Vaughan plans to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary all year long

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 23, 2016
By Adam Martin-Robbins

Canada turns 150 in 2017 and the City of Vaughan plans to celebrate the milestone all year long.

“There is so much going on in the world, terrible things that are depressing - just look at the Middle East right now and what’s going on in Syria. We’re so lucky in this country where we live to have these amazing celebrations of not only 150 years; it’s the achievements in 150 years,” said Thornhill Coun. Alan Shefman, co-chair of the Vaughan Canada 150 Celebration Task Force.

Among the initiatives being planned by the city is a collective arts project dubbed Catching the Dream.

Vaughan schools, community service organizations and businesses will be invited to create one-of-a-kind dreamcatchers that will be displayed in various public spaces city-wide.

There’s even a tool kit with instructions and materials to help those taking part in this initiative, expected to be launched in March.

The task force is also planning a “friendly” interactive gaming challenge to take place in September in the emerging downtown known as the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC).

“With the anticipated opening of the subway, we want people to really start talking more about our own downtown and realizing where the (Spadina) subway is,” said Concord/Thornhill North Coun. Sandra Yeung Racco, the task force’s other co-chair.

Celebrating Canada’s sesquicentennial will also be a theme at all other city sponsored events, Shefman said, including Winterfest, Concerts in the Park and, of course, Canada Day, which is being moved to Boyd Conservation Area from Mackenzie Glen District Park.

“It’s a huge venue and we’re expecting to have some really exciting programming coming in,” Yeung Racco said.

Thanks to a $25,000 grant secured through CN EcoConnexions From the Ground Up, the city is funding local tree planting projects as well as a special plaque and ceremonial tree to commemorate Canada's 150th anniversary.

As part of its beautification strategy for 2017, select sites within the city will be decorated with commemorative hanging baskets, large flower pots, banners and flags, and flower bed arrangements.

The task force is also working to encourage local cultural groups, service clubs, seniors’ organizations, businesses and others to plan their own initiatives or events.

The city is developing a funding program to provide small grants to support these initiatives, Shefman said.

April will see the launch of the VaughanLink Ambassador Program, aimed at engaging volunteers who will be tasked with showing their community spirit while helping out at special events or festivals, spreading the news about those events and being advocates of arts and culture.

“We hope people will jump on those things and start talking about it, tweeting about it, and spreading the news to other people,” Yeung Racco said. “We want everyone, from the very young to the very old, to be a part of this, participate and put a mark as part of the 150.”

The city has received a $70,200 in grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage Canada 150 Fund to support its efforts.

To find out more, visit www.vaughan.ca/projects/community/canada150