Living in Aurora, Town of Aurora, Ontario » Hollandview Trail Retirement Community

Drive Through Town of Aurora Streets, In Black & White For Change

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 21:11:02 +0000

We have been stranded in Aurora, more like in the house. It is not even cold outside, but the influenza got us and since New Year most of the time we have been staying home. Doctor’s visits and x-ray appointments were only things we went out for.

Gabriel’s Cafe, Yonge Street, Aurora Downtown

Aurora United Church, Yonge Street, Town of Aurora, Ontario

We are all good now. Matthew is finishing up his second round of antibiotic. Of all of us he got hit the most that resulted in pneumonia. Last Monday I rushed him to the doctors office as he developed chicken pox like rush. Doctor didn’t agree that it was chicken pox, but he didn’t ruled out.

Apparently, something I didn’t know, but children not supposed to get chicken pox now days because they are vaccinated. But they still do, I have seen it.

Poplar Villa, Yonge Street, Town of Aurora

Sunrise Senior Living, Town of Aurora, Ontario

Today I asked for a drive around Aurora. I needed fresh air and so the rest of us, but we couldn’t keep Matthew in the cold air too much so walk was out of question. Our path was improvised, we didn’t anticipated, just making unexpected turns starting with Yonge Street and heading South.

We took unexpected turn on Brookland Avenue, somehow merged onto Fairway Drive, then to Murray Drive and ended up on Kennedy Street.

Kennedy Street is a interesting street, mixed with old and new houses, and some empty lots.

Well, I already been driving on Kennedy Street few times last summer, but never made a turn on Temperance Street. We did today.

When I met with seniors at the Hollandview Trail Retirement Community I found out that Jean Baker-Pearce once used to live there, and apparently there is a log house hidden inside one of the houses. There is lot of history on this street of which I am not aware of.

Temperance Street, Town of Aurora, Ontario

Temperance Street runs parallel to the Yonge Street that means you get to see the back of all the buildings that face Yonge Street. Interesting views and they do remind me downtown like Toronto.

Temperance Street, Town of Aurora, Ontario

We decided to end our trip when we headed towards Wellington Street. I have seen it before, but never paid attention – the barn. I must return and find out more, or may be someone can share a story.

The Barn, Wellington Street, Town of Aurora

And when I snapped my last picture of the barn someone was really anxious to get home, so we did. Turned North on Yonge Street and headed home, just like the biker.

The Biker, Bossa Nova, Yonge Street, Downtown Aurora

Hope you enjoyed my black and white photography. The day was kind of dark and moody so color photography just didn’t go this time. All these are shots from the car behind the window, so if you see any reflection there and there, no worry no ghost was following us.

Winter-y Evening Drive Near John West Way, Construction Site & Year 2012 In Review

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 03:47:01 +0000

I enjoy photographing everything and to extract some of the things from everything are the night shots. However, it all depends what you take picture of. Note, I am still practicing. No tripod just using very high ISO.

The Ridgewood, John West Way, Town of Aurora

Few years ago I was following a fellow photographer from US and he took these amazing photos of the construction sites. I was hoping one day that I will have an opportunity to do so.

Well I have two here in the Town of Aurora and one of them is the condominium construction site (The Ridgewood) on the John West Way right across the Hollandview Trail Retirement Community.

The Ridgewood, John West Way, Town of Aurora

I went for a drive today and my first stop was behind the movie theater Cineplex. At this moment it is probably the biggest construction site in the Town of Aurora. I have been following progress mostly during the summer, and now from this view point you can hardly see the Hollandview Trail place.

It felt like it was moving slow at first, but once they started to stack up the floors and walls I was able to see changes at the construction site at much faster rate.

The Ridgewood, John West Way, Town of Aurora

This area on the John West Way, near the Aurora Town Hall, is definitely a high density area. I wonder how the traffic is going to be. It wasn’t so bad when I drove by around six o’clock. I actually was surprised to see two buses in the span of five minutes.

Hollandview Retirement Community, John West Way, Town of Aurora

Other High Density Buildings on John West Way, Town of Aurora

On the end of my journey tonight I dropped by the Town Hall and snap some pictures of the Christmas tree. I may be wrong but the tree seems much bigger this year, and it seems dressed more with lights. Well when I get some time I will check if I got some older photos to compare.

