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THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020Page PB Page 1

Vol. 20 No. 37 905-727-3300 Week of July 2, 2020TheAuroran.com CMCAAUDITEDFREE

Aurora’s Community Newspaper

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Six-Ward Council system coming to Aurora in 2022

By Brock Weir

A significant shake-up is coming to local government in time for the next municipal election.

Council last week formally approved measures that will replace the current “at large” system of government in 2022 in favour of six electoral wards.

Presently, Aurorans vote for a Mayor and up to six Councillors to represent the community as a whole. In the new

model, which was approved on a 4 – 3 vote on June 23, residents will still be able to elect a Mayor to represent the entire community but will be tasked with selecting a single Council candidate to represent their neighbourhood’s interests.

“As our community grows and the demographics change, we need to look at how we can provide the best possible governance for all Aurorans,” said Mayor Mrakas, speaking in favour of the motion to adopt the Six-Ward model. “I believe we will see a more diverse field of candidates

as well as representation from all areas of our Town.

“This change is about better governance, better engagement with our community from our Councillors. This will lead to a more informed and a more engaged community…which will make our Town even better.”

The themes of better engagement from residents and Council members alike were embraced by Councillors Harold Kim, Sandra Humfryes and Michael Thompson,

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TEAM CANADA – Canada Day festivities may have been forced to go virtual this year, but this doesn’t mean there wasn’t a host of patriotic fun to be had for Canada’s birthday – particularly in Canada’s Birthday Town. Pictured here spreading the word of virtual celebrations at the Aurora Farmers’ Market were Shawna White (L) and Michelle Johnson (R) of the Aurora Museum and Archives, which launched a new documentary to mark the occasion (see Page 16), and Shelley Ware of the Town of Aurora, who laid the groundwork for online festivities, including fireworks. For more from the Market, see Page 18. Auroran photo by Brock Weir

“WE WERE IN THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES”

Stacey MacKenzie, a Director of Care at Chartwell Aurora, says the long-term care residence in Downtown Aurora was in the “fight of our lives” during its recent outbreak of COVID-19. For more inside the walls, see Page 12.

Auroran photo by Brock Weir

THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020Page 2 Page 3

Council & Committee Meetings

What’s Happening

What’s Happening*All General Committee and Council meetings will be held virtually as per Section 20.1 of the Town’s Procedure By-law No. 6228-19, as amended, due to the COVID-19 State of Emergency.

Date Time Location MeetingMonday, July 6 6 p.m. Video conference Aurora Appeal Tribunal

Tuesday, July 7 7 p.m. Video conference General Committee

Wednesday, July 8 7 p.m. Virtual meeting Aurora Cultural Centre Board

Thursday, July 9 7 p.m. Video conference Committee of Adjustment

Tuesday, July 14 5:45 p.m. Video conference Council Closed Session (if required)

Tuesday, July 14 7 p.m. Video conference Council

*Meetings can be viewed online by visiting aurora.ca/livecouncilmeeting

What’s Happening

Recreation at homeIt’s easy to stay actively engaged at home with more than 100 online resources available on our Recreation at Home webpage. These activities are for all ages. They contain a collection of games, activities and ideas to keep you and your family actively and engaged at home. For more details, visit: aurora.ca/recathome.

Camp in a Bag - Bring the camp experience home with you this summer!Our camp team has created 10 amazing options for campers of all ages. Themed bags including everything campers need to enjoy some summer camp fun at home. Each bag contains camp swag, crafts, activities, a note from Town of Aurora Camp Staff and more.

Camp in a Bag packages are available in various options:• 4 Basic options at $23/each*• 6 Deluxe options at $38/each*

Bags are geared towards kids and teens ages 4 to 16 and can be purchased at aurora.ca/eplay.

Packages are available with contactless delivery (Aurora Residents only) or pick-up from the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex (*receive a $3 discount if opting for curbside pick-up).

For more information, details on the full list of Camp in a Bag options and how to order, visit aurora.ca/summercamps.

Community Energy Plan (CEP)Have you taken our Community Energy Plan (CEP) Survey yet?

The CEP is a comprehensive long-term plan to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions locally. To be effective, it’s critical that this plan represents the insights and ideas of our community members. By contributing your thoughts on the vision and goals, we can set a strong direction for the future. We are also looking for your thoughts and input on how you use energy at work, home and on the road to help shape strategies within the Plan.

Complete the survey and share your thoughts at:engageaurora.ca/cep

Online Skylight Gallery ExhibitionArtist: Sandra MurphySandra Murphy is an Aurora-based, classically trained oil painter with a passion for realism. Her still-life paintings feature antique or vintage items, children’s toys, old tools, and whatever catches her eye and imagination. Every painting is a challenge and her mission is to reveal the extraordinary beauty in the seemingly mundane. Sharing art, creativity, and imagination has the power to temporarily transport our minds to a joyful state. Murphy intends to create a brief moment of bliss as one travels through, “A Passion for Realism”.

View this online gallery at aurora.ca/skylightgallery.

NEW ONLINE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM

engageaurora.ca

aurora.ca/covid19

WHAT’S OPEN?PERMITTED RECREATIONAL USE OF:

OPENING SOON

EXCLUDES

UPDATE

Tennis courtsBasketball courtsSports fields

Skateboard parksPickle ball courtsOff-leash dog park

Physical distancing guidelines still apply.

Sports fields with modified permittingarrangements (July 6)

Aurora Public Library - curbside andadditional services (July)

Aurora Family Leisure Complex Pool - select drop-inprograms (July 20)

Ice Pad - for training only (August)

Splash pads, public washrooms in parks

Outdoor picnic tables, benches & shelters in apark or recreational area

PlaygroundsUse of facilities for organized sporting activities

Alternative summer camp program

SPLASH PADSNOW OPEN

Inspected and cleaned daily as per Ministry of HealthguidelinesCannot be sanitized at all times

Time limit use to give others an opportunity touse the amenity

You must follow all Provincial orders and Public Healthguidelines

When using Splash pads, you voluntarily assume all risksincluding any risk of injury, loss, damage and possibleexposure to a communicable disease, including COVID-19.

aurora.ca/covid19

Stay home ifyou are sick

Practice physicaldistancing

Wash your handswith soap and

water frequently

6 FT

Notice Board


TOWN OF AURORA PUBLIC NOTICE

Town of Aurora 100 John West Way, Aurora, ON L4G 6J1 aurora.ca/publicnotices • 905-727-1375

NOTICE OF COMPLETE APPLICATION

The Town of Aurora is in receipt of the following Complete Application under the Planning Act.

APPLICATION: A proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment for a seven (7) storey residential condominium with a total of 136 units, underground parking, private driveway and open space lands. The Official Plan Amendment proposes increased height and density. The Zoning By-law Amendment proposes changing the existing “Rural Zone (RU)” to “Second Density Apartment Residential Exception Zone (RA2-XX)” and “Environmental Protection Zone (EP)”. A related Site Plan Application has also been submitted to the Town of Aurora.

PROPERTY: 15516 Leslie Street

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Part Lot 22, Concession 2 Whitchurch

APPLICANT: Malone Given Parsons

FILE NUMBERS: OPA-2020-03, ZBA-2020-03

and SP-2020-02

RELATED APPLICATIONS: None

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Town Hall is currently closed to the public and additional information and material regarding the proposed Applications can be requested by e-mailing [email protected]. The Planner for this file is Sean Lapenna of the Planning and Development Services Department at 905-727-3123 extension 4346 or [email protected].

Should you wish to provide comments, they may be provided by mail to the Planning and Development Services Department at the same address above, by fax to 905-726-4736 or by email to [email protected] prior to the meeting. Please quote the File Name and Number.

A Statutory Public Meeting to obtain input on the proposal will be scheduled in the future.

Notice of the Public Meeting will be provided in accordance with the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.13.

INFORMATION ABOUT PRESERVING YOUR APPEAL RIGHTS:

Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment

If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the Council of the Town of Aurora or the Regional Municipality of York, as the case my be, to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Aurora or Regional Municipality of York, as the case may be, before the proposed official plan amendment is adopted and the by-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to The Town of Aurora before the proposed Official Plan amendment is adopted and the by-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal unless in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Council of the Town of Aurora, or the Regional Municipality of York, as the case may be, on the proposed official plan amendment and proposed zoning by-law amendment, you must make a written request to the Town of Aurora to the attention of the Director of Planning and Development Services.

PERSONAL INFORMATION COLLECTION NOTICE

The Town of Aurora collects personal information in communications or presentations made to Town Council and/or its Committees under the legal authority of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter c.P.13, as amended. Pursuant to Section 27 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56, as amended, (the “Act”) public feedback to planning proposals is considered to be public record and may be disclosed to any individual upon request in accordance with the Act. If you are submitting letters, faxes, emails, presentations or other communications to the Town, you should be aware that your name and the fact that you communicated with the Town will become part of the public record and will appear on the Town’s website. The Town will also make your communication and any personal information in it, such as your address and postal code or email address available to the public unless you expressly request the Town to remove it. Questions about this collection should be directed to the Town Clerk, Town of Aurora, 100 John West Way, Box 1000, Aurora ON L4G 6J1 905-727-3123.

DATED at the Town of Aurora, this 2nd day of July, 2020.

Aurora and Newmarket break ground on new fire headquarters

BREAKING NEW GROUND – Mayor Tom Mrakas (2L) and Newmarket Mayor John Taylor (2R) were joined by Central York Fire Services Chief Ian Laing (R) and Raymondo Mollica (L) of Remo Contracting for a rainy – and socially distanced – ground-breaking ceremony on Earl Stewart Drive last week. Auroran photo by Brock Weir

By Brock Weir

Ground has officially been broken on the new headquarters for the Central York Fire Services.

Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas and Newmarket Mayor John Taylor joined Central York Fire Services (CYFS) Chief Ian Laing last week to officially kick off construction on Station 4-5 which will serve as both a new training centre and operational headquarters for the fire department serving both communities.

The new station, which is set to be complete as early as next fall, is situated on a four-acre parcel of land on Earl Stewart Drive near St. John’s Sideroad, opposite the Real Canadian Superstore.

