Neighbour Paper Jan 2023 Newmarket Aurora

LOCAL RESIDENT, VOLUNTEER, PRESIDENT OF THE AURORA YOUTH SOCCER CLUB & OUR NEIGHBOUR COVER CONTEST WINNER

ROY COHEN

NEIGHBOUR MEDIA UPDATE

Happy New Year, Neighbours!

Welcome to 2023 and the January edition of the Neighbour Paper. We hope you had a wonderful holiday season, spent with family and friends!

As always, we’d like to thank our community partners and the neighbourhood for helping us build another incredible edition to share with you this month - we hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

Since it’s the New Year, we thought it would be fun to give you some inspiration for possible New

Practice mindfulness

Cook something new each week

Commit to a healthier sleep routine

Exercise your brain Move your body more often

Take the stairs when given the option Drink more water Learn a new skill or explore a new hobby Give yourself more compliments Be a better neighbour • www.neighbourmedia.ca

Each month the Neighbour Paper will make you smile! If you have something you’d like to share or would like help promoting, please email llanning@neighbourmedia.ca

Don’t forget to follow @NeighbourMedia on Instagram and Facebook for real time information and content sharing!

NEIGHBOUR COVER STORY

Roy Cohen - Neighbour Cover Contest Winner

Nominated by Fred Rankel

“He has always been under the radar and has never seeked or wanted recognition, but I feel it is time he got a little”

Roy has been an Aurora resident for almost 35 years and has volunteered over 20 hours a week as a sports coach for almost all of that time. He started coaching his 4 children in various sports including basketball, hockey, and soccer and has coached numerous special needs teams. He is now the President of the largest Sport Group per capita in Ontario; the Aurora Youth Soccer Club.

Roy was the "mastermind" who structured a deal with the Town of Aurora to manage the Aurora Sports Dome, for the benefit of youth, which also resulted in a significant profit to the Town each year.

Roy has never been given any awards or recognition for his contributions to the community, so Fred thought it was time to do so and submitted Roy into our Cover Contest. We are so glad that he did - as Roy is definitely the kind of #goodneighbour that we wanted to get to know and introduce to the neighbourhood.

Photo by Glenn Rodger Photography

Thank you to Club Aurora Fitness Centre

Photo by Glenn Rodger Photography

I love living in Newmarket as it has the perfect balance of a small town feel with every amenity of a big city. I have been fortunate enough to live and experience many di erent towns over the years, but having settled here over 27 years ago, I'm so proud to call Newmarket my forever home. I currently reside in Historic Newmarket in a quaint century home, with only a 5 minute walk to the MSR Brokerage and the renowned Main Street Strip.

Growing up on a farm most of my younger years I learned the de nition of hard work. Being the oldest of 3, I was put in charge of the chores as I was expected to earn my keep.

I also competed in various activities and sports - anything challenging to keep me busy! I have carried this determined mindset into my real estate career for the past 15 years and I strive for client satisfaction, with proven results for my sellers and purchasers.

I'm regularly one of the top 10 agents at MSR and I love to give back to my clients, their families and the community.

I have hosted many events this year to show my appreciation including; Meet Santa, Halloween Bash, Women of Main Street, and Meet the Easter Bunny.

I'm so grateful to work with Main Street Realty, their support and knowledge are unmeasurable!

Mike Cartwright and The Main Street Realty Team hosted a drop-o location for the Abuse Hurts Toy and Purse Drive at their Newmarket location! On December 10th, Abuse Hurts Founder Ellen Campbell and Chairperson Jessica Williams picked up the donations from Sheila Stewart.

Sheila Stewart Salesperson

COBS Aurora - Your Local Community Bakery

At COBS Bread, we’re not shy when we talk about the quality of our ingredients and how we endeavor to continuously improve. It’s no secret that our most used ingredient is flour, and we don’t settle for less than the best. Our flour is grown on farms in Southern Alberta, and milled by P&H Milling in Lethbridge. Our blueberries- Canadian, wild, and packed with flavour. Our feta and our aged white cheddar cheeses come from Paradise Island Foods and are made with 100% Canadian milk.

The COBS Bread Difference: We bake everything fresh in-house all day, every day. When we close our doors each night, we donate our leftover baked goods to local charities. The next morning, we start fresh once again.

Quality ingredients and scratch baking techniques create that warm, buttery smell and happy feeling when you walk into a COBS Bread bakery. You’ll never have to worry about added preservatives in our bread. It’s as important to us as kneading dough or pre-heating the oven. From bun to crumb, this is as pure as it gets.