This brings interesting point, the landscapes don’t just change because buildings rise or fall, but in addition because trees grow and tress fall down and sometimes not by themselves.

Christmas Tree 2013, Town Hall, Town of Aurora, Ontario

Well this may be my last post for the year 2012, so let me summarize few things. I just checked statistics for this site and this site had about 17,300 visits and 35,800 page views in the year 2012. I think that this is not that bad for a local blog. About eighty percent of my visits are from Aurora and surroundings (York Region).

I published 110 posts, slightly less than last year, but this was because I launched community FOCUS (LivingInAurora.COM) site and spent some time writing some content there. I don’t know how many images were published on this blog in 2012 but all I can tell you that this blog has a library of over 1,400 images of the Town of Aurora or photos that were taken on the grounds of Aurora.

My list of subscribers is constantly growing and if they don’t subscribe to my mailing list I know I am being followed using RSS feeds. I do have a twitter account and interesting spread of followers. My site is mainly found via search engines because someone is looking for something specific. It is nice that some actually drop me emails and write me interesting things they know about Aurora.

This year I have engaged more in photographing changes happening in Aurora, and I will do that more in the following year. I have extensive library of photos of the former Wells Street Public School and there will be more as the main construction didn’t start yet. I also have extensive library of photos of the Petch Log House reconstruction which I have been photo shooting since October 2012.

To conclude this post, let me list few of many interesting keywords through which people found this photo journal blog: trees that cry, who lives on my road, aurora issues, environmental issues in aurora, is there water good for drinking in aurora ontario, aurora mystery solved, aurora ontario horror and brave naked. However, the most used keyword and variations were for wells street public school.

“Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities.” a quote by Michael Josephson.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013.

GO Station, Wellington Street, Town of Aurora

Garden Marker Ideas For Next Year, Another Project from Windfall Ecology Centre

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:53:30 +0000

I almost forgot to share just another meaningful project by the Windfall Ecology Centre. Last month on October 1st we ventured out to the Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area. While hovering around the Windfall Ecology Centre, former historic Sheppard’s House, and the picnic area we found few garden patches.

Windfall Ecology Centre, Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area

I didn’t know at that time, but this is another project by the Windfall Ecology Centre – the community garden. The emphasis is on ‘it doesn’t take a lot to grow fruits and vegetables in your own garden‘. A project that encourages gardening at home, may be in the pots or at the community gardens that are starting to be popular around Aurora.

It also remind me how few years ago I used to grow plum tomatoes in my front yard instead of flowers.

Radish Stone Marker, Another Project by Windfall Ecology Centre

Carrot Stone Marker, Another Project by Windfall Ecology Centre

It is interesting to me that something that used to be a way of life is now encouraged because it rarely exists. Garden was always part of my life and it is kind of sad that all this land around here in Aurora will be eventually developed. Seeing a farm in Aurora – it will be a thing of the past. But I am stretching here, we are talking garden only.

Well, on the happy note, we found something interesting. I had Matthew with me and we had fun reading all the stone markers for the vegetables and fruits. What a good idea for marking your plants in the garden, and reusable one too. On the another note, I didn’t know that cantaloupes were grown here in Ontario. For some reason I always thought that cantaloupe was a tropical fruit.

So I did some research …

The cantaloupe is a fruit and is related to watermelon, honeydew, cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash. Some write that cantaloupe is a gourd. When choosing right cantaloupe at the supermarket I was using the same method as for watermelon – knock knock and listened for the hollow sound.

Apparently, when choosing a cantaloupe you must use your nose and not your knuckles. Smell for sweet smell, but I an not sure if I am in favor of that method, especially during flu/cold season.

Cantaloupe Stone Marker, Another Project by Windfall Ecology Centre

We also found a bear in the garden. Not real one, but there was a marker for him just in case.

Bear Stone Marker, Another Project by Windfall Ecology Centre

It was first of October and some plants were still blooming on that day. We spotted blooming peas flower and sunflowers.