Once complete, it will comprise of a 24,000 square foot facility with a price tag of $13.5 million which will be shared between Newmarket and Aurora on a roughly 60/40 split.

“Our Master Fire Plan identified the need for a centrally-located fire station,” said Chief Laing following the ground-breaking ceremony. “It is going to help us with our primary response in this area, which is being developed quite intensively. It is going to help us have backups to the four other fire stations in that we can respond quicker from the centre to any corner of the two communities and that will get us more resources on the scene quicker, which will hopefully make for better outcomes.”

For the last 10 years, the CYFS has been using the Town of Newmarket’s former Operations Centre for training purposes, but that location has proved challenging. Not only is it not a purpose-built training facility, it is located in the heart of a residential area.

“This will help us being more central and crews from Aurora and

Newmarket can all respond here and train,” said Chief Laing. “There will be outdoor training facilities to deal with hazardous materials, vehicle extraction, high angle rescue, and it will also have some interior two-storey high spaces so that we can train for those skillsets in the wintertime. We won’t do live fire burning here. We might use smoke in our rescue scenarios, but we won’t be doing live fire burning. It has taken into account a lot of the things we do on a day to day basis and it is going to allow us to hone our skills and better serve the public.

“We think this is going to make us more efficient in what we do and how we do it, and that is a key component to our Master Fire Plan. Council has been very supportive and we went through a long design process and proved to them that we needed the space and proved to them that we needed the space and needed the ability to respond from multiple jurisdictions throughout the community.

“We’re looking forward to having it built and we think it will be about late next year, the fall or winter of 2021.”

In the meantime, both mayors reiterated their support for the joint initiative.

“This is going to provide both of our communities, but especially Aurora being right here at the corner of St. John’s and Earl Stewart, a better coverage for fire service within our community,” said Mayor Mrakas. It is going to provide for a safer environment for our residents and we always said we needed another station. There were a lot of gaps and this station is going to eliminate those gaps. It has been talked about for a long time and we’re so happy it is happening now. This is an exciting time for our Fire Service and both our communities.”

Added Mayor Taylor: “We know the public wants excellence in Fire Services and fire response and that is what we’re trying to provide here. Just as importantly, it is another example of Central York Fire Services’ success story where you’ve got the only two municipalities delivering fire services as one entity. That this is being built in Aurora is just as important to me as it is to Aurora because we’re in this together and it is one fire service.

“The residents of both communities will benefit, so it is a strong partnership delivering higher levels of service and we know the community wants to see that. Trust me: anyone who has experienced a fire knows the value of a good response from Fire Services and that is what we’re seeking to do.”


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Machell’s Corners

BROCK’S BANTER

Setting up for the future: Canada Day Edition

To submit a letter to the editor, please send your email to [email protected]. Deadline for submissions is Sunday at 1 p.m.

Main number 905-727-3300 • Fax number 905-727-2620

Subscriptions available within Canada and U.S.email: [email protected]

Founder Ron Wallace

Publisher Emeritus Rosemary Schumaker

EDITORIAL POLICYOpinions expressed by columnists, contributors and letter writers are not necessarily those of The Auroran. Letters must include name and phone number, although number will not be published. Letters may be edited or refused. All contents protected by copyright.

ADVERTISING POLICYPublisher is not liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. Disputes must be brought to the attention of the publisher prior to the following edition.

Aurora’s Community Newspaper

The Auroran Newspaper Company Ltd. 15213 Yonge Street, Suite 8, Aurora, L4G 1L8

ADVERTISINGRachael [email protected]

EDITORBrock [email protected]

GENERAL MANAGERZach [email protected]

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CLASSIFIEDS905-727-3300 [email protected]

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Response follows on page 5 Continued on page 16

I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrow.Just before the pandemic made such

chance encounters even chancier, I bumped into a former teacher who did their level best to teach me math.

They knew the field was never my strong suit; after all, I required extensive tutoring just to scrape by to the next level.

Although it took several years to find out there was an actual legitimate reason why I hit my mathematics peak in Grade 7, by the time my number-crunching education was complete I felt no small degree of relief crawling over that particular finishing line.

So, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, the penny dropped.

“How’s that math going?” they asked with a smirk.

The aforementioned eyebrow went up faster than that red and white pennant on Canada Day.

But still, I paused for a few seconds. They were clearly joking and I knew through the benefit of hindsight that despite their best efforts I couldn’t cast any of the blame for my dismal performance in their general direction. The best I could come up with was gently letting them know that, although I have it at the ready and know how to use it, I haven’t yet in my 34 years had any reason to dust off Pythagoras’s handy little theorem.

Don’t get me wrong; many people apply it day in and day out in their chosen professions, but my field is rarely one of them.

From there, we had a surprisingly interesting chat about math’s practicality in a changing world.

They didn’t take it too personally (… I hope. Watch the Letters to the Editor section next week) when I told them the math I use most frequently, aside from the basics learned up to Grade 7, are the practical skills acquired in high school business classes – including how to whip up and deploy a balance sheet by hand and budgeting for a family of more than 2.4 children.

In fact, to a certain extent, they had to concede that this is the case for most people.

With this in mind, I welcomed the announcement earlier last week from the Provincial Government that the incoming math curriculum would introduce kids to these practical skills far earlier than they were introduced to my generation.

Beginning in Grade 1, the new

curriculum will teach youngsters “the value and use of money through mandatory financial literacy concepts…teach coding or computer programming skills…to improve problem solving and fluency with technology to prepare students for the jobs of the future; use relevant, current, and practical examples so students can connect math to everyday life.”

Although I question the wisdom of launching a new math curriculum when it is, at this point, unclear if or how publicly funded elementary and secondary schools, not to mention independent schools, will resume this fall, the core principles of last week’s announcement are, in my opinion, a step in the right direction.

But a bigger leap is necessary.If we, as a Province, want to continue

equipping our students from a younger age with the skills they need to navigate an increasingly complex world, a move towards restoring a curriculum that will give students of all ages a basic literacy in our Indigenous history is long overdue.

The final report of the Truth & Reconciliation Commissioned outlined myriad calls to action, necessary steps on a path towards true reconciliation and several calls zeroed in on gaps in education systems across the country.

“We call on the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples and educators to: make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students; Provide the necessary funding to post-secondary institutions to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms; Provide the necessary funding to Aboriginal schools to utilize

Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms; Establish senior-level positions in government at the Assistant Deputy Minister Level or higher dedicated to Aboriginal content in education.

“We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal educational issues, including: Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools; sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history; Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect; Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.

“We call upon all levels of government that provide public funds to denominational schools to require such schools to provide an education on comparative religious studies, which must include a segment on Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Aboriginal Elders.”

Some of these tenets have been adopted, including Ontario last year with the introduction of several courses under the banner of “First Nations, Metis and Inuit Studies.”

“The First Nations, Metis and Inuit Studies curriculum introduces students to the rich diversity of First Nations, Metis and Inuit histories, cultures, perspectives and contributions, and to the critical importance of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing in a contemporary global context,” said the Ministry of Education in their roll-out. “Students realize the vision for the program as they: make personal connections to advance their understanding of and respect for Indigenous cultures, languages, histories, rights and perspectives around the globe and their appreciation for the role First Nations, Metis and Inuit individuals and communities in the development of Canada; think critically and creatively about issues of concern to Indigenous peoples and apply the essential understandings and key concepts to First Nations, Metis and Inuit Studies to real-world inquiries about diversity, nation-to-nation relationship building, the

An Open Letter to Mayor and Council on Library Square – and a response

Let me start by thanking Lenore Pressley for her excellent letter in last week’s Auroran regarding Library Square.

I share many of the same concerns. As mentioned in that letter, funding for the Library Square project is from a combination of sources – including various municipal reserve funds and one-time income sources, a promised contribution from the federal government, and a “modest” increase in taxes, all of which raise red flags for me.

Over the past several weeks there have been a number of reports, commentaries and opinion pieces in the media on the state of government finances at all levels, and the long-term implications of these.

At the federal level, incomprehensible sums are being spent to support people and businesses during the lock-down. Large sums are being allocated to similar ends by our Ontario government, including substantial increases to healthcare and senior care.

At the same time, we are seeing significant impacts in our local government finances. Nobody has any idea how long the pandemic will last or what our “new normal” will be. Under these circumstances, we all need to take a close look at all non-essential spending.

And Library Square is clearly discretionary.

So, let me lay out my main concerns.The first is the very real risk of cost

overrun for such a large project. The Town’s track record, and, to be fair, that of practically all major public sector undertakings, suggest it is inevitable. Add to that, the fact that workplace protocols during this pandemic will likely impact construction efficiencies and further drive up costs.

In my experience as a Project Management professional, there is no such thing as a watertight specification, and little certainty over the costs for a contract that has yet to be written.

Secondly, my understanding of the intent of reserve funds is that they are set aside for unexpected events or emergencies, rather that being another pot of money to be spent when some other opportunity arises.

Thirdly, I wonder if, upon review, the federal government will be in a position to be forthcoming with the proposed grant, given the enormous debt it is currently accumulating. Let alone, that federal money is really just taxpayer money from our “other pocket”, or perhaps that of our children, since we are dealing with long term debt.

And, finally, as a senior living on a fixed income, I am concerned about any talk of increasing taxes. The Town’s annual budget and property tax rate have consistently grown ahead of inflation for many years, so “just another small increment” simply adds to the inflationary trend already too well established.

Council should also consider in these circumstances that there may be more important uses for our precious, one-time Hydro fund, aside from generating interest to pay for operating costs. For example, investing in infrastructure for downtown flood relief. Surely this is a more appropriate investment for these once-in-a-lifetime funds.

In closing, I respectfully request that the Mayor and this Council reconsider proceeding with the Library Square initiative at this time. At a later date, when the dust has settled on this chaotic period in our lives, another conversation can be had about where this project fits into the vision, plans and priorities for this Town.

Colin HoughtonAurora

Brock Weir


Last week, Aurora Council voted to implement the Ward system for the next election by a vote of 4 – 3.

The result was not surprising since five current members of Council, including myself, clearly stated in the 2018 election campaign they supported the Ward system.

