Update #231
The 20th Community Engagement Session for KESKUS International Estonian Centre took place on November 12th, 2024, via Zoom. Toronto Estonian School parents convened for a watch party of the session while their kids were in school.
Tiina Kai Paluoja, an Estonian House in Toronto Ltd. board member ran the session - it can be viewed in full above (and here), and following are the top five takeaways:
1. KESKUS construction thus far
KESKUS Development Manager David Kalm took the viewers through all of the construction progress thus far, from the parking lot through the deep foundations, underpinning of the heritage wing, the TTC tunnel remediation, right through to the mega-pour of the slab with 37 trucks of cement in one day. David then took us through what the next steps are as steel is expected early in the new year.
2. Schedule implications
Tiina noted that community groups should continue to rely on alternative space until January 2026, out of an abundance of caution, The schedule continues to be that KESKUS will be operational at the end of 2025.
3. Donors continue to top up gifts to KESKUS
Liisa Käärid, board chair of Estonian Arts Centre, the charity associated with KESKUS, updated the community with the astounding news that the capital campaign in support of KESKUS is at $20.7m from donors worldwide, and only another $3m, representing 6% of the KESKUS budget, remains to be raised to get to operational.
Existing donors have topped up previous paid-up pledges thus far in 2024 by a total of $625,000. Everyone in the community is encouraged to give to the best of their ability, even if they have already made gift. Liisa reminded donors that the last day in 2024 to donate securities will be December 22, 2024 in order to receive a 2024 tax receipt.
Donors in the Kalevipoja Laud category whose naming rights are of seating areas or classrooms will be able to designate the specific location in Q3 of 2025.
4. Pathway to Freedom initiative
Ellen Valter, KESKUS project lead, introduced the Pathway to Freedom paver project that will be rolled out soon. The project contemplates certain areas of the concentric circles of paving material in the KESKUS courtyard including 30cm x 30cm paver areas that, with approx. 80 characters for engraving, can tell the story of how our parents and grandparents came to North America.
Each paver is expected to cost $1944, memorializing in the number the year of the mass flight, plus engraving.
5. Polling results
KESKUS has become a tourist hotspot for visitors from Estonia, and Heili Toome, board chair of International Estonian Centre Inc. polled participants of what they or their organizations would be interested in viewing on site (eg. storage space, jumbo glass installation, vertical beams erected, community room space). Alas the poll result recording evaporated, so please send in your thoughts to uuskodu@estoniancentre.ca.
Tiina noted that noting that she and Pia Poolsaar, also a EHTL director will be reaching out to community groups early in the new year, and closed the session by asking whether future community engagement sessions should be virtual or in-person and 75% of the respondents preferred virtual sessions,
Future community engagement sessions will be more frequent as we soon countdown to the opening of our beautiful and bright new home!
KESKUS valued donors make a critical difference!
Please join the growing list of KESKUS capital campaign donors to help bring KESKUS to completion. KESKUS leadership donors are recognized here.
There are many ways to make a contribution to KESKUS.
To donate, click here, or call +1.647.250.7136 or email donations@estoniancentre.ca. Donations may be made as a family gift, or in honour of an individual or family. All donations are issued a tax receipt, in Canada via Estonian Arts Centre, US tax receipts via Myriad USA and Estonian tax receipts via Eesti Rahvuskultuuri Fond. Donations by credit card may be made here.
Legacy gifts made to the Estonian Arts Centre, the charity associated with KESKUS, are creative and tax-effective ways to provide support. These are known as “planned gifts” because with thoughtful planning, we create a win-win situation that benefits both you and our community for generations to come. Find out how to provide a bequest in your will by going to www.estoniancentre.ca/bequest.
For information on making other types of planned gifts, including gifts of appreciated securities or insurance policies, or if you have any other questions, please contact EAC Donations Manager Taimi Hooper via email at donations@estoniancentre.ca or phone +1.647.250.7136.
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