A Note From The Board

Updated: February 12, 2012

Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant Approval!

The O’Connor House Board of Directors is very pleased to announce we were awarded a $500 thousand Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Community Capital Fund.  We were notified our Grant application was approved in late December but the final legal agreements were approved last week.    And we are pleased to have already received an advance cheque in the amount of $167k!    This grant will be used to fund restoration capital expenditures which allow the buildings to be accessible for community and ethno-cultural organizations which is perfect fit to the Vision and Mission of O’Connor House.     The $500k grant is matched by $500k in advance funding from the Toronto Catholic District School Board under amendments to our Lease agreement.   The OCH Board wishes to thank the TCDSB for their continued partnership in our restoration project.  In particular, we want to thank the Ontario Government and the MPP for Don Valley East – Michael Coteau – who is a strong supporter of our organizations.

The O’Connor House Board held a successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday February 8, 2012.  The attendees were the O’Connor House Board of Directors, OCH Members, Guests and special Dignitaries.

The O’Connor House Board is kicking off a Membership drive.  To view/print the form to submit your Membership, click HERE.  We welcome everyone who wishes to become a member of O’Connor House.  There are different categories of Members available:

1. •Youth (max age 18) - $10.00
   

2. •Senior (age 65+) - $15.00
   

3. •Employed by TCDSB/TDSB - $20.00
   

4. •Adult (age 19–64) - $25.00
   

5. •Family (2 adults & children under 19) - $40.00
   

6. •Organization / Association - $30.00
   

7. •Corporate / Business - $50.00
   

If you want to learn more about this project or if you are interested to be a volunteer, please send your input to info@oconnorhouse.ca or contact me directly at tonywagner@oconnorhouse.ca

Tony Wagner
Chair, Board of Directors

Project Update

Updated: May 10, 2012

Yesterday’s tragic two-alarm fire at the historic O’Connor Estate has damaged the 75-year old mansion.  This event represents a significant setback to our plans but our Board of Directors is committed to realize our vision and mission statement for this great estate.

O’Connor House is thankful that no one was hurt in the fire – all workers on the construction site escaped the building without injury; students from the adjacent Senator O’Connor College School were evacuated without incident and returned to classes today. The Fire Marshall’s office will assess the damage and determine the cause in the next few days. 

O’Connor House will work with its partners – the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the Southern Ontario Development Program of the Government of Canada, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation – to determine next steps in the aftermath of this tragic event.  On behalf of the Board of Directors, Chair, Tony Wagner would like to assure all founding members, donors, and local residents that “we will do everything within our means to keep the mission and vision of O’Connor House alive – that is to restore and maintain the O’Connor Estate buildings to heritage standards and to manage the site as a modern-day community hub for educational, cultural and heritage activities.”

Board members will continue to be inspired by the life story of the late Canadian Senator Frank O’Connor, son of Irish immigrants, and his values of hard work, civic engagement and philanthropy.  “We feel Senator O’Connor’s spirit remains in the mansion and is still fighting to see it become a vibrant and welcoming community hub to meet, share and learn,” said Mr. Wagner, “we will honour that vision as we move through this next stage of the O’Connor House journey.”