H1N1 CLINICS

For further information please visit the York Region Website at  http://www.york.ca/Departments/Health+Services/H1N1+-+Vaccine.htm

 A hospital for Vaughan - so much closer! 

York Central Hospital and Vaughan Campus of Care Amalgamate

Events are moving quickly in support of a hospital being built in Vaughan much faster than anticipated.

On October 15th, 2009 a gala fundraising event was held in support of the hospital. Over 800 people attended and it was estimated that $700,000 was raised. 

Most important was the announcement made the next day of a $7,000,000 grant from the provincial government to support the development of what is called "The Master Plan". Essentially this grant will fund the detailed work a step away from actually digging the foundation of the new building. This announcement was made just days after it was announced that York Central Hospital and the Vaughan Campus of Care had come to an agreement to amalgamate. In the next few months a joint board will be developed with a majority of the membership coming from Vaughan. The amalgamation will result in two campuses and one health care facility in south central York Region.

Finally, as a result of the funds provided to the Vaughan Campus of Care Foundation by the City of Vaughan, a site for the new hospital has been purchased. The site is located to the north of Canada's Wonderland between Jane Street and the 400 Highway on Major Mackenzie.  

Building a new hospital can cost well over a billion dollars. While the provincial government will pay for 90% of the actual building costs, everything else including the land and the furnishing of the hospital must come from local sources.  

If all goes well Vaughan's hospital could be operational within the next five to six years.

_{Councillor Shefman at the Thornhill Village Festival}

_{September 26, 2009 - This year the Festival was held over two weekends with the September 26 event being focused on musical entertainment.}

_{Help plan next year's event! Volunteers are needed.}

_{Go to: http://www.thornhillhistoric.org/festival/festival_volunteering.html for further information.}

What can be done to get people out to vote in the next municipal election? 

Following the last election in 2006 with its usual poor turnout of voters, Vaughan Council established a task force to look into what could be done to encourage more voters to participate in the next municipal election. The Task Force on Democratic Participation and Renewal was made up of 18 residents and one member of Council, Tony Carella. I was appointed as the Council liaison on the Task Force.  

The ultimate goal of the Task Force was to develop recommendations that would encourage a turnout of at least 50% of eligible voters for the 2010 election.  

The report of the Task Force was presented to Council in October. Council has now requested staff to prepare a report informing us of what recommendations might be implemented for 2010. 

The report contains 16 recommendations as follows:

• introduction of Internet voting
• provide a tax rebate for campaign donations
• prohibit the use of campaign funds generated from previous elections
• extend voting hours
• promote advance voting days as advance voting weeks
• utilize electronic voters lists during the advance voting
• provide alternative voting locations during the advance voting
• modify vaughan.ca's list of registered candidates to include brief messages from each candidate
• rebrand the election and accompanying public relations campaign (from the city)
• increase municipal resources to promote the election
• use mobile signs to advertise the advance voting and the voting day
• use social media to promote the 2010 election
• expand the scope of voter information to include what services the City provides to its citizens
• name, as well as number the City's wards
• hold meet and greet the candidates sessions facilitated by the City of Vaughan
• request voluntary, pro-active, Internet-based disclosure of campaign contributions.

Road Reconstruction 

It's getting pretty messy out there if your road is one of the many in the City being reconstructed or resurfaced. The signs of work starting up are usually bright orange pylons being dropped off in the neighbourhood and curbs being repaired for resurfacing work. If it is a reconstruction job, like what is currently taking place on the western end of Thornridge and the northern part of Charles, it is huge trucks and machines digging up the road. 

While everything possible is being done by our staff and contractors to minimize disruption, please be patient as the end result will be a renewed infrastructure in our neighbourhoods.

Performing Arts York

We are so fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers in York Region who have, for the last 25 years, provided us with wonderful musical programs.  

I had the pleasure a few weeks back to hear a delightful concert by Peter McGillivray, a very talented Canadian concert and opera singer.

Take advantage of the very reasonable cost to attend a future concert. The next one is on November 15 at 2:30 p.m. and will feature Jonathan Crow on violin and Paul Stewart on piano. All the concerts take place at the Thornhill Presbyterian Church on Centre Street. For further information go to: http://www.payr-music.com/

Councillor Shefman and M.P. Peter Kent with trumpeters at the inaugural performance of the 25th Season of Performing Arts York 

 Photo by: Lance Gitter

Enough is Enough

- I am not taking the knocks against our city anymore!

In September a nasty article, stereotyping our city, appeared on a web site called CityCaucus.com. As I tend to do, I responded with the following to the author. If you want to see the original article go to: http://www.citycaucus.com/2009/09/the-city-above-toronto 

Eric you really shouldn't believe everything you read. I know that it is easy and often much fun to use stereotypes rather than try to find out the facts. For example did you know that Vaughan has more green space than any other GTA municipality - we opened 10 parks this year (and that has been our average for the last number of years). In April Council approved one of the most comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Plans in Canada - go take a look. It's called Green Directions Vaughan. And we are going to be embarking shortly on a program to dramatically expand our forest cover everywhere in the City. Sure, we have really ugly stretches of badly planned streetscapes, but doesn't every city?

