Aurora council has given initial approval to plans for the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame to expand.
Ongoing construction work at the organization’s current home at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex, plus the growing list of honourees, has forced a re-think for the hall of fame's displays, council heard at its committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
When the SARC reopens, the hall of fame will have an expanded space, while the Sport Aurora display cases will be moved from there to the Aurora Family Leisure Complex.
Space has been allocated at the SARC for both the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame and Sport Aurora since 2016, according to a staff report.
But the SARC renovations saw Sport Aurora's display wall demolished, with part of the wall that held the hall of fame displays also coming down.
Speaking at the meeting on Tuesday, hall of fame president Javed Khan said the plan was “vital to current operations,” with the new space needed as the hall of fame was already set to fill up its honoured members wall within an estimated three years, even before renovations.
“As our organization continues to grow, it is crucial that we re-allocate and expand our current space to ensure we can support our programs and community for years to come,” said Khan during Tuesday's meeting.
The town also needs space within the SARC for its facility advertising program.
The Aurora Sports Hall of Fame expanded into the family leisure complex in July, with an Olympic-themed display.
The “satellite display” case, featuring replica artifacts from several of the hall of fame’s past inductees, is the first outside the organization’s main home at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex.
Ultimately council, sitting as a committee of the whole on Oct. 1, gave initial approval to the plans. The plans will be given a final vote by council at a future meeting.
