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The BannrrfThe Era LEISURE Thursday Feb ie Towns new recreation blueprint nears approval Gymnasium among projects eyed in leisure plan Its a document three years in the making but pending final approval Tuesday Aurora will have its master recreation plan The majority of councillors voted this week in favour of recommending the revised version of the plan that built on one put together by Monteith Brown Planning Con sultants Councillor and leisure services advisory committee chairperson Evelina MacEachem said The leisure committee version tweaked the priority order of some items on the list and also removed a recommendation that land near be made into parkland instead of being sold as employment land as currently envisioned she said A youth centre and multiuse gymna sium remain in the document but when and when they will he built requires further study she added Theyre in the plan but it doesnt say build a gym or youth centre in this specific year or anything like that and die reason for that is because the committee felt that was an old way of thinking Ms said Its important to do further study such as the youth needs analysis to ensure the right type of facility is built in the right spot she added Theyre in the plan but it doesnt say build a gym or youth centre in this specific year or anything like that and the reason for that is because the committee felt that was an old way of thinking Its not as simple as just build a building and the people will come it doesnt work like that town budgeted for the plan intended to guide parks and recreation development between and 2013 back in 2007 Three years later the town is poised to adopt the document but has already bud geted 100000 for two more studies the youth needs analysis and a land acquisition study to assist in the proper implementation of the new strategy Ron president of Sport Aurora and the Aurora Youth Soccer Club said hes pleased a master plan is at last going ahead after years of waiting But at the same time he is concerned with the lack of clear direction on when and how to enact its many components Such deficiencies were one of the previ ous plans shortcomings he said Thats something were going to have to be wary of because thats why the last plan fell behind Mr said Thats going to be the next hurdle Apart from the lack of firm targets Mr said the town needs to come up with a strategy to deal with the current deficit of parkland in the community If the Hwy lands are off die table then there needs to be an alternative he said add ing he appreciates the economic necessities behind the towns vision for that area dont think we can expect land to just appear he said Id rather depend on good management than good luck Beyond that Mr Weese said he hopes the new gymnasium may be built sooner rather than later as demand for space for sports such as volleyball basketball and badminton continues to grow There are some cooperative arrange ments in place with Yorks school boards but local sports organizations must pay ever- increasing fees and wait in line to use them he said He offered his groups support to help the process along The town has to be careful with how it proceeds with some of the items in the plan because it will be important to get them right Ms MacEachem said With the land acquisi tion study for example the town needs to figure out how it will tackle the deficit of parkland it faces before the situation worsens she said The town has million in its cash-in- lieu coffers but the amount needed to buy the land required to address that parkland deficit Is probably in excess of million she added Similarly the youth centre and gymna sium are a pair of bigticket items that will need to be strategically located to ensure they do the most good Ms MacEachem said add ing activities of other organizations need to be taken into account as the Salvation Army for example is seeking to build a gymnasium close to the Stronach Aurora Recreation Com plex Yd rather depend on good management than good luck Compounding the issue is the fact the town is still paying for that complex We need to maximize our recreation dol lars because theres not an unlimited pot out there Ms MacEachem said Mr Weese said hes happy the plan seems to be moving forward especially considering it was an election promise made by many members of the current council However he echoed concerns of Councillor Evelyn Buck about how the plan was reviewed by leisure services committee for several months prior to being presented to councillors think if there were revisions to be made they should have gone to the people who need the facilities and were consulted the first time and if so there wouldnt have been a need to have this discussion Mr said Bereaved Families of Ontario York Region system designed to help painful reality their loss for information please call of a loved one Saturday February 20 to Saturday March 13 LIFT CHAIRS COMFORT SAFETY STYLE Could you use a lift If any of these points sound familiar to you talk to one of our customer service representatives today to find out how a lift chair could help you or your loved one Do you avoid sitting in some chairs becaise they are too low or too hard to get out of Do you need help getting out of your chair or do you drop into it when sitting down Do you have a condition such as arthritis in your hips or knees which causes pain when you get into or out of a chair Visit your local Shoppers Home Health Care store today for Canadas largest selection of lift chairs and more Call 1800SHOPPERs for a store near you fhmvi SHOPPERS Leading the way to healthier independent lifestyle The Regional Municipality of York NOTICE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD INFORMATION SESSION CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY ORCHARD HEIGHTS BOOSTER PUMPING STATION Town of Aurora Project Background The Regional Municipality of York York Region is planning to increase the existing capacity of the Orchard Heights Booster Pumping Station located on Orchard Heights Boulevard in the Town of Aurora see attached key map York Region has initiated a Class Environmental Assessment study for this project under Schedule B of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment October 2000 amended in October York Regions Water and Wastewater Master Plan Update November indicated the existing pumping station capacity requires expansion to adequately service future system demands OF AURORA How to Get Involved Members of the public and review agencies are invited to a Neighbourhood Information Session to provide input for incorporation into the overall planning process This will help to determine a recommended solution for increasing the existing capacity of the Orchard Heights Booster Pumping Station Representatives from York Region and the project study team will be present to provide both background information and details of the alternatives being considered to date The NIS will be held Date Thursday March 4 2010 Time pm to pm Location Aurora Community Centre Community Centre Lane Aurora ON For additional information please contact the Project Managers listed below If you are unable to attend the and wish to provide comment or if you would prefer to provide comment prior to the please contact Afshin Naserl PEng PMP Project Manager The Regional Municipality of York Capital Planning Delivery Branch Environmental Services Department Street Newmarket Ontario L3Y Phone 8304444 ext Fax Email afshin naseriyorkca Thank you for your participation in this study Nlttl Subramaniam PEng Project Manager Highway 7 East Suite 400 Ontario 0M3 Phone 905 Fax Email nittisubramaniamghdcom TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ONTARIOS NEW TAX PACKAGE Personal Income tax cuts came Into effect January Visit to see how the personal Income tax changes affect you And find out more about all of the tax changes including the harmonized sates tax HST Ontario Ontario