The Armoury is embarking on a new beginning in the Town of Aurora. On Wednesday, November 6, a community reception was held to celebrate the grand opening of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) at Niagara College in Aurora's historic Armoury.
From left to right: Corporal Ian Morrison, CFWI Assistant Dean, Gary Torraville, CFWI Manager of Part-Time Studies and Corporate Training,Jeff Steen, CFWI Dean, Craig Youdale, Niagara College President, Dan Patterson, Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas, Councillors Kim, Gaertner, Humfryes, Thompson, Gilliland, Gallo, CAO Doug Nadorozny and Lieutenant-Colonel James Stocker, Commanding Officer of The Queen's York Rangers.
"The Town of Aurora is thrilled to officially welcome the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College to our community. We are excited for what this means for our Town. We have taken one of our oldest and most historic buildings and restored it into a facility that is truly incredible. The Armoury is the cornerstone of our downtown revitalization efforts and I am proud to have partnered with the CFWI to make our dream of creating a vibrant community hub a reality," says Mayor Tom Mrakas.
"I am pleased that our community had the opportunity to tour this beautiful newly restored building and will be able to partake in educational workshops, classes and events."
"The Armoury facility will provide many aspects of food and beverage education in the form of professional development opportunities, corporate training, team building and a variety of classes for the general public," says CFWI Dean Craig Youdale. "This will give the Town of Aurora, and the surrounding region, a chance to gain a depth of knowledge in everything from winetasting to hands-on cooking classes with our professional staff."
"We also look forward to providing our top-notch level of food service right in the facility itself that could be a small luncheon or gathering, to a full-fledged event or wedding that can be designed and delivered in-house."
At the event, members of the community gathered together to tour the facility, witness a historic ribbon cutting ceremony with key players that helped move the Armoury restoration project forward and taste the fantastic creations by Head Chef, Soohyeong Lee and his team. There was also a cooking demonstration by Mayor Tom Mrakas and CAO Doug Nadorozny in the facility's new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen.
A community open house was held on the weekend of November 9-10 for residents and visitors of the Greater Toronto Area. Visitors were able to tour the new building, which features a culinary theatre, classroom and community event space; experience live demonstrations; sample the CFWI's culinary creations; and meet the CFWI - Aurora Armoury team and resident chef.
The Armoury was built as a military drill shed in 1874 and purchased by the Town in 2014. The Town's intention was to restore the property and return it to its rightful place as a community gathering space. On December 1, 2017, the Town of Aurora announced an innovative partnership with the award-winning Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College.
From left to right: Head Chef Soohyeong Lee, Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas and CFWI Manager of Part-Time Studies and Corporate Training,Jeff Steen.
The partnership allows CFWI to offer short-term and part-time training in the Town's newly-restored Armoury. Through the Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI), the College will offer short-term training in the culinary, beer and wine industries in heart of downtown Aurora, 30 minutes north of downtown Toronto. Training will be held in the municipally-owned historic building that has been renovated by the Town to become a new state-of-the-art facility that includes a culinary demonstration theatre, a classroom and space for community events.
For more information on The Armoury please visit aurora.ca/armoury. For more information on programs and workshops by CFWI at the Aurora Armoury Location please visit canadianfoodandwineinstitute.ca/cfwi-aurora-armoury.