Moving to a Ward system was a key issue in the 2018 election campaign. All Candidates were asked their position in multiple debates. It featured prominently in an article in The Auroran, where every candidate was asked their position on moving to a Ward system. We stated our positions in campaign materials. Your election votes provided a clear mandate you wanted us to pursue a Ward system.

As Aurora grew, the discussion of moving to a Ward system has been ongoing for many years. It was a non-binding ballot question in the 2014 election.

Last term, Council tasked the Governance Review Committee with investigating the process of developing boundaries and governance changes related to the adoption of a Ward system.

The initial intent was to implement the Ward system in time for the 2018 election. However, at the Municipal level, a change to wards must be in place at least one year before an election to ensure sufficient time to complete the appropriate public consultation and legal requirements. As a result, the decision to move to the Ward system was deferred until this term of Council.

So, why do I believe a Ward system is needed? I believe a Ward system will lead to greater accountability of Councillors to their residents. Residents will get to know their local Councillor and, in turn, Councillors will be more accountable to the residents they serve. As our community gets larger, it becomes harder for Councillors to understand the breadth of residents’ concerns.

Community specific issues get lost as residents have no local voice on Council.

Workloads are unbalanced as some Councillors are more accessible or take on more responsibility and at times there is “duplication of effort” as multiple Councillors address the same issue. The Ward system will also expand the opportunity for more people to run since candidates will no longer have to incur the expense of a town-wide campaign. This encourages a more diverse field of candidates from across all areas of our community.

As our community grows and demographics change we need to ensure we provide the best possible governance for all Aurorans. The change to Wards is about better governance and better engagement with our community from Councillors. This will lead to a more informed and more engaged community which will make our Town even better. Politicians are often accused of saying one thing to get elected, only to do something different once elected. But I believe we should be held accountable to our campaign promises — so I am pleased to be able to fulfil my commitment to implementing the Ward system.

Apparently turning 55 entitles me to “senior discounts” in certain retail outlets. Funny though, I was 30 two weeks ago, so what happened to those past 25 years? A little travel back in time might help to jog my aging memory.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has provided me with an opportunity to work on a project at the Aurora Museum & Archives, and what better place to explore history; so many interesting and historical things that shed light on who we are and how we came to be the Town of Aurora as it is today.

Major events that helped shape our history such as WWI, WWII and the Spanish Flu pandemic are worthy of time travel exploration (theoretically, of course, as I wouldn’t wish it on Fantasy Island)… Did I mention I’m over 55? As not to be overwhelmed however, I want to focus on the 25 years that flashed before my eyes over the past two week period!

In 1995, my husband and I bought our first house in Aurora and began raising our children. The population of Aurora was 36,000 with approximately 840 businesses. This was a time where there was still farmland along Bayview and St John’s Sideroad; Leslie and Wellington;

there was no Superstore, nor a strip mall on every corner or thousands of homes on small parcels of land. Howard Johnson’s on Yonge St. was in operation, Vic was sharpening skates and children were attending the Wells St Public School.

Now, the population of Aurora is 63,000 with 2,200 businesses and very little room for additional development growth and expansion. We are bursting at the seams, and why wouldn’t we be, after all Aurora was recently declared one of the top 10 sought after places to live in Canada.

Still, after 25 years of growth, so many things have not changed. Sifting through newspapers you can see how both then and now, kids play sports with the Aurora Youth Soccer Club, Aurora Minor Hockey Association and the Aurora King Baseball Association. The Town continues to host incredible events such as the Santa

Under the Stars Parade and Canada Day Celebrations. Who can forget November 23, 2013 the Sesquicentennial Christmas parade that took place during one of the worst winter storms of the decade where human snow banks waited patiently for Santa!

Original street names and century buildings still stand; Tyler, Temperance, Mosley, Yonge, Wellington, Horton Place, the Church Street School and Hillary House. As I deliberately drive down these streets, I cannot look at the charming plaqued homes in the same way. How could I know that I’ve read about the people, seen their clothing, touched their Bibles?

In fact, it feels rather surreal having directly engaged with the artifacts and documents that families have left behind. My travels have made me realize that the Town of Aurora is rich in history that is not lost in the growth.

I have witnessed this growth and one day, perhaps another 100 years from now, someone else will go through the museum artifacts, read about the community of Aurora circa 2020, and be curious about what has changed and what remains the same.

LETTERS CONTINUED

Time flies when you’re having fun

The Aurora Museum & Archives is celebrating…UFO Day! (July 2)

In 1953, the Pressman Toy Corporation released Space Faces, a toy that could transform any vegetable into an alien personality by using sound stabilizer earpieces, cosmic ray nosepieces, asteroid detector eyebrows, super sight eyes or anti-gravity feet. When Space Faces was released, the public was growing more and more fascinated with UFOs and the idea of alien lifeforms. In 1948, the US Air Force began investigating UFO reports under the moniker of Project Sign, which was succeeded by Project Grudge, and finally became Project Blue Book. From 1952 – 1969, Project Blue Book had more than 12,000 reports of UFO sightings or UFO-related events.

THIS WEEK’S NEW POLL

RESU

LTS

TO

DA

TE

June 3

0, 2

020

37%YES NO

63% 0%UNSURE

www.theauroran.comYes No Unsure

Previous poll resultsDo you support dividing Aurora into six electoral wards by the

2022 Municipal Election?

Should it be mandatory to wear masks

in public?

Continued on page 19

MayorTom Mrakas

Getting Things Done

A response from Councillor Harold Kim

Thank you so much for taking the time to communicate your concerns with Council regarding the fiscal status of the Town. It is always refreshing and a pleasure to hear from residents who care about the well-being of our Town.

A “reserve” fund is not a fund for “emergencies” or “unexpected events” despite the image the word “reserve” implies. It could be but that is not how we use reserve funds at the Town. A “reserve” fund is just another word for “account.” We can open up an account or reserve fund when a unique use or activity surfaces.

For instance, we have a Development Charge (DC) reserve fund/account where staff deposits DC monies coming from home builders/developers. We also have an infrastructure reserve fund where we put monies dedicated to capital/infrastructure projects such as road improvements etc. Monies will go into an account related to its specific use. Property taxes will go up regardless of the year.

At the bare minimum, our taxes go up 2 per cent per year to compensate unionized employees and another 1 per cent to contribute to our provincially-mandated infrastructure reserve fund for municipal capital improvements (again, such as road and sewer maintenance). That is 3.0 per cent right there.

I believe our goal for 2021 is approximately 3.5 per cent with or without the Library Square Project.

I believe you are specifically speaking to the Hydro Reserve Fund.

Going back and reading Council reports, any subsequent Council can use the Hydro Reserve Fund as it deems fit for the benefit of the community so long as the procedures are followed from a voting perspective.

Further, in reading between the lines of the purpose (spirit) of the Hydro Reserve, my interpretation is that the fund should be used for a legacy project that would benefit ALL residents in this and future generations.

Nowhere does it state, to my findings, was this ever to be a “rainy day” or “emergency” fund in time of duress.

When I say “legacy” project, I don’t mean the legacy of those in Council, but “legacy” meaning a continual benefit to many, many generations of future Aurorans.

Councillor Harold KimAurora

Proceeding with Library Square is “irresponsible”, says reader

Lenore Pressley’s comprehensive and compelling Letter to the Editor on June 18 regarding the outrageous expenditure for the Library Square project is a textbook example of responsible government and what one would expect from our elected members.

Even prior to the horrific economic mess caused by the pandemic, groveling to scrape together funds needed to get this project started is irresponsible. To even think of continuing with such an abuse of tax dollars during this global upheaval is absurd in the extreme.

At this time, extremely serious recessionary restraint is mandatory. Reports by economic experts state the financial situation likely is the most severe economic recession in nearly a century. To even consider pushing forward with the Library Square is a total loss of reality. The

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Council forges ahead with adopting ward system while some push for more public input

By Brock Weir

When Aurorans were last asked whether they wanted the Town to adopt a Ward System on Council in a referendum held in 2014 alongside that year’s municipal election, just over 12,000 eligible voters answered the call.

Then, 55 per cent of the voters who took the time to answer the question voted against a ward system, with 45 per cent voting in favour.

Last Tuesday, when it became time for Council to make a final decision on adopting a Six-Ward system, the results were flipped but almost equally split with 57 per cent of Council voting to forge ahead and 43 per cent arguing the matter be put on the backburner pending further consultation.

Here’s how each Council member made their case.

MAYOR TOM MRAKAS (Yea)Adopting a ward system was a question

of delivering on an election promise for Mayor Tom Mrakas.

Council, he said, has been discussing moving to a ward system for several years and noted that when the 2014 – 2018 Council voted to reduce the size of Council from eight members to six in time for the 2018 election, it was pitched as the first step on the road to delivering a ward system.

“We voted in favour of that, knowing that we’re going to go forward with looking at becoming wards,” he said, adding that it was agreed to let the next Council take the next steps on that road. “We have openly discussed ward systems since that 2014 referendum. I said many times I am in favour of it. I believe the public needs to be involved. They have a right to know what each one of us, as elected officials, what our stance is and during the 2018 election, that is why I openly ran on the promise of bringing wards to Council…and to implement it by 2022. I have kept that promise and I have kept that promise to bring Council [to] make a decision, and that’s what we’re doing here tonight.”

As Aurora grows, it is incumbent on Council to look at the best form of representation for the whole Town and adopting a ward system would not only increase engagement, but open the electoral process to a “more diverse” field of candidates, he argued.

“[Knocking on doors during election time], how many times have we heard it is impossible or very hard to get to every single household in Town?” he concluded. “How can you engage everybody? [You do so] by moving to a ward system and we work together as a team to make decisions. For me, it is time Council does what we

were elected to do.”

COUNCILLOR HAROLD KIM (Yea)In supporting a move towards a ward

system, Councillor Kim said replacing the current at-large system for the new model will increase efficiency and help Council focus.

“On the at-large system which I served in the last six-plus years…there’s a lot of duplication of efforts,” he said. “It’s kind of like you’re watching a duck smoothly swimming across a pond, but underneath you’re seeing the duck just frantically pedalling away. That is what you see when you have residents emailing all of us and asking us about an item and all of us are trying to solve a problem when you might only need one Councillor.

