THE COMMON GOOD OF TORBAY COMMON
Welcome! As much as this website is about building a Community Centre in the Town or Torbay, it’s also about establishing a nucleus for a growing region that too-often sees its citizens commuting to the city to access the programs and services that this centre will facilitate. The Torbay Common will be more than a recreation centre. Inside and out it will be that missing piece of the puzzle. That gathering place in the heart of the community where all generations can come, not only for programs, but just to feel part of the community and find out what’s on the go!
The NE Avalon is characterized by 500 years of rural culture steeped in fishing and agriculture. As the region continues to grow, the challenge to be inclusive and provide a space where all citizens come together for community events only increases. At a time when so many rural areas are in decline, the Torbay Common project presents a unique opportunity to provide a nucleus that will both contribute to better health and wellness outcomes and to the preservation of the culture and social fabric of the region.
Message From Our Campaign Chairs
Scott Stirling
Honorary Chair
Dear Friends,
As many of you would know, the Town of Torbay and surrounding area has always held special meaning for our family. That is why I am so pleased to serve as Honorary Chair for the Get it on the go capital campaign. Torbay and all the communities that make up the Northeast Avalon represent so much of what we hold dear. Here we have classic examples of rural Newfoundland landscapes where strong communities have grown over centuries and continue to thrive. These communities share a rich history and the common values that have established this province as one of the warmest and most welcoming places on earth. It is not surprising that the region is growing.
Of course, with growth comes new needs. It is extremely important that the young families, the youth and the seniors who have built these communities have a central place to connect, a place were the history and traditions that make this region so special are not lost, but instead nurtured. Building this place is our vision and purpose.
This campaign to build the Torbay Common is about so much more than a new building; it is about creating a multigenerational gathering place large enough to bring everyone together as a community. And it is about the practical need to ensure that residents, the majority of whom commute to work, have a place at home where their families can access the programming that establishes good habits, enables rich and fulfilling lives and provides those role models in the community that create the strong citizens of tomorrow.
I invite you to join me in this important community initiative to build a much-needed “common ground” that will serve the needs of the region for many, many years to come! I am sure as you read on you will share my view and commitment to support the Torbay Common. Let’s get it on the go!
Sincerely
Scott Stirling
Honorary Chair
Brian Groves
Campaign Chair
Dear Friends,
Our rugged cliffs and pristine ocean views, colourful people, sense of place and strong history all make the Town of Torbay a wonderful place to call home. As a resident of this beautiful town, I am delighted to serve as Chair for the Get it on the go Campaign.
While Torbay and all of the communities that comprise the NE Avalon are full of life, there is one obvious missing piece – a common space that serves our people and our many cultural, social and recreational activities. The residents of Torbay and surrounding communities, myself included, too often have to commute to the City to do the things we love. The Get it on the go Campaign is going to change this.
Our community is a lively, vibrant place and I am excited by the opportunities the new Torbay Common complex will bring to our town. Opportunities for families, children and seniors alike. It will bring generations together, provide a place for role models to be seen in our community and for us all to gather as we celebrate the things that have made this region such a special place. As we grow, Torbay Common will ensure that our unique identity and values are preserved and passed on to future generations and it will make it easier for our children to adopt healthy lifestyles and see firsthand the value of community and citizenship in their town.
I am asking you to join me and the Campaign Cabinet as we build a new modern version of the common ground that brought us all together in the first place. Our goal to raise $1.5 million is achievable if we all work together for a common good – something Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been doing for generations! Please join me – let’s Get it on the go for Torbay!
Sincerely
Brian Groves
Campaign Chair
ABOUT TORBAY AND SURROUNDING AREA
Locate approximately 13 km north of St. John’s, the beautiful seaside Town of Torbay has a population of just under 8,000 and is the largest town on the NE Avalon Peninsula. Torbay and surrounding area which includes the close by communities of Logy Bay, Middle Cove, Outer Cove, Flatrock, Pouch Cove and Bauline has population of 14,300. Comparatively the region has the same approximate population as Grand Fall’s-Windsor NL, has 23% more population than the community of Gander and is 62% the size of the City of Mount Pearl. The population of the region grew by 8.4% from 2011 to 2016.
