The Auroran
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Export date: Thu Jul 18 14:31:08 2024 / +0000 GMT

Where are hockey and soccer, asks reader


This is an open letter to the executives of both the Aurora Youth Soccer Club (AYSC) and Aurora Minor Hockey Association (AMHA).
As a volunteer assisting the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame, I was disappointed when Town Council recently decided not to financially support the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
By an interesting twist of Council politics and Council's apparent divisiveness along certain philosophical lines (Sport Aurora), a motion to support the Hall of Fame and the Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was defeated.
Fortunately, Mayor Dawe recognized the importance of the Hall of Fame and stepped up and donated $5,000 from the Mayor's Golf Tournament. The first Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held on November 6, 2013 and it was one of the finest ceremonies ever produced in Aurora. Clearly, an absolute milestone for sport in Aurora.
In attendance was Mayor Dawe and Councillors Abel, Humfryes and Thompson supporting the likes of inductees Frank Stronach, Jim Elder, Brian Stemmle, Cal Bouchard, Norm Stunden, Hap Holmes and Bob Bedard.
The divisiveness at Town Hall seems to pit Councillors Gaertner, Gallo, Buck and Ballard against Mayor Dawe and Councillors Humphries. Pirri, Thompson and Abel. We have seen these philosophical lines before on other issues. This Council party line is not the issue I am concerned with. The voters of this town can deal with this in next year's election and I hope you do.
My issue is that Councillors Buck, Gaertner, Ballard and Gallo have apparently questioned why the Town should support Sport Aurora and recently even questioned why they should be allowed space at Town Hall when the AYSC and the AMHA refuse to spend the $25 membership fee to join the voice of sport in Aurora.
Rather than offer solutions to get these organizations to join Sport Aurora they argue against the very organization that incorporates 28 other fellow sports organizations in this community. The argument as far as I have been able to determine is that why the Town should support an organization that includes 28 sports organizations but not the largest two in hockey and soccer.
These two organizations utilize millions of dollars of soccer fields and arenas owned by the Town (and indirectly the citizens of Aurora) yet they refuse to be part of an organization that exists to promote all sports in our community. That position ignores how all sports organizations can help each other.
My open question to the executives of both organizations is why? Why have you decided to cease being members of Sport Aurora? Why have you refused to be part of the Sport Aurora Breakfast of Champions? Why are you putting the very existence of this volunteer organization in jeopardy by boycotting it? Why are you enabling the arguments of Councillors Buck, Gallo, Gaertner and Ballard when joining is so simple?

Gerry Miller
Aurora
Post date: 2013-11-13 17:39:55
Post date GMT: 2013-11-13 22:39:55

Post modified date: 2013-11-13 17:39:55
Post modified date GMT: 2013-11-13 22:39:55

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