COBS Bread Aurora is locally owned and employs local residents; from the bakers to the front of house team, we all live, work and play in Aurora and the surrounding area. Everything about us revolves around supporting our community and those who live here!

Partner

AURORA GATEWAY

Letter from

MAYOR MRAKAS

An exciting 2023 in store for Aurora

Happy New Year Aurora!

I really hope you all had a wonderful holiday and spent quality time with family and friends. There’s truly something special about winter in Aurora, from our beautiful trails, to our outdoor rinks, to our festive special events.

One event that I’m particularly excited for is the Mayor and Council New Year’s Levee on Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex.

I always love our yearly Levee, as it gives gives me and the Councillors an opportunity to meet with residents, and gives the whole community a chance to come together to enjoy family-friendly activities such as skating, face painting, balloon twisting and more. I hope to see you all there.

We also have other exciting events and initiatives happening over the first few months of 2023, including Arctic Adventure on February 20, and Black History Month events and celebrations throughout the entire month of February. Look out for more details in future columns, and of course, on social media.

For me, there’s nothing I’m looking forward to more in 2023 than the opening of Aurora Town Square, the dynamic arts and culture hub that will add so much vibrancy to our Town. I want to thank community members for their patience during construction, particularly those living close to the library. Things will certainly be ramping up over the next couple of months, with new information on programming, events and more. So please stayed tuned on my social media channels and also the Town’s for exciting updates. This once-in-a-generation project is so important to revitalizing our downtown and strengthening our arts and culture community here in Aurora.

I look forward to seeing you out in the community!

Christina Vavouleas, a 14 year old student, heard about the BIA toy drive and filled a van with toys for the cause. She went above and beyond and enlisted her schoolmates, soccer team, family and friends!

#goodneighbour

Neighbour was invited to Rediscover Christmas Northridge Community Church of The Salvation Army Central York on December 3rd. A family Christmas event with live animals, interactive nativity, bouncy castles, live music, coffee & cocoa, s'mores & more!

On December 9th, Anna Wood celebrated her 60th birthday! If you were at this year's Aurora Concerts in the Park or the Newmarket Riverwalk Concert Series, in Newmarket, you would have seen Anna dancing front and centre. Happy Birthday Anna, we can't wait to see you dancing in the Town Park and at Riverwalk again this summer.

NEIGHBOURHOOD FEATURED BUSINESSES

Tropical Breeze Caribbean Kitchen

Tropical Breeze Caribbean Kitchen

Bonnie Powell owned a Sunrise Caribbean Restaurant for 8 years before deciding to go out on her own a few months ago.

Tropical Breeze Caribbean Kitchen is a restaurant and caterer serving home cooked, traditional and authentic Jamaican and Caribbean food, including classics such as oxtail, jerk and curry.

Growing up in the restaurant sector and spending 20 years in Jamaica herself, Bonnie knows everything there is to know about Caribbean cuisine. She has gained a loyal following over the years and encourages her customers to provide feedback, as she is confident her food is just like what you would eat in her former home of Jamaica.

With Caribbean music playing, tropical plants filling the space, a fun atmosphere, warm welcoming smiles and the smell of delicious food in the air - you will be transported to the islands when you visit.

Having any type of gathering or celebration? Give us a call. We’d love to do all of the cooking so that you can just relax and enjoy.

Preschool Canada Aurora is proud to offer a bright spacious location in the heart of Aurora with affordable subsidized care, passionate and qualified educators and premium care offered to Infant, Toddler and Preschool. Space is limited as we have opted into the Canada Wide Early Learning Childcare Project aiming to be at $10 a day by 2025. Our passionate educators create enriched programming specifically with your child in mind.

At Preschool Canada Aurora we believe in and value every child’s potential and distinct perspective of the world. In our observations, planning and education delivery, we incorporate four essential pillars into all that we do:

The 13th Annual Empty Bowls by the Pine Tree Potters Guild happened on November 17th. The attendees purchased tickets for the event held at the Newmarket Old Town Hall and selected a bowl from hundreds of handcrafted bowls made by local potters. They then filled that bowl with soup that had been cooked and donated by local restaurants. This year's event raised $20,000 for two local charities, Inn From The Cold and Welcoming Arms. #SOUPer

Where Paths Meet

Welcome to Cousins Steakhouse!

Since 1982, we have been serving the community our delicious specialty items, including steak, prime-rib, BBQ back ribs and seafood. Our chef has 21 years of experience and our front of house team is friendly and knowledgeable. This paired with the casual atmosphere and quality ingredients, makes your meals here with friends and family an unforgettable experience.

