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Gallery of Openings and Events

Please find below a photo gallery of openings and events attended by Mayor Phyllis Morris.

Belinda's BBQ - June 2010

Mayor Phyllis Morris with attendees at Belinda's BBQ, held at the Aurora Seniors Centre on June 30, 2010.

Citizen of the Year Award - June 2010

Mayor Phyllis Morris congratulated Gordon Barnes for earning Aurora's 2010 Citizen of the Year award at the 2010 Community Recognition Awards. Being a valued member of the community for 35 years, Mr. Barnes has spent untold hours volunteering in Aurora's Arboretum, been highly visible at the Aurora Farmers Market and taught his environmental and heritage ethic to many residents - just to name a few of his passions. Mr. Barnes was truly deserving of the award for his environmental advocacy and dedicated efforts to not only greening, but improving the Town of Aurora.

Mayor Phyllis Morris congratulating Gordon Barnes on being Aurora's 2010 Citizen of the Year.

"Preserve Aurora" Collection - June 2010

Local artist Rob Schuetze's photograph, "Simple Times", joined a number of paintings in the Preserve Aurora Collection on display permanently in the Aurora Town Hall (1 Municipal Drive). Mr. Schuetze's photograph captures the last snowfall the old barn (on the North East corner of Bayview Avenue and Vandorf Sideroad) saw before its demolition. Mayor Phyllis Morris hanging local artist Rob Schuetze's 2010 photograph, "Simple Times," in the Town's Preserve Aurora Collection.

Project Nest Box Kick Off – June 2010

Mayor Morris at the Project Nest Box kick off at Hartman Public School. Project Nest Box is an educational observation program that brings students in touch with nature by tracking and recording bird nesting activity.

Photo credit: Ryan Preiano, Hartman PS student From left to right: Mayor Phyllis Morris, student Bird Ambassadors, Project Nest Box founder David Tomlinson, Project Nest Box project manager Carolin Grandin.

Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Hartman Public School – June 2010

Mayor Morris at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Hartman Public School’s new outdoor classroom, which will provide an important setting for students to learn about the environment.

Photo credit: Ryan Preiano, Hartman PS student Front from left to right: Hartman Public School students, Mayor Phyllis Morris, Teacher Brenda Scrimes, York Region Director of Education Ken Thurston. Back: Town of Aurora Parks and Recreation Department staff.

Regency Acres Public School visits Aurora Town Hall - May 2010

On May 31st, students from Regency Acres Public School enjoyed a trip to Aurora Town Hall for a tour as well as a visit to the Mayor's Office.

Mayor's Anti-Litter Day - April 2010

The Mayor's Anti-Litter Day on April 24th was a great success with participation from more than 350 volunteers.

Pictured are Aurora Mayor Phyllis Morris, Basilio Valente, Event Coordinator for the River Ridge Boulevard Clean-up site and some of the volunteers from the River Ridge Boulevard Community.

Sheppard House Upgrade Announcement - March 2010

Mayor Phyllis Morris with Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Chair Virginia Hackson, Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown and Oak Ridges-Markham MPP Dr. Helena Jaczek on March 27, 2010 at the federal/provincial announcement to upgrade Aurora’s historic Sheppard House.

From left to right: Mayor Phyllis Morris; Virginia Hackson, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Chair; Lois Brown, Newmarket-Aurora MP; Dr. Helena Jaczek, Oak Ridges-Markham MPP.

RONA's Grand Opening - March 2010

Mayor Phyllis Morris at the RONA Grand Opening in Aurora on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.

From left to right: Anthony Ierullo, Manager of Strategic Initiatives; Neil Garbe, CAO; Councillor Stephen Granger; Councillor John Gallo; Mayor Phyllis Morris; Bill Sadler, Store Manager RONA; Luc Rodier, Vice President of Operations, Ontario Big-Box Stores, RONA; Trevor Pocaluyko, Regional Manager, RONA; Pierre Dandoy, Executive Vice President, Store Operations, RONA.

Welcome Wagon's 80th Anniversary in Canada - March 2010

Mayor Phyllis Morris and representatives from Welcome Wagon, celebrated Welcome Wagon's 80th Anniversary in Canada at Town Hall on March 23, 2010.

