Provincial funds slotted to help with symphony rebuilding

The Windsor Symphony Orchestra will use nearly $80,000 in provincial funding to “fine tune” operations as it rebuilds from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money comes from the Ontario government's Community Building Fund through the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

“The WSO is extremely appreciative to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for its foresight in recognizing the challenges facing organizations as they adapt and endeavour to maintain programs and community connections with the impediments created by COVID,” said WSO executive director Sheila Wisdom. “The support received through the Community Building Fund allows us to adapt to new ways of working and to meet the changing needs of program and service delivery, especially in the field of education programming. The new phone system, computers, and equipment provided through this grant will serve the WSO long after the grant has ended.”

The symphony will use the $77,800, received in September 2021, to help build a bigger online presence and deliver education and community programs despite the challenges of COVID-19.

The WSO will upgrade its phone system to allow for staff to work off-site and still respond to customers. It also plans to buy new computers and software, along with increased internet bandwidth to meet the changing needs of programming and service delivery.

“I am happy to congratulate the Windsor Symphony Orchestra on the award of this Community Building Fund grant,” said Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky. “The equipment upgrades this grant supports will enable the orchestra to continue evolving the services it provides our community and to maintain its central role in the cultural life of Windsor and Essex County.”

For more information about the WSO and its programs, go to windsorsymphony.com.