Cousins Steakhouse has become a staple in the Newmarket Community and we encourage you to come by to check it out for yourself!

Although we all take different paths in life, “cousins” are forever. Cousins is the place where old & new paths meet

To highlight some favourite memories over these past few months; providing an education session to the summer camper at the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association summer camp, becoming a member of the Aurora Legion, attending the annual 108 Health Promotion Association Family Bonding BBQ, speaking at my first Orange Shirt Day and National Day of Truth and Reconciliation at Fairy Lake.

Participating in and presenting awards at the first annual Run for Newmarket, celebrating Diwali with the Ontario Telugu Foundation at the New Roads Performing Arts Centre, honoring Central York firefighters at their annual Recognition Ceremony, presenting Brandi Ferenc from Southlake Regional Health Centre with a congratulatory scroll for being recognized as one of the 2022 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award winners in the skilled trades category.

Having fun while participating in the Newmarket and Aurora Santa Claus Parades. Visiting and touring local businesses like Book Worms and Co, Market Brewing, Sweet Duchess Kitchen and Café, Addison Marketing Solutions, Wine on Main, Celestica, and many others throughout our community.

Community Together

Since June 2022, I have had the great pleasure of sharing funding announcements across my riding. Some of those include:

• $2.4 millions in funding was provided to the Centre of Arthritis Excellence (CArE)

• Inn From the Cold received two Resilient Communities Fund grants totalling $277,400 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to help recover from the impact of COVID-19

• Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association received an OTF Resilient Communities Fund Grand of $49,600 to assist with delivering an innovative mental wellness program for Black youth.

• $4.5 million was invested into Southlake’s health human resources to strengthen their workforce.

• Fair Chance Learning in Newmarket received $1.5 million, through the Ontario Skills Development Fund for their ‘FC Skills Accelerator’ platform.

• $12,200 in funding was provided to the York Chamber Ensemble.

• Town of Newmarket received $4,426,616 in funding from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) to support their economic growth, since 2020 the town has received more than $7.6 million for their critical infrastructural needs

• Since 2020, Town of Aurora received $2,335,687 in funding from OCIF with a total of more than $4.7 million to support their economic growth and address critical infrastructural needs.

Once again, thank you for your support. I am honoured to represent the people and the families in this riding and to serve you at Queen's Park. I wish you a very Happy New Year. May 2023 bring you and your loved one’s good health and great happiness.

Letter from MAYOR TAYLOR

I Love January

Believe it or not, I love January. Some see it as the dead of winter with no celebrations, but I see it as a month full of optimism and promise – the beginning of another year.

2023 will see construction start at the Mulock park and renovations get underway at the Mulock house, the future home of the AGO. 2023 will also see us open the Postmark Hotel on Main Street, bringing tourists to Newmarket and supporting downtown businesses. Throughout the year, TelMax will continue street-by-street construction of a fibre network to every house. While disruptive at times, this will allow residents access to the fastest internet service in the Country, according to PC magazine. 2023 will see the start of construction on the new Inn From The Cold shelter and transitional housing units supporting our most vulnerable residents and helping them move from crisis to stability. Of course, 2023 will see the return of the TD summer concert series and the Pride Parade. 2023 will also be the first full season of the new Skatepark at the Magna Centre, not to mention the first Lego robotics regional competition to be held at the Ray Twinney Complex in March.

2023 will be another amazing year here in the Town of Newmarket and I look forward to seeing everyone at one of our many events or parks this summer. In the meantime, enjoy the free skating at the Riverwalk or one of the community rinks around town!

The Town of Newmarket hosted their annual toy and food drive in support of the Holiday Heros campaign and it was the biggest one yet! Members of the community, staff and local businesses contributed to the initiative. A special shoutout to James Stortz from SE Telecom who donated over $3,000 in gifts to the Holiday Heros campaign and gave a monetary donation of $2,500 to the Newmarket Food Pantry.

On December 10th the Newmarket Optimists Club hosted their annual Breakfast with Santa event! Families enjoyed breakfast before the man of the hour arrived to hand out over 150 gifts to children! Family photos, food and fun - the perfect holiday event! Thank you Newmarket Optimists for all you do for our local youth!

JILL RENSHAW, BROKER

Jill has been a consistent top selling real estate professional for over 37 years. Whether Buying or Selling, Jill believes in building a relationship with her clients for life. Her knowledge, strong interpersonal skills, effective communication and the ability to anticipate and resolve problems swiftly, help to make the buying and selling process problem-free for her clients. Jill truly loves her career in real estate and she loves helping you through the Buying and Selling process with exceptional results.

