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Wells College secretly planned closure months before public reveal
Wells College had been preparing for its shutdown since September 2023, months before its April 2024 closure announcement. According to The Citizen, court records show the college quietly explored contingency plans, including partnerships with other ... more
Aurora village board to weigh utility rate hikes, grant action on Wednesday
The Aurora Board of Trustees will meet Wednesday in the Firehouse Meeting Room, where officials are set to consider several key decisions, including a proposed increase in water and sewer rates. The agenda includes action ... more
Wells College legacy lives on through HWS partnership
A year after closing its doors, Wells College has solidified a legacy agreement with Hobart and William Smith Colleges, according to WSYR. The arrangement ensures key pieces of Wells’ history—including archives and the iconic Minerva ... more
New visions compete for old Wells College campus
A year after Wells College shut its doors, at least nine bids are now vying for its historic Aurora campus. Proposals range from a private boarding school to an indigenous studies institute, and even a ... more
Wells College alumni group to host revival forum
A key alumni group will host a virtual forum Wednesday to discuss efforts to bring Wells College back to life. The Cleveland Commission for Wells College is inviting the public to a Zoom meeting on ... more
Alumni group plans bid to revive Wells College
A grassroots effort to restore Wells College is gaining steam. According to the Ithaca Journal, the Cleveland Commission for Wells College will host a public Zoom forum on May 28 to share its plan to ... more
Aurora gets new Cayuga Lake park after major land donation
A significant land donation by Finger Lakes Land Trust member Grace Bates will result in a new public park along Cayuga Lake in Aurora. The new lakeshore park will feature 1,100 feet of shoreline and ... more
Cayuga County villages secure $10M for revitalization projects
New York State has selected nine projects to receive funding from a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant awarded to the villages of Aurora, Cayuga, and Union Springs, according to state officials. The funding targets ... more
Aurora Fire Department teams up with Wells Golf Club for ambulance fundraiser
An urgent call for community support will echo across the greens of Wells Golf Club on Saturday, June 7, as the Aurora Fire Department hosts a special ambulance fundraiser event. Partnering with Wells Golf Course, ... more
Aurora passes budget, water rate hike expected
Aurora’s village board approved its 2025-26 budget Tuesday but delayed a decision on rising water rates tied to a major utility shift, officials said. The $619,423 budget is down over 20% from last year, with ... more
Aurora looks ahead after Wells College closure
One year after Wells College closed, the village of Aurora is navigating uncertainty with cautious optimism, according to local leaders interviewed by The Citizen. The loss of the college cut Aurora’s population in half and ... more
Aurora fights plan to flood mine under Cayuga Lake
The village of Aurora is urging New York State to block Cargill from flooding an abandoned section of its Cayuga Salt Mine beneath Cayuga Lake, citing environmental risks, according to reporting by The Citizen. The ... more
Aurora Finalizing Wells College Water Plant Acquisition as Budget Vote Nears
The Village of Aurora is finalizing its acquisition of the Wells College water plant, a key move prompted by the college’s 2024 closure. While the plant is being gifted to the village, Aurora will pay ... more
Aurora warns of possible dissolution over water plant costs
Village leaders in Aurora say the community may dissolve if the state doesn’t help cover skyrocketing costs tied to operating a water treatment plant previously owned by Wells College, according to a letter sent to ... more
$10.7M bid group to reveal plan for Wells College campus
A group aiming to purchase the former Wells College campus for $10.7 million will present its vision publicly next week, according to The Citizen. The Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge and historic preservation firm Grande ... more
Indigenous college, senior housing proposed for Wells campus
A partnership between Grande Venues and the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge has submitted a $10.7 million bid to purchase the former Wells College campus in Aurora. Their revised plan includes an Indigenous college and ... more
Alumni-led group wants to reopen Wells College: Petition gains hundreds of signatures
As Wells College approaches a full-year since shutting down due to financial hardships, The Cleveland Commission for Wells, an alumni-led initiative, has opened up about its plan to reopen the school and return it to ... more
Alumni groups propose new futures for Wells College
Following Wells College’s abrupt closure in May 2024, two distinct proposals have emerged to repurpose the historic campus. Initially, the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge submitted an independent bid aimed at transforming the site into ... more
Proposed redevelopment plan aims to revitalize Wells College
A new proposal seeks to transform the historic Wells College campus into a dynamic educational and residential community, integrating an International Baccalaureate (IB) boarding school, an Indigenous college, and a senior living community. The plan ... more
