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Last week, another community member and I had the opportunity to sit down with Mayor Tom Mrakas. My first experience with a town council public meeting was in February, regarding the zoning application for a regional men’s transitional and emergency shelter at the south end of Aurora. The delegations and the vote results caused me to ask a lot of questions, so I thought, who better to ask than the mayor?
The mayor, council and most community members have said they fully believe a facility is needed, unfortunately, the majority of council, the mayor and a group of community members say, ‘Just not there’. I can’t agree that it’s a poor site choice. I also can’t agree with a delay, in hopes somewhere else might appear, someday. Now is the time.
The mayor explained to us that he voted against the location due to zoning density (which could be rezoned by council), lack of medical care accessibility (as a whole, our province is underserved), and the belief the facility should be in a more densely populated community such as Markham, Richmond Hill or Newmarket.
Mayor Mrakas mentioned that Aurora does, indeed, do its part in emergency regional housing, contrary to some opinions, as we support Yellow Brick House, a shelter for women and children. Indeed, that’s true. It was built in 1978, 46 years ago. Since then, our population has grown by more than 50,000. Can you imagine the need now?
But where do unhoused men get help? It’s not just women and children who are unhoused and vulnerable. The draft of the Aurora Affordable Housing Plan, posted on social media by the mayor, speaks of a continuum of housing, including shelters, transitional facilities and affordable housing. Let’s do it now.
Since the council meeting, a group of concerned citizens, Aurora Cares - Housing for All, has been meeting to see if this zoning denial can be reopened. We believe it is one of the most appropriate spaces in the region to help vulnerable unhoused men. Within the surrounds of nature, in a clean, modern facility with many supports to help reintegrate into homes, it’s a special piece of land.
Please join us at Aurora Cares – Housing for All, or speak with your ward councillor, to have this location zoning revisited.
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Kimberley McLean
Aurora
