ballet Jörgen’s production of Coppélia features emotional, fantastical storytelling presented through original choreography by Bengt Jörgen, the company’s co-founder and artistic… Continue reading Experience daring, bold and captivating ballet

You’re invited to attend one of two drop-in workshops on January 15 as we gather community input to help shape the sustainability vision and goals for the Baker District redevelopment project. Continue reading Baker District workshop sets stage for vision, goals

The City of Guelph invites artists and artist groups to apply for a chance to create one of four, site-specific exterior murals on Wilson Street. Continue reading Artists wanted to create Wilson Street murals

Band makes a stop in Guelph on North American tour GUELPH, ON December 6, 2018 – One of Canada’s most celebrated alternative rock bands, The Tea Party, is back on the road with their most extensive North American tour in years to support their soon to be released 2019 album. The band takes the stage at River Run Centre on Friday, March 29 at 8 pm. The Main Stage performance is presented as part of the Richardson GMP Music Series. Recent Canadian shows have sold out quickly, likely because Jeff Martin, Jeff Burrows, and Stuart Chatwood are known for their mesmerizing stage presence, impeccable artistry and phenomenal musicianship. No surprise, with a career that spans over twenty years and includes nine major-label releases that have… Continue reading The Tea Party is back with an exclamation mark!

The City of Guelph formally invites artists to apply for a chance to become the City’s Artist in Residence for 2019. Continue reading Do you want to be Guelph’s 2019 Artist in Residence?

The City’s Culture Hub and Makers Market, presented earlier this fall in celebration of Culture Days, has been recognized for outstanding participation. Continue reading Guelph named runner-up in Culture Days spotlight program

The City of Guelph, along with Windmill Development Group and Invizij Architects Inc., is hosting two open houses on Thursday, November 29 to provide our community with an overview of the Baker District redevelopment project. Continue reading Join us to hear about plans for the Baker District redevelopment

Starting today, residents will be able to view Kiel and Amanda Wilson-Ciocci’s (KIAM) six Artist in Residence paintings at City Hall. Continue reading #YourWard artwork now on display at City Hall

Guelph has made the Top Ten Cities and Towns list for their Culture Days celebrations in 2018 placing eighth in their size category. Continue reading Media release: Guelph makes Culture Days’ top 10 list for fourth year

Country music star performs at River Run Centre GUELPH, ON October 26, 2018 – CCMA Fan’s Choice and 2-time Juno Award winning artist, Dean Brody, brings songwriting and storytelling to the stage on his Dirt Road Stories Acoustic Tour. The Canadian country music superstar performs at River Run Centre on Saturday, November 10 at 8 p.m. The Main Stage performance is presented as part of the Richardson GMP Music Series and sponsored by Country 106.7. This compelling, intimate acoustic performance showcases Brody’s depth as a songwriter and his unparalleled ability to bring storytelling to the forefront of country music. Three of Brody’s sixteen CCMA Awards are for Songwriter of the Year, highlighting his reputation for penning thoughtful, articulate, original narratives in music, guaranteeing a memorable… Continue reading Dean Brody stops in Guelph on his cross-Canada tour

In the matter of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter 0.18 in the City of Guelph, in the Province of Ontario Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Guelph has passed the following bylaws to designate portions of various properties as being of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV, Sec. 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter 0.18: Bylaw Number (2018–20297) to designate portions of the property known as 43 Arthur Street South dated at Guelph, Ontario, July 9, 2018. Bylaw Number (2018–20298) to designate portions of the property known as 122 Cardigan Street dated at Guelph, Ontario, July 9, 2018. Bylaw Number (2018–20299) to designate portions of the property known as 55 Delhi Street… Continue reading Notice of passing of heritage designation bylaws

Guelph, Ont., June 27, 2018 – It’s official. Bus rides to and from ticketed events at River Run Centre and Sleeman Centre will continue to cost riders $1 for each one-way trip. On Monday night, City Council voted unanimously in favour of making the Special Event Fare program permanent. The program was introduced last September as a pilot program to increase ridership and assist in alleviating parking and traffic pressures in Guelph’s downtown core. To receive the $1 special event fare, riders must show their event ticket to the transit operator at the time of boarding. This is a savings of $2 per trip. The special event fare begins three hours prior to the event start time and continues until end of bus service on… Continue reading Guelph Transit’s Special Event Fare program here to stay