Jill’s experience and knowledge have helped to create a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive marketing system for selling real estate that works.

ANNA LESTER, SALES REPRESENTATIVE

With over 30 years of experience in the service industry, Anna works hard to build and maintain strong client relationships. She excels at providing exceptional customer service and her diverse background enables her to match families with properties that not only meet their needs but exceed their expectations.

DAVID BRERETON, CLIENT CARE, ASSISTANT TO JILL RENSHAW

After graduating from York University David worked for Royal LePage Corporate o ces in an operational role eventually starting a virtual real estate administration & marketing company. Now, David's primary focus in addition to "Assistant to Jill Renshaw" is to make clients of The Jill Renshaw Real Estate Team's experience organized, pleasurable, fun and most of all seamless.

When not working he is likely to be found reading some sort of Biography and is a proud supporter and volunteer for many causes within The LGTBQ+ community.

happened at Market Brewing Co. on December 7th! Hosted by York Professional Dog Walking & Pet Sitting - Newmarket/Aurora and Good Vibes on Main, this year's photos with the amazing Santa Paws were done by Hooves and Paws Photography. What an amazing event for these pups and their parents!

NEIGHBOURHOOD EVENTS

WHEN: January 13th, 6pm - 8:30pm WHERE: Newmarket's Riverwalk Commons

WHEN: January 21st, 10am - 12pm WHERE: Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex

Presented by RyGuy Comedy, Brew HAHA is a beautiful marriage of delicious craft beer and hilarious comedy! Featuring headliner Kyle Bergstresser. Each ticket includes a 12oz beer (19+) or soft drink, courtesy of Old Flame Brewing Co. Doors open at 7pm. Get your tickets at www.eventbrite.com

WHEN: January 26th, 7:30pm-9pm WHERE: Old Flame Brewing Co.

Bring out your child(ren)’s creative side during this 8 week session of art classes. Taught by Rosa Calabrese, an experienced instructor, these classes will allow students to explore a variety of art mediums, ranging from acrylic & watercolour painting, sketching, oil pastels, clay sculpting, & more! Learn more and register at royalroseart.ca/childrens-art-classes

WHEN: 8 Week Session, starting the week of February 7th WHERE: Royal Rose Art Gallery

WHEN: January 30th, 6:30pm - 8pm WHERE: Market Brewing Co.

Say “I Love You” with a song! A Cappella York Chorus wants to help you show your love this Valentine's Day with "Singing Valentines". Basic package includes a quartet that will sing 2 romantic songs to the person you love, a long-stemmed rose, a personalized card and a digital photo. Starting at $60. Call (289) 648-6300 or visit acyork.ca/hire-us to book! Additional packages available for businesses.

WHEN: February 14th WHERE: Wherever your loved one is - from Oak Ridges to Bradford

Planks & Pints is back at MB Co. hosted by Catharine from @yogawithcatharine who will provide guidance for those with all levels of experience. A great time for both beginners and experts! Please bring your own yoga mat. Space is limited. Tickets are $20 and only available on Market Brewing's online store. This event will run monthly on the last Monday of every month.

Mayor Mrakas and Aurora Council Levee is a festive opportunity for the community to a meet with Town Council and enjoy lots of family activities such as skating, face painting, a bubble show and more! What you can expect: greetings from the Mayor, bubble show, face painting, balloon twisting, free indoor skating, treats to enjoy and more!

Mayor Taylor and Newmarket Council welcomes the community to join them to celebrate the start of the new year. Festive activities include: live outdoor concert performance by Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train, fire & LED busker performance by Zola Molotov, ra e prizes, LED Mega Tree, free Beaver Tails and hot chocolate (while quantities last), outdoor skating and more!

Happy New Year!

I find that this is a time for both celebrating and reflecting. We reflect on the year past and the lessons we have learned, and we celebrate the gift of a new year, making plans and resolutions. We do this individually, as families and as communities. And our government is also considering its actions and achievements in 2022 and planning for 2023 to be a year of progress. It will build on the foundation it has been laying for a vital, strong democracy, a resilient economy, a healthy environment, and a country that cares and provides for those among us who need a hand up. Canada is more than the majestic land within its borders – it is an interconnected group of millions of people. We are First Nations, immigrants, and settlers, and all of us, no matter what our political beliefs, want the same thing – a country where we all prosper and live in good health. Let’s make 2023 the year in which we recognize our commonalities and work together to continue to build a country like no other.

