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Back to Work! While we all enjoy the lazier days of summer (what summer!!!), for me, the past few months have been especially important as I continued my recovery and geared up for the fall. I am looking forward with great anticipation to the next 15 months of this Council's term of office and into the future. Many of the projects that we initiated will be either completed or be well on their way before November 2010, including the official plan, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Subway and our hospital. All the best to everyone starting new adventures this September, especially young people continuing their education. The Vaughan Tornado Sometimes terrible events bring out the best in people. In late August as everyone knows, a tornado touched down in a number of locations in Vaughan. The major damage occurred in an area east of Martingrove and north of Highway 7 in Woodbridge and east of Jane Street, north of Major Mackenzie in Maple. The institutional response: Literally within minutes of the storm passing through the City, our fire and police were heading to the scenes of the disaster. Within hours the City's Emergency Response Team was in place to coordinate our response. Every municipality in Ontario is legislatively required to establish and maintain an emergency response team. In Vaughan our team was put in place approximately three years ago. Since that time we have been developing our ability to respond appropriately if an emergency should take place in our city. Not only have staff from all departments been assigned responsibilities, they have received extensive training and worked through a number of mock emergencies. Their training was clearly evident the evening of the storm and the days following. Anyone who might have had any doubts about the quality of the administration of our City surely, in seeing the response to the events of late August, will have to cast those doubts aside. On the streets in Maple and Woodbridge after the storm had subsided the residents, many still in shock from what had just occurred, almost immediately set the tone for the next few days. It was a tone defined by people reaching out to their neighbours to do everything they could to help each other. It was one of the finest outpourings of community that can be imagined. Even though the streets were chaotic people somehow sensed that what was important was that a miracle had taken place - nobody had been killed and injuries were very minor. On Friday morning I toured both the Woodbridge and Maple sites with two of my colleagues, Peter Meffe and Mario Ferri. Regional Councillor Ferri is one of the members of Council who sits on the Emergency Response Team. Both Councillors had gone to the affected area the evening before as well. One of the points that they made, reflecting how quickly the City had responded to the storm was that while the evening before the roads were covered with debris, by the time we arrived on Friday most of the material that had been on the roads were already removed. Clearing the roads so quickly not only allowed access to emergency vehicles but as well many contractors were able to get into the area to begin their work. Also, as we walked around the two areas on Friday talking to the residents, the various command centres - Vaughan Fire, York Region Police and Emergency Measures were already in place. As well the Salvation Army had people handing out water and food. Even by noon many homes already had tarps spread across damaged roofs and plywood was being nailed to close up holes in various parts of homes. Perhaps one of the most impressive things that I saw though was that at the foot of many driveways were stacks of plywood. When I asked where the plywood came from I was told that earlier that morning a fleet of Home Depot trucks arrived in the area to deliver donations of plywood and tarps. An incredible gesture by a great corporate citizen! The community response: As commented above, while these neighbourhoods were devastated by the tornado, the response by the residents was outstanding. People just seemed to come together to do everything they could to help each other. Even as I stood in the back yard of one home with a damaged roof, people from the house beside it which had its roof ripped off and tossed against a house across the backyard, were helping to clean up and do repairs. Walking down each street we saw people coming out of homes that weren't damaged bringing food and drinks to their neighbours whose homes were so badly damaged that they couldn't enter to retrieve their property. Everyone seemed to be working together to repair their community. At one point I received an email on my BlackBerry from a Thornhill resident who was already gathering up donations to help out. Other people called asking where they could send donations. The Vaughan Tornado was a terrible event for residents of our City. At the same time it was a test of our ability to respond to emergency situations. Without a doubt, from every report that I am aware of, we passed with flying colours. It was also a time where our community revealed its true nature; one of caring for each other and working for the common good. Congratulations and thank you to the members of our Emergency Response Team, the City of Vaughan staff, the Fire Department, York Region Police, York Region Emergency Measures and all those others from different agencies who stepped forward to help out. The Thornhill Green Annual Festival A Growing Sense of Community In August of 2008, residents from the Thornhill Town Centre area (the area bounded by Bathurst, Centre and New Westminster gathered together to celebrate their new park, the Thornhill Green. One year later, residents came together once again, this time to enjoy what is hoped to be an annual community event.