Guelph, Ont., June 19, 2018 – The community has selected the final design for the Ward to Downtown Bridge. Option one, featuring a bench, wide deck for river viewing, and a lookout area was voted as the favourite design option. “We’re very excited to see this project come to life,” says Luke Jefferson, manager of Open Space Planning with the City of Guelph. “Our community has waited a long time for a safe and vibrant bridge that connects one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods with the downtown.” Three designs were presented at a community open house on April 12, 2018 and 37 residents filled out a survey in person and online to select their favourite option. Option one was the most popular, with over 60… Continue reading Final design selected for the Ward to Downtown Bridge

Guelph, Ont., June 14, 2018 – Starting June 18, you can buy Guelph Transit single bus tickets or monthly passes at any of the Guelph Public Library branches in the city. Main library, 100 Norfolk Street Bullfrog Mall, 380 Eramosa Road East Side, 1 Starwood Drive Scottsdale Centre, 650 Scottsdale Drive West End, 21 Imperial Road South Westminster, 100-31 Farley Drive “We’re excited to extend our vendor locations to include Guelph’s library branches; giving you more options on where you can purchase tickets and passes,” says Robin Gerus, interim general manager of Guelph Transit. The Guelph Public Library accepts debit, credit and cash as payment for tickets and passes. Monthly bus passes can be purchased at any vendor location about two weeks prior to the… Continue reading Bus tickets available at Guelph Public Library branches

City initiative features hands-on, art-making opportunities Guelph, Ont., June 8, 2018 – The City of Guelph invites local artists to submit proposals by June 29 for this summer’s Market Mornings program. Market Mornings features artist-led opportunities for the community to get creative at Guelph Farmers’ Market during the month of August. Interested artists will create an art program that collaborates with the community, brightens public spaces, creates appreciation for contemporary art and considers sustainability— including the reuse of materials. This year artists are asked to explore the four key questions of the City of Guelph’s Community Plan: How would you want this community to change, evolve and grow over the next 10 years? What are Guelph’s greatest strengths? What are the biggest obstacles or challenges… Continue reading Artist wanted for Market Mornings program

KIAM looking for images of the six wards for #YourWard project Guelph, Ont., June 4, 2018 – Kiel and Amanda Wilson-Ciocci (KIAM) have been named this year’s Artist in Residence team. KIAM’s project, titled #YourWard, will use images of each of Guelph’s wards to create six large-scale paintings that explore transitions in the urban environment. Their artistic style uses thick layers of acrylic paint and gel mediums, photographs and washes to create mixed-media paintings that draw attention to the contrasting perspectives on one canvas. “KIAM’s proposal ticked all of the boxes,” says Stacey Dunnigan, manager of culture and tourism for the City of Guelph. “Their project will foster collaboration and connection with Guelph’s historic wards.” To complete the pieces, KIAM is asking the community to… Continue reading Artists selected for 2018 Artist in Residence program

Guelph, ON May 23, 2018 – River Run Centre launched its 2018-19 Season of professional entertainment today at a public announcement and celebration. This season has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada and their Season Sponsor The Co-operators. “Today we are thrilled to share with you not only what stars we have aligned in our coming season, but also to share our thanks towards our very generous partners for their dedication to River Run and our community,” announced Theatre Manager Bill Nuhn. Hot off the heels of their 20th Anniversary Season and happy to share what is coming to the stage, staff, volunteers and community partners all joined in the festivities this afternoon. The launch showcased VIP experiences on a number… Continue reading River Run announces 2018-19 Season

Nature and the urban combined in new installation Guelph, Ont., May 16, 2018– Robert Cram and Eldon Garnet have been commissioned to create the Wilson Street public art project — a permanent, outdoor art installation — at the corner of Wilson and Gordon streets. “We couldn’t be happier with the winning proposal,” adds Stacey Dunnigan, manager of Culture and Tourism for the City of Guelph. “This artwork will come to life alongside the Wilson Street Parkade and give natural animation to the streetscape.” Their project concept features four standing, polished bronze deer contrasted against urban downtown Guelph. The deer will be embedded with simple architectural shapes that reference the Basilica of Our Lady, the historic Priory residence, Guelph Farmers’ Market and the former Carnegie Library.… Continue reading Artists selected for Wilson Street public art project