“Residents have a view that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And why not? You only see the surface level of what is going on. But underneath, us Councillors and staff, the efficiency is there, the productivity is not there, and those are the reasons I am in favour of a ward system.

“When you look back at 2014, you had 28 candidates. It is pretty daunting as a new entrant to compete in an elective process with 28 other candidates. In a ward system, there are two or three people [and] you can focus on the issues and its benefits [to] the residents of that ward. There is less barrier to entry to new candidates and I think that is great in a democratic system.

COUNCILLOR SANDRA HUMFRYES (Yea)Councillor Humfryes also cited

efficiencies in her arguments in favour of adopting a ward system.

It was about “accountability and responsibility” first, she said.

“One of the things that happened throughout the week, there were a couple of residential issues that came up,” she said, on the intervening seven days between the last General Committee meeting and the final Council meeting of June. “It’s as simple as a [leash free dog park going behind a residential area] and what it turned out to be was the ratepayers didn’t have an opportunity to communicate to everyone so they didn’t get that feedback. That was going full steam ahead here and we could have stopped a bunch of work the staff have done, a ton of design work and money spent, and luckily that didn’t go through to the last phase.

“All of the residents said if we had a Ward Councillor who would know what these smaller issues are going on in their neighbourhoods…The bigger items, the facilities, everything that goes on, we’re all accountable to that and we’re accountable to every area, not just your area…but in your area you are going to become the subject matter expert of your area and you can have a more focused view of the area.”

COUNCILLOR MICHAEL THOMPSON (Yea)While each system of government

presently in place in Ontario has its own pros and cons, Councillor Michael Thompson said a ward system was best suited for Aurora.

“I recognize that no one system is better than the other [and] that when you put them in context with your community you can see [the benefits] and I truly believe at this time, with our size of population, with the various demographics within Aurora, that the better system of representation going forward is a ward system.

“During the election time, it was a front and centre issue. Everyone on Council was quoted in the paper on their perspective on wards. I believe at that time five of the seven people in front of us said they were pro wards and it certainly was an issue in front of the public for at least the last three years. I definitely take into consideration the vote as well as the ongoing conversations I have had over the last three years. As I have said many times, I think it is the best way forward for the Town of Aurora.

COUNCILLOR WENDY GAERTNER (Nay)In stating her case against adopting a

ward system at this time, Councillor Wendy Gaertner said she was in favour of the Six-Ward model presented by consultants in principle, but instead wanted this model presented to the public in a referendum during the 2022 Municipal Election.

“I support the option, but I don’t support [taking it] to the next level,” she contended. “In [our engagement policy], anything that is going to affect the Town as a whole is supposed to come through a referendum and, as I said in the past, referendums are tricky. To get a decision that the majority of people want has seemed to be elusive, but, as we have that policy in place, I think we should be following it.”

COUNCILLOR JOHN GALLO (Nay)Councillor Gallo offered a similar view,

stating he didn’t think Council should be moving forward with a ward system until another referendum could be held.

“For me, it is not a question of whether or not I want a ward system – I have actually hopped both ways at various times – but I can tell you in my seven or eight years’ experience on Council, I have never once – and I don’t think I am exaggerating – out of thousands of correspondence with residents, have I ever heard a complaint saying, ‘You know what, John? I send emails to everyone and it really bothers me that I get responses from everyone.’

“I won’t disagree that it may not be the most efficient and I agree with my colleagues that having all of us respond may not be the most efficient way of doing business, but I do see some value to that.

The system has worked forever. To me, it is one of those issues that effects the entire community. We went once out to the public and asked their opinion. Sure, it wasn’t an overwhelming ‘no’, but the majority of who did vote, albeit a small percentage of the public, didn’t want it.

“Certainly on very big issues that effects everyone I think it is incumbent upon us to reach out to the residents. I am in favour of doing that prior to making this decision. We may end up in the same place and I would be in favour of sending this back to staff and asking them, ‘How do we implement a midterm referendum’ in order to gauge the community?’”

COUNCILLOR RACHEL GILLILAND (Nay)Previously a proponent of a ward

system, Councillor Gilliland said the options provided by consultants as part of the Town’s Electoral System Review (ESR) were educational, but more information on overall community support for the Six-Ward model was warranted.

“I am the new Councillor on the block and the only experience I have is [in an] at-large, so this was a really great exercise,” she said. “There are lots of pros and cons for wards and at large. Part of becoming a Councillor, I thought it must make sense to have wards and [explore it] at a population level. We all know who to contact, someone responsible for that area and there would be a lot more accountability. What I also learned through this process and reaching out, there are also some things that are cons. It could be that it is divisive, or it could cause negotiations on what issues are important to your ward or somebody else’s. It could actually bog things down and cause reconsiderations and actually slow the process.

“This is kind of the first time we’ve been able to see what those options are and the real question is: is it the right thing for Aurora to do and do residents agree? This report that has been presented is a really great education piece on ward systems and what they would look like, and it outlines the pros and cons and all the different models for us to consider at this point. However, this is the first time residents and Councillors have had the opportunity to examine the options since the Town voted no on the 2014 ballot. This is a very big decision and I fundamentally believe this decision should be something the residents should have the opportunity to voice upon now that we have this education piece. Residents can actually learn from it. I will respect this Council’s decision wherever the chips may fall. I would rather receive this [recommendation] for information and the ESR be referred back to staff [to] help us determine community support on the Six-Ward option or no wards.”


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who joined Mayor Mrakas in voting in favour of the new system.

For those voting against the ward system, it was a matter of public engagement.

Councillors Wendy Gaertner, John Gallo and Rachel Gilliland each expressed concerns there wasn’t a fulsome buy-in from members of the public while citing results from a 2014 referendum held in conjunction with that year’s municipal election which saw voters give the thumbs-up to a reduced number of Councillors but a thumbs-down to a ward system.

“On very big issues that effect everyone, I think it is incumbent upon us to reach out to the residents,” said Councillor Gallo. “I would be in favour of sending the [Six-Ward proposal] back to staff and asking them, ‘How do we implement a mid-term referendum?’ in order to gauge the community. It is an error making this decision without properly engaging the public.”

Members of the public had the opportunity to speak out for or against a ward system at the start of last Tuesday’s meeting.

Resident Rebecca Beaton was the only resident to do so, connecting to the virtual Council meeting via telephone.

“Voters voted against the ward system and yet subsequently a committee was

formed, a consulting firm was hired and $100,000 was spent on this issue,” said Ms. Beaton, asking each Council member to explain their position “in 30 seconds or less…why you are even considering this if a majority of residents said no?”

With the decision now made, however, the Six-Ward configuration, as adopted, will divide Aurora into electoral districts in a model designed to maintain voter parity for more than a decade to come.

Ward 1, barring any later tweaks, will be bordered by the railroad tracks in the east, Orchard Heights Boulevard in the south, Bathurst Street in the west, and the Town’s boundary with Newmarket in the north.

Orchard Heights will be the northern boundary of Ward 2, with Yonge Street at the easternmost edge, Kennedy Street West in the south, and Bathurst in the west.

Bathurst, Kennedy Street West, and Yonge will form the west, north and east edge of Ward 3, with the railway line as the southern marker.

The largest ward by area will be Ward 4, which is bounded at the south by Bloomington Road, to the west by the railway tracks, Wellington Street East in the north and Highway 404 in the east.

Aurora’s fastest growing communities in the northeast will be divided in two by Mavrinac Boulevard.

On the west side of Mavrinac will be Ward 5, which is bordered by St. John’s Sideroad in the north, the rail line in the west, and Wellington in the south.

Ward Six will include the entire northeast quadrant of Mavrinac and Wellington Street West up to the boundary with Newmarket in the north and Highway 404 in the east.

“The recommendation is based on projected populations for the Town, an objective analysis of the ward boundary options for Aurora and two rounds of public engagement,” said consultants in their final report to Council. “Along with

the expertise of the Consultant Team, Round 1 informed the development of four options for a new ward system and Round 2 informed the selection of the preferred option and its ward boundaries.

“Given the projected populations, the recommended ward alignment should serve Aurora for three and possibly four municipal elections – 2022, 2026, 2030, and perhaps 2034. The recommended ward configuration achieves effective representation and is based on principles established by the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal and the Courts.”

Six-Ward system approved by Council on 4 – 3 vote


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Magna’s global headquarters to stay put in Aurora

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By Brock Weir

Magna’s global headquarters will stay in Aurora for the foreseeable future, the automotive giant announced last Wednesday.

Having previously announced in 2015 their decision to move operations to King Township by 2017, their future in Aurora – and York Region – has been subject to considerable speculation in recent years, fuelled by their decision to delay the move and, later, the subsequent sale of lands originally purchased in King to accommodate a purpose-built campus for the company.

The current deal will keep Magna in Aurora for more than five additional years.

“The Town of Aurora is pleased to announce that the Executive Leadership Team for…Magna International has announced that they have decided to maintain their global headquarters in Aurora by signing an extension to their current lease,” said the Town of Aurora in a statement last week. “Since opening its doors in 1997, Magna has been part of the fabric of Aurora for decades. As the company considered its long-term plan for its headquarters, many options were explored. After careful consideration, the Executive Team determined that Aurora remained an ideal location, enhanced by the long-standing relationship Magna has had with the community.”

Mayor Tom Mrakas said in a statement the Town is “grateful” to have Magna stay on board.

“We are grateful to have Magna

Magna, which recently signed a new deal to stay in Aurora for more than five more years, has contributed millions to Aurora and York Region charities, including money raised through Hoedown. Magna founder Frank Stronach and current CEO Don Walker are pictured above at the 2019 event. Auroran photo by Glenn Rodger

as one of our premier corporate businesses,” he said. “Magna has helped Aurora maintain a high profile in the global economy and has been a significant contributor to our local community through events like the Magna Hoedown and programs such as Neighbourhood Network. I want to thank the senior team at Magna for their continued commitment to the Town of Aurora. This is welcome news to Council and residents.”

Magna CEO Don Walker, in turn, thanked Mayor Mrakas for his efforts as Magna reviewed their future within the community.

