Mayor's Monthly Newsletter - August 2024

I’m thrilled to share that Council recently voted unanimously to donate two pieces of land in Downtown Whitby valued at $5 million to Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area. Habitat will build approximately 40 affordable housing units on the Hickory Street South Site and the Dunlop Street East site. These affordable homes will be a variety of family-sized units and include parking and outdoor space. Construction is expected to begin in 2025. In addition to supporting much-needed affordable housing units in Whitby, donating this land will also help the Town achieve its commitments under the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund and support the Town’s Provincial Housing Pledge, to facilitate the development of 18,000 homes in Whitby by 2031.

In July, I had the privilege of hosting a roundtable discussion for Whitby's not-for-profit organizations. More than 60 people attended, which was an amazing turnout! The roundtable was an important opportunity to hear directly from our not-for-profits about the many challenges they are facing -- from increased demand for their services and programs, to difficulty recruiting and retaining volunteers and a drop in individual and corporate giving. There were also many victories and success stories to share. Starting next month, I will be featuring a different local not-for-profit in my newsletter each month, to highlight the critical work of these organizations and promote any needs they have around volunteers, staff, and donations. Click here for more information on volunteer opportunities in Durham.

The third edition of the Whitby Food Guide was recently released, and it looks fantastic! The guide includes 12 additional pages of photos and content, featuring many new locations. The Town of Whitby also launched new Walking Food Tours in conjunction with the Food Guide release. There’s a Downtown Brooklin Tour and a Downtown Whitby Tour, both offering participants a chance to sample food and treats from local businesses and learn more about the people behind the food. Response has been overwhelming -- both tours are currently sold out with waitlists available. Visit whitby.ca/foodtours for more information and to watch for upcoming dates.

The Town recently marked the one-year anniversary since the launch of Whitby’s new Community Strategic Plan. I’m so pleased to share that 58 out of 62 action items are now underway or complete! This is a testament to the hard work of Town staff and the support Council has shown to deliver on what matters most to our community. More than 8,500 people visited the Connect Whitby project page and over 3,000 completed online surveys or attended engagement sessions to provide feedback on the plan. Residents highlighted the Whitby waterfront, healthcare, green spaces, community safety, economic growth, and the desire to address social needs, like homelessness, as some of their top priorities. Visit connectwhitby.ca/CommunityPlan to learn more about what has been accomplished so far.

My final two Coffee with Mayor Roy events for summer 2024 are coming up this month. Join me for coffee and a chat Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Central Library, 405 Dundas St. W. or Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Whitby Shores Tim Hortons, 601 Victoria St. W. In July, I had the privilege of connecting with residents at four Coffee with Mayor Roy events, all of which produced some fantastic conversations. I’m looking forward to answering your questions and listening to your feedback.

The Town of Whitby is working on a multi-year project to refresh and revitalize historic Brock Street, from the exit at Highway 401 all the way north to the CP rail track near Maple Street.

Earlier this year, residents and businesses were invited to share their priorities for the future design – thank you to the more than 580 people who provided feedback.

Here are the highlights of what we heard:

• 80 per cent of survey participants travel on Brock Street daily or a few times a week, with 85 per cent using a vehicle
• Top design priorities for the Brock Street redesign are patios, trees, planters and flowers
• Other design considerations raised by survey participants include road safety, pedestrian safety, heritage character, accessibility, parking, festivals and events, and transit connectivity.

The feedback will be used to create concept designs for additional community input. For project updates, subscribe to connectwhitby.ca/BrockStreet

The Town of Whitby is constructing a new east-west road in South Brooklin between Cochrane Street/Highway 7 and Britannia Road in Oshawa.

The new road – which Council recently voted to name Kent Mills Road – is being built to support future growth, connectivity, and economic development opportunities. It will also accommodate active transportation, like walking and cycling, with a multi-use path on the north side and a sidewalk on the south side. The project is divided into four phases of construction – Phase 1, from Ashburn Road to the