Councillor Iafrate shares priorities for 2014

Vaughan Weekly
January 29, 2014              
By Angela Gismondi

Councillor Marilyn Iafrate has achieved most of the items on her priority list, but there is still a lot to do in 2014.

“When I ran in 2010, I made a list and 95 per cent of the items on that list are complete,” said Iafrate. “I’m really proud of myself that I set my mind to do them and I’ve done them.”

One of the projects she is most proud of is the installation of accessible swings in various parks throughout the City, including one in her ward.

“It’s a little thing but it means a lot to some people,” she said.

Some of the bigger projects will take longer to complete, Iafrate realizes.

“Some things you can’t finish in a term, they just take longer,” she noted.

One of the major projects she will continue to focus her efforts on is the construction of the new Vaughan hospital, which will be built in her ward. The Ward 1 councillor has been instrumental in the process since the beginning.

“It’s not just about the service for our residents, which we absolutely need, it’s also an economic driver and a catalyst for job creation,” Iafrate explained. “It’s good news for the city. I will do everything I can to support it.”

Another project she hopes to see through to fruition is the building of the new civic centre resource library next to City Hall. The ground breaking is expected later this year.

“The need for a resource library in this community is definitely there,” said Iafrate. “I will be monitoring that every step of the way.”

Traffic is another one of her main concerns for the coming year. An east-west link at either Teston Road or Kirby Sideroad is needed, she explained.

“One of these two links is hugely important especially if development is going to go in there,” she said.”

In Kleinburg, Iafrate hopes to find solutions to the local traffic problems. She also hopes a decision is made on the location of the Pierre Berton Museum.

The North Maple Regional Park (Keele Street, north of Major Mackenzie Drive) was off to a slow start but Councillor Iafrate is hoping to see some advancement this year.

“The community deserves better,” she said.

She also would like to see a policy in place to deal with goose droppings in local parks.

“These are million-dollar parks and people can’t use them because there are geese droppings everywhere,” Iafrate said.

Overall, Iafrate will continue to advocate for transparency and accountability at council. Since the beginning of her term, she has requested a number of policy changes throughout the City.