“After an extensive evaluation, we felt it was in the best interest of our stakeholders to remain in the Aurora community,” said Mr. Walker.

Keeping Magna in Aurora has been a top priority for the municipality since the company first announced its plan to move elsewhere in 2015.

Since then, it has been a focus of the Mayor’s Office and, in the last term of Council, a focus for the Town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee. With the winding down of that Committee in favour of a newly-constituted Economic Development Board, Magna’s retention has fallen largely under the purview of the Mayor’s office.

“This is something that was big for me as soon as I took office, thinking of how do we retain Magna and make sure they stay within the community,” Mayor Mrakas told The Auroran following Wednesday’s announcement. “We worked through

the process of why Aurora should be the place they stay in and why they should be committed to the Town. They agreed and I am happy for it. I think the whole Town is excited that Magna will be here for a long time.

“I think [this shows] that our Town, globally, we’re recognized for having probably one of the biggest automotive giants’ headquarters here in our Town and they have chosen to stay here. I think that speaks volumes about our Town and there is excitement that this is not only going to benefit us from our working relationship with Magna but it also shows the world that Aurora is here, we’re on the map, and other global enterprises will start possibly moving here, which is what we’re working towards: to showcase our Town, say how great we are, and why these global business leaders should possibly move headquarters here to the Town of Aurora.

“This is just another example of a global business that says, ‘Hey, this Town is a great place to be,’ and I think it speaks volumes to our Town, our community, and I think everyone should be proud.”

Earlier this year, ahead of the Mayor’s annual address to the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Mrakas teased his speech would contain a “big announcement” but, shortly before he was due to give the address, the announcement in question had to be moved to the backburner.

That announcement, he conceded last week, was the retention of Magna International.

York Region Mayors support raising of Pride flag

Rainbow sidewalk in the works for Aurora

By Brock Weir

York Region Mayors have reiterated their support of raising the Pride flag following the refusal of the Mayor of Amaranth to raise the banner.

In a letter released by Pflag York Region on Saturday, the Mayors of Aurora, King, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, East Gwillimbury, Markham, Vaughan, Georgina and Whitchurch-Stouffville reiterated their support for the LGBTQ2+ community during Pride month.

“We know this year’s Pride has not been easy and that some community leaders have shared negative views and opinions,” they said. “That is why we feel the need to speak up and show our support for the LGBTQ2 Community. Behaviour that demonstrates ignorance or hate and impacts marginalized groups like the LGBTQ2 community are not bound by borders or municipal jurisdictions. We believe that when you occupy a position of leadership you must speak up and

speak out against words and actions that marginalize and exclude.

“Though we represent the confidence of the majority, we are also tasked with protecting the voices and the lived experiences of marginalized groups within our community. Our LGBTQ2 community includes many sexual and gender identifies whose lived experiences are unique, valid and deserve to be recognized in every way.”

The Pride Flag, they said, celebrates diversity and honours the past – the LGBTQ2 people and allies “who fought for their rights and the fights of future LGBTQ2 people. Raising the Pride Flag is not about political correctness.”

A very visible show of support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community could soon be in the works for Aurora.

Mayor Tom Mrakas says he will be putting forward a motion that will, if approved, transform one of the crosswalks at Yonge and Wellington into a Rainbow crosswalk.

The matter will be up for Council’s consideration on Tuesday, July 14.


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Young actor finds creative – and timely – outlet with The Quaran-Teens

By Brock Weir

During isolation, acting opportunities for aspiring thespians have been few and far between. So, many are stepping up to the plate to create their own opportunities – including 16-year-old Aurora resident Dylan Duff.

The budding theatre and film actor has recently turned this challenge into an opportunity, joining a group of other teens in developing The Quaran-Teens, a weekly comedy series streamed on IGTV (Instagram), that finds the fun in this sometimes trying time.

“A friend from New York who is an actor as well wanted to put together a little video that was sort of like the Full House opening sequence, but a quarantine version,” says Dylan. “He

got a group of us together and it was supposed to be just a little video, but people seemed to be asking when the show came out. He decided maybe he should make it and brought all of us on board.”

It has truly been a collaborative

effort with the young actors taking turns producing and directing episodes of the series.

“It was something really different I hadn’t seen before,” says Dylan, who played professional wrestler Chris Von Erich in the series The Dark Side of the Ring. “I had never been a part of

something like this and I thought it was a really cool way to bring a bit of light, happiness and comedy to people’s lives in a really tough time. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do that and bring some joy to people.”

It was a very different acting experience, he adds. All scenes were, of course, done in isolation and actors did not have scene partners – or an audience – off whom they could play.

“I definitely learned there’s a reason we normally do acting in person or with other people because it enhances the performance to have people to play off of and an audience reaction to meter,” he explains.

Duff, who is looking forward to beginning Grade 12 at Dr. G.W. Williams this fall, was first bitten by the acting bug as a youngster making “silly” short films with his father and cousins. But acting was not something he took seriously until a cousin convinced him to try out for a play. He booked the gig – and he subsequently booked gigs in television and film.

Citing actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese among his influences, he wants to explore all creative avenues of the business. While he has been using his downtime to self-tape auditions, he has also been putting pen to paper trying his hand at writing short films and TV pilots.

He also recently started his own production company, Purple Monkey Pictures, and is looking forward to exploring this creativity to the full once restrictions allow.

He is currently in post production on a short film, Perspective, which explores the relationship between a son and a father with a “questionable” past, their journey to forgiveness and rebuilding their relationship, as well as The Cliff, a film he’s directing, writing and starring in about a group of kids trying to survive in the forest after their tour guide “meets a tragic fate.”

In the meantime, as life begins a return to normal, he hopes The Quaran-Teens will help spread some smiles.

“If you are having a rough time in quarantine, maybe you might want to head over to the Quaran-Teens and get a little joy and have a little laugh while enjoying this little creative thing we’ve made to bring happiness back into some people’s lives.”

For more with the Quaran-Teens, visit www.instagram.com/the_quaranteens_2020

Aurora actor Dylan Duff has kept busy during quarantine, including taking part in an Insta-gram web series with fellow aspiring actors and creators.

Contributed photo

If you are having a rough time in quarantine,

maybe you might want to head over to the

Quaran-Teens and get a little joy and have

a little laugh


Continued on page 16

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Aurora’s Andrew Nembhard on the moveBy Robert Belardi

Aurora native Andrew Nembhard completed his transfer to join the Gonzaga Bulldogs last week.

Nembhard considered Duke, USC, Memphis, Georgetown and Stanford.

Initially, the star point guard declared for the 2020 NBA draft. After further consideration, he felt it was best to continue his college career and transfer from his previous team, the Florida Gators.

Nembhard must sit out under NCAA rules for the 2020/2021 season.

He has two more years of eligibility to play. The No. 2 ranked sit-out transfer player this offseason said there is past history of success with sit-out transfers.

The star point guard left an NCAA March Madness bound Gators squad, averaging 11.2 points, 5.6 assists and three rebounds a game this past year.

The Zags will be adding a versatile point guard that is looking to develop his perimeter game.

There is also a comfort level coming into Gonzaga for Nembhard. The Zags have been known to develop many Canadian players over the past few years, including Kevin Pangos, Kelly

What are the odds? Recreational sports in jeopardy

By Robert Belardi Opinion

The year arrived where sports families have encountered unchartered territory.

It’s already July and not a single summer sports league has resumed, from house league to rep. Semi-professional leagues are still figuring it out and professional sports leagues in Europe have resumed.

When you envision a sports league decommissioned for the year, it’s usually professional. It’s usually a lockout over financial disputes or disagreements that involve players. The 2011 NBA lockout transpired when the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expired. Teams stopped working and, voila, a tumultuous disagreement proceeded.

Here is a very different scenario. We’re talking about youth; adolescents seeking to make names for themselves for semi-pro and professional affiliates. We’re also talking about young athletes playing sports and learning team camaraderie.

It was only a few months ago that speculation began on what protocols might look like and when seasons would begin.

In May, Volleyball Canada released “A Safe Return to Volleyball” guideline to ensure their players have an outline on how to approach the summer.

Founder of Storm Volleyball Club in Aurora, Bruce Stafford, says the heads of this sport were well-prepared with protocols.

“Both Volleyball Canada and Ontario Volleyball have been well ahead of the game with master plans and protocols and the whole bit. They’ve been following along and communicating with all of our organizations,” Stafford explained.

This document suggests volleyball training be moved outdoors with limited participants. Small group numbers have been encouraged until health officials deem it safe to proceed with higher numbers. Even that is the case, that might not be the right decision to have too many athletes all close together.

“I wish it would be that they don’t. The main reason behind it is one of the reasons why we’re not running any summer beach camps this year in any form. We could, with the protocols in place we could run one coach and four athletes on a court and try to leave space on the court. It’s not worth the risk or the aggravation, I guess, on trying to do something on such a small scale.”

Stafford says running a full program will have difficulty adhering to the social distancing measures and further protocols in place. Some teams are currently practicing with limited athletes outdoors to stay in shape and that’s about all they can do.

Within 2020’s tapestry of events, it’s quite difficult to solve the problem with clarity. USports across Ontario cancelled their fall competitions outright. Stafford says volleyball is set to return in January of 2021 and even that might not be enough. He believes there will be further delays closer to the end of the year.

Shuttered from the colossal impact of this virus, what is the next move for parents and their children? Health officials are forewarning citizens to be aware of a second wave later on this year.

A survey conducted by LeagueSide in the United States as described in a webinar hosted by the American University in Washington D.C. says, “49 per cent of parents believe their children will be less likely to participate in youth sports due to financial circumstances, which could leave 20 million kids on the sidelines.”

According to a presentation by Keith Scully and Matt Winkler, 50 per cent of youth sports organizations are at high levels of risk of closing down.

League commissioners and presidents believe; according to LeagueApps, 89 per cent of sports businesses will be severely disrupted, 78 per cent of organizers believe children will not sign up out of fear and 74 per cent of organizations believe their sport will be shut down again due to another COVID-19 wave.

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He says these players are huge for him on his decision joining the program.

He also joins long-time head coach of Gonzaga, Mark Few.

Few last led the Bulldogs to a national championship game back in 2017. The Zags lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels 71-65 in their only national championship appearance.

