Working Together with the Township

Our Partnership with the Township

From the very beginning, this project has been built on partnership.

The Port Perry Grain Elevator is municipally owned. It stands not only as a historic agricultural landmark, but as a public asset entrusted to the care of the community through its local government. Because of this, any meaningful restoration effort required more than passion and planning—it required alignment, transparency, and formal cooperation with the municipality itself.

At the time of our grant application, Port Perry Grain Elevator Renovation and Revitalization Inc. was still a young organization, less than two years old. While our mandate was clear and our preparation thorough, eligibility requirements and practical governance considerations meant that we needed to apply in partnership with the municipality that owns the building.

For that reason, the application moved forward in collaboration with the Township of Scugog, within which the Town of Port Perry is situated. Ownership rests with the Township, but the leadership and operational responsibility for advancing the restoration rests with our charitable organization as the designated project lead.

This structure was not accidental. It was intentional.

Complimentary Strengths

The Township provides municipal oversight and asset stewardship. Our organization provides focused mandate, fundraising leadership, heritage coordination, and long-term revitalization planning. Together, this partnership ensures both accountability and momentum.

Throughout the process, the project was brought before Council in a series of formal reports, reviews, and motions. Municipal staff examined the proposal carefully. Governance structures were clarified. Roles and responsibilities were documented. Risk management, insurance, engineering considerations, and phased restoration planning were all discussed openly.

Council’s role was essential.

Approval was not symbolic—it was procedural, deliberate, and public. Reports were presented. Questions were addressed. Motions were passed. Each step reinforced that this project would move forward not as a private initiative, but as a community-backed undertaking grounded in municipal transparency.

When Council formally approved the commencement of the project and the execution of partnership agreements, it represented more than administrative progress. It reflected confidence—confidence in the charitable organization formed to lead the effort, confidence in the due diligence undertaken, and confidence that restoring Canada’s oldest grain elevator serves the long-term interests of the Township and its residents.

The endorsement of the Mayor and Council affirmed that this project aligns with broader community priorities: heritage preservation, economic vitality, tourism development, and civic pride. The Elevator is not being restored in isolation. It is being restored as part of a larger story about who we are as a community and how we choose to honour our past while investing in our future.

This partnership model is foundational to our success.

The Township remains the building owner. We remain the project lead. We operate not as contractor and client, but as aligned partners with a shared objective. Each brings strengths to the table. Each carries responsibility. Together, we ensure that decisions are made carefully, funds are managed responsibly, and the restoration proceeds in a structured and transparent manner.

The approval arc—formation of the charity, federal grant confirmation, and formal municipal endorsement—completed a critical triad. Community initiative, national validation, and local government support now stand in alignment.

That alignment matters.

Mutual Respect and Trust

Restoring a 150-year-old structure requires more than timber repair and structural reinforcement. It requires governance clarity. It requires trust. It requires a shared understanding that this landmark belongs to the public and must be preserved with integrity.

We are grateful for the collaborative spirit demonstrated by the Township, Council, and municipal staff throughout this process. Their engagement and approval ensure that the restoration moves forward with legitimacy and collective backing.

This is how enduring preservation happens—not through isolated effort, but through partnership.

With municipal approval secured, federal support confirmed, and community leadership in place, the path forward is clear. The work now continues with confidence, shared stewardship, and a commitment to seeing this remarkable landmark stand proudly for generations to come.

• • January 26, 2026 — Council Approval of Project & MOU
    At the regular Council meeting on January 26, 2026, members of Council heard a presentation on the Port Perry/Currie Grain Elevator Restoration Project and received a formal report from the CAO. Following the presentation, Council voted to approve the commencement of the project and the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Port Perry Grain Elevator Renovation and Revitalization Inc. as the project lead. 
    
    
  • January 30, 2026 — Public Announcement of Funding
    Shortly thereafter, the Township issued a public notice that it had successfully secured $500,000 in federal funding toward the restoration and revitalization of the Port Perry Grain Elevator through the Government of Canada’s Legacy Grant Program, administered by Canadian Heritage. This announcement was jointly shared by the Township and PPGE, and included endorsement from Mayor Wilma Wotten.