On the afternoon of August 23 residents from the area gathered to meet with their neighbours, enjoy free food - Marble Slab Ice Cream and Fulton Market Burgers - as well as be entertained by Steven the Great and a musical duo. Planning is already underway for next year's festival. Reporting to our Citizens By this time you should have received Getting the Job Done, The City of Vaughan's 2008 success report. What is so impressive about the report is just how many achievements your municipal government had last year. By far the most important, as revealed in the financial report, is the management of our budget. Despite the constant barrage of negative media reports Vaughan is known in Ontario as a very well managed city, especially in regards to the delivery and implementation of programs and services. The 16-page report highlights the programs and services implemented by the City last year and includes the 2008 financial statements. The City has moved forward with a number of initiatives in 2008, including hiring an Integrity Commissioner and the continuing implementation of the Vaughan Tomorrow growth management strategy which includes the Official Plan Review and the Environmental Master Plan. Other successes include: One of the lowest municipal tax rates in the GTA Diversion of over 60 per cent of waste from landfill through the Greening Vaughan waste management program Receiving the top rating in the GTA as one of the best places to do business by Canadian Business Magazine Numerous staff awards in the areas of environment, community services, planning and technology. Being named 2008-2009 Winterlights Celebrations National Champions The web version of the success report features links to more information. The City's financial statements are available at Getting the Job Done Annual Success Report Preparing the 2010 Budget New Online Forum Now in Place To encourage public input into the City of Vaughan's 2010 budget process, a new website feature has been launched as an online information resource with a convenient way to provide feedback. The 2010 Budget Online Forum is a featured link on the City's homepage at www.vaughan.ca. By participating in the budget process through the online forum and public meetings, residents and local businesses can help define the issues and priorities that will impact the City's delivery of essential services in the next year and in the future. This is part of Council's efforts to engage our residents in the decision making process of the City. Currently, the new website includes the 2010 Operating Budget and Business Planning Guidelines, approved by Council in June. Planned features include an online survey, cost information on current City services, public meeting notifications, special presentations, and the draft of the proposed operating budget for public review and discussion in early November. The City is also planning extensive public consultation including open forums during the fall and winter. The City's Budget Committee will provide a recommendation to Council by December, with final deliberations and budget approval expected in January 2010. Are you still using bottled water??!!!! In a recent Ministry of the Environment inspection of our water distribution systems, Vaughan achieved a 100% quality rating. I guess that means our tap water is just perfect! So why would you not just fill up your new metal, reusable water bottle?
Vaughan's First Off Leash Dog Park Set to Open After extensive study the City will be opening its first off leash dog park at the Concord/Thornhill Regional Park on September 15, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. The Park is located at 299 Racco Parkway, east off Dufferin just south of Highway 407. You can access the park by going east on Racco Parkway (at the Canadian Tire store). Keeping our roads in good condition More projects are approved for Ward 5
Keep an eye out for a notice from the City about the following roadworks:
While most of these projects will involve the asphalt being milled and then an overlay applied the Asquith Place and part of the Rose Green projects will require the removal and replacement of the asphalt. The plan is to complete this work by the end of November of this year. These projects are being done as a result of the funding the City received as part of the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. The funding is equally divided between the Federal Government, the Province and the City.
To All Members of the Muslim Community
Our very best wishes for good health and peace as you observe the month of Ramadan I can be reached at 905-832-8585 ext 8349 or by email at alan.shefman@vaughan.ca Sign up for the W5Update at www.vaughan.ca/enews Missed an edition of W5Update? View current and past editions and sign up for W5Update on the Vaughan website |
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In just a matter of minutes houses were literally torn apart, trees uprooted and cars tossed around. While this storm caused huge amounts of physical damage - over 400 homes are reported to have been impacted - it is the personal trauma that is much more serious. 
After the very successful 2008 park opening the major sponsors and I talked about how we could help develop a better sense of community in this developing neighbourhood by holding an annual program in the focal point of the area, Thornhill Green. While my office provided organizational assistance, Liberty Developments and Smart Centres, the primary developers of the area, took up the challenge and decided to co-sponsor the event.
