Oh Well!!!

Anonymous said...

EVELYN !!!! Where have you been???

"One year we had Santa Under the Stars and that was beautiful. I'm not sure if the stores were open or closed. But most years it has been in the late afternoon when little kids can catch the magic or the magic can catch them."

I have lived in Aurora since 1995 - I don't remember ANY year the parade has not been at night. Check your employer's web site it says "Santa Under the Stars" 6pm to 8pm. Isn't that night?

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I said it's always late afternoon. No I don't check the town's web site to keep me informed. I might see something about myself on there I don't want to read.I was in the parade last year, I'm planning to be in it again this year. Some of the little kids waved and called HI Santa and I wanted to pick them up and hug them.

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Anonymous said...

The parade is at night. The businesses that are there are closed when the parade is on (except for the restuarant-type businesses). How does the parade help the businesses anyways? Do you see floats from Vic's Shoe Repair or LW? No - Our downtown is a pitiful example. Unless the business is a lawyer, doctor or dentist, your lifespan is limited. The hardware store exists because - I don't know why - it's a terrible store to find anything.

Move the parade to the Walmart plaza or Bayview if you want to help business.

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Our downtown has many attractive new stores You won't find their like in WallMart
or Upper Canada Mall.

They are owner-operated stores and if you give them a chance they will show you the difference between chain operations and themselves.

Mike Evans is a unique store for these times. He has stood up to the competition from Canadian Tire, Wall Mart, Home Depot, Rona's and every other big box store that has come to Aurora and Newmarket in the last thirty-five years. He has held his own with Home Hardware which is also a family operated business.And he has acted as single man spokesperson for every business in the downtown core drawing the town's attention to the problems.He has to be doing something right.

Since Vic's Shoe repair shop has been mentioned. let's not forget Vic's Halloween destination for Wells Street school kids in their costumes...The skate exchanges... The hockey teams and soccer teams and baseball teams sponsorships from downtown businesses. The funds raised for the Arthritis Association.

Small businesses support the community with a good heart and they deserve to be recognized for their contribution.

I suggest a stroll downtown. See what the storekeepers have to offer.

Do some window shopping at least.

Or just go in and introduce yourself.

They are your neighbours after all.

They are not your enemies.