With this current Bulldogs squad, featuring high prospects such as Jalen Suggs, Julian Strawther and Dominick Harris, Nembhard brings size and basketball IQ to the point guard position. His soft hands make for a unique point guard with a keen eye for recognizing his teammates in the right position.

With the latest NCAA March Madness tournament cancelled, college

basketball will be that much more exciting next year and more exciting when Nembhard graces the court in 2021.


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It was the fight of our lives: Long-term care staff banded together to fight outbreak

By Brock Weir

The call came just after 9 p.m. on April 9.

Stacey MacKenzie and her coworkers sprang into action, knowing there would be a long ahead.

This long evening, which the four staff members were already braced for, turned into a 32-hour shift.

It was, in Ms. MacKenzie’s words, the start of “the fight of our lives” and that 32 hours of non-stop work was just the beginning.

When the phone rang that evening, it was to report that Chartwell Aurora (formerly Resthaven) had its first positive case of COVID-19.

They worked tirelessly to ensure

separate entrances were designated for staff, and that residents were cohorted to prevent the spread of disease.

As a Director of Care specializing in Infection Control, Ms. MacKenzie knew what had to be done, but they didn’t know just what they were dealing with.

“As we went through the six weeks of the virus, we realized that every day was a new day and it changed us,” she says. “It changed our way of thinking. It changed the way we approached things. It was just constant change.”

Staff assigned to the one unit experiencing an outbreak of the virus had no choice but to work double and triple shifts. They had to leave their homes, moving into hotels in order to protect their families.

“My shift never ended,” she recalls. “I was working 24/7 for 49 days straight of COVID plus four days leading up to it and two days after,” says Ms. MacKenzie, a mom of five. “My days consisted of, at minimum, twelve hours and up to eighteen hours. It was constant communication with Public Health, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Health. All my families [I care for] had my personal cell phone number and they were able to call for updates at any time of the day. It never ended. It was updating everyone on a regular basis but also being there for my staff and my residents.

“As we started to lose residents, we realized the complexity of the virus and it took an emotional toll on all of us.”

A particularly trying time was the day Chartwell Aurora lost four residents to the virus over the course of 24 hours. As staff, it was incumbent on them to be there and support each other. That was a tall order. While being in the trenches made this close-knit group of staff even tighter, they couldn’t hug each other when the emotions became too much, nor could they provide a comforting pat on the back.

It was a new world for the duration of the outbreak and during that time staff tried to maintain open communication with residents who might have been left feeling distressed or even confused by measures put in place to combat the pandemic. With masks, shields and other forms of personal protective equipment obscuring once familiar faces, the staff printed out large pictures of their faces to stick to their PPE so residents could identify who was who.

But these printed-out faces were among the few signs of what once was.

“Many policies and procedures had to change in order to maintain the virus on that one floor and protect the rest of the building and everyone came together,” says Ms. MacKenzie. “The

kindness, compassion, dedication, perseverance was absolutely unbelievable. It was really nice, too, to know we had support from our community partners and that was something that on the days we didn’t think we could get through…kept us going.”

But, after 48 days, they did indeed get through it.

Before the Public Health Unit formally declared the outbreak over last month, staff were encouraged by the signs but once it was official, staff allowed themselves – and residents – time to celebrate.

“We filled the elevator with balloons on all shifts and as we opened the elevators the balloons came out,” Ms. MacKenzie recalls with a smile. “We brought in champagne – fake, of course, because we were at work – and we played ‘We Are the Champions’ through the whole speaker system. We cried, we laughed, and it was the fight of our lives. It was also great to finally be at home, hug my husband, have real champagne at home, have a family dinner – it was incredible.”

And while it was the fight of their lives, would she do it again if she had to?

“Absolutely, 100 per cent,” she says without a moment’s hesitation.

“Going forward, even though we’re out of COVID, we’re still in pandemic mode, so everyone (staff) can now go onto the third floor now, which we couldn’t do before, but there is still screening in and out, we’re still wearing our universal masking, we’re still social distancing. We still have amazing staff we have maintained, so we’re above compliment. We are ready again.

“They talk about the second wave. Do I want it to happen based on the last appearance? Definitely not. Are we ready? We are. We learned a lot through the last process, so we’re ready. I hope it doesn’t come, but, if it does, we’ll tackle it.”

Chartwell Aurora’s Stacey MacKenzie is pictured at the long-term care residence’s George Street entrance last week.

Auroran photo by Brock Weir


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Reopening of recreation centres, Library begin to take shapeTown Hall to stay

closed, playgrounds remain off limits

By Brock Weir

On Friday, kids took another step towards a return to normalcy, once again being allowed to beat the heat at splash pads in parks across Aurora.

But it will be a number of weeks before other recreational and public facilities are open to the public, it was decided last week.

Splash pads and public washrooms in parks are the latest amenities to be re-opened under Stage 2 of the Province’s plan to gear up following mass closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the announcement of Aurora moving to Stage 2 of the Province’s reopening plan, Town facilities, amenities and local businesses can begin to move forward and start to open with a phased-in approach,” said Mayor Tom Mrakas last week. “Our main focus is the safety of the public and staff. The Town will ensure it takes every precaution and considers all health considerations when making the necessary arrangements to open other facilities and resume services in the weeks ahead.

“The pandemic is not over and we must all still continue to follow the health guidelines and advice from officials to ensure our amenities continue to stay open.”

Sports fields will be the next slate of amenities to re-open for use on July 6.

Come Monday, permits will again be issued based on seasonal requests from sports groups but the fields will be permitted for training only. No games will be allowed. There will be no line painting for

sports such as soccer, nor will turf mowing be determined on height. Instead, mowing, grooming and field inspections will take place on a weekly basis.

Allowing the Aurora Public Library to move from its current curbside pickup model to opening its doors to pick-up and drop-off of materials while allowing residents to access services like computers and photocopiers is slated for “early July” although no specific date has been assigned just yet. Once opened, however, patrons will not be permitted to handle books or materials on shelves, nor will they be allowed onto the second floor. Hours will be limited and computer access will be by reservation. Curbside service will continue.

The re-opening of public pools will be staggered.

The pool at the Aurora Family Leisure Complex is currently slated to re-open for private lessons, lane swims, aquatic sports, and aquafit classes – with limits on the number of participants – on July 20, with the pool at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex set for a September re-opening.

In order to achieve this, change rooms will be “closely monitored, cleaned and disinfected to maintain standards” while no spectators will be allowed poolside. Hot tubs and spas will remain closed.

Ice pad play is currently scheduled to resume with the issuing of permits in August. Up to three ice pads will be opened in this first stage for training only. No games will be allowed, and there will be no access to dressing rooms or for spectators. There will be a limit of 10 people per ice pad with the remaining pads set to re-open in the late summer or early fall “pending Stage 3 reopening.”

Remaining closed for the foreseeable future will be playgrounds,

indoor walking tracks, the Club Aurora fitness centre, squash courts, the rock-climbing wall at the Aurora Family Leisure Complex and meeting rooms within each of the recreation facilities.

Also remaining closed to the public for the foreseeable future are the Joint Operations Centre on Industrial Parkway North and Town Hall itself.

At Town Hall, a minimal number of staff will work on site until September, but business continues: all planning and building permit applications will still be accepted and processed while marriage licenses, lottery licenses and other applications will be processed by appointment only. Residents remain encouraged to continue to make payments to the Town online or by dropping a cheque into the mail slot at the entrance of Town Hall.

“The ability to start up any facility, program or amenity requires evaluation of the Provincial orders, guidelines, and the ability to implement with current resources (personnel or equipment needs), development of new policies/procedures, communication to the public and user groups, and evaluating the feasibility of starting up (cost and resource implications),” said Robin McDougall, Aurora’s Director of Community Services, in a report

to Council last week. “All this takes time to ensure we cover everything and meet public health’s approval. Staff recognize the public’s interest in getting back to normal as soon as possible; therefore, we’re working diligently to meet expectations while maintaining safety as our top priority. Regardless of when the facility, program or amenity is opened, the public will need to be diligent about personal hygiene and sanitation as it is not practical or possible for the Town to ensure that all sites are sanitized at all times.”

WHERE THINGS STAND ON COVID-19

Aurora-wide, the rate of new cases of COVID-19 remains encouraging, with the number of active cases entering single digits at the start of the week.

At press time, there were a total of 8 active cases within Aurora and 92 cases deemed resolved and recovered for a total of 115 confirmed cases.

15 Aurora residents have lost the battle against the virus.

Of the 115 total cases, 55 are attributed to institutional outbreak, 27 to close contact, 20 to local transmission, 11 to travel, and two related to a workplace cluster.

Region-wide, as of Tuesday evening, there are 322 active cases, 246 deaths, and 2,421 recoveries, for a total of 2,989.


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Exclusive turn lanes eyed for all directions at Yonge and Wellington

By Brock Weir

Turning at Yonge and Wellington has been a decades-long problem in Aurora, but, come 2022, these challenges might begin to ease.

As the Town of Aurora prepares to move forward with a right-hand turn lane at the busy intersection for drivers travelling south on Yonge, the Region of York is forging ahead with more ambitious plans for the crossroads.

“The intersection at Yonge and Wellington has long been the subject of traffic operational studies and initiatives,” said Municipal Engineer Patrick Ngo in a report to Council this week. “As the next stage of improvements, the Region is proposing to realign the Yonge and Wellington

intersection in 2022 by introducing exclusive turn lanes in all directions and parking restrictions on the west side of Yonge Street.”

Until 2022, however, the Town is forging ahead with plans of its own.

Council last week signed off on an increase of nearly $20,000 to bring the southbound righthand turn lane to fruition. The Region has agreed to cost share 50 per cent of the total cost of the lane, including design, construction and land expropriation, and Aurora had previously earmarked $75,000 for the project.

The proposed budget increase cleared the first Council hurdle at a General Committee meeting last month.

The winning bid from Ainsley & Associates Limited clocked in at

$84,038, excluding taxes, and the recommendation now before Council is for a price tag of $94,100 to get the job done. This, however, does not include costs to expropriate land outside of BMO.