We can start by connecting and having fun at a New Year’s Levee. I’m pleased to invite everyone to an afternoon of outdoor activity and indoor gathering. We hope you will join us for a walk and some fun and games at Sheppard’s Bush (Meet us at Industry Street & Sheppard’s Bush). After the walk, we’ll be gathering as a community at the York Region Food Network (350 Industrial Parkway South, Aurora). Food donations will be appreciated! Please register at www.leahtaylorroymp.ca/2023.

Partner:

You're Invited!

Join MP Leah Taylor Roy for the New Year's Levee

Date: Sunday January 15th, 2023

Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Location: York Region Food Network 350 Industrial Parkway South Aurora, ON L4G 3V7

RSVP: www.leahtaylorroymp.ca/2023

The Aurora Annual Holiday Market took place at Aurora Town Park over 2 weekends, on the evenings of December 2nd-4th and 9th-11th. Named one of the Top 10 Holiday Markets near Toronto by BlogTO each night featured different local businesses and entertainment!

The Neighbourhood Network team were very busy collecting much needed items for individuals, families and agencies in our community, during their Holiday Gift Drive. A HUGE thank you to the entire team at Neighbourhood Network for all of their community support!

NEIGHBOURHOOD Charity Highlight

Inn From The Cold meets the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. We work with the community and collaborate with our partners in supporting those with basic to complex needs in York Region.

Inn from the Cold works with people in a respectful, dignified, non-judgmental manner to provide them a safe and positive environment.

Our Vision: Shelter, Dignity, and Safety for everyone in York Region.

Inn From the Cold provides emergency shelter and support services for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness. IFTC offers a range of helpful services year round that are designed to assist with finding housing, employment, volunteer opportunities, mental health and addiction support and other necessities such as hot meals, clothing, laundry, internet, voicemail, showers and personal care items. A continuum of services from basic needs to securing housing assists our clients on their journey to wellness and self-su ciency.

Services include: Seasonal Shelter Drop Inn Program Getting Ahead Program Stability Now Housing Program

The Coldest Night of the Year

Inn From the Cold is encouraging Newmarket residents to once again team up, fundraise, and walk in The Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY). This family-friendly, winterrific fundraising walk takes place on the evening of February 25, 2023 and supports people experiencing hunger, hurt, and homelessness in Newmarket.

For further information about the walk and to register your team, or to sponsor a team or walker, please visit www.cnoy.org/location/newmarket.

Thank you to Neighbour Partner Wasim Jarrah for supporting this month’s Charity Highlight page! We appreciate your commitment to community and charity. Mobile 416-899-5566 www.WasimJarrah.com

2022 IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD NEIGHBOUR

MEDIA YEAR IN REVIEW

Our team has had such an amazing 2022, thanks to all of you! We have had the opportunity to meet and connect with so many of our neighbours, which has made for an incredible year. Here is a little recap of some of the things we got to do in our first 9 months in business…

• We have attended over 400 local events.

• We had the pleasure of working with 77 different community partners, helping them share their message with the neighbourhood. Thank you to each and every one of you for trusting us with your business!

• We have donated our print and digital services to 9 local charities and 27 local businesses through our Charity Highlight, Eat Drink and Play in your Neighbourhood, and Featured Business pages.

• We launched our weekly Neighbour Newsletter in the Fall, hitting inboxes every Thursday since then.

• We had the opportunity to share the stories of 9 #goodneighbours over the year.

We’ve had the honour of being recognized by the Holland Landing Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.

Business Excellence Celebration Awards Nomination for Family Run Business of

Leaders Appreciation Day

Recognizing leaders in the community that embrace positivity and elevate others.

Easter Seals Ontario Mulligans and Mascara Ladies Golf Tournament

CHATS Annual Drives for Drives Golf Tournament

The Aurora Craft Beer Festival

We were proud to sponsor a few awesome community initiatives and look forward to showing our support for many more events in 2023!

the Year

Newmarket Santa Claus Parade

Aurora Santa Claus Parade

Riverwalk Commons

The Bottle Shop allows guests to purchase wine to take home and the option to taste before they buy.

Non alcoholic wine and other non alcoholic elixirs will be available for purchase.

Food options include cheese, charcuterie and vegan boards. Additional pop-ups and food vendors will also be available.

Stay tuned for wine events, including wine club, oysters and bubbly night, chocolate and wine night, and pop-up dinner parties.

We are proud to be the first Self Serve Wine Bar and Bottle Shop in the GTA - and possibly all of Ontario!

Our self-service wine dispensers allow guests to explore our ever-changing selection of wines in a relaxed and informal setting. Guests can sample a tasting before committing to a full glass or bottle.

