One of a Kind - GO SWIM!

Did you know that the only outdoor swimming pool in the City of Vaughan is in our neighbourhood?

The Thornhill pool is located at 28 Centre Street - turn north on Old Yonge Street (just before you get to Yonge) and go down the hill, past the tennis club and the pool is on your right. It is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. and on the weekends from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Councillor's Code of Ethical Conduct Approved in Principle

A leading edge new Code of Ethical Conduct is just one step away from being fully implemented at the City of Vaughan.

Over the last number of months the Accountability and Transparency Committee, which I chair, has been working with our new Integrity Commissioner to develop a comprehensive new Code. The purpose of the Code is to serve as a guide for the behaviour and actions of Members of Council. It demonstrates the City's serious commitment to accountability and the ethical conduct of its members.

The draft Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of Council can be viewed on the City's website at www.vaughan.ca by following the link under the City Hall menu. The Integrity Commissioner, Suzanne Craig, is inviting comments on the draft until mid-August. All comments will become part of the public record. Following the review of the input from the public by the Committee and the Integrity Commissioner, a final draft will be presented to Council for its approval in mid-September.

It's Been a Difficult Time - Thank you for your good wishes

I really consider myself a very fortunate person. Over the last three months or so I have received good wishes from so many people from the community it has been almost overwhelming. I have received emails from residents that I have had only the most fleeting contact write to me and wish me good health. It has been very heart-warming in every way. While so often you hear the negative stories about being in public life - being a politician - this experience has really brought home to me how gratifying it can be to serve the community. Incredibly, at one point I was in contact with a number of Rabbi's, an Imam and a United Church Minister, all pledging to say prayers for me. How amazing!

My story is that about 15 years ago I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. My doctor at the time told me that because it was an "indolent" form of the disease I could be symptom free for many years. Fortunately he was right. The symptoms did appear in late March of this year and, for someone who has really never been sick before, it literally knocked me on my back. While taking some time I am now recovering as I take my course of Chemotherapy. As of late June I started attending Council meetings once again and while I am pacing myself, I am fully engaged in the work I love, helping our community and the City move forward.

Alan and a recipient at the Korean Second Language Awards Night

Thornhill Doesn't get its fair share?? Another myth is dashed.

Thornhill Receives Significant Benefits from Infrastructure Funding

The City of Vaughan is to receive over $30 million in Federal/Provincial Infrastructure funding. This program, announced at the beginning of the year, provides for shared funding from the three levels of government. Projects that the City would have been unable to fund for many years are now going to take place in the next two years. Over 80 per cent of the projects we applied for were accepted. Because of the very tight timelines demanded to submit "shovel ready" projects, the majority of our proposals were to upgrade our road system. We were able to meet the deadlines because of our long-range roads plan that has been in place for a number of years.

 In Ward 5 the projects that were approved include

("micro surface" and "mill and overlay" are engineering terms used to describe different approaches to resurfacing roads) Currently City staff are working to develop the detailed parameters for all of the projects in order to be able to put them out for tender as soon as possible.

The total cost of these projects for Ward 5 is in the range of $9,200,000.

Benjamin Vaughan is coming to Vaughan

Somewhere in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts there is a portrait of a distinguished looking gentleman from the Colonial period of the US. Soon, a high quality reproduction (they wouldn't sell us the original) of Benjamin Vaughan, our City's namesake, will be hanging in our new City Hall. The full story of who he is and what took place to bring his portrait to our City will be told in upcoming editions of W5 Update.

The Art of Diversity Project

In seven to eight months Vaughan's new Civic Centre will be opening. The new building, being built to LEED Gold sustainable standards, will include n a prominent location, a piece of art representing our wonderful diversity.

The project was conceived by one of the Committees that I Chair, the Community Equity and Diversity Committee. This committee is composed of members of the Vaughan community with only one member of Council.  The Committee serves to promote the principles of equity and diversity through a greater understanding of diversity in the community and workplace and to pursue better relations between diverse groups represented in Vaughan.

To celebrate the dynamic spirit of diversity in the City of Vaughan, members of the artistic community will be invited to submit original works of art to be considered for acquisition and public display. The competition encourages artists to focus their creative vision on distinctive aspects of the City's character and to capture the vibrant essence of Vaughan's cultural, religious and racial diversity. One work of art that embodies this special diversity will be selected by a jury panel and displayed prominently in the new Vaughan Civic Centre for the whole community to appreciate and to connect with personally.

