Aurora newsmakers that grabbed headlines in 2020

Library Square, rainbow crosswalk, Black Lives Matter and pot shop major issues

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 4, 2021
Lisa Queen

While medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji was the top newsmaker of the year for York Region, here are four Aurora newsmakers that made headlines in 2020.

Library Square

Now under construction adjacent to the Aurora Cultural Centre, Library Square was arguably Aurora’s most hotly debated issue in 2020. The $51.5-million project, opening in late 2022, is the town’s largest-ever capital venture and will help drive downtown revitalization, Mayor Tom Mrakas said. The project includes a 32,000-square-foot addition to Church Street for performance and cultural spaces and an open-air square featuring an amphitheatre and skating loop. While organizations such as the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Aurora Cultural Centre, the downtown Aurora Business Improvement Area and the Aurora Public Library applaud the project, many residents and some councillors have questioned the expenditure, with three dozen residents protesting outside the town hall on Aug. 25.

Rainbow Crosswalk

There was controversy surrounding Aurora’s rainbow crosswalk at Yonge and Wellington Streets, but Tristan Coolman, president of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) York Region, kept calmly reminding residents of its significance as a symbol of inclusion. The first in York Region, the crosswalk -- meant to support the LGBTQ+ community and promote diversity -- was the subject of a political dust-up over funding, was trounced by former mayor Evelyn Buck and was vandalized twice within days of its Aug. 20 opening. York Regional Police called the first incident hate-motivated. Two men are each facing mischief charges in the separate overnight incidents.

Black Lives Matter

While Black Lives Matter rallies were held worldwide, there was no bigger protest in York Region than the June 7 rally in Aurora. Organized by a team of young people -- Chloe Hull, Keenan Hull, Jordan Cangombe, Julia Frappier, Elizabeth White and Léa Robertson -- the Aurora Solidarity Walk saw well over 1,000 people march along Yonge Street to the Town Park, where they gathered for speeches, spoken word poetry, music and two minutes of silence. “We are here today to stand up, we are here to celebrate being black and we are here today to make a change,” Chloe Hull said.

Grant and Jane Willson

Grant and Jane Willson, the owner and creative director of Jane’s Cannabis Shop, were eventually able to open their pot shop on Sept. 12. They had initially hoped to open the store, at the northwest corner of Wellington Street and Industrial Parkway, on National Weed Day on April 20, but COVID-19 got in the way. While Jane’s is the first cannabis store to open in town, five other operators have applied to the provincial government for licenses.