From left to right: Lynn Pearson, Karen Skinner, Mayor Phyllis Morris, Rikki Pennachio and MaryJo Williams.

Red Cross Month Flag Raising Ceremony – March 2010

Mayor Phyllis Morris at a flag raising ceremony for Red Cross Month on Monday, March 1, 2010 at Aurora Town Hall.

From left to right: Neil Garbe, Town of Aurora CAO; Robyn Smart, Executive Assistant to the Mayor; Mayor Phyllis Morris; Ryan Gaffney, Red Cross Disaster Management Volunteer; Charles Sequeira, President of Aurora Seniors Association Board of Directors; Derek Murray, Aurora Seniors Association Board of Directors; Virginia Bodnar, Aurora Seniors Association Board of Directors; Lydia Schuster, Aurora Seniors Association Board of Directors; Ruth Church, Aurora Seniors Association Board of Directors; Tony Schuster, Aurora Seniors Association Board of Directors.

2009 Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Awards - February 2010

Aurora, Goderich, Oakville and Thorold each received a 2009 Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Community Leadership in Heritage conservation and promotion. The award was presented to Mayor Phyllis Morris, accepting on behalf of the Town, on February 19th in the presence of the Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust, as part of the province's Heritage Week Celebrations.

Photo credit: The Ontario Heritage Trust From left to right: The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust; Mayor Phyllis Morris and Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, The Honourable David C. Onley.

Board of Trade Dinner - January 2010

Mayor Morris and John Turner at the Board of Trade Dinner on Monday, January 25, 2010.

Photo credit: Tom Sandler

Certificate Presentation to the Aurora Panthers Peewee BB Girls Hockey Team - January 2010

Mayor Morris presented a certificate to the Aurora Panthers Peewee BB Girls Hockey Team in appreciation for their hard work and dedication; the team held a bake sale to raise funds for the Lions Club Christmas Drive, for which their fundraising efforts far exceeded expectations.

Oxford Learning Centre Grand Opening - December 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris with Jacki Binnie of Oxford Learning Centre, at the Grand Opening event held in December 2009.

Completion of the GO Parkette and Relocation of the Historic Steam Train Bell - November 25, 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris; Gary McNeil, Executive Vice President of Metrolinx/Managing Director of GO Transit; GO Transit Staff, Aurora Councillors and Town Staff, celebrate the completion of the GO Transit Parkette on Wednesday, November 25, 2009.

The Salvation Army 2009 Kettle Drive - November 13, 2009

On Friday, November 13th, Mayor Morris, Councillors John Gallo, Al Wilson, Stephen Granger, Salvation Army’s Glenanne Phillips and firefighters from Central York Fire Services kicked off the Salvation Army’s annual kettle drive at Aurora Town Hall.

Mayor's Prayer Breakfast - October 20, 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris with attendees of the inaugural Aurora Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, held at DiNardo's Banquet Hall on Tuesday, October 20, 2009.

Photo credit: SNAP Aurora Top row, from left to right: Sama Sobhani, Shervin Saleh, Jane Graves, Elizabeth Capon, Neda Shokour, Mayor Morris, Vic Voytek. Bottom row, seated from left to right: Shiva Saleh, Lindsey Saleh, Debby Wojtka.

Town of Aurora's 4th Annual Ribfest - September 13, 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris and the 2009 Sauce Competition Judges, at the Town of Aurora's Ribfest event on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

Top row, from left to right: Scott from Camp 31, Brewton, Alabama; Billy from Uncle Sam's, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Gus from Ribs Royale, Nevada, Las Vegas. Bottom row, sauce competition judges: Brian Marshall (Optimists Club of Aurora), Jeff Turcotte (Rotary Club of Aurora), David Tomlinson (2008 Citizen of the Year), Brian Morris (Representing Mayor Morris on behalf of the Town of Aurora), Geoffrey Dawe (Aurora Chamber of Commerce) and Lisa Puccini (Central York Fire Services).

