The Project

Extensive research has identified The Greater Toronto Area/ Niagara Region Waterfront as an ideal location to develop this world class tourism project. Meetings have been held with Toronto Waterfront Corp., a Crown Corporation mandated by ALL three levels of Government to develop sustainable, economically and culturally appropriate projects along the GTA Waterfront reflecting and in keeping with the diversity of the Greater Toronto Area and Canada. Extensive discussions have been held with Toronto Waterfront officials. Senior Waterfront officials has expressed serious interest in working with AfriCana Village promoters with an eye to bringing this project to reality,further discussions are planned as we move forward. 

The projected completion date for AfriCana Village is 2015 in order to coincide with the Grand Opening of Toronto's 2015 Pan Am Games. Originally our projected completion date was 2012, the year 2012 has special significance Toronto's and Canada's African-Canadian community because its the Bi-centennial year of the War of 1812. In the War of 1812 African-Canadian soldiers valiantly and victoriously help defend the City of York from an American invasion. The Toronto waterfront was the scene of heavy fighting and many African-Canadian soldiers lost their lives in defense of the City and the waterfront, for the Black Soldiers surrendering was not an option as they would of been summarily executed on the spot as we saw 50 years later in the American Civil War where Black Soldiers was not allowed to be taken as prisoners of war as their European counterparts. We intend to commemorate their valor and sacrifice by unveiling a statue in their memory, which will be on permanent display on the William P. Hubbard promenade along the boardwalk facing Lake Ontario. We will honour these heroes in 2015, lest we forget! 

 

Development of the AfriCana Village & Museum will undertake the following strategic  initiatives:Our mission is to economically, educationally and culturally empower the African-Canadian community:

GOVERNMENT: In April 2007, The City of Toronto Economic Development and Tourism and The Province Ontario Tourism has struck and Advisory Commitee/steering commitee with AfriCana Village to ascertain ways of moving this project forward.

AfriCana Village will also be working closely with the African- Canadian Social Development Council, a community- based organization that represents 74 continental African-Canadian community organizations.

Here is what the experts and those in the know are saying about AfriCana Village:

WaterfronToronto Revitalization Corporation

Mandate
In the spring of 2001, the Government of Canada, Province of Ontario and City of Toronto joined forces to establish the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation.

The three governments have reached an agreement to enable the corporation to proceed with four initial projects worth $300 million. These projects include the extension of Front Street west of Bathurst to Dufferin Street; a second platform for Union Subway Station; an environmental assessment of plans to transform the mouth of the Don River; and soil remediation in the Port Lands.