Each wine is meticulously chosen by our sommelier and is not readily available at the local LCBO. Our unique wines are from top quality vineyards from all over the world, with a special focus on people, place and planet; including sustainable, organic, biodynamic and natural wines. We carry Premier Grand Cru, orange wine and everything in between!

We encourage our guests to explore and discover their own wine preferences. Taste the wines with your authentic experience in mind, and not with biased wine reviews and tasting notes. Discover for yourself your own love of wine. teamcartwright.ca

Thank you to Neighbour Partner

Cartwright and Team for supporting this month’s Eat, Drink & Play page! We appreciate your love and support of the community.

Meet Suhas from COBS Bread Yonge + Green Lane

I come from a hospitality background with over 10 years of restaurant and hotel experience working as a Chef. Prior to joining COBS Bread, I have worked with Marriott International, Grand Hyatt, Oliver & Bonacini, Brasserie Blanc by Chef Reymond Blanc and Summit Golf Course.

I always wanted to be an entrepreneur who can make important strategic decisions, oversee product quality and more. But the reality hit me during the pandemic when I was laid off from work. I then started my extensive research about the COBS Bread Bakery and got in contact with the team. COBS Newmarket was moving to East Gwillimbury on Yonge and Green Lane which gave me the perfect opportunity! Now here I am - o cially joined the COBS Bread family as a franchisee owner in August 2022.

The reason I decided to open a COBS Bread is that I love fresh, handcrafted bread & treats!!! After each day of sharing our love for all things fluffy & flaky, COBS believes in giving back to the community by donating leftover baked goods to local charities. Lastly, as a Chef I believe in a hands-on approach and giving premium quality products.

My all-time favourite is the Lemon Blueberry Scone, Cape Seed Loaf and Cinnamon Bun which has a swirl of cream cheese. If you talk about seasonal favourites though - I will go with traditional Hot Cross Bun!

Did you know that at the end of each day, COBS Bread donates all unsold products to local charities? On December 18th, Neighbour stopped by COBS Bread Newmarket as they were donating their unsold products to Community Bread on Main - St John Chrysostom Church. Community Bread provides free weekly hot meals at St. John's Parish Centre for anyone in the community who needs it. The volunteers told us how incredibly grateful they are to COBS Bread Newmarket for their continued support.

Partner YONGE & GREEN LANE

Shout-Out to the Key Advantage Team! They answered the call to sign up for The Salvation Army Central York Kettle Campaign. These ladies had an incredible time spreading holiday cheer at the Real Canadian Superstore in Aurora, singing Christmas Carols and wishing shoppers Merry Christmas. They know the "key" to HOLIDAY HAPPINESS!

The Newmarket Renegades hockey team organized a neighbourhood food drive in support of the Newmarket Food Pantry in December. Neighbours placed

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! 2023

PARSA, MPP

Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill

On November 26th, the 13th annual Jingle Bell Blitz food drive for the Newmarket Food Pantry happened at Dickies' No Frills, in partnership with Valley View Alliance Church and the people of Newmarket. They collected over 4,000 lbs of food and over $4,000 in monetary donations. A BIG THANKS to everyone who volunteered or showed their support at this important event! Over the past 13 years, Valley View Alliance Church has collected 50,000 lbs of food for the Newmarket Food Pantry!

#AmazingNeighbours

13085 Yonge Street, Suite 201 Richmond Hill ON, L4E 3S8

Tel: 905-773-6250

Email: michael.parsaco@pc.ola.org

A special message from Michael

Hi everyone,

Michael Parsa here, MPP for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill. As we look forward to the start of a new year, I would like to convey my best wishes to everyone on a year full of happiness, health and success. 2022 was a year that challenged us in unimaginable ways, but we experienced some great moments in our community as well. We celebrated non profit organizations, diverse heritage months, awareness days, and holidays with people from all walks of life. From moments of reflection and observance to moments of celebration, we found ways to connect with one another and to build change for future generations.

We see and hear stories of courage and bravery through television and social media. Yet every small act of kindness has the power to inspire and empower others. That’s the power of community and the good that’s in all of us. The challenges of yesterday will not disappear overnight. But I know we will face each injustice and struggle with resilience and determination. And as we look forward to the year ahead, we can be hopeful about the possibilities of better days to come.

Partner:

The 2022 Murray Chiropractic Holiday Heros Toy Drive was the best collection they have ever had; with 32 bags of toys and $1800 in gift cards and cash donations! The York Region Police organize the Holiday Heroes Toy Drive and then pick up the toys to be brought to The Salvation Army.

