Aurora Banner, August 25, 2016

Page 1

SLOW DOWN

BACK TO SCHOOL

OUR VIEW

MOTORCYCLIST FED UP WITH ‘STUPID SPEEDS’ I PAGE B1

IT CAN BE A STRESSFUL TIME PAGE A3 FOR STUDENTS

HIP PRESENTATION PROVES CBC’s WORTH PAGE A6

Publicationmail agreement #40051189

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016

$1 store sales / 38 pages

905-853-8888

COMMUNITY

Resident questions crumbling of Vandorf Sideroad BY TERESA LATCHFORD

GET CONNECTED

tlatchford@yrmg.com

One Aurora resident is questioning the quality of the reconstructed Vandorf Sideroad. Longtime resident Gord Preece was excited when he heard the town planned to rip up, modify and reconstruct the road that, to him, was in desperate need of an upgrade. His first impression when the road reopened after months of construction was that the new road, including the bike lane, was beautiful. “When it reopened, I couldn’t wait to try out the new bike lane,” he said. “But on my way back home, I noticed the side of the new road was falling away.” He also noticed cracks forming in the newly laid asphalt—and the road hadn’t even experienced vehicular traffic yet. Preece wondered if the town was aware of the situation and began to question how the town selects the contractor to complete the work. “I’m a taxpayer, too, and it’s our money that paid for the reconstruction,” Preece added. “It just seems odd that a brand new road that hasn’t been used yet is already falling apart.” His biggest concern is for the safety of the cyclists. If a cyclist is thrown from a bike, he or she will either go over the guardrail into a ravine or into traffic. Neither outcome is safe, Preece said.

DO YOU AGREE? Have your say. Send a letter to the editor to newsroom@yrmg.com

He contacted the town and wrote a letter to Mayor Geoff Dawe, complete with photographs of the cracks he observed. The reconstruction of the portion of Vandorf Sideroad, 300 metres east of Bayview Avenue to Leslie Street, is a project included in the town’s 10-year capital reconstruction program. The design for the project was completed in 2014 following a public consultation process and council awarded the contract to Primrose Contracting Inc. for $3.1 million in January. Aurora’s infrastructure and environmental services director Ilmar Simanovskis confirmed that the town has received the complaint, but added the situation is common and is the reason why there is a two-year process when it comes to road work. “There are a number of reasons why this happens and, in this case, the grading of the road changed and there may be some settlement that will cause shifting,” he explained. See page A2.

Steve Somerville/Metroland

Aurora resident Gord Preece and Garry Blom are pleased to see this portion of Vandorf Sideroad reconstructed with a new bike lane. However, the road has just reopened after months of construction and Preece has noticed the road is already cracking and crumbling.

COMMUNITY

Homeless, pregnant: Newmarket woman spent 5 weeks on street Couple trying to earn enough money to get to west coast BY CHRIS SIMON

GET CONNECTED

csimon@yrmg.com

Mike Barrett/Metroland

Kelsey Belcher and boyfriend Rein Hobe are hoping to find support for a move to British Colombia.

Kelsey Belcher and Rein Hobe are trying to get onto the road to recovery after an incredibly difficult last few months. The couple moved to Newmarket from the west coast in December to live with Hobe’s father. They hoped for a better life after ties with other family members became strained. But the relationship between the couple and Hobe’s dad quickly soured. So when Hobe’s father found out Belcher was pregnant a few months ago, he kicked them out of his

YOU CAN HELP Anyone who can provide assistance is asked to call Belcher at 289-383-2536.

house, according to the couple. They spent the next five weeks living in a stretch of bush near Hwy. 404, and huddled next to a garbage bin behind a local restaurant, where they got by because patrons and the manager would often drop off food and hot beverages. “He didn’t want a pregnant woman

living in his house and didn’t want me to be with his son,” Belcher, 31 weeks pregnant, said Wednesday. “It’s harder than heck to get into any (shelter). I was getting sick and had to get out of the bush and into residence. You have no family around, nobody to support you. I grew up in the country and if you had no place to stay a friend would invite you to stay with them. When something goes wrong, they’re always there to help you out.” See page A2.

MUSIC

Thousands take in Hip concert viewing in Aurora W BY TIM KELLY

tkelly@yrmg.com

hen it was all over Saturday night and Gord Downie, iconic singer of the legendary Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip, had taken his last bow in his hometown of Kingston, Aurora and Newmarket fans couldn’t have asked for anything more. “It’s amazing,” said Sandy Baslamisli, 40, who watched the show on a giant community screen at Aurora Town Park with about 2,000 other Hip fans on a warm summer night. “They’re a part of our history … it’s a sad night, an emotional night. They did a great job,” she added. Sandy’s husband Murat, 44, who saw the band live once, said “it was awesome, they left everything on that stage.” He said he wished, “Gord the best for his battle to come,” referencing the incurable brain cancer Downie told fans he was battling in May, before the band announced its final tour that culminated in Saturday’s show. That show, which was screened live on CBC and shown at public viewings across Canada, including in Newmarket, Geor-

Tim Kelly/Metroland

A large crowd watches a live broadcast of The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration at Aurora Town Park. gina as well as Aurora, drew millions of adoring fans. They came to pay tribute one last time to a band with a 30-year history, 14 studio albums and dozens of songs that reference

Canadian themes. Downie has a beloved reputation as the band’s lyricist and charismatic lead singer and he didn’t disappoint — delivering hit after hit Saturday evening.

Shannon Drysdale, 39 of Newmarket, who saw the band six times, said she grew up with the band. “Their songs add meanings and memories to everything.” She said her favourite Hip songs are “Ahead by a Century” and “Bobcaygeon,” both of which made the cut last night. Marilyn Merrikin, 47, of Aurora, who saw the band eight times, was so excited about seeing the Hip, she made her own stylized Canadian flag and brought her daughter, Raygan, 18, along too. “Gord Downie and the Hip have played a huge part in my life. For over 30 years now, I loved the Hip, longer than my children have been alive.” Raygan was lucky enough to go to a show at the ACC in Toronto last week, seeing one of their final shows live. Lee Ehring, 55, who saw the band four times over the decades, said he appreciated how, “their music was a reflection of what’s going on in Canada, our history, our heritage. Not too many people wrote songs about hockey. “They were singing about us, here in Canada.” He said he will miss the Hip. “I’m probably going to go home and cry,” he said.

shanahanford.ca

VIsIT YoUr LocaL

F-150 sUPErsTorE! C

M

Y

905-853-5000

18001 LESLIE STREET, NEWMARKET www.shanahanford.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.