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The idea for the Aurora Arboretum began about 1995 and it was established in 1996. The primary focus of the individuals working on the project at that time was to plant caliper trees as memorials. These first plantings are located in the valley of the East Holland River, just west of the Aurora Town Hall. The planting of the memorial trees (as of 2007 called Commemorative Trees) is done under Adopt-a-Park Agreements with the Town of Aurora.
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In 2002, the wife of an Aurora Councillor walked her dog off leash. In 2002 if you wanted to exercise your dog, you let the dog run in a park early in the morning or later in the evening. The wife was stopped and given a fine by the Bylaws Officer who spotted her behaviour from afar. This upset the wife because there was no place to legally exercise her dog in Aurora. She took the problem to her Councillor husband who went to work and lobbied for a park for dogs.
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Longer Video of full fence walk around Shorter Slide Show Selected Faults Original fence purchased with $10,000 donation, 7 inch openings cannot hold small dogs, can choke large dogs. Patched with various dangerous metal fencing and plastic safety fence. Extreme hazards due to wire wraps and tensioning cables, rusty, sharp tops on steel posts.
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Fenced area is 138,000 sq. ft. or 3.16 acres
Total area as declared by Parks is 196,278 sq. ft. or 4.50 acres View aurora.ca page for park sizes -
On ??? 2003, Canine Commons opens. The reports from those who used the park in the early years said it was built on wet ground so was very often muddy.
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This was not successful.
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For the early years, staff from Parks and Rec performed cleanup and maintenance. This lasted only a short while because the park was not as clean as it should be.
Volunteers came forward on an unofficial program of daily maintenance and care.
The Town still undertook repairs and improvements. -
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People just volunteered to help out without a formal agreement for what the Town would do to support them.
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The park deteriorated under Parks daily control. The call for volunteer help by Director Downey was answered by a local professional dog walker who would pick up 18 tons of poop over the next 10 years. With her helpers, the park was walked several rounds per day, recycling bins filled, taken to the curb, returned when empty. Settled dog fights, people fights and tried to get the Town to do maintenance and repairs. She cut the grass herself to make it easier to clean up. She loves dogs.
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Full Plan
CC appears well utilized.
Would benefit from lighting, particularly in the fall and winter months. installation of water taps, seating areas, a paddock‐type entry/exit in order to minimize the possibility of dogs escaping. (Arranged November 2016 by Bob Lepp, to be paid by sponsors, A. Downey rejected idea))
*A provision target has not been established for off‐leash dog
parks.
These types of parks are best established by way of opportunity Never acted on. -
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[This agreement is posted on aurora.ca dated 2011][https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx9_Evivp1YPMVVaakdOLVNyODA/view?usp=sharing] It was available to Canine Commons FROM 1996 when it first signed a custom written 10 page agreement devised by Director Allan Downey.
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The lead volunteer has been at it 5 years or so. The town has not responded to any of the list of repairs, maintenance and enhancements.
Wood chips
Fencing
Gates
Light(s)
Mud -
Minutes Committee Meeting provision of wood chip mulch and the addition of lighting are the highest priorities. She suggested further needs and improvements including signage restricting food in the Park, running water, better fencing, additional picnic tables and benches, additional trees, and
hedge to act as a sound barrier. -
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Full Banner Article The proposal will also benefit the municipality The committee will be allowed to approach council with specific funding requests; town staff can step back from the daily operation of the site. The park was supposed to have been operated by a volunteer group. We’ve found a deal that works for everybody. Happy to have a group of go-to people It can lead to a lot of benefits.
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Full Banner Article Helen: CCC to take over, more people, allow host fundraising initiatives, seek sponsorship/promotion, upgrade and expansion of the park.
..pretty exciting, I’ve been a one-person show, but now I’ve got support, hoping this means we’ll get a budget, do some fundraising. ..a few things on our list ...lighting, fresh water access, a better drainage system, improved fencing. -
Custom 10 page contract
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Full Strategy Plan CC has NO IDENTIFYING SIGNS at all, only a rules sign. This consultants study mentions CC four times on page 5, but none of the pictures are of CC. This meeting and study spends hundreds of thousands to REPLACE signs, and CC still does NOT have ANY signs.
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An ice storm causes a lot of broken trees. They have to be cleaned up from parks all over town. Assumption: A coarse chopping "mulcher" was used to reduce the trees for disposal. Video of typical machine used The results are similar to the tons of garbage wood dumped at CC.
