John Cutruzzola
Encyclopedia
John Cutruzzola is a Canadian real estate developer and artist.

He was born in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, and by the age of 21, had been elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of his hometown of Gagliato.

Six months after being elected, he traveled to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, where he set up a small business and learned the English language. With little more than the skill of his hands and a sharp mind, he launched a successful career as a developer.

Beginning in the late 1960s, Cutruzzola successfully endeavored to convince the people of the Yorkville area of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 to change their area into a cultural center. In Brampton, he helped with the restoration of the old jailhouse and registry office on Wellington Street, transforming them into the Peel Heritage Complex
Peel Heritage Complex
The Peel Heritage Complex is a museum/art gallery/archives for the Peel Region, located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.Originally the Peel County Courthouse, Brampton Jail , and registry office, this complex hosts award-winning exhibition...

.

In 1972, he and his family moved to Huttonville. Four years later he formed Inzola Construction.

In 1984, he enrolled in the Fine Arts program at Sheridan College
Sheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...

, where he developed his talent in oil painting
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...

, watercolours, and pencil
Pencil
A pencil is a writing implement or art medium usually constructed of a narrow, solid pigment core inside a protective casing. The case prevents the core from breaking, and also from marking the user’s hand during use....

 sketching.

By 1986, fearing that the city would lose the opportunity to establish its own core and identity, he and a group of friends put forth a vision of the new City Hall, with a design by architect Robert Posliff. The region had the Hydro Building set for demolition in the early 1990s, but he helped to save the building; he hopes for it to be used as an artistic facility.

In 1993, the Brampton Board of Trade
Brampton Board of Trade
The Brampton Board of Trade is a business organization first founded in Brampton, Ontario in 1887. Currently representing the broad interests of 1100+ members, the Brampton Board of Trade serves its members through government lobbying, member discounts, and networking opportunities.-History:* 1887...

 recognized his commitment to the community, and his excellence in business, making him the Business Person of the Year.

Cutruzzola continues to work and support various cultural interests that benefit his community. He believes art and culture is the most important part of a healthy and prosperous community. He has supported many Brampton arts organizations, in the visual, musical and performing arts sectors. In 1991 he was honoured with the Canadian government's Lescarbot Award
Lescarbot Award
The Lescarbot Award is awarded by the federal government of Canada to people who have contributed the most to their arts community.Recipients of this award include:* Judith Budovitch, Fredericton, 1991* John Cutruzzola, Brampton* Garry Davies, Peace, 1991...

 for contributions to the betterment of art and culture in his city; he is also the recipient of a Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada.

In 2004, the Brampton Arts Council
Brampton Arts Council
The Brampton Arts Council is a charitable, multi-arts umbrella organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the arts in the city of Brampton in Ontario, Canada. It represents numerous artists and arts groups, the Brampton Arts Council encourages and recognizes excellence in the arts...

 recognized his contributions to the arts, naming him Arts Person of the Year.

He holds an annual exhibition of his works at the City Hall atrium each year, all proceeds going to the Peel Memorial Hospital
Peel Memorial Hospital
Peel Memorial Hospital was a 367-bed acute care hospital located in central Brampton, Ontario. PMH was founded in 1925 and became a part of the William Osler Health Centre in 1998. It previously served approximately 400,000 residents in Brampton and the surrounding areas...

; the addition and renovation to this facility was carried out by the Inzola Group. The City Hall and Cenotaph are among his other Brampton projects.

External links

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