MICHAEL

Your Member of Provincial Parliament for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill

Parsa

MICHAEL PARSA, MPP

Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

FOCUS ON FITNESS

The New Year is often the time many people re-commit to changing old habits and creating new ones! If being healthier and more active is on your list of resolutions, Aurora Chamber members are here to help!

AURORA ATHLETIC CLUB

This is your hometown Luxury Boutique Club, without luxury fees; providing a combination of a wide range of modern equipment, group classes, and personal training. No Judgement, just encouragement! Special Offer: Start working out for free! Free membership, Free training, Free supplements. *Call or visit the club for details.

auroraathleticclub.ca

PILATES BY RINA

Aurora’s first and only fully equipped traditional Pilates studio. Offering group mixed appartus, reformer, tower, and mat classes and private sessions on the original apparatus that the founder, Joseph H Pilates, designed. If you are looking to start your Pilates journey, look no further than Pilates by Rina.

pilatesbyrina.com

GET FIT WITH AM

Anne- Marie is a certified Personal Trainer and certified nutrition coach. She offers personal and group training, pre and post- natal training and nutrition coaching that is 100 percent tailored to you! Special Offer: 3 months of nutrition coaching with every package of 20 personal training sessions purchased. getfitwitham.ca

Kangoo Jumps is a rebound exercise program using Kangoo Jumps rebound boots. Kangoo Jumps boots protect your joints from impact! Special Offer: Try your first class free including boot rental. Or set up time for you and a friend to try on the boots, outside of regular class schedule, at no charge.

kangooclubnewmarketandaurora.com

SPHERE FITNESS

A strength & conditioning gym offering personal training, small group classes and nutrition coaching. Specializing in slow controlled movements and highly encourages focusing on mind muscle connection so you get the most out of your training time while protecting you from injury. Catering to all fitness levels. Special Offer: Two Week Free Trial Membership & a Free Supplement with a new membership sign up.

thesphere.ca

VALIDUS FITNESS

is not just a gym. It’s a place where you become the best version of yourself. A community-based facility full of staff and members alike who are passionate about being positive, being relentless and about having a persevering attitude that extends beyond the walls of the gym. With over 8,000 square feet of training space it is equipped and dedicated to help you reach your fitness goals.

validusfitness.com

Opening a business or know someone who is? Check out the Chamber! visit us at aurorachamber.on.ca to discover the benefits and see why over 500 Aurora businesses are members.

KANGOO JUMPS: KANGOO CLUB NEWMARKET/AURORA

The Ladies Supper Club got together on December 11th at Castle Johns for an evening of food, fun and to support the Newmarket Food Pantry. Over 40 women attended and raised $1,180 in cash donations and 226 lbs of food. If you are interested in joining this fun group of women check out their Facebook Group!

How amazing was the Aurora Santa Claus Parade?! A big thanks to the Town staff, Downtown Aurora BIA and the Aurora Optimist Club for ensuring everyone was safe and had fun! A special thanks to our good friend and very talented photographer, Glenn Rodger, for capturing photos that we weren't able to get - because Neighbour Media was walking in the parade! What an amazing experience #UnderTheStars

Everyone loves a parade! Neighbour Media joined the Newmarket Santa Claus Parade this year and captured an inside look, with photos from the staging area and from along the parade route. Glenn Rodger Photography also captured majestic shots as the parade marched along Main Street! A huge thanks to the Town of Newmarket and all the staff for executing such an incredible event! To all the participants of the parade, thank you for all your work and commitment, you all made the parade a spectacular event!

NEIGHBOURHOOD PETS

This page is such a fun PAWty!

Interested in sponsoring it? Let us know.

- Stoli

Maisie

Woof - I'm Maisie! I'm a 9 year-old TeaCup Yorkie. I am very quiet and never bark. The thing I love most is being cuddled. I am very affectionate and want to be with people all the time - but am quite content laying on the couch watching tv while I wait for my humans to come home. I sleep with my “mommy” and snuggle up all night long!

Hello there - my name is Banx. I’m a 3 year old Chocolate Lab that loves to be kind to everyone that I meet. You could say that I am a really good boy and now that I found your remote, may I please have my treat?!

Archie & Duke

I'm Archie - an Aurora doggy that was being babysat by my best friend Duke, while my human sister was winning the silver medal in Croatia for tap dance!!! I missed my family very much, but I am very PAWD of my sister! Thanks to Duke and his humans for taking such good care of me.

Oink! I'm Zuko. I joined a pig rescue back in the Spring of 2022. I was scared of everything at first and would squeal at the top of my lungs - for no reason whatsoever. I have since become a part of the gang and love to cuddle with my little sister Miss Piggy and 2 brothers, Herman and Pumba. My favourite food is EVERYTHING and I love a good belly scratch.