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Assumption: To save trucking costs to Bloomington recycling site, tons of coarse shards, slivers and chunks (right of apple) were dumped in piles at CC. Some piles were left in SW corner until flattened October 2016. Mounded high in center of CC still. These sharp pieces injure the paws. Smaller dogs cannot walk across such coarse materials. Humans twist ankles. Many dogs visit once and never return. Others will walk only on grass. Proper "soft" mulch is at left, a sample of Dec. 8 delivery.
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View aurora.ca page for park sizes CC total area with parking and boulevard is 3.116 acres
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While helping CCC during absences, Bob emailed to Jim Tree a complete list of items needing maintenance or repair. It was handled by Carole Wright, who one week later passed it to Sara Tienkamp ...asked if email list was received, Carole said....
I did and they were all forwarded to Sara Tienkamp -Parks Supervisor Carole Wright
Administrative Assistant View Response To Requests to Jim Tree -
Town begins to notice that CCC is getting help in their requests from a noisy resident
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Video of full fence walk around Original fence purchased with $10,000 donation, 7 inch openings cannot hold small dogs, can choke large dogs. Patched with various dangerous metal fencing and plastic safety fence. Extreme hazards due to wire wraps and tensioning cables, rusty, sharp tops on steel posts.
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Slideshow of conditions Mud, trip hazards, broken gates, broken chains, fence dangerous to dogs
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Details of emails Hellen we have been receiving e-mails from a user of the park who seems to be having issues with the state of the park and is concerned that the Town is not meeting our obligations under the terms of the Adopt A park Agreement........ ...and until very recently we had no reason to think that there were any significant issues. Look forward to hearing from you Helen Thanks Jim
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On Friday December 2 word came out about a big meeting coming Monday. 1:14 CCC: I think we have the Town's attention Late in the day, Jim Tree emailed CCC asking for clarification of any outstanding requests.
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All we know is there was a "big meeting", but we were not told of any outcomes. Whatever they planned would be a surprise to us all including the volunteers.
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Lepp: What sponsorship opportunities exist currently at Canine Commons? Ms Dyer: Great question!!
This along with other new assets are in discussion as we speak….it is new real estate to our sponsorship portfolio. Are you in the “canine” business? I will be in a meeting this afternoon (!) and hope to have more information.... Can you bear with me for a few days? Thanks for reaching out to me….will talk soon, (Never did!) Louise Dyer
Facility Advertising and Sponsorship Coordinator -
By phone, Jim Tree, then Tom Mrakas asked the CCC to write and sign a letter stating Bob Lepp did not speak for CC. The CCC refused, stating they had already been sent a complete list of volunteers, Bob is not on the list, that "Bob Lepp speaks for himself." Each offered "chips tomorrow" in exchange. Only Jim and Tom knew about the planned Dec. 8 work day. They had not bothered to tell the CCC of the plans made Dec. 5. They thought they could use the promised chips as leverage.
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With no prior warning, Parks closed CC and began work. They removed and repaired all 3 gates, dumped chips, and removed a dead tree. Nothing was touched on the fence or the tons of garbage wood chunks dumped years ago.
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Slideshow of Fencing
Slideshow of stills of fence showing sharp wires all over fence. Just pause to study any one picture. Do not let your dog near the wires. There are some real bad ones/ -
10 years late
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$250,000 contract for animal control with Aurora could be the cause
On Jan-3-2017, at 12:14 PM, Alison Green agreen@ospca.on.ca wrote: Hi Bob,
Please talk to the Town about any concerns you have regarding the conditions of the park.
Thank you, A.Green
Senior Inspector – Central Region
Ontario SPCA Investigations Department
16586 Woodbine Ave
Stouffville ON
L4A 2W3 Phone: 1-888-668-7722 x 339
Fax: 905-853-8643 -
Will be investigating the dumping of garbage wood in 2014 and chips Dec. 8, 2016
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Requests approved in prior years must be repeated in front of council to get approved again.
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Canine Commons Unique Agreement Request items requested in past years from staff contact required by contract. CCC never told to go direct to Council at any time for any reason. CCC told to deal with Jim Tree on any issue in agreement. So they did. Quote: "All communication to the Town regarding this Agreement shall be directed to Jim Tree, Parks Manager..."
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