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A reader sent in the following comment. It is published unchanged.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the AURORA CITIZEN.
I am concerned that the former Price Chopper location at Yonge and Wellington has been sitting derelict for many months. This does not make a good impression for the centre of our town. As long as I have lived in Aurora (for twenty years) this location has been a grocery store. What is going to happen to this building and location?
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14 comments:
It is an eyesore. I was hoping for a replacment grocery store, but with a new Longo's being built at Bayview and Wellington it looks like the downtown core will again suffer.
Where will the residents of the proposed 7 storey condo at Centre and Yonge do their grocery shopping? They'll have to get in their cars and go through the dreaded Yonge/Wellington intersection, or through the maze that is the traffic calming, and head out to East Aurora.
It seems to me that there is the possibility to develop this site all the way to Irwin.
Does the Mayor and Council have any ideas on this, and other derelict sights on the Yonge corridor? Yonge and Tyler?
Councillor MacEachern has been much quoted in the press regarding the intensification of the Yonge corridor, so perhaps she can share her vision of this site.
oh-oh, some Old Aurora type boo-hooing the developments along Bayview/Wellington et al.
I am so sick and freaking tired of listening to people whine on about the development on the eastern side of town. Until, of course, its property tax time, and then of course, they do cash the cheques quietly.
Old Aurora values: Give us our museum pieces to live in, don't change anything that goes on in this town, and if it was built after 1990 its automatically a Bad Idea.
Wells Street School? Keep it! Its part of our history, er, except as a school building it doesn't hold up well (why else would the Board bus off grade 7s and 8s elsewhere, unlike every other school in town.)
New Recreation Centre? Too far from downtown core. Too inconvenient for Old Auroran types to get to.
Churches? If you haven't been a member of Aurora United or Trinity Anglican for at least 20 years, you don't count. And don't try and change anything, and be quiet when the bickering and infighting at both places disgusts you.
Bunch of freaking hypocrites in this town.
here endth the rant.
Good one Walt!
The endless handwringing over "preserving Old Aurora" is quite tiresome. That's what historical societies are for. But it seems the old core residents and their friends on council can't come up with enough silly ideas to force people their way. If they'd stop to think for a moment they'd realize that you can't MAKE people want to go downtown - you have to make people WANT to go downtown. As for the empty grocery store - if Longo's (or any other chain) thought they'd make money - they would have gone there.
Rather than considering reports from consultants regarding their take on a Town they don't even know...why not find a way to ask the residents what they think? And not some public meeting where the same 6 people show up, all because they were invited by the Mayor. Think outside the box, surely there could be some online way (other than Aurora Citizen) to be able to let the Town know your thoughts. Does the Town not have a website? Or, is the Mayor not REALLY interested in listening. In my opinion, save the consultant's fee and ask the people who pay the taxes. The first priority should be to identify and attract the anchor for our main intersection...find someone to move into the old Sobeys. The rest will fall into place. As for the tired, old, falling down buildings...take pictures and tear them down. Time to move forward before Aurora gets lost in the future!
We live on the West side of Yonge, close to Wellington. I really miss not having a grocery at Yonge/Wellington anymore. It was convenient, close and not too large. Just perfect. We really need a grocery in that area of town.
Council? Economic development committee? Anyone?
Regardless of what else happens in the old "down town" of Aurora, the loss of the grocery store is a problem.
I'm not an olde-Aurora type boo-hooing develpment. I'm a person who wants to have a viable business in my neighbourhood. I loved being able to walk to a grocery store in the past, but my present concern is that the property, like many in the Yonge area, is empty.
What business would like the property?
P.S. Seventy-five condo units at an average of $200k represents a million and a half dollars in assessment.The Town gets to keep 30% of that. It augments our tax revenues.
The Mayor has declared,with a many-clause Proclamation, 2009 to be the year of business initiative.
The Yonge-Centre site is a huge blight on the neighborhood.
Developed it could be the incentive needed to re-open the supermarket.
Seventy-five suites may not be the right number for that corner but I certainly believe we should be getting on with the job of making the right compromise to see the site developed before somebody gets the idea the supermarket site should be re-developed as residential also.
My initial response to this comment has obviously gone astray.
No Frills and Dominion had to re-vamp their stores to deal with the competition from Sobey's , Super Store and Wall Mart.
I understand why the area residents would like to walk to shop. What I don't understand is why Heritage buffs believe they have to preserve a"village"ambience in our downtown core.
Aurora has not been a village for a hundred and fifty years.When the town incorporated and took the name Aurora, this was a very progressive community. Ambitions were high, industry and commerce was thriving. With the advent of the railway there was great optimism and it was well founded.
Five applications have been made for the Yonge/Centre blighted corner across from the abandoned supermarket. The latest for a building of seventy-five condo units with commercial at street level.
The Heritage Advisory Committee wants two storeys knocked of the top.Keep it at five they say, to preserve the historic core.
Councillor MacEachern doesn't think it should be dealt with at all until a planning "study"has been completed.It hasn't even started.
I don't know if seventy-five units is the right number. If it isn't, it's time we decided what is.
There is little enticement for a new supermarket to take up that sad and ghostly reminder of better times.
There now, I'm repeating myself. Better quit now while I'm ahead.
I must agree with Evelyn Buck on this. While I appreciate history and that there are some historic buildings to preserve, there is no historic downtwon core in Aurora and therefore no need to try and preserve it.
The work put into the Aurora Shopping Centre at Yonge and Murray is a huge improvement over what was there before. The same is true of the Dominion/Metro store - they did a huge improvement inside prior to the name change. This sort of investment is something that needs to be done at the Price Chopper/Sobeys/whatever before that property.
I do wonder if the building is viable as a grocery store. Are the refrigeration units inside (are they still there?) efficient enough? They are probably very old. Is there another use for a building of this size? What busines does Aurora need that does not exist?
To disagree with Walt. I think that western Aurora does need some sort of services. All of the new development is on the east side. Soon you will be able to drive north on Bayview from Wellington and get your groceries at Longos, Zellers (they have some), Sobeys and SuperStore. I live in the southwest corner of Aurora. The closest grocery store is the Metro store. Town services are all east of Yonge - even the closest fire station is east of Yonge.
Fuimus
Why do people have such a hate-on for the "historic downtown core"?
Every area has its advantages and disadvantages. People have the freedom to locate wherever it suits their own requirements.
I see the issue as development for the good of the whole town.
There aren't a lot of areas left for development so the intensification of Yonge Street and its surrounding areas will be very much on the agenda for the town, The Region AND the province's growth guidelines for municipalities.
We want the best possible development for the town - wherever it is located!
Talking about vacant buildings: not just the Price Chopper, but how about the warehouse/office that was occupied by Reebock? It has been empty for quite a while.
I'm also starting to see a lot of for lease signs in strip malls and in the industrial area as well.
On the letters page of the March 19 edition of the Banner there was an excellent letter concerning this very subject. The writer suggested a sort of permanent market/food hall with vendors and craftspeople renting space. She made the suggestion based on a locale of this type in Montreal. There could be gourmet food, butchers, bakers, fruits and vegetables, international takeaway food with a food court etc. There could be a stage to host performances and community events. It would be a nice alternative to the chains and big box stores and it would attract visitors to the town year round.
This is one of those properties that the town does not own and the leasing company I am sure would just like to get it leased to who ever would like to lease it. Great corner, lots of traffic, commercial zoning I am sure. I think we will just have to wait and see.
There seems to be new fencing going up at the vacant lot at Yonge and Tyler.
Does anyone know what is happening there?
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