An initiative in Blyth is getting a nice chunk of money from Queen’s Park.
Deputy Premier Deb Mathews announced the province is chipping in $3.3-million to the Blyth Arts and Culture Initiative 14/19.
The money will help support a cultural hub.
The total cost of the project is $12.5 million, which would see the revitalization of Blyth Memorial Community Hall, and creating grants and Mildred Sparling Centre.
The project would also establish a rural trust to sustain creativity through a non-for-profit endowment for dedicated funds, awards, and scholarships.
The London North MPP admits she was taken by the project, but saw the opportunity.
She adds Blyth is a place that can pull it off.
Mathews tells Bayshore Broadcasting News the arts are an important part of the economy.
She points to the 280,000 people employed in arts in Ontario, and it adds $22 billion to the economy.
Mathews says Huron County is a second home to her family, as they have a cottage on Lake Huron.
14/19 Project Director Peter Smith says this invest from the province is significant step forward for the project.
Smith says work will get underway in September at the Blyth Memorial Community Hall.
He adds some parts of the building will be restored to the original state in 1920.
Smith says they are involved with a number of opportunities to get the rest of the money.
He admits when he found out about the funding he screamed.
Smith said he originally contacted Mathews about six months ago about funding.
He adds Mathews absorbed their pitch very well.
Smith says the past six months has been a journey — but extraordinary.
