COLUMN: Aurora continues work as warm weather arrives

YorkRegion.com
June 9, 2016
Aurora Mayor Geoff Dawe

The warm weather is here to stay….at least for the next few months!

The warmer temperatures means that there are more people out and about, so I would like to ask all drivers to help keep pedestrians safe by traveling at reduced speeds on our local streets. The Town of Aurora is pleased to be the first municipality in York Region to introduce a School Travel Planning policy. The policy was initiated by the town’s infrastructure & environmental services department and was endorsed by Aurora town council in late 2013. Get your municipal lawn sign today from Access Aurora to remind drivers to be alert and drive slowly in and around school zones.

Aurora is working towards becoming Canada’s most active community.

This work is being led by Sport Aurora’s “Activate Aurora” working group — which consists of a number of volunteers from sport and recreation organizations, the local school boards, Seneca College, the Aurora Seniors’ Association and York Region’s public health department. This cross-sectorial group has been working to establish initiatives using the town’s RBC -Learn-To-Play grant for the last six months delivering various projects, like last week’s PLAY Day that brought 200 grade 2 and 3 students together with teachers at the Aurora Family Leisure Complex.

With the help of the Mayor’s Task Force on Physical Activity, this group will continue their good work in our community. Sport Aurora was recently notified about receiving an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant for the next three years to help us all get active. To learn more about this project, please visit www.beactiveaurora.ca

I would also like to provide an update regarding the Highland Gate developments.

There has been much discussion about the proposed residential development on the current site of Highland Gate Golf Club. Highland Gate Developments Inc. has proposed a development of 184 individual lots and a 10-storey condominium building on the site.

Aurora town council is not in support of the Highland Gate Development in its current form and believes that there are better options, in terms of design and density for that site.

As with any development there are several steps in the approval process, including a number of public meetings and consultations that occurred over the course of the last year.

Highland Gate Developments Inc. has decided to appeal its proposed development to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) prior to council making a decision on the applications.

Aurora town council is willing to attempt mediation with the other parties to try and resolve Council’s concerns.

For more information on Highland Gate Developments, please visit www.aurora.ca/highlandgate

I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the 2016 Community Recognition Awards Winners and the Citizen of the Year, Mary Georgopoulos. Thank you all for your dedication, kindness and countless hours of time that you have devoted to making our community a better place to live.

We are grateful for all of your tremendous efforts.

Congratulations to the Aurora Museum & Archives for receiving $10,000 in funding from The Virtual Museum of Canada’s Community Memories investment program in order to develop an online exhibition focused on Town Park.

The project will come to fruition in June 2017.

Stay connected with us via the Town’s social media feeds, website, Notice Board or the Aurora Matters newsletter.

For more information on Aurora, visit www.aurora.ca

Enjoy the sunshine and stay active outdoors!