{"id":37542,"date":"2026-01-29T15:51:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T20:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=37542"},"modified":"2026-02-05T15:31:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T20:31:18","slug":"seniors-centre-celebrates-milestone-20-years-in-john-west-way-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/seniors-centre-celebrates-milestone-20-years-in-john-west-way-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Seniors\u2019 Centre celebrates milestone 20 years in John West Way home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Despite the blustery winter weather, the Aurora Seniors\u2019 Centre was an oasis of warmth on January 21 as members \u2013 and special guests \u2013 came together to mark the 20th<\/sup> anniversary of their home on John West Way, which has become one of the Town\u2019s busiest hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glen Sharp, President of the Aurora Seniors\u2019 Association, said when he saw the weather that morning he expected an \u201cintimate gathering of about five or six to us,\u201d but, in a testament to the importance in which members hold the facility, more than 200 packed the building for the celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is truly an honour to be here today as we celebrate a very special milestone,\u201d said Mayor Tom Mrakas. \u201cFor two decades, this Centre has been a cornerstone of our community; a place where people come together, not just for programs, but for connection, friendships, and belonging, and that\u2019s something we\u2019re celebrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI also want to recognize the Aurora Seniors\u2019 Association, whose leadership, commitment, and partnership with the Town has been absolutely instrumental in the success of this Centre. Your dedication has helped ensure that this space continues to thrive [and] evolve to meet the needs of our seniors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayor Mrakas underscored this point by highlighting the contributions of countless volunteers and mentioning several members of municipal staff who have also contributed to the Centre\u2019s success, with special mention to the Town\u2019s long-time Adult Program Coordinator, Karie Papillion, who now holds another position within the municipality, for \u201chelping build the strong foundation that we continue to benefit from today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Centre has always been more than just a building \u2013 it\u2019s a place where friendships are formed, where people stay active and curious, where laughter is shared, and where no one has to feel alone. That sense of community and connection is invaluable and it matters just as much today as it did 20 years ago,\u201d he continued. \u201cAs Mayor, I can\u2019t say how proud I am of the role that this Centre plays in making Aurora such a caring, inclusive, and welcoming place to live at every stage of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCongratulations to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey, past and present, and to many more years of connection, activity, and community ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One person who was there at the start of that \u201cincredible journey\u201d was former mayor Tim Jones, who took time out of his own birthday to celebrate the Centre\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jones said the creation of the Aurora Seniors Centre is one of \u201cthe biggest feathers in my cap\u201d as Mayor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am so proud,\u201d said Jones, noting he worked hand-in-hand with former Aurora Seniors\u2019 Association president Charles Sequeira and his board to make the vision a reality. \u201cI can\u2019t be more proud of the way it\u2019s developed, it\u2019s grown, and it\u2019s enhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of the Aurora Seniors\u2019 Centre dates back to the 1960s when sorority sisters formed what was then called The Friendship Circle, identifying a community need and coming together to fill the gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time the idea for today\u2019s Aurora Seniors\u2019 Centre was conceived, they had a membership that was approximately 400 members, and a further 200 had joined up by the time the present building opened just across the parking lot from Town Hall in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his remarks, Sharp paid tribute to the contributions of his predecessors at the helm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout [Charles Sequeira] this place might not be here,\u201d said Sharp. \u201cNot only was he involved in pushing Council and pushing Mayor Jones to get this building built, I understand he was actually involved in the design, so Charles worked tirelessly to make this place happen. Charles, from everybody here, thank you for making this place possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJim Abram\u2026is a strong advocate for older adults and works with politicians looking for opportunities for us, looking for grants, looking for ways that we can improve the Centre. Jim, again, thank you on behalf of the membership. If you haven\u2019t seen Carol Hedenberg around the Centre, you\u2019re just not coming to the Centre. Carol was a Board member, a President, and she\u2019s involved in so many things around the Centre and does it kind of anonymously most of the time. She was behind most of what\u2019s happened today, so thank you, Carol, for everything you continue to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Past president Dave Legallais was also mentioned for his very important work in steering the Centre through all the challenges of the Global Pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a centre, it\u2019s our community, and when you come in you feel warm, you feel safe, and you feel welcome,\u201d said Sharp. \u201cI\u2019ve been to a couple of other centres, and I\u2019m not going to name names, but it doesn\u2019t have the same feel. We\u2019ve got a different feel here partly because there are so many volunteers who all want to be here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a special place, and obviously you all agree with that or you wouldn\u2019t be here today. Once again, from the Board, from the Staff, from the Mayor, from former mayor Jones, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for coming out today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n\r\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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