Destinations are often known for their landmarks – a building, monument, or unique structure that signals that you have arrived. The feature can become a meeting point, directional marker, or simply an interesting addition to the landscape. Behind each one, there is often a story, shaped by people and history and significance. In Orangeville, there is no shortage of those intriguing stories and many lure you in, offering a new way to connect with the community. We invite you to discover our local landmarks, not just as points on a map, but as special places that contribute to the spirit of our Town. 
The lure of local landmarks

Many of Orangeville’s most prominent landmarks are easily found, recognized, and admired. Town Hall acts as a showpiece in the center of Orangeville, adorned by its distinguished cupola. The medians along Broadway add both natural and historical elements to the expansive main street. The Mantis Queen sculpture invites drivers to stop in for a visit and the statue of Orange Lawrence greets downtown visitors. While these recognizable elements certainly add to Orangeville’s character, there are many other features that demonstrate the vibrancy of the Town’s history, spirit, and creativity. By wandering beyond the familiar routes, you will soon find more places and spaces with stories to share.

Simple design, impressive results
At 51 Zina Street, you’ll discover the majestic Dufferin County Court House. Its grand appearance conceals the fact that the building is essentially a two-storey rectangular box. A number of techniques were used to elevate the presence of the structure. The architect superimposed three towers that slightly project from the façade and used buff brick and stone to add decorative touches. When completed in 1881, it was considered one of the finest municipal buildings in Ontario. The building has seen many restorations, renovations, and additions since that time, but each update invites reflection on how best to integrate the new while complementing the historic significance of the old. The building is in good company on Zina Street where you’ll also find a stunning collection of heritage homes. Take a stroll on the tree-lined street to admire the details.
Creekside spaces
Today, Mill Creek meanders quietly through Orangeville as it makes it way to the Credit River. This flow of water used to run with enough velocity to power several mills in the community. Orangeville’s first mill was built by James Griggs, where Wellington Street crosses the creek today, and a small settlement called Griggs' Mill started to grow here. Some locals suppose that if Orange Lawrence hadn’t come to town, this might still be our town’s name.

Over the years, this location has housed a foundry, a plumbing supply shop, and a printing business. Its current tenant is Cycling Elements, a local bike shop and owner Jeff Lemon is working to restore the historic building back to its former beauty. The building’s transformation and history is featured on Cycling Element’s website.
You can meet up with Mill Creek in two other prominent locations. At the intersection of Mill and Little York Streets, a section of rubble stone wall is all that remains of the former Jull Mill. The parkette is a lovely spot for a picnic or select a patio table across the street at the Mill Creek Pub or Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen. A little further west, Mill Creek runs under a quaint covered bridge in Kay Cee Gardens. Along with the rolling water, the park features a collection of public art pieces and playground equipment for all ages. 
Critter-inspired creativity
In the west end of Orangeville, you’ll find an extensive network of parks and trails connecting the community. Birds, rabbits, and other local wildlife are often spotted along the paths, but there is a new neighbourhood critter that may surprise hikers and bikers. Monty Montgomery the Rock Snake made his home on the Mill Creek Trail in May and has continued to grow thanks to the community’s talent and spirit. Monty has become a slithering showcase of decorated rocks created by local artists of all abilities. Bright, creative, and colourful designs are added daily. He lies just off Gooseberry Street and he’s hoping to stretch all the way over to C-Line. Why not paint a rock and add your mark to this creative community project? 
Moose on the loose
You can’t help but smile when you pass by the imposing moose sculpture standing outside of Dragonfly Arts on Broadway. Slim legs and impressive antlers seem to stretch in opposition while he smirks at downtown shoppers. Installed in 2005, the unique piece was made using a recycled oil tank. Artist Jean Pierre Schoss of Uxbridge specializes in creating works from recycled materials and aims to evoke play and happiness with each piece. You can find more of his artwork – on a smaller-scale, but with the same playful and funky vibe - inside Dragonfly Arts’ unique shop and studio space. “The Moose has a real presence on Broadway,” says owner Joan Hope. “He brings a sense of fun and creativity to the street while blending in seamlessly with other public art pieces in our community.”
 
While the list of local landmarks to be discovered in Orangeville goes on, these examples show that taking the time to explore a little further and learn a little more can really make a mark on your experience in our community. 
A tour of Orangeville's Top Ten Public Art Pieces
Orangeville has an impressive collection of public art with over 70 pieces on display at locations throughout the town. Taking on the task of finding each piece is certainly a worthy endeavour, but we wouldn’t want you to miss out on some of our favourites if your time runs short. To help narrow your search, we’ve created a tour of the top ten public art pieces in Orangeville. All of the artwork was selected by art-loving community members who believe that these stops should top your list of must-see attractions during a visit to Orangeville. 

The one-hour tour allows you to explore the diverse range of public artwork. You’ll see the intricate details of tree sculptures complemented by brightly coloured utility boxes and stately statues.

