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Aurora’s Independent Community Newspaper Vol. 10 No. 12 905-727-3300 auroran.com FREE Week of January 12, 2010 Charity merging Entertainment guru, idea is still alive Fabulous Flicks will The idea of three local char- Yonge Street, is conducting a close after 25 years ities sharing a single facility in survey to learn where its cus- Aurora lives on. tomers come from, and how Aurora entertainment staple, "A lot of things have changed in Negotiations are ongoing they get to the Pantry on Fabulous Flicks, is closing its doors the nature of the business and among the Aurora Food Pantry, Saturday mornings. at the end of this month, after a 25- places like Rogers and Blockbuster Big Brothers Big Sisters of York Results of that survey are year run renting films to local resi- are big enough that they will proba- and Hospice King-Aurora with expected to be known by the dents. bly be able to expand their business Jim Irvine and his family, own- end of January. The move comes with the retire- in other ways," she said. "That is not ers of the former Aurora Cable There are 14,400 square ment of owners Craig and Sue such an option for a small independ- TV building on Industrial feet of space available in the Sayers. ent." Parkway South, who want the building, but its location on According to Ms. Sayers, a num- Ms Sayers said with a number of threesome to move into the Industrial Parkway is concern- ber of factors influenced their deci- different developments in the indus- building. ing some members of the food sion to liquidate stock and close try, including the fast growing popu- The Cable building, which pantry. Ann Mortimer’s display of their doors once their lease in the larity of Blu-Ray, it is "really hard to became home for Rogers when The ACI building is located umbrellas will be the first public Aurora Shopping Centre expires at stay ahead of the game”. that firm took over the ACI near Aurora’s new community showing at Aurora’s refur- the end of the month. Fabulous Flicks weathered business, is now empty. gardens, which had been locat- "I think the video business is changing formats from BetaMax to bished Cultural Centre, better Mr. Irvine told The Auroran ed at the corner of Edward going to change in the next few VHS, from Laserdisc to Blu-Ray, in November that he “wanted to Street and Allaura Blvd. before known as the Church Street years," she said. "There are a lot of survived the growth of Blockbuster give something back to the they were forced to find a new School. The exhibit, entitled different ways people can get their and Rogers Video, and watched the community” when he and the home, when the property was “The Great Umbrella Caper”, movies now. I don't think anything demise of about eight other inde- family offered the structure to listed for sale. will feature 30 handmade has taken off yet, but...we just decid- pendent video stores in town. the three groups. The gardens, located in the ceramic umbrellas made by the ed to get out while the going is good. Last week, she and their 10 BBBS of York and Hospice Aurora-owned Alliance Park, are internationally recognized "Twenty-five years in Aurora is a employees began the task of liqui- King-Aurora are anxious to made up of individual plots of land artist. The show opens with a good, long run and the town has dating their stock, halting all rentals move (the former has run out of tended by local residents. reception January 27 and con- been a very loyal and wonderful cus- and offering their entire video and space in Newmarket and the One of three such locations tinues through February 20. tomer base." DVD library for sale to the public. latter is using space in Oak in York Region, the gardens More on the exhibit may be Another contributing factor to the She said it was a "horrendous Ridges, currently part of the are the responsibility of the changing face of the video rental week" as long-standing, loyal cus- found on Page 3, and the Town of Richmond Hill). York Region Food Network of business is the relative cheapness tomers came into the store express- Aurora’s Food Pantry, cur- which the Aurora Food Pantry Mortimer story is on Page 12. and availability of DVDs for pur- ing disappointment over the store rently located in a basement on is a member. Auroran photo by Brock Weir chase, she said. closure. Part 2 2009: the way it was in Aurora One the town's most con- The matter was put to recently Later that month the town's Under construction on Leslie Centre plays in the community, tentious issues in Aurora in 2009 hired Aurora Integrity three swim clubs, the Ducks, Street, south of Wellington, it will council eventually denied the kicked off on May 12, when local Commissioner David Nitkin for Master Ducks and Selkies, were house 450 employees when it is request based on concerns about volunteer Sher St Kitts stood up in review. before council battling for limited completed near the end of 2010. liability issues, and that this might Open Forum and advised council In early June, Aurora had an pool time at the Leisure Complex Members of the Seniors' Centre set a precedent, with other town she had a formal complaint against unexpected visitor, when a 200- and Recreation Centre. were before Council in July. groups asking for similar treatment. Councillor Evelyn Buck. pound black bear was discovered Fortunately, after some heated Although the seniors had the Three months after the issue The allegations included plac- one morning in a backyard in the debate, they eventually agreed to ability to obtain and hold a liquor was raised about Councillor Buck ing unfounded suspicions on the Wellington Street and Wells Street work together to resolve this. licence for their facility, they wanted allegedly making disparaging Canada Day parade committee, area. It was safely caught by Early July saw the sod turned the town to do this for them. remarks about town staff both ver- and creating a poisonous environ- Ministry of Natural Resources staff, on the Region's new three-storey Although no one questioned the bally and in her blog, Integrity ment. and relocated out of town. police building. value of the role that the Seniors' Please see page 13 Pro Series Business Cards Colour business cards The UPS Store ® starting at $26 + taxes. 14845-6 Yonge Street Aurora, ON L4G 6H8 See store for details. T: 905.713.1632 [email protected] 2 - THE AURORAN, Week of January 12, 2010 COMING EVENTS CONTINUING Aurora Legion at 7.30 p.m. Call 905-727-9932. which chronicles the early and often turbulent years of a The Aurora Garden & Horticultural Society meets on * * * * young girl who became queen of England. Barely 18 when the fourth Wednesday of every month at 8 p.m. at the Canadian Federation of University Women holds she is crowned, she is vivacious, fond of parties, and Royal Canadian Legion, 105 Industrial Parkway north in monthly meetings at the Aurora Legion with a variety of prone to flirting with the gentlemen of the court. Sara Aurora. Visitors are welcome for only $2. For more infor- speakers. Contact Beverley at 905-727-2151. Ferguson, Duchess of York, came up with the idea for the mation call Ray at 905-727-6168. * * * * film and fought for more than a decade to have it made. * * * * The Aurora Seniors Evergreen Choir practice in the Her co-producers are Academy Award winners Martin York Highlands Chorus is an award-winning a cappella West-McKenzie Hall of the Seniors’ Centre, every Scorsese and Graham King. Movie is shown at the Aurora Sweet Adelines chorus, a group of women who gather Wednesday from 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. under the direction of Cineplex at 7 p.m. Tickets, at $10, are available at Aurora Tuesday evenings at the Old Firehall, Newmarket, to sing, Enid Maize. Public Library or R & R Books on Edward Street. share in the harmony of friendship and learn the barber- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15 shop art form. York Highlands is always looking for new Aurora Public Library invites you to an informal dis- It’s Family Day at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum women who share the love of a cappella music. Call Karen cussion forum, re. today’s economy, with Roger Strong. on Woodbine Avenue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is at 905-726-2113 or Vikki at informa- Why the old rules may not apply; How to treat your $2. Call 905-727--8954 or 1-888-290-0337 for further [email protected]. RRSP and your debt.