Government funding announced for two Windsor projects
The federal and provincial governments announced funding for two community projects in Windsor in June.
The first saw the governments contribute $79,000 toward renovations and repairs to the city’s Serbian Heritage Museum on Tecumseh Road East.
The museum houses the Serbian heritage collection and serves as a hub for community events. Renovations to the building will include HVAC system upgrades, construction of new storage and hanging units, installation of barrier-free doors, and repairs to sections of the roof. These renovations will improve the functionality of the museum and prevent water and humidity damage to traditional clothing and artifacts.
Funding for the project comes from the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan. The Serbian Heritage Museum is also contributing more than $29,000 toward the project.
"As the only Serbian Museum in Canada, we want to ensure the longevity of our heritage collection for members of the local Serbian community and for many of the more than 65,000 Serbians living in Ontario who visit or follow the museum,” said past-president Anne Dube. “By adding a suitable HVAC system, building a new storage and hanging units, and replacing sections of the roof, we will be protecting the artifacts and traditional clothing over time."
A week later, the governments announced funding of $2.9 million for the construction of a new media arts centre in the city.
The Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts will use the funding to renovate a church on Victoria Avenue. The facility which will provide more space for accessible, community-based and comprehensive media arts programming for residents of all ages in Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton.
The Government of Canada announced it will invest more than $1.1 million towards the project through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Plan, while the Government of Ontario is providing over $980,000. The Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts, meanwhile, is contributing more than $790,000 to the project.
"Investing in community, culture, and recreational infrastructure is essential to creating inclusive communities where Canadians want to live, work and raise their families,” said Windsor−Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk. “The new Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts announced today will contribute to the City of Windsor’s culture and diversity while offering more education and recreation opportunities for residents."
Featured image: Rendering of the proposed media art centre in Windsor. (Source Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media & the Creative Arts)