Aurora Armoury

Photos by contributor Lauren Roberts - Posted May, 2008

Plaque Location

The Region of York
The Town of Aurora
At the southwest corner of Larmont Street and Mosley Street
3 blocks east of Yonge Street, one block south of Wellington Street

Coordinates: N 43 59.946 W 79 27.709

Plaque Text

Built in 1874 as a drill shed for the 12th Battalion of Infantry or York Rangers, the Aurora Armoury was part of a network of defence training facilities for citizen soldiers. It evokes the larger stories and traditions of the province's militia regiments, recruited regionally, and possessing close affiliations with their communities of origin. The armoury was also the site of Edward Blake's famous "Aurora speech" of 1874, in which the prominent politician and former Ontario premier called upon the federal government of Liberal Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie to implement nationalistic and electoral reforms. The speech exemplifies how drill halls and armouries fulfil civic roles in the lives of their communities. The oldest purpose-built armoury still used by the military in Ontario, the Aurora drill shed is home to elements of The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC).

Related Ontario plaques
Elora Drill Shed
The Peterborough Armoury

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Aurora Plaques

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted February 13, 2013
This building has been deemed surplus by the DND and they plan to sell it. I'm interested in knowing whether this plaque placement will help to ensure that the building is not destroyed

Posted August 8, 2012
I used to be the UTA for A Sqn. Was there from 84 to 88. Enjoyed it greatly. Would like to visit sometime. Sgt. P.Bennett CD (retd).

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