GUELPH, ON, May 10, 2018 – River Run Centre will announce its 2018-19 Season of professional entertainment at a FREE PUBLIC LAUNCH on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. Several exciting additions to the season will be announced along with confirmation of a line-up that will offer the community a rich diversity of performing arts experiences from Guelph, across North America and from around the world. Discover what stars River Run Centre has aligned for you with the launch of their 2018-19 Season! The launch event will also feature a brief preview performance showcasing the quality, artistry and diversity of the coming season. WHAT Announcement of River Run Centre’s 2018-19 Season WHO City of Guelph Councillors Corporate sponsors and advertisers River Run Centre staff, volunteers, donors and… Continue reading River Run Centre: 2018-19 Season & SO much more!

The City of Guelph is hosting a public open house to share and discuss three concept designs for a pedestrian bridge over the Speed River from St. Patrick’s Ward to downtown. The bridge will run parallel to the Guelph Junction Railway (GJR) train tracks, located just east of Wellington Street. Thursday, April 12, 2018 2–4 p.m. and 5:30–7:30 p.m. City Hall, 1 Carden Street, Guelph Why come to the open house? This is your opportunity to view and provide input on three bridge concepts. The City is looking to better understand what concepts are preferred, how the bridges will be used, and any impacts the bridge may have on individuals or the neighbourhood. City Staff and project consultants will be available to answer your questions.… Continue reading Open House: Have your say on three concept designs for the Ward to Downtown Bridge

Guelph, Ont., March 16, 2018 – The City of Guelph is pleased to announce the results of the request for pre-qualifications (RFPQ) process for the Baker District redevelopment project. The four development teams, shortlisted from the 10 proposals received, are: HOK Inc. Turner Fleischer Architects Inc. Windmill Development Group Triovest Realty Advisors Inc. “The successful candidates have demonstrated exceptional experience and capabilities, and we’re confident that any one of the four teams, if chosen as our preferred partner, would bring world-class development and design expertise to this important downtown project,” says Scott Stewart, deputy CAO of Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise. Last November, the City embarked on an open and competitive process to pre-qualify development teams who have the financial capability, master planning and design expertise,… Continue reading City shortlists teams for Baker District redevelopment

Finalists have been selected for the Wilson Street art project Guelph, Ont., February 21, 2018 – Three finalists out of 53 applicants have been chosen for the next stage of the Wilson Street art project; they are: Brandon Vickerd of Hamilton, Ont. Robert Cram Workshop (Robert Cram and Eldon Garnet) of Toronto, Ont. Polymétis Projects (Nicholas Croft and Michaela MacLeod) of Toronto, Ont. One artist/team from the selected three will create an art piece for the corner of Wilson Street and Gordon Street just below the highly anticipated Wilson Street Parkade. The final art installation is a part of the Wilson Street reconstruction project. “We were overwhelmed with the response to our call for artists and are thrilled with the final three selections,” says Stacey… Continue reading And then there were three!

Development partner will be chosen this summer Guelph, Ont., February 14, 2018—Last night Council approved four recommendations from staff related to the Baker District development including the size of and costs to design and build a new Main Library as part of this major capital project. The Guelph Public Library’s (GPL’s) business case identified the need for an 8,175 square metre (88,000 square foot) space to meet current and future library needs. Staff supported GPL’s business case in its report to Council and requested that Council approve the size as well as $1.9 million in capital funding to design and build the library as part of the Baker Street development. A development partner is expected to be chosen this summer. Currently the City is evaluating… Continue reading Council approves staff recommendations to include new Main Library as part of the Baker District development

Guelph, Ont., February 1, 2018 – The City of Guelph invites artists to apply for a chance to become the City’s 2018 Artist in Residence. The successful artist will develop a community-based project that engages residents and visitors, adds significance to civic spaces, and promotes an appreciation of contemporary art practices. “The outcome of the project is in the hands of the artist,” says Stacey Dunnigan, the City’s culture and tourism manager. “We’ve seen community art, oil paintings, temporary installations and large scale exhibitions. The common thread is that they’ve all created shared artistic experiences while animating public spaces.” The program is open to artists practicing in all art forms including visual, literary or performing arts, architecture and design, or media arts such as sound,… Continue reading Do you want to be Guelph’s 2018 Artist in Residence?