Gus & Harley

Hi, we're Gus and Harley! We are a 8 and a half and 8 year-old English Bulldog duo, that are brother and sister, one litter apart. Our family rescued us 3 years ago and we are inseparable. We love people, cuddles, treats, glamping at our trailer and our 12 year-old pug sister, Zoe.

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Preschool Canada Aurora celebrated their 1 Year Anniversary on December 12th!

On December 7th, Mayor John Taylor, Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh and Councillor Grace Simon joined Bonnie (owner) and her staff to o cially cut the ribbon for Tropical Breeze Caribbean Kitchen. If you are looking

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY to Supermoon Japanese Style Cheesecakes Newmarket, located at 695 Stonehaven Ave!

Located in downtown Aurora, Belle & Bespoke features unique gifts, party supplies and balloon bar. Owner, Cynthia Martyn, a serial entrepreneur has lived in the Aurora area for over 12 years. Launching the boutique has been a passion project many years in the making. Her sole focus is assisting customers with celebrating both life's littlest and grandest occasions, sparking joy and making our community a brighter place for all.

EMERGING A UROR A

‘We l ove o ur ne w loca t ion in do wntow n Aurora. Wi th o ur very o wn par kin g lo t and b ac k doo r entrance beh ind, big br i ght s tore s p ac e and w indo w s, and ou r fa mou s m assi ve mirror, we ai m to give ou r cus tomer s an exc ept ional exp er ience .

Oak r id ge’s h as al way s be li ev ed in su pp ort in g t his tow n wh ere w e li v e and wor k. We reg ula rly s upp ort h e al th ca re , edu ca t ion , women’s ad v ance me nt and local we ll -b ein g a g enci e s ac ross ou r tow n and reg ion. It ma tt er s and w e ca re.’

- Deb Cla r k, O w ne r , Oak r id g e Fashion I nc .

Established in the 1800s, Aurora is a growing town with the essence of new ideas, new technologies and constant learning.

Photo credit: CIBC Archives

Reid Stephenso will be 7 in February. He has always loved drawing so his family enrolled him in art classes at the Newmarket School of Fine Art. He is so proud of his first painting since starting the lessons!

On December 13th, the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce hosted their Annual General Meeting and Member Mix 'n' Mingle at Stonehaven Banquet Hall!

SEE THE LOVE LOCAL SIGN! Created a large showstopper sign designed to remind residents and visitors to support local. Currently on display at the intersection of Main and Water streets.

BOARD

Hey Neighbours! This page is for you to enjoy each month. We will be featuring games, puzzles, contests, giveaways and so much more. You can also follow our social media accounts to stay up to date and to potentially receive some hints to help you solve future puzzles. @NeighbourMedia

TWENTY SIX TO FIX

Get to Know YOUR NEIGHBOURS

We’ve had the pleasure of introducing you to 30 community members over the past 9 months, through this page! For the New Year edition, we thought it would be fun to highlight some of our favourite answers thus far:

What is your most memorable community moment?

The day the elephants escaped from the circus at the Ray Twinney Complex. I was a Town Councillor then and you can imagine the phone calls I received!

- Chris Emanuel

What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?

During the pandemic I was given the gift of time to realize my dream to certify as a birth and postpartum doula and childbirth educator. I started my own small business: Hopeful Expectations. - Angela Covert

If you were a superhero, what would your powers be, and why?

To bring a smile onto the faces of the less privileged, less fortunate and sick. - Shobha Shekhar

If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

My Grandfather. He is my inspiration and guiding light and would love to have one more meal with him. - Wasim Jarrah

If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?

You are beautiful. You are precious. You are cherished. You are enough! Know your worth and never let anyone tell you otherwise! - Frances Wai-Chi Tong

How do you giveback or pay-it-forward within the

This has always come naturally for me. I’m always ready to help out when someone needs me or when I -Deepak Raj Rana

What does being a good neighbour mean to you?

To me it means accepting the colour and spice of life by being sympathetic and helpful, even to strangers. Also, it means leading by example by respecting everyone and our environment. - Claire Malcolmson

What is your favourite sport? Do you play for any local teams?

I enjoy many sports, but my favourite sport to watch and play is Hockey (GO LEAFS GO!). You can find me at the rink playing in the women's league through Central York Girls Hockey - Dr. Samantha Duncan

Where is your favourite place to go in the community?

Main Street Newmarket is my absolute favourite place to go for almost anything. If we are planning to go for dinner, drinks, bring the kids out, go for a walk - we will head down there! - Chris Cartwright

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