Clotheslines Across America Tour Stops in Aurora - September 14, 2009

On Monday, September 14, 2009, Alexander Lee, Founder and Executive Director of Project Laundry List, America’s leading environmental clothesline pressure group, met with their Canadian Laundry Heroes, Mayor Phyllis Morris and Peter Love, former Chief Energy Conservation Officer for Ontario, to feature Aurora’s leadership role in making it possible for all Ontarians to hang clotheslines in their backyards. In an attempt to raise awareness across the U.S. and make clotheslines an acceptable, simple and effective method to save energy, Mr. Lee is currently touring nine cities and towns, as part of his Clotheslines Across America Tour, making Aurora his only stop in Canada. As a result of their leadership role in the successful Right to Dry campaign, Mayor Phyllis Morris, Council and the Town of Aurora will be profiled as a Canadian leader in a movement to allow people the freedom to make more environmentally conscious choices. Energy conservation champion and local electricity distribution company, PowerStream, is also lending its support by encouraging customers to consider alternatives to clothes dryers powered by electricity or gas. To find out which other Canadians are Project Laundry List - Laundry Heroes, visit www.laundrylist.org and click on "About Us".

From left to right: Susan Walmer, Aurora’s volunteer Municipal Energy Conservation Officer; Brian Bentz, President and CEO of PowerStream; Alexander Lee, Founder and Executive Director of Project Laundry List; Aurora Mayor Phyllis Morris and Peter Love, Former Chief Energy Conservation Officer of Ontario.

Longo's Aurora Grand Opening - September 2, 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris, Tommy & Gus Longo and family at the official Longo's Aurora store opening on Wednesday, September 2, 2009.

Last Night at the Proms - August 5, 2009

Concert goers pose with their creative hats! Mayor Phyllis Morris, Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown and concert goers wore their imaginative hats at the Last Night at the Proms Concert on August 5, 2009.

Official Signing of the Church Street School Cultural Centre Agreement – June 9, 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris, members of the Church Street School Cultural Centre Board of Directors, Town CAO Neil Garbe and key staff were on hand in council chambers on Tuesday June 9, 2009 for the official signing of the Church Street School Cultural Centre service agreement and lease.

From left to right: Susan Morton-Leonard, Robert Layton, Doug Hubley, Dan Elliot (Town of Aurora Director of Finance), Mayor Phyllis Morris, Lucille King (Town of Aurora Director of Corporate Services), and Neil Garbe (Town of Aurora CAO).

TD Bank Grand Opening/Cheque Presentation – May 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris accepted a cheque from TD Bank in the amount of $1,500 for the Environmental Advisory Committee’s Naturalization Working group initiatives, at the grand opening of the bank’s new branch at First Commercial Drive.

From left to right: Richard Wizemann (EAC member), Christina Nagy-Oh (Manager of Environmental Initiatives), Councillor Evelina MacEachern (Co-Chair of EAC), Gordon Barnes (EAC Member), Peter Piersol (Chair of EAC), Susan Walmer (Town of Aurora Municipal Energy Conservation Officer), Mayor Phyllis Morris, and David Tomlinson (EAC Member).

Queen’s York Rangers Mess Dinner – April 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris attended the Queen’s York Rangers and Senior NCO’s mess dinner, held at the Royal Canadian Legion in Aurora.

From left to right: Colonel (Retired) David Rive, Honorary Colonel of the Queen’s York Rangers Dr. Neville G. Poy, Mayor Phyllis Morris, Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew J. Zdunich, Commanding Officer of the Queen's York Rangers Police Chief Armand La Barge, and Chief Warrant Officer Grant Lawson, Regimental Sergeant-Major of the Queen's York Rangers.

Aurora Tigers Game – April 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris dropped the puck at the first game between the Aurora Tigers and the Ratingen '97 Ice Aliens.

Royal Canadian Legion Rededication Ceremony – March 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris congratulates Mr. Len Whines on his volunteer service medal at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 385 Rededication ceremony.

Photo credit: Photography by SSV

Ecological Action Conference – March 25, 2009

Mayor Phyllis Morris with students at the Youth Environmental Network of York Region’s Ecological Action Conference.

Photo credit: Cardinal Carter Catholic High School

The Mayor would be happy to attend the official opening of your business and present you with a Certificate of Welcome. Please contact the Mayor's Office to request the attendance of the Mayor at ceremonial events.  Please contact Robyn Smart, Executive Assistant to the Mayor at 905 726-4741 or rsmart@e-aurora.ca for further information. Links to more information:  2008 Gallery of Openings and Events