The costs of property acquisition, notes Ngo, will be subject of a further report to Council, but it was a matter for discussion when the report came to the table.

“What this project will do is design the envelope that is required for the property, either to be purchased or expropriated,” said David Waters, Planner for the Town of Aurora, responding to Councillor Wendy Gaertner on if there was a ballpark figure on how much the land acquisition price tag might be. “This design exercise will tell us what additional costs are required for construction as well.”

On first sweep on June 16, Council members expressed some relief there was movement on making a difference to traffic flow in this area.

“I do appreciate the Region is putting together a plan to do some left-hand turning lanes and we’re finally addressing some of the issues down at our Yonge and Wellington intersection, which is in dire need of improved traffic flow,” said Councillor Rachel Gilliland. “I really do believe this right-hand turning lane is definitely a huge step moving forward in alleviating some of the bottlenecking and I am happy moving this forward.”

Added Mayor Mrakas: “From a Regional perspective, this was a high priority on the list. As soon as I walked through the door, I sat down with the commissioner and he [asked], from a transportation standpoint, what is

important? I said the interchange at St. John’s and 404 and our Yonge and Wellington intersection. We have been working on this and I think we’re going to make good on this and finally make some movement on our Yonge and Wellington intersection from a Regional perspective.”

With the final cost of the land acquisition still in question, the budget of $94,100 to construct the turn lane includes not only the higher cost of the contract, but contingency funds to cover anything unexpected.

“Due to the nature of construction projects, there is always a degree of uncertainty in terms of site conditions, especially with regards to underground infrastructure,” said Ngo. “The proposed Yonge Street southbound right turn lane is to be installed directly on the existing boulevard with no setback due to property constraints. There are numerous above ground and underground utilities, traffic light poles, controller, red-light camera sensor loops, street lights, bus shelter and municipal services that may need to be relocated.

“It is unlikely that the total replacement of the underground infrastructure will be required; however, a cash allowance was included in the Request for Quotation. The cash allowance is for additional geotechnical investigation if needed during the design stage to establish with more certainty the location of underground infrastructure and its impact on the right turn lane.”

Money for the right-hand turn lane was approved in the last Budget cycle.

Should everything align, municipal staff estimate completion of the turn lane before the end of 2021.

Trail crossings over railway can help bridge east-west divide: Councillor

By Brock Weir

Pedestrian trail crossings along the rail corridor should be given due consideration as Metrolinx prepares to reconstruct the GO tracks in the near future, according to Councillor John Gallo.

Council last week signed off on a motion from Councillor Gallo calling on municipal staff to prepare a list of potential pedestrian crossings for non-motorized traffic along the rail corridor and work with Metrolinx – the Provincial body that operates GO Transit – to make sure such crossings are included in their reconstruction plans.

“During these unprecedented times, Aurora’s trails have been used and appreciated more than ever,” said Councillor Gallo in his motion. “Aurora’s trails serve ‘the dual function of the trails network; as community infrastructure for non-motorized and self-propelled traffic, for utilitarian as well as recreational purposes.

“Key goals to the development of the Trails Master Plan are ‘improve connections between existing trails, and to provide new trails and connections between residential areas, schools, commercial, industrial and institutional establishments, and parks, greenspace and natural areas’ and ‘create a connected network of trails which provide Aurora’s residents with active, healthy lifestyle opportunities, the ability to travel easily throughout Town with opportunities to experience nature without having to rely on a car.’”

The Master Plan, he noted has identified difficulties related to rail crossings and a lack of trail continuity and “in order to properly implement the Trails Master Plan and parts of the Town of Aurora Official Plan, frequent and safe east-west crossing for non-motorized traffic must be established.”

The Town has approached Metrolinx on such crossings in recent years with little success, but Councillor Gallo, speaking to his motion, said their reconstruction plan might provide new opportunities.

“I was looking at the bigger picture…to see whether or not there are other opportunities because of what is happening with Metrolinx,” he said. “It is not Council

spending any money yet; I think it is appropriate to move in somewhat baby steps and really get our feet on the ground in terms of a solid understanding of where we are today and the first resolution is to get a status report from staff in terms of where we are and what their communication has been.”

Tasking staff with identifying such opportunities up and down the rail corridor is an important first step.

“Let’s take advantage of the fact there is going to be a lot of movement on Metrolinx’ part to provide electrified all-day service from Barrie to Union Station and we are bisected by tracks and should do everything possible to make as many east-west connections as we possibly can, particularly [for] non-motorized transportation – utilitarian transportation and the concept of let’s get people out of their cars not just for leisure, but to walk to the grocery store, to walk to the beer store, to walk to wherever you want to walk to, and make it as easy as we can to allow them to do that. That is the whole intent of our trails system.”

With support from staff voiced around the table, Council members followed suit and signalled unanimous approval.

“Seeing as staff support the cause at hand and we are able to identify these areas and not utilize too much of staff ’s time and it isn’t costing the taxpayers any additional costs for consulting or design fees at this point, I think it is a good idea to identify those crossings we feel are important and I think including them in the documents to Metrolinx is the way to go because how else will they understand what those costs are if we were to ask them to do any cost sharing? We have everything put together and this is just one way of ensuring we cross our Ts and dot our Is and we have not left one stone unturned.”

Added Councillor Wendy Gaertner: “I think this is an important move. We have been circling around this for so long. This is the right way to proceed.”


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By Brock Weir

Matthew Deo has set out to make a difference.

The Aurora student who graduated from St. Andrew’s College has left his mark on the community in many ways, including volunteering for such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and Yellow Brick House, and lending his musical talents to spread joy in local seniors’ residences.

But, come the fall, our loss will be North Carolina’s gain as Mr. Deo was one of just three Canadians to win the merit-based Morehead-Cain Scholarship, an accolade which earned him a place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this September.

Deo and his two fellow Canadians are among 70 students from around the world who received the scholarship which covers all expenses of four years of undergraduate studies at the school.

Morehead-Cain Scholars are selected based on “leadership, moral force of character, academic achievement, and physical vigour.”

Over his time at St. Andrew’s College, Deo has exemplified all of these traits and, for his efforts, he was awarded a 2020 Give Back Award from Magna International earlier this year.

“I have to say I think it is kind of the diversity of the activities I do,” says Deo when asked what he thought made him stand out from a very full crowd.

Within St. Andrew’s College (SAC), Matthew has busied himself on the school’s Community Service Council. Outside of their Yonge Street walls, he has been an avid volunteer at his church, helped facilitate Terry Fox Runs, and worked with his school on Habitat for Humanity builds and

Aurora student one of three Canadians to secure North Carolina scholarship

initiatives benefiting the Aurora-based Yellow Brick House.

He has also been involved with the Toronto Youth Summit Innovation Council and, along with five of his fellow SAC students, formed the JazzCan Collective to not only bring the joy of live music into retirement and long-term care residences but also raise money for MusiCounts, a charity dedicated to getting musical instruments into the hands of kids and youth who need them the most.

“A large part of this comes from my parents,” he says of what influenced him to be a community builder in his youth. “Community service and giving back has always been a big value in our family. As far back as I can remember, I have been involved with my church community and once I got to middle school I started volunteering there and on into high school I just kept getting involved in different things, and my family is the biggest influence with that.”

Securing the scholarship wasn’t simply a matter of providing an impressive record of giving. The evaluation process involved essay questions, video interviews, and a selection weekend in North Carolina – a weekend which took place just days before the COVID-19 pandemic would have made such travel impossible.

“I was really fortunate I was still able to go and it was really nice to see what the campus was like and meet some of the people who actually earned the scholarship,” he says. “It was a really, really great process and I am very grateful to get it.

“One of the big things about this scholarship is it is not only encompassing the four academic years, but it also includes the summers.

Each summer entails an experience provided by the Scholarship Foundation. The first one, for example, which is unfortunately cancelled this year, was supposed to be an outdoor leadership course with almost a month of outdoor rigour held in several locations

around the U.S. Besides that, there’s a community impact project and an internship opportunity where before graduation you have the chance to start work professionally in a field you’re interested in. I am definitely going to take advantage of those things.

“I hope that more people from my school apply for this scholarship in the future. I am not the first person to go to this university from my school, but I think I am the first to get this scholarship. I think it was only myself and two other Canadians who got it who are taking the scholarship, so I hope that more Canadians are… let’s start with the community of Aurora, take advantage of this scholarship, or at least apply for it because it is a really great opportunity.”

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Sportscaster joins forces with Museum to share story of Canada’s Birthday Town

By Brock Weir

Canada Day is usually one spent on the road for sportscaster James Duthie.

A resident of Aurora for more than a decade, the TSN anchor is often in studio as Canada’s birthday falls on the NHL’s first day of free agency and is rarely able to return home in time other than to pick up his kids from Canada Day fireworks at Lambert Willson Park.

But, as Canada Day approached this year, Mr. Duthie was looking forward to a new kind of holiday.

There was a chance to make new memories at home with his family – including a new French bulldog puppy – as well as a chance to use his talents to share how his adopted hometown became known as “Canada’s Birthday Town.”

To coincide with Canada Day, the Aurora Museum & Archives launched a new website to help Aurorans celebrate the special day in a new way. Expanding on an online exhibition and short film from 2017 which charted how Aurora earned the patriotic title, the museum took their raw materials and brought on Mountain Goat Film Company to re-interpret the exhibition in a fresh way – in a story told by a new voice.

The next step was enlisting a voice that was both fresh and familiar – and local.

“When I was asked to narrate this film,

I couldn’t pass up the chance to not only learn the history of how Aurora became Canada’s Birthday Town, but also bring the story to life,” said Duthie. “I was surprised to learn how Aurora was ahead of its time celebrating Canada Day on July 1 and after seeing the film I can honestly say that this community has earned the title.”

Good timing also played a part in the collaboration, he added with a chuckle: “With the pandemic and the fact I am a sportscaster with no sports!”

“I am not from Aurora in the sense that I moved around the country a lot and just moved here 10 years ago, but it has really become my home,” he told The Auroran. “It is where I have raised my kids, so there is definitely a real sense of home here and putting down roots, so anything I can do to get involved with my community, I’m there.”

