The community is invited to participate in a virtual unveiling of a new public art installation at Riverwalk Commons that was inspired by former longtime mayor and Newmarket-Aurora MP Tony Van Bynen, who regularly held court downtown with residents in what he called Mayor in the Square.
The project is known as Newmarket’s Community Living Room and includes the public art installation component known as Van Bynen Square. It was first announced in late November 2018 at a gathering to mark Van Bynen’s retirement from local politics, 12 years of which was spent in the mayor’s chair.
That tribute also acknowledged Van Bynen’s fondness for referring to Newmarket’s downtown as the living room of the community.
The Newmarket Community Living Room is a concrete sculpture in Van Bynen Square located alongside the story pod. It includes bronze castings of the mayor’s well-known leather cap hanging from a coat rack, his dual cellphones, and a book of jokes.
The public art installation unveiling takes place on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. at Newmarket’s Riverwalk Commons.
Due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions, town officials will host a small event at the site that includes Van Bynen and his family.
The public is welcome to watch the unveiling in a Facebook Live event on the Town of Newmarket’s page here on the scheduled date and time.
~With files from Debora Kelly