The tour is easily followed using Driftscape, a free, interactive mobile app. Simply download the app and search tours to get started. Driving is the easiest way to get around to most stops, but you will park and then walk short distances to see some of the artwork. You'll be guided step-by-step to each location, including parking recommendations and driving directions.

To follow the tour, download Driftscape for free from the App Store or Google Play. You can also plan your route out in advance using Driftscape’s web-based app. 
Bravery Park Grand Opening (Virtual)
Friday, September 3, 9 a.m.
Watch live on Facebook

The grand opening for Orangeville's Bravery Park will include a military parade, a Snowbirds fly-by, and attendance by Canadian Forces representatives, including keynote speaker Jodi Mitic, a retired elite sniper in Afghanistan. Ontario’s Lieutenant-Governor, The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, will officially open the park with Dufferin-Caledon MP Kyle Seeback, and Solicitor General and MPP Sylvia Jones in attendance. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, capacity will be limited. Watch the Town of Orangeville’s Facebook for a live account of the ceremonies.
Orangeville Farmers' Market
Every Saturday until October 23
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
90 Broadway, across from Town Hall

Enjoy the best of the local harvest season at the weekly Farmers' Market in downtown Orangeville. Over 25 vendors offer a plentiful selection of fruit, vegetables, meats, baked goods, ready-to-enjoy meals, and much more.
Josiah presented by Theatre Orangeville
Live performances September 8 to 19
Mount Alverno Luxury Resorts
Streaming September 15 to October 5

This new Canadian play is about the life of Josiah Henson, the "real" Uncle Tom. This one-person show engages audiences with a mix of drama, dance, and movement to reveal the first chapter of Josiah Henson's life from slavery to freedom.
Congratulations to the 2021 Arts and Culture Awards nominees
The Town of Orangeville has received 32 nominations for the 2021 Arts and Culture Awards. An impressive selection of individuals, businesses and organizations have been acknowledged for their contributions to arts and culture in Dufferin County. 
 
“On behalf of the Town of Orangeville, congratulations to all nominees and thank you for contributing your time, effort and talent to our community’s creative sector,” said Councillor Lisa Post, Chair of the Cultural Plan Task Force. “Every nominee deserves to be recognized and celebrated for the positive impact of their work, especially this year.” 
The nominees for the 2021 Arts & Culture Awards are:
Established Artist
Deb Menken
Emilia Perri
Wendy Reid
Emerging Artist:
Arlo Sun
Andrew McArthur
Adam Thompson
Student Artist:
Haley Marfleet
Mariko Kato
Katrina Creelman
Arts
Educator:
Tiffany McCabe
Jada Milne-Doucette
Ann Randeraad
Tyler Reed
Ricky Schaede
Community Arts
Volunteer:
Christina Clare
Diane Bator
Jim Waddington
Nikki Caruana
Creative Cultural Event:
Celebrate Your Awesome
Music In the Hills
Downtown Orangeville Holiday Events
Community Impact by a Business
Branching Out Support Services
Music Together of Orangeville
Art of 8 Martial Arts Academy
Old Mill Hub (formerly Mill Street Mall)
True Nature Media
TriTone Music Studios
Community Impact by an Organization: 
GLOW Youth Group
Orangeville Business Improvement Area
Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands
Valley Alive
Westminster United Church
More information about the contributions of each nominee can be found online at orangeville.ca. Nominee profiles will also be shared on Facebook and Instagram leading up to the virtual awards presentation on Thursday, October 7. The community is invited to join the online celebration by watching the event on Facebook or YouTube.
Digital Main Street now open to more local businesses
The Orangeville & Area Small Business Enterprise Centre has announced that once again, the Digital Main Street Ontario Grants Program is open and now accepting applications from small businesses across Dufferin County to help improve their online capabilities. The program aims to help small businesses increase their online presence and incorporate digital technologies to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Funding for the program is provided by FedDev Ontario. A Digital Services Coordinator will connect with small, commercially zoned business owners at no cost to conduct a digital-readiness assessment of their ventures and help them apply for Digital Transformation Grants of up to $2,500.

This is the third time the Digital Main Street program has been offered in Orangeville and area. A major change to the Digital Transformation Grant from previous years is the new location criteria. Commercial small businesses no longer need to be part of a main street area to qualify, opening up the grant to hundreds of additional businesses across the County.

The Digital Transformation Grant portal is now open to receive applications from eligible small businesses and will close on October 31st, 2021, or when grant funds have been exhausted.

It is free to apply and the process is simple:

  1. Register your business at digitalmainstreet.ca/ontariogrants/ and complete the digital assessment.
  2. Pass the pre-qualification quiz, complete the 2.5 hours of online training, and develop your Digital Transformation Plan.
  3. Apply for a $2,500 grant.

To learn more about the Digital Transformation Grant program, business eligibility, and the application process visit digitalmainstreet.ca or contact Christine Hann, Digital Services Co-ordinator at the Town of Orangeville by email ([email protected]) or phone (519-939-8106). 
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