This is indeed the case. For the last several years, with a few exceptions due to prior work commitments, Mr. Duthie has served as the emcee for the annual induction ceremony for the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame, an event that was put on ice for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is through his work with the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame that the Aurora Museum & Archives connected with the host.

“This opportunity sounded really

A still from the Aurora Museum & Archives’ new documentary Aurora: Canada’s Birthday Town, narrated by James Duthie. The doc incorporates vintage and contemporary photos and videos celebrating Canada Days past and present. Contributed photo

neat,” he explained. “Selfishly, I suppose it is cool to have your voice on something that is in the archives of what I now consider my hometown. I had heard this ‘Canada’s Birthday Town’ thing before, in passing a few times over my ten years, but, frankly, I never knew what anybody was talking about! But, as a journalist, we get into this business because of our curiosity to learn things and I just found it was a really interesting story that a bunch of residents on Richardson Drive just came up with the idea of having a party. From there, I guess you can trace all the Canada Day festivities across the country, which I think is a pretty cool story.”

As Mr. Duthie looked forward to spending his first full Canada Day at home with his family in many years, he said he hoped residents who take the time to visit canadasbirthdaytown.ca to watch

the documentary take new stock in the place they call home.

“I hope for the people of Aurora it is a source of pride and also nostalgia,” he said. “For a lot of long-time residents, I hope it does conjure up a lot of memories and I am also hopeful that people outside Aurora get to see the story and recognize [where it started].

“Canada Day has always been one of my favourites. I used to live in Ottawa and it was my favourite day of the year when in my teens and twenties because we would go down to Parliament Hill and it was just such a massive party. To think that the origins of Canada Day festivities started on a street in Aurora I think is pretty cool. I am really hopeful that people across the country somehow get to see the video and realize it all started here.”

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Assuming this is strictly in the United States, is Canada all that far off ? In smaller numbers, we could be equally at the same risk. It wouldn’t be a rash assumption; as a matter of fact, it’s probably more logical.

It’s all speculation on our end but sports

are in jeopardy for 2020. It seems for youth sports there’s a tenuous line between remaining closed and returning to play.

The Canadian Premier League is practicing ahead of a return to play and the NHL, NBA, MLS and MLB are all set to begin this month.

What are the odds? Recreational sports in jeopardy

environment, social justice, and cultural identity; build respectful and reciprocal relationships to support reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and Canadian society; develop essential skills, strategies and habits of mind that support culturally competent, interdisciplinary learning based on research and inquiry; [and] use appropriate technology as a tool to help them gather and analyse information, solve problems and communicate.”

It’s a good start, but there are two problems: these fields of study are limited to secondary school students and, most troublingly, they are elective.

The new math curriculum, including

an emphasis on coding, will go a long way to equipping students for the jobs of tomorrow with the practical skills required to get there; but in order to know where we’re going, we have to know where we’ve been and, most importantly, where we are today.

Introducing these subjects, albeit often challenging issues, to younger students in a way that is conscious of their age and abilities and making these areas of learning mandatory will go a long way and help equip young Canadians of all background to steer this country over the next 153 years.

And there’s no reason to wait until the 154th anniversary of Confederation to make the leap.

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CHRISTINE'S CHRONICLES

Christine Elliott, MPP Newmarket-Aurora

Now that summer has arrived, I hope everyone in Aurora is enjoying the warmer weather and spending more time outdoors using the trails, parks and patios in our wonderful community.

Every day, most public health units have been reporting fewer than five cases of COVID-19, with many of them reporting no new cases at all. Our collective efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 are working. That’s why on June 19, York Region was able to open more businesses and services as it entered Stage 2 of reopening. This gradual, regional approach will help ensure we build on our successes as a province while ensuring we continue to protect the health and safety of all Ontarians.

How to Stay Safe and ConnectedWith more shops, businesses and

amenities reopen, it’s important that all Ontarians continue to follow public health advice, including practising physical distancing, wearing a face covering if physical distancing is a challenge, washing hands frequently and thoroughly, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Social circles and social gatherings of up to 10 people are safe ways to get back in touch with friends and family. Social circles allow close contact with the same 10 people. You can hug or visit without physical distancing. You must only belong to one social circle. Social gatherings can be with different groups of up to 10 people but still require physical distancing of two metres.

You can enjoy a backyard barbeque or picnic in the park in a gathering.

Visit Ontario.ca/socialcircles to learn more about how to safely create your own circle.

If you’re worried you have COVID-19 or have been exposed to it, you should get tested – even if you don’t have any symptoms. Visit Ontario.ca/assessmentcentres to find a COVID-19 assessment centre near you.

Shop Local - Support Local BusinessesThis week, Ontario is celebrating

International Small Business Week with the launch of the “Shop Local! Shop Safe! Shop with Confidence!” campaign. I encourage everyone in Newmarket-Aurora to support their local small businesses and shop safely.

Helping Parents Return to WorkAs we reopen more businesses and

services, we need to ensure supports are in place so people can return to work knowing

their children will be cared for in a safe and healthy environment.

Child care centres and home care providers across Ontario have been allowed to reopen with strict safety and operational requirements in place. These centres will have specific public health rules, including cohorting, a COVID-19 response

plan, screening, daily attendance records, cleaning, no visitors and implementing drop-off and pick-up protocols in a way that facilitates physical distancing.

The 2020-21 School YearOntario is preparing for the safe

reopening of school in September. School boards and schools have been asked to plan for different scenarios in the fall to ensure students continue learning in the safest way possible. This plan will provide options for parents and can include sending their children back to the classroom, a modified classroom or enter online learning, depending on the public health situation at the time.

An adapted delivery model will be used, which could include attendance on alternate days or weeks, staggered bell times and recess, and different transportation arrangements to ensure the safety of students and staff.

To ensure schools are safe, our government is also investing $4 million for cleaning, cleaning protocols, and financial support to hire additional custodial staff for the upcoming school year.

Last week, our government also released the Province’s new elementary math curriculum to better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.

The new curriculum will help students solve everyday math problems, enshrine financial literacy in the early grades, and ensure every student learns how to code. These are critical skills that will help our students prepare for and succeed in the modern world and in the modern workforce.

Finally, I want to congratulate all Aurora graduates on this great achievement. Your family, friends and community are incredibly proud of you. Keep learning, work hard, dream big, follow through and do your best. I wish you all great success with your future endeavours.

Please continue reach out to my constituency office with any provincial matters. My office is here to support you. Call at 905-853-9889 or email [email protected]

COVID Update

THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020Page 18 Page 19THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020Page 18 Page 19

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Ahead of Canada Day on Wednesday, July 1, Mayor Tom Mrakas (Top) stopped by the Aurora Farmers’ Market for some Canada Day cake, wearing a patriotic mask to get into the spirit. Recently, artisans and other vendors were allowed back into the Market, which opened at the end of May with just farmers and food vendors, as per the Province’s guidelines. Getting back into the swing of things were (Below Left) David Heard who spun some vinyl for market-goers and (Below Right) the Canadian Food & Wine Institute, which has opened the doors of the historic Armoury for fresh fare. Auroran photos by Glenn Rodger and Brock Weir

CANADA’S BIRTHDAY TOWN REVS UP FOR CELEBRATIONTHE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2 , 2020Page 18

THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020Page 18 Page 19THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020Page 18 Page 19

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Voters need to decide on wards: readersThe Electoral System Review Final

Report submitted to Council on 16 June 2020 on the Ward system for Aurora.

While not opposed to a ward system, if indeed we do need to move away from elections at large, then the final decision should involve all of the voices that this will affect.

In the Final Report Introduction on Page 7, it was stated that this was an investigation on a ward system, and then in Chapter 3 of the same page, it states that “This report is the Final Report of the project and recommends a ward configuration for the Town of Aurora.”

So, when did it change from an investigation to a recommendation to a final decision to be adopted without any further community discussion?

On Page 10 of the report, the charts showing the numbers in support of ward options by the general public in Table 1, which shows a clear “first choice” for four wards and a clear “Don’t like” for 6 wards. And in Table 2 by Members of Council and Governance review Ad Hoc Committee shows a clear

“first choice” for the six-ward option, surprise!

During discussions at the three presentations we attended, attempts were made about accepting status quo and not move to any sort of ward system. This was shut down at each meeting as it was claimed to be not in the consultants’ mandate; all they were asked to do was investigate the various options for a ward system, not to decide whether or not to implement it.

We were then told that the final decision will be made by Council and the electorate.

The attempts to discuss is noted in the last chapter on Page 8: “During both rounds, participants also made a number of other comments, which are not directly related to the Aurora ESR.”

If the option to remain at large was not directly related to the ESR then the report should have been filed as information only and not as an object of recommendation and moving forward.

The report as tabled is supporting a six-ward system that Council now has accepted, and are prepared to bring

forward a bylaw of implementation. No wonder they would not allow any discussions; might have upset the intended route.

The feeling that we came away with at all of the meetings that we attended, if we could not remain at large, then the four-ward option would have been the better choice. However, the at-large was never a consideration and the ward option is supported by the results in Table 1 on Page 10.

It is ironic that consultants generally bring in reports that support the Council agendas rather than the electorate choices (I.E. Stable neighbourhoods).

In summary, I strongly believe that we do need another referendum to decide which direction we should be taking, wards or at-large, and to decide the number of wards needed if the ward system is indeed the preferred choice.

This is supported by my letter to the Auroran on June 6, 2019 that the wards system should be decided by the voters.

During this Pandemic it is a bad time to be bringing in motions that directly affect the whole Town when the

Council, Council Chambers and open discussions are not readily accessible.

It does appear to me as if this whole exercise was intended as a self preservation ploy by Council.

Rhonda and John SandersAurora

money isn’t there.Given the massive debt the country

is in, funds will not come from federal or provincial grants.

To siphon money from numerous municipal reserves shows a complete disregard for the serious economic concerns we face. And, to expect that taxpayers will be understanding of increased tax burdens for such an unnecessary facility is simply ludicrous.

Taxpayers are looking for common sense decision-making by Council members and there ought to be a collective “no” to this outrageously expensive and unaffordable project.

J.B. Watson

Aurora

THE AURORAN, Thursday, July 2, 2020 Page 19


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