Mayor Bevilacqua announces opening of the new Pierre Berton Heritage Centre
Restored
Kleinburg Church to house permanent exhibit celebrating Canadian author and
offering community space for public programming
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua hosted the grand opening ceremony of the new Pierre Berton Heritage Centre today. The new facility will feature a permanent exhibit showcasing the stories, work and accomplishments of long-time Kleinburg resident, Pierre Berton (1920-2004) and provide accessible community space for public events, presentations and programming.
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua hosted the grand opening ceremony of the new Pierre Berton Heritage Centre today. The new facility will feature a permanent exhibit showcasing the stories, work and accomplishments of long-time Kleinburg resident, Pierre Berton (1920-2004) and provide accessible community space for public events, presentations and programming.
Pierre
Berton is a Canadian journalist, playwright and author of 50 books, published
internationally. He wrote a daily newspaper column, a musical comedy and revue
sketches for the stage, plays for radio, and documentaries for radio, films and
television. His work championed Canadian stories, earning him three
Governor-General’s Awards for creative non-fiction, two National Newspaper
Awards, and two ACTRA “Nellies” for broadcasting.
Mr.
Berton showed tremendous support for and involvement in his chosen community of
Kleinburg, where he lived from 1950 until his death in 2004. In 2006, the City
of Vaughan formally embarked on a project to develop a centre dedicated to our
country’s history, as written and celebrated by Berton himself. In 2010, the
city purchased the former Kleinburg United Church building, with a plan for
converting it into the Pierre Berton Heritage Centre.
The
former church was originally built in 1926 in the Gothic Revival style. Under
the guidance of a city council-appointed task force that included Mr. Berton’s
family members, the city worked with architectural and exhibit consultants to
restore the historic elements of the former church as it was carefully transformed
into its new purpose. The entire renovation process was thoughtfully designed
to retain the character of the building, including the exterior masonry,
stained glass windows, and interior wood paneling.
Located
on Islington Avenue, just north of Major Mackenzie Drive West, the new Pierre
Berton Heritage Centre is now an accessible, 3,600 square foot community-use
facility, with large interior T.V. screens and updated technology, including
Wi-Fi, new modern lighting, entrances, washrooms, and kitchenette finishes to make
the space excellent for permitted public events.
QUOTE
“Pierre Berton was one of the most remarkable,
inspiring and important Canadians whose work transformed our understanding of
our country’s history. A Kleinburg resident for 55 years, Pierre Berton
dedicated his life to telling the story of our nation’s heritage through
journalism and writing, offering people of all generations and backgrounds the
opportunity to reflect on our past. His literary contribution to our country
has given us a better understanding of who we are and what we stand for. I
invite all Canadians to our wonderful city to explore the Pierre Berton
Heritage Centre, to learn more about Canada and our iconic media pioneer.”
- Mayor Maurizio
Bevilacqua
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