It's very hard to control growth when you are year after year the fastest growing city in Canada. We all know that you sometimes pay a price for progress. But ask people who live in Vaughan about their City and I think you will find they love being here! Just ask the people who were hit by the tornadoes in August about how they were treated by their neighbours and the City. I have yet to see or hear even one negative comment!

Sure I am now a Councillor - Ward 5 - Thornhill, but I lived in Vaughan since 1982. As a resident I could see the problems, but those problems were always many fewer than the positives I saw.

One more thing;  as the Chair of our Accountability and Transparency Committee I am totally proud of the work we have done in hiring an Integrity Commissioner (one of the first in Ontario), developing a complaints protocol and just a few weeks ago getting unanimous approval of Council for a new Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of Council. In my opinion the best municipal Code in Canada today.

So here is what I would ask you and your fellow journalists to do before you stereotype our great city. Do some research. Find out the facts. Talk to the residents who wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

McLeary Court Community Environment Centre

Have you driven on Highway 7, just over the railway bridge west of Keele Street lately? On the north side of the Highway you will see an architecturally interesting stone building and a number of blue metal roofs. This is York Region's first Community Environment Centre. (turn right on Creditstone and then another right on McCleary and drive to the end of the street). Since it opened in August I have been to this great facility about 10 times. I am constantly gathering up things from my home to dispose of in a manner that is much more sustainable than if placed at the curb on garbage day. 

Don't put your old electronics, televisions, computers, monitors, cell phones, VCRs, DVD players, cameras in the garbage. If you have scrap metal, wood, drywall, concrete and clean fill this is the place to take them.

If you have clothing, textiles, books, DVDs, video tapes, hardware, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, windows and doors, cabinetry, furniture, metal appliances they can all be reused.

Do you shred paper and don't know what to do with it? Shredded paper is NOT allowed in the blue box but you can bring it to McLeary Court. They will also take your Styrofoam packaging.  

Both Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity are also located on site. They really want the things you may no longer need.

Langstaff School Plaque Unveiling 

Councillor Shefman, Joel Hertz - School Trustee, Dr. Ivy Chan - Principal, Uplands Community Learning Centre, two current York Region  students  Gianluca & Sophia  and a former student at the Langstaff School Plaque Unveiling Celebrating 200 Years on site. The plaque unveiling was part of a program sponsored by the Society for the Preservation of Historic Thornhill.

Photo by: Len Dvorkin

OFF-LEASH AREA WORKING COMMITTEE

The City of Vaughan's Off-Leash  Area Working Committee currently has a vacancy for a Ward 5 representative. The "Off Leash Area Working Committee" was established to provide assistance in the development of an off leash area located within the City of Vaughan. The park is now officially open and is located in the Concord/Thornhill Regional Park, just east of Dufferin.

If you are interested in participating on the committee please contact our office for further information.

Gallanough Celebrates its 10th Anniversary on November 8!

Come Celebrate a Neighbourhood Treasure 

On Sunday November 8th from 12:30 p.m.to 5:00 p.m. an afternoon of free events will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Gallanough Resource Centre. The day will begin with an opening ceremony and then feature music, family entertainment, crafts for the kids, prizes, draws and, as befits any good celebration, cake! Bring the whole family to celebrate this important neighbourhood milestone.

The Gallanough Resource Centre (GRC) is named in memory of the Gallanough family who first bought land and settled in Thornhill in 1823. The Gallanough family played many active roles in the community for over 100 years. This involvement culminated with a bequest of $200,000 by the late Dr. Frederick Gallanough "to establish a memorial to the Gallanough family in or about the area presently known as Thornhill..." These funds helped to build the library. At that time the site was owned by Joseph Tanenbaum the developer of the Spring Farm area. Mr. Tanenbaum donated the land.

Napier Simpson, a celebrated Canadian architect, designed the building. Mr. Simpson was quoted at the time as saying that his design was in keeping with the "softer rural feeling of Thornhill."

Mayor Garnet A. Williams presided over the opening ceremony on October 18, 1975 when the facility opened its doors as the Gallanough Library, part of the Vaughan Public Library system. The Gallanough continued in that role until May 1996. At that time the Library Board made a decision to close the facility.

In response to the closing of the Library because of changing needs in the Library system, local residents initiated a project to reestablish their neighbourhood library. With the assistance of the local ratepayers associations and the dedication of many residents, the Gallanough was reborn on November 8, 1999 as the Gallanough Resource Centre,  a community run not for profit corporation with charitable status. The Gallanough is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

Three of the mainstays of the volunteer group are President: Rick Meridew, Secretary: Linda Orriell and Treasurer: Marilyn Braude.

Gallanough is located at the southern end of Brooke Street. From Yonge Street go west on Arnold and make a left turn onto Brooke. Visit Gallanough on-line at www.gallanough.com.

How to Build Community

The other day I was walking through Kensington Market and found a wonderful hand made poster with a "poem" on it entitled, "How to Build Community." The poster is now in my office, but I would like to share some of it with you. Over the next few editions I will include excerpts on how to build community.   

• Turn off your T.V.
• Leave your house (but not just in your car)
• Know your neighbours
• Look up (and around you) as you are walking
• Greet your neighbours (and others as you walk)

   .....More to come in the future.

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

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