Guelph, Ont., December 18, 2017—The City of Guelph invites artists  to apply for the  Wilson Street public art project— a commissioned project  to create a permanent outdoor art installation at the corner of Wilson Street and Gordon Street — an initiative of the Wilson Street reconstruction project. “We are very excited about the launch of this public art project,” says Stacey Dunnigan, the City’s manager of culture and tourism. “This opportunity furthers our goals of animating public space and creating new opportunities for the appreciation of public art while growing the City’s official collection.” This is a commissioned art project in two stages: Request for Pre-Qualifications (RFPQ) where artists (individuals or teams) submit their resume and references, digital images of past works, and a letter… Continue reading City seeks artist for Wilson Street public art project

Community votes to keep look of water tower as is Guelph, Ont., December 1, 2017—The results of the community vote for the Verney water tower design competition have been counted. Out of a total of 2,546 votes, the majority—38 per cent—were in favour of not displaying either of the final designs on the water tower. The water tower will be repainted in white with the name “Guelph” in blue next spring. “While we were eager to explore the possibility of displaying community art on such a well-known Guelph landmark, we’ve listened to the voice of the community and will respect what we’ve heard,” remarked Stacey Dunnigan, manager of Culture and Tourism for the City of Guelph. “We want to thank everyone who entered the competition,… Continue reading Verney water tower will display city’s name

The McCrae House National Historic Site is undergoing renovations that start on November 28. Renovations include electrical and technology upgrades to the coach house to support educational programming, a storage room and repainting, exterior lighting projects and washroom renovations. City staff are also considering the replacement of perimeter fencing in the backyard of McCrae House. The City’s Heritage Planner, forestry advisers and accessibility staff have been engaged with the process. Every effort will be made by the City to protect and preserve shared neighbourhood trees and historical features. Construction schedule Construction starts on November 28 and will wrap up in March 2018, weather permitting. The City appreciates your patience, understanding and co-operation during this important construction project. For more information Tammy Adkin, Manager of Guelph… Continue reading McCrae House renovations start November 28

Guelph, Ont., November 13, 2017– Guelph has made the Culture Days Top Ten Cities and Towns list for 2017. Guelph moved up two spots in the ranking, placing eighth in the Populations of 50,000 to 499,999 category, tying with Thunder Bay. This is Guelph’s third year in a row as a top 10 city. “Guelph’s creative community has, once again, pulled out all the stops for Culture Days,” says Patti Broughton, executive director for Guelph Arts Council. “Guelph deserves this recognition as one of Canada’s great creative cities, full of year-round opportunities for residents and visitors to engage in the arts.” Guelph hosted over 40 different activities, events and exhibitions during the eighth annual Culture Days weekend in late September. Each year, Culture Days releases… Continue reading Guelph makes Culture Days’ top 10 list for third year

Cenotaph names remember soldiers who died during active military service Guelph, Ont., November 9, 2017 – The names of 31 soldiers who served and died during the first and second World Wars will be added to the Guelph Roll of Honour cenotaph in 2018, decades after making the ultimate sacrifice. In 2014, the City of Guelph received inquiries from community members regarding names of military personnel they considered to be missing from the cenotaph.  This prompted the City to put a call out to  the community to submit names of members of the Canadian Forces from Guelph, who died as a result of their military service, and who are not  already identified on the Roll of Honour. The call for submissions generated 78 names that… Continue reading City of Guelph expands cenotaph Roll of Honour

Guelph, Ont., October 2, 2017 – Today, the Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service (GWPS) Ride for Heart bike team and Guelph Public Library announced a joint fundraising initiative to help save lives in the community. Donation boxes have been set up at all library branches in Guelph for community members to donate to Heart & Stroke. Monies collected between now and May 31, 2018 will be used to purchase AEDs (automated external defibrillators) for Guelph and Wellington County. According to Heart & Stroke, every 13 minutes in Canada a person experiences cardiac arrest and up to 85 per cent occur in public spaces or homes. “For every minute that defibrillation is delayed the chance of survival drops by seven to 10 per cent. But when early CPR… Continue reading Paramedics and library staff raising funds to help save lives