Competition will be open to both emerging and established artists in an open call for entries format versus a closed invitation to professional artists only.

Call for Entries will be distributed in August of 2009 - go toVaughan.ca to look for it -- digital entries with all support material must be received in full by February 26, 2010. Artists will be notified of the status of their submission by March 31, 2010, following the adjudication.

This initiative is organized by the Community Equity and Diversity Committee with assistance from the Vaughan Arts Advisory Committee and the Recreation and Culture Department.

Communities in Bloom Event Students from a local school plant shrubs at Oakbank Pond - June 2009

Road Works

The much delayed reconstruction of the Thornridge group of roads, including Brooke Street, Thornridge Drive, Clarkhaven St., Calvin Chambers Rd., Elizabeth St., and Old Jane Street is now scheduled to begin in September. Earlier this year a public meeting was held to consult with residents about the type of road design they wanted. The participants at the meeting overwhelmingly opted for a profile similar to what is currently in place.

The project will involve a total rebuild of all the roads as well as major improvements of the underlying storm sewer infrastructure in order to significantly improve the ability of the area to manage major rainfalls. Over the last year, as a result of the significant flooding that took place a few years back, the City conducted a detailed study of the water flow in the area. These findings will be integrated into this project.

While there will be inconveniences because of the construction, the end result will be well worth the disturbance. Watch for notices of the commencement of the work delivered to homes in the neighbourhood.

Council Responds to the Economic Slowdown

In light of the economic slowdown Vaughan Council has recently approved new guidelines for the development of the 2010 operating budget. Central to the guidelines is expanding the consultation process with residents.

The goal of the approach being taken is to develop a budget that ensures that the tough decisions that will need to be taken in the months ahead also allows us to maintain the quality of our services while having the least possible impact on residential taxes in 2010 and beyond.

Included in the guidelines are specific actions such as:
? Freezing the majority of departmental budgets at 2009 levels
? Developing a strategy to increase non-taxation revenues
? Evaluating vacant staff positions prior to recruitment
? Introducing voluntary time off without pay
? Reducing specific budgets below 2009 levels

These actions are designed to minimize any tax increase while maintaining services. Funding allocated for expenses such as travel, meals, overtime and furniture will be reduced by 10 per cent. Stronger evaluation processes and service reviews of department needs and performances will better align budget allocations with Vaughan Vision 2020 strategic goals. The City will be more rigorous when evaluating departmental funding requests in order to better reflect the realities of the current economic climate. Budget increases will be limited to pre-existing commitments, such as employment agreements and service contracts.

The 2010 Operating Budget Timeline and Guidelines will require early and continuous public consultation including public forums in both the fall and winter. The Budget Committee will provide a recommendation to Council by December with final deliberations and approval expected in January 2010.

If you are interested in getting involved in this process as a resident, watch your local newspapers and the city Web site for announcements about when the consultation sessions will take place. Announcements will also be brought directly to your computer by the W5 Update.

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

It doesn't look like much now, but a new "downtown" is being planned for the City and it will be called The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The downtown development will stretch along Highway 7 and be centred around Jane Street. This area will be developed to offer all the amenities of an urban lifestyle ? restaurants, cafes, hotels, shops and entertainment areas ? as well as urban squares, green spaces, pedestrian walkways and bicycle networks. Mixed-use residential and commercial buildings will be featured. A central feature of the Centre will be the northern terminus of the new subway that is being built from the Downsview station, through York University and ending in the City of Vaughan. 

 

LOTS OF PUNS!!

•  When the baby bird penned his first novel he was just a fledgling author.
• A friend told me he dug a hole in my backyard and filled it with water. I thought he meant well.

 Two French model train enthusiasts were engrossed operating their equipment in an apartment in the Montmarte area of Paris. As the trains went running over the tracks, one of the engines kept falling off the rails each time it went through a certain siding switch. One of the hobbyists, exasperated at the derailments, asked the other if he had an idea why it was happening. His partner took a look at the switch and suddenly came up with the explanation. "Ah, Pierre, "he cried, "I see now the reason why the train keeps derailing. It is too loose, le track."

I can be reached at 905-832-8585 ext 8349 or by email at alan.shefman@vaughan.ca

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