Ruby Tuesday

A Saturday Night Live character is a parody of someone everyone has met at a point in their lives.

She pops up alongside another and reiterates comments, aimlessly twisting her hair and gazing about without focus but clearly with a purpose.

Last Tuesday's Council Meeting was the first opportunity to make an observation on the "Gala" opening of the Church Street School.

I noted Honorable M.P.Lois Brown, commended Federal Finance Minister, the Honorable Jim Flaherty for approving a grant .

The Honorable MLA ,Mr. Frank Klees took slight credit for the Trillium grant of $750 thousand received from the Province of Ontario.

I further noted no reference was made to the contribution of $2.3 million provided from the Reserve Fund created by the sale of Aurora Hydro Corporation during the previous Council term.

The Mayor promptly countered with the statement; "Aurora Hydro was not sold in order to pay for renovations to Church Street School"

It was a classic example of irrational disconnect with a purpose.

The funds received from the senior levels of government were helpful in completing various aspects of the project. That the project happened at all was the story worth telling.

In 2005, Aurora and Newmarket were in negotiations to partner Hydro. The Province had made it clear, there were advantages to small utilities forming partnerships and disadvantage in trying to go it alone.

At the very last knockings , an offer was made by Power Stream, jointly owned by Markham and Vaughan, that was too good to refuse.

$25 million were realised in the trade. A resolution was passed by Council which would prevent the money from being frittered away without a clear and significant benefit to the community.

Such a fund generates interest.

At the time, the Aurora Historical Society had committed themselves to raise funds to renovate the old school, take responsibility for the project and for operation once completed. They went so far as to require a legal contract with the town to protect their interests before investing the money they raised. No public resources were committed.

The school had remained vacant for several years. The museum collection was in storage. The curator, whose salary was funded in the main by the town, eventually decided to retire.

$1million was the estimated budget needed . $75oKs. had been raised.

I moved the motion, Councillor Ron Wallace seconded, the shortfall be funded from interest of the Hydro Reserve Fund and let's get the job completed.

Council supported the resolution.

It was the single and last straightforward action taken in the matter.

It turned out the cost to create a useful facility was $2.3 million. The Historical Society forgot all about the contract protecting their interest and backed out completely from any responsibility. Membership numbers (59) were too small, they said.The $750Ks they had raised for the renovations was not mentioned again.

To cut an uninspiring story short, were it not for funds generated from the sale of Aurora Hydro, Church Street School, despite millions invested in it since 1969, would simply have become the eldest of the buildings, comprising half of library square,which fail to justify the space they currently occupy.

It wasn't money from the feds. It wasn't money from the provincial government.It wasn't commitment from the Aurora Historical Society that brought the project to fruition.

It was availability of funds from the sale of Aurora Hydro.