Community will vote on design to beautify Guelph landmark Guelph, Ont., September 12, 2017—The City of Guelph is holding a design competition for the repainting of the Verney water tower, scheduled for 2018. The City is inviting Guelph-based artists and designers aged 18 and over to submit preliminary designs to be included in the repainting of the water tower near Exhibition Park. “The Verney water tower is a highly visible Guelph landmark,” remarked Stacey Dunnigan, manager of Culture and Tourism. “People can see this tower from Exhibition Park which hosts many events and is a very popular park, so it will be great to have beautiful artwork that reflects our community on the tower.” The design competition will follow a two-stage process based on the… Continue reading City launches design competition for Verney water tower repainting

Guelph, Ont., May 3, 2017 – Guelph artist Carolyn Meili has been named this year’s City of Guelph Artist in Residence. In its fourth year, the Artist in Residence program engages the community in creative experiences and embeds artistic activity in a variety of public spaces. In a public call for entry earlier this year, artists were invited to submit proposals that considered Canada’s 150th birthday and the City’s 190th anniversary while encouraging reflection of Guelph’s collective history inclusive of all ages and backgrounds. Following review of 14 submissions, the City’s Council-appointed Public Art Advisory Committee unanimously recommended awarding the residency to Meili. Her proposal seeks to challenge the traditional off-limits nature of art on display while exploring symbols of Guelph, and by extension Canada,… Continue reading City selects Carolyn Meili as 2017 Artist in Residence

Guelph, Ont., Wednesday, March 29, 2017 – A new webcam has been installed on the top of City Hall overlooking Guelph’s Market Square. The camera provides a live, 24-hour feed of the square—a four-season community gathering space. You can watch the feed at guelph.ca/marketsquare. “The camera is an added feature that provides residents and visitors with a simple way to see what is happening in the square,” says Rich Grau, manager of Sleeman Centre and Civic Precinct Facilities. One of the first major events to be captured by the camera is the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour on April 1 and 2. This national event will be followed by the opening of the water feature in May and various City and community hosted events during the summer, fall… Continue reading Smile. You’re on camera!

Guelph, Ont. November 29, 2016 – Guelph has once again made it onto this year’s top 10 list of Canadian cities and towns participating in Culture Days 2016. Ranking tenth in the 50,000 to 499,999 population category, Guelph hosted about 40 activities, events, and exhibitions during the seventh annual Culture Days celebration earlier this fall. “We’re thrilled to receive this type of national recognition,” says Danna Evans, general manager of Culture, Tourism and Community Investment. “Guelph’s strong creative community of event organizers, performers and culture supporters is what makes this event such a success.” The Culture Days organization ranked cities and towns by the number of activities published on the event website. London topped the list along with Richmond, Milton, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Oakville, Thunder Bay… Continue reading Guelph makes top 10 list for Culture Days

Media release from Ontario Museum Association Mississauga, Ont., Friday, November 4, 2016 – On Thursday, November 3, the Ontario Museum Association (OMA) presented the 2016 Awards of Excellence at the Novotel Mississauga during the OMA Annual Conference. This year’s conference, Towards the Future: Diversity and Inclusion, bring together more than 200 museum professionals and stakeholders from across Ontario to learn, explore, network, and celebrate their accomplishments. As the OMA moves towards a future in which Ontario’s musumes have achieved their full potential as organizations that enrich people’s lives and help build vibrant and engaged communities, the Awards of Excellence are an opportunity for the sector to recognize institutions and individuals who are leading the way in making this vision a reality. Congratulations to the following… Continue reading Ontario Museum Association announces 2016 Awards of Excellence Recipients

Guelph, Ont., October, 27, 2016—Tomorrow, Stantec will start an archeological assessment of the site underneath Baker Street where City workers discovered bone fragments earlier this month. The assessment will determine the presence or absence of further unmarked grave shafts or human remains and any other cultural material at the site. Stantec expects to be on site for about a week. A licensed archeologist will excavate the area of the initial discovery by hand. All soil will be screened through fine cloth to  recover any cultural material or human remains. The bone fragments that were removed from the site by the forensics unit will also be assessed. Once the City has a report from the archaeological assessment, it will declare the nature of the site. If the… Continue reading Archaeological assessment of site where bone fragments found starts Friday

The Guelph Public Library is launching a year-long public awareness campaign, Libraries Matter! where members of the community are invited to engage in a discussion of why libraries matter to them. Continue reading Libraries Matter in Guelph

