On November 20th the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Ontario Minister of Culture, and Robert G. Power, Chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), announced the six recipients of the OTF Great Grants Awards 2003. The awards pay tribute to organizations that have made significant differences in their communities or across Ontario as a result of funding they receive from the Foundation.

Remarks by the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Culture

Minister Meilleur presented a special award to Théâtre la Catapulte, the only francophone theatre company in Ontario catering to the interests of and issues faced by teenagers and young adult audiences. Mr. Power presented a special award to ESTEEM Team Association, an effective, athlete-centered role model program in schools, community centres and sports clubs.

In addition, four organizations received Great Grants awards representing the Foundation's four granting sectors:

• Waterloo's EyeGO to the Arts in Arts and Culture
  
  
• Hamilton's Bay Area Restoration Council in Environment, for its BayLinks Communication Strategy
  
  
• the Peterborough Community Housing Development Corporation in Human and Social Services
  
  
• Sudbury's Human League Association in Sports and Recreation, for its Positive Leisure Activities for Youth program (PLAY)

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Ontario Trillium Foundation CEO Robin Cardozo (far left) and Chair Rob Power (second from right) with Mélinda Caron, Natalie Joy Quesnel and Pascal Tétrault of Théâtre la Catapulte.

Minister's Award winner Théâtre la Catapulte is the only francophone theatre company in Ontario to target teenagers and young adult audiences. The company reaches out to communities that would otherwise not see live theatre, reducing the cultural gap experienced by French-speaking youth in rural or isolated communities, especially in Northern Ontario. Théâtre la Catapulte performs for more than 15,000 youth annually.

“Thanks to OTF funding, more Ontario francophone youth and immersion students can experience live theatre and be moved by it,” said Joel Beddows, Artistic Director of Théâtre la Catapulte. “This was inconceivable only two years ago. On behalf of all our audiences, we thank OTF sincerely.”

OTF awarded $195,000 over five years to Théâtre la Catapulte to implement a strategy to develop a sustainable theatre touring network across Ontario for plays created for the French-speaking youth of Ontario. Learn more by visiting Théâtre la Catapulte's website at http://www.catapulte.ca/.

Ontario Trillium Foundation CEO Robin Cardozo (second from left) and Chair Rob Power (second from right) with Margie Schuett, Ian Bird, Kirstin Normand and Marc Seguin of ESTEEM Team Association.

ESTEEM Team Association, winner of the Chair's Award, is an athlete-centered role model program that sparks imagination and shares the lessons of life learned on the playing field. Its reach extends to remote communities and isolated groups such as Aboriginal youth and children with disabilities.

“Thanks to OTF support, we are able to reach many more communities and match more athletes with more youth across Ontario through ESTEEM Team,” said Ian Bird, Executive Director of Esteem Team Association. “Just as important, our involvement with the Foundation has lead us to become more strategic about the kinds of programs we offer. As a consequence, we serve Ontario youth better and sustainability is within our reach.”

ESTEEM Team Association received $498,500 over five years to build an effective athlete-centered role model program. Learn more by visiting the ESTEEM Team website at http://www.esteemteam.com/.

Left to right: OTF Grant Review Team Chair Kaarina Dillabough; EyeGO to the Arts representatives Gabrielle Clermont, Ryan Graham and Cheryl Ewing; OTF Chair Rob Power, Grant Review Team member Hajra Wilson, and Program Manager Tracey Robertson.

EyeGO to the Arts, winner of a Great Grants award for Arts and Culture, is a discount tickets program that opens the doors to professional performing arts by bringing down financial barriers for Wellington and Waterloo area students.

"The impact of the EyeGO to the Arts is tremendous,” said Jamie Grant, Director of Centre in the Square. “I see young people developing an unsuspected appreciation for the arts. The program widens horizons for each participant; it actually changes lives! It would never have been possible without OTF's help."

This initiative benefited from a $180,000 OTF grant over three years to launch and promote the program. Learn more by visiting EyeGO's website at http://www.eyego.org/.

Roland Weiler, Scott Koblyk and Marilyn Baxter of Hamilton's Bay Area Restoration Council; OTF Grant Review Team Chair John MacRae and Board Chair Rob Power.

In Hamilton, Environment winner Bay Area Restoration Council champions the BayLinks Communication Strategy, a campaign to find community solutions for a healthy environment. Among its successful initiatives is a partnership with the local daily newspaper. Together they developed an award-winning series focusing on the renewal of the harbour: “Bringing Back the Bay” was made available to students in over 100 classrooms.

Hamilton residents can enjoy improved community recreational facilities in the harbour area thanks to restoration efforts lead by the Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC). “We are well on the way to fulfilling our vision of a vibrant and healthy multi-use harbour; a harbour that is teaming with wildlife and recreational activities, and accessible to everyone, with a thriving port that drives the economy,” said Roland Weiler, BARC President.

OTF provided $107,000 over two years towards the success of the BayLinks Communication Strategy. Learn more by visiting the Bay Area Restoration Council's website at http://www.hamiltonharbour.ca/.

John Martyn (far left) and Peter Robinson (far right), both of Peterborough Community Housing Development Corporation, with Ontario Trillium Foundation CEO Robin Cardozo and Chair Rob Power.

Affordable housing is closer to being achievable in Peterborough, thanks to the efforts of Human and Social Services winner Peterborough Community Housing Development Corporation (PCHDC). The organization has renovated abandoned houses and buildings to create affordable housing in the City of Peterborough, as well as an emergency family shelter. PCHDC is currently transforming a former Woolen Mill into housing units, and developing a rent-to-own home ownership model.

“We needed help to grow our organization,” said John Martyn, PCHDC’s chair. “OTF’s grant, combined with other sources of funding, has enabled us to benefit from the expertise of a project manager for three years. It made all the difference. We now have very productive partnerships in the community and a sustainable community development project.”

A $60,000 OTF grant over three years provided the expertise of a project manager to coordinate volunteers and generate in-kind contributions.

“A grateful mother called explaining to us that her son was so excited, he fell asleep last night wearing his new skates,” said Angèle Butkevich, Executive Director, Human League Association. “It's been very rewarding helping children pursue their dreams. The OTF grant has allowed us time to build partnerships within the community to make sure that more kids get the opportunity to PLAY.”

A $90,000 OTF grant over three years supports the PLAY program by providing funding to administer the program. Learn more by visiting the Human League Association's website at http://www.humanleague.on.ca/.

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