It is November now and Sheppard’s Bush now looks nothing like before. Our last visit was at night – the Hunted Forest event. Even at night one could see leaves on the ground and some still hanging and beaming bright yellows.

Time really moves forward. We have had few changes in town – the Petch Log house is being reconstructed and the condominium in front of Hollandview Retirement Community on the John West Way is really moving along, but more about that in the posts to come.

Peas, Another Project by Windfall Ecology Centre

Meeting Seniors At The Hollandview Trail Retirement Community, Good Neighbour

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 01:49:48 +0000

Gateway Drive is a street on the other side of the St. John’s sideroad, opposite to the Pinnacle Trail. The street shown on the photo below, the housing and far back on the horizon, the Hollandview Retirement Community.

All that did not exist in 1997 when we first moved to Aurora.

Gateway Drive, Aurora

We moved into our new home on Halloween. We juggled the two together – trick or treat visitors and moving stuff into the house. And since then we saw neighbours going and coming. I even wrote a short story on the community FOCUS about our early beginnings in Aurora – ‘Living in Aurora – Trick or Treat? Yes, We Moved Here on Halloween Night‘.

Hollandview Trail Retirement Community, Aurora

Speaking about the Hollandview Trail Retirement Community; on September 12th, 2012 I did presentation for the seniors. Who would ever thought that my blog will get me on the road – something I never anticipated. I was nervous. I was very nervous. But my audience turned out to be such a nice joyous bunch.

When I came they really made me feel at ease. Started talking to me, asking me questions and waving and smiling at me whenever I looked. They even said – ‘First time doing this?‘. I guess they could tell.

The script I wrote for the presentation I forgot at home. My presentation titled ‘Good Neighbour‘ and I cannot tell you what was my presentation all about because in the near future I am heading to the Aurora Senior Centre.

Joan Devins, Hollandview Retirement Centre, Aurora

With me to the presentation I brought some visual aids – two books Aurora 1945-1965, An Ontario Town at a Time of Great Change and Aurora A History in Pictures. Books I use for reference when I go for walks around the town – it helps me to connect.

To my surprise in the audience I had a lady very much participating in my story telling about how I met Elizabeth Milner. Well, this lady happened to be Joan Devins who knew very well Milner’s sister and she is also on the picture on the cover of the book in front of Wells Street Public School. It is so interesting how things are connected in our town and it is so easy to intercept those connections and learn more.

But wait there is more. I did notice one lady on the back sitting by herself. I didn’t really pay attention until she came forward and offered if I ever need any information about the town she is the one. And the one was Jean Baker-Pearce. I think I may take on her offer.

But wait a bit more information here. As we were walking out Jean turned around and asked if I happened to know anyone who has the Aurora Its Early Beginnings, a book by James Johnston. I got so excited because I happened to have one – the yellow version from 1963 and in a very good condition. Ron Wallace really knows how to take care of valuable books. ‘Darn‘, said Jean once she found out I had a copy from Ron.

So what is so special about the book. There are early beginnings for everything, and this book is all about early beginnings of Aurora. Jean did help to write the book. The book was written in one week because it was realized that for the 100th Anniversary of Aurora celebrations there was no Aurora book written.

It was a very special evening and I really enjoyed meeting all the nice ladies in the audience. Yes they were almost all ladies. I think I had one gentleman on the back who came.

I don’t know their names but I recall small conversations before and after – the lady who sat in the very front and gently asked if I done this before. Then there was another lady who asked many questions about my profession – and she happened to have granddaughter in engineering as well. There was a lady who came up and share story about the red cardinal. And a lady who ask for the directions to the Nokiidaa Trail Link boardwalk and lastly two ladies against the wall who smiled and waved at me.

Living In Aurora, Elevator Snapshot

That night I felt like a celebrity. I know – it is just a living in Aurora blog, but for me small things matter. At my arrival, every turn I made I saw notices about my presentation – on the information flat screen at the entrance and then notice in the elevator. When I saw that one notice in the elevator, I think I beat the record getting my camera out the bag, turning on, taking cap off and snapping photo of the notice on the way down – just one floor down.

I tell you there are lot of hidden treasures in the town and it isn’t that hard to find them as well.