Guelph, Ont., July 22, 2016 – Today, Mayor Cam Guthrie and Guelph Storm Partner and Governor Rick Gaetz announced a new 10-year agreement that will keep the team in Guelph until 2026. “This is great news for Storm fans, and great news for our entire city,” said Mayor Guthrie. “This agreement means that Guelph will continue to be known as ‘Storm City’ for at least the next decade.” The Council-approved agreement solidifies the strong partnership between the City and Guelph Storm Hockey Club. It also ensures an anchor tenant for the Sleeman Centre, home to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team since 2000. “The Guelph Storm are a vibrant part of our city in so many ways, economically, socially, wonderful entertainment and perhaps most of… Continue reading City, Guelph Storm announce new 10-year agreement

Guelph, Ont., June 21, 2016 – Guelph artist Lisa Hirmer has been named this year’s City of Guelph Artist in Residence. Introduced in 2014, this cultural initiative engages the community in creative experiences and embeds artistic activity in a variety of public spaces. In a public call for entry earlier this spring, artists were invited to submit proposals that considered the role of art in urban placemaking through a lens of curiosity, playfulness and originality. Placemaking is an urban design process that helps cities to achieve public spaces that are engaging, practical, and well designed. Following review of 12 submissions, the City’s Council-appointed Public Art Advisory Committee unanimously recommended awarding the residency to Hirmer. Her proposal, entitled, ‘Weather Watcher,’ seeks to capture artistic, poetic, and… Continue reading Lisa Hirmer is City’s 2016 Artist in Residence

Colleen Clack, who has served as the City of Guelph’s general manager, Culture, Tourism and Community Investment for the past six years, has been appointed by the Executive Team as the City’s newest deputy chief administrative officer (DCAO) of Public Services. In her new position, Clack will oversee Culture, Tourism and Community Investment, Emergency Services, Guelph Transit, Operations, and Parks and Recreation. Continue reading Colleen Clack appointed as City’s newest Deputy Chief Administrative Officer

Wellbeing Grants awarded to 48 community organizations Guelph, Ont., February 12, 2016 – The City of Guelph is pleased to award $282,200 to 48 local not-for-profit organizations through its Wellbeing Grant Program. The grants will support a variety of programs and services aligned with the goals identified by the community in Guelph’s Community Wellbeing Initiative. These goals include: increasing democratic participation, increasing the city’s living standards, promoting healthy living, improving community vitality, and supporting endeavours in arts and culture, leisure, education, and environment. This year, the City received requests for more than $732,000 in funding. After reviewing the 73 applications, the grant allocation panel, made up of eight citizens with expertise in community benefit organizations, awarded $124,200 to 20 human and social services applicants; $121,000… Continue reading City awards $282,200 to non-profit organizations

Guelph, ON, January 21, 2016 – Guelph’s first heritage conservation district (HCD), the Brooklyn and College Hill Heritage Conservation District, is now designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. “The Brooklyn and College Hill Heritage Conservation District is the first area in our city to have its properties’ cultural heritage features recognized and protected,” says Stephen Robinson, Senior Heritage Planner. “The HCD designation also allows for new construction, alterations or demolitions on properties in the district provided the neighbourhood’s cultural heritage is conserved.” This official designation follows the Ontario Municipal Board’s (OMB) recent dismissal of the appeals against the Brooklyn and College Hill HCD. The OMB decision recognizes the City met all requirements of the Ontario Heritage Act in designating the district. The City’s Brooklyn and… Continue reading Guelph’s first heritage conservation district receives official designation

Guelph, ON, May 29, 2015 – Guelph has been selected for DestinationNEXT, a global strategic tourism initiative to help grow local tourism economies. Colleen Clack, general manager of Culture, Tourism and Community Investment, made the announcement at Monday night’s City Council meeting and explained the initiative is a partnership between the City of Guelph and Ontario’s Regional Tourism Organization 4 (RTO4). “Guelph has huge potential to grow its tourism sector, and this project will help us develop that potential—at no cost to local property taxpayers,” said Guelph’s Mayor, Cam Guthrie. Clack added, “The due diligence and review processes undertaken in the past few years have served as important building blocks for tourism development in Guelph. This work has been a key factor in positioning Guelph… Continue reading Guelph selected for global strategic tourism initiative