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As the 200th anniversary of Guelph’s settlement nears, responsibility for organizing and covering the cost of any community celebrations or special projects is likely to rest with willing residents.
Nearly all previously committed taxpayer funding for the bicentennial – $905,000 over three years – has been pulled in the draft 2024 to 2027 city budget update, which is set for confirmation before the end of the year.
“(We’re) not sure what it will look like just yet,” Danna Evans, the city’s general manager of culture and recreation, said of anniversary plans. “It is totally and completely at the will of the community and the community interest, and that community interest has been strong so far.
“I have no doubt that we'll hit it out of the park.”
The city’s bicentennial in 2027 has been a topic of conversation in the community for many years and has been frequently brought up during city council meetings, with little detail revealed.
Numerous people, including now-deceased city councillor Bob Bell, called for a large-scale project to be done in celebration of the occasion.
At the moment, $905,000 is to be taken from reserves and spent on the bicentennial, but those funds are proposed to be pulled entirely in the budget update.
In terms of city funding, Evans explained all that would be covered by the city is the use of some existing staff time and potential programming adjustments to mark the anniversary.
If the draft budget is confirmed, the city’s plan is to establish a community working group that would be tasked with fundraising, organizing, establishing partnerships and sponsorships, soliciting and coordinating volunteers, and pulling it all together.
“I think, realistically, we would be talking about a first meeting early in 2025,” said Evans. “I think we'll find that people have existing events and event space and another artist or organization may be able to come in and create something bigger for that (bicentennial) year.”
