A Point In The Councillor's Tour

We started out from the Town Hall. Leisure Services Director Al Downey's morning presentation was the longest and naturally the most uplifting. Talking about the facilities for fun and recreation is always most enjoyable.

Mr. Downey's staff created a video showing beautiful shots of parks and buildings and people having fun in swimming pools. skate board facilities, baseball diamonds and such. Mostly children and youth and that always feels good but seniors were featured as well.

There was a shot of Yonge Street lined with pots and planters spilling over with burgeoning colour. That shot is always in the vicinity of the library.

Why would it not?

A mention of the "Culture Centre" reminded me of our plans when the new town hall was being designed.

As a Review Board Member for nine years , I had visited town halls in many towns and cities in Ontario.

Former Councillor Walt Davis and the late Ron Simmons and I took a trip to Vernon in B.C. once, in the seventies.

The late Reg Whiten, a town resident, originally from Vernon B.C. had recently been back to visit. He came to see me to tell me what they were doing over there. He was excited and felt we should go and see. He was a sales associate in Thompson's Furniture Store

Vernon was a town of 18,000, same as Aurora. They acquired a city centre block, demolished it and were rebuildng it from scratch.

It included a town hall, library,art gallery, An arena had tennis courts attached that became a curling rink in winter.

They built a firehall that included living accommodation for volunteer fire-fighters. They had bedrooms,kitchen,lounge,rec-room and a full complement of
firefighters who went out to work every day and were on hand during the night to fight fires.

There was a courthouse.

The project was still only partially complete.

The Town of Whitby Ontario was also the size of Aurora with a similar downtown.

They built their Town Hall in the hills outside the town. It was amazing.

There were interchanging facilities Council functions, areas for formal dinners and receptions, dances, concerts. boy and girl scouts camps.library, art gallery, outside facilities I can't even remember except for the spectacular surroundings.

When we came to planning Aurora's new town hall and its location, I had a lot to tell about what I had seen elsewhere.

So it was built beyond the town's edge where there was plenty of space. The town has grown around it.Wellington Street is developing to meet it fine style.

Our Town Hall was designed with an art gallery.The council chamber can accommodate concerts. Folding doors and wide reception areas are intended for audiences. They were designed for the purpose.

Meeting rooms in the town hall accommodate all kinds of cultural organizations including a writers club.Once we had a problem hearing ourselves in the council chamber because of a band practising in one of meeting rooms.

Meeting rooms at the library also accommodate organizations of all kinds. There's insufficient parking. Activities at the Cuture Centre have aggravated the problem.

Soon after the Town Hall opened we had a Sunday afternoon jazz concert. Parking and seating accommodation is plentiful. It was well appreciated but never repeated. No demand I guess. Or perhaps not the staff at the time to envision what could be.

It's another reason I cannot comprehend why Church Street School was suddenly stolen out from under the museum ,without consultation, to be commandeered as a culture centre.

Like a bolt from the blue, name and function were changed by an appointed board who were not obliged to explain.

We learned first from a Historical Society delegation, a curator was not part of the Heritage Centre's new staff complement.The significance was not immediately apparent.

When the building opened, we discovered by asking, there were no plans for the museum to be up and running. Space had not been provided.

That's when it became apparent, staff complement at the old school would be duplicating entirely the function of the Town's Leisure Services Department.

Subsequently we heard the St Kitts woman was heavily involved at the "Culture Centre" and had free use of the facility for a pre-jazz festival party for which there was a $35. admission charge.

The Jazz festival received a further "sponsorship" of $2,000 from the town and permission to enclose the town park with fencing and charge $5.admission as well as rental fees to vendors.

Despite being advised to the contrary, The St Kitts woman barred convenient access to public washrooms and ordered residents to leave an area which had been provided for them by town staff to enjoy a coffee and a breakfast sandwich.

The original deed for the town park, prohibits in perpetuity, any charges being made to town residents for access to the park.

In my judgment, this situation cannot be allowed to stand...or repeated.