SENIOR SCAPE: Happy New Year!

January 1, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Jim L. Abram

The year 2013 was a good one. We made new friends, but we also lost some.
This week’s column is dedicated to those volunteers in our community who do so much, to those dedicated first response professionals who do so much and to everyone who takes the time to read the various columns in The Auroran!
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy writing them.

Top 5 of 2013

(1) Bocce Courts at your Aurora Seniors’ Centre. Watch this column for news of the start of the 2014 Bocce season. New players are always welcome. We have fun.
(2) More parking at the Town Hall/ Aurora Seniors’ Centre! If there is one single issue I hear more about, it is parking. I am not as concerned about available parking as I am about people not falling in the parking lot. Keep it safe folks. Thanks to Town council and staff for building additional parking spaces.
(3) CHATS. Need I say more? There is so much CHATS does for seniors in York Region. What a great group of professionals and volunteers.
(4) Christmas Under the Stars Parade. This event illustrated the tenacity, endurance and community spirit of the families of Aurora. With the epitome of Canadian weather extremes, citizens of Aurora endured and excelled in their celebration of the season. What a way to finish the celebration of Aurora’s 150th birthday!
(5) Members of the Aurora Seniors’ Centre were generous and kind in 2013. I am happy to be involved with this organization.

Bottom 5 of 2013

(1) The Town of Aurora made an important decision. Should Parks and Recreation trucks be green or white? They decided on white. Or was it green? Or was it white. No, green. Maybe blue?
(2) Town officials debated for months on whether to allow three trees to be cut down. I think this should go back to committee and back to staff and then back to committee then back to staff. The trees will die a natural death during the process.
(3) Town officials were busy suing each other in 2013. I certainly hope taxpayers will not bear the burden of this. Can’t we all just get along?
(4) I did not lose weight in 2013. That was a promise I made to myself that I didn’t keep. I will do so in 2014. First snack for the poker group in 2014 will be fruit.
(5) There is no number 5. 2013 was a year of positives not negatives and seniors in Aurora will ensure 2014 is even better by keeping healthy, by keeping active, by being nice.

Next 5 for 2014
(1) Accessibility. Seniors will take the lead, under the stewardship of Tyler Barker and the Accessibility Committee to build ramps to provide better access for those who need it.
(2) We should convert the recently vacated RONA store to a regional distribution centre for the Food Bank. Just an idea. But a good one I think. Aurora cares.
(3) Revitalize downtown Aurora. Make the Promenade plan a reality.
(4) Volunteer. There is no greater reward than contributing back to you community. It makes us all stronger.
(5) Join the Aurora Seniors Centre. You won’t regret it.

Jimmy’s last word: Happy New Year!

For more information on the Aurora Seniors’ Centre and all it has to offer, drop by 90 John West Way, visit the web site www.auroraseniors.ca, email auroraseniors@rogers.com or call 905-726-4767 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.