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Bronte Market Square will receive new funding to bolster its events and local art at Bronte Market Sqaure.
Sources with the Bronte BIA say they are "pleased to announce that its Our Square, Our Story project was selected for the My Main Street Community Activator and has received support to shape the social and physical character of Bronte Market Square through public art, infrastructure, music & culture, and a first-ever Farmers’ Market."
The Our Square, Our Story project uses "high impact placemaking and community engagement", hoping to invigorate Bronte’s new community asset – Bronte Market Square – into a place that encourages community connections, drives visitor traffic to the commercial area and inspires playful interactions.
Later this Fall, the Square will be transformed with a co-created participatory ground mural led by STEPS Public Art. The mural will celebrate the character of Bronte, inspire community stewardship over the space and bring the community together to paint a picture (literally and figuratively) of what it aspires to be.
"The generous support we’ve received from the My Main Street Community Activator is invigorating a public space that has been underutilized, but has the potential to be a vital place that strengthens feelings of connection and inclusion, encourages people to linger and spurs economic activity in Bronte Village," says Kylie Wilson, Executive Director, Bronte BIA.
For eight weeks this past summer, Bronte Market Square welcomed 45 vendors and 2,500+ visitors every Sunday to its first-ever Farmers’ Market. The Market also welcomed 16 local musicians who created a unique cultural experience for passersby and augmented Bronte’s reputation as a hub for arts & culture.
The Our Square, Our Story project serves as a community-driven pathway forward in achieving a socially and economically healthy neighbourhood. To learn more about the Our Square, Our Story project, visit: bronte-village.ca/the-bronte-bias-our-square-our-story-project-receives-my-main-street-support
My Main Street is built on the principle of supporting community economic development and creating vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods which will enhance the overall quality of life for residents while also promoting sustainable and inclusive community development.
My Main Street is being delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), and supported by a Government of Canada investment through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). Learn more about the My Main Street program at mymainstreet.ca.
"STEPS is thrilled to collaborate with the Bronte BIA on this transformative public art project that will add a sense of whimsy and joy to their cultural landscape - inviting community members to interact with the installation and each other," says STEPS Public Art Program Director Anjuli Solanki.
"Our approach is to work closely with the community, using thoughtful planning and creative collaboration, to create a mural that truly reflects and celebrates Bronte. This project will beautify this public space and deepen the connection between the community and the arts. We look forward to the positive impact this artwork will bring and to celebrating its completion."
According to Mary W. Rowe, CEO and President, Canadian Urban Institute, "Main streets are at the social and economic heart of community life in cities and towns across southern Ontario. They mobilize social capital to generate economic development opportunities."
"The enhancements the Bronte BIA are implementing in Bronte Market Square will not only attract visitors and increase foot traffic, but will contribute to the collective infrastructure, strengthening the downtown core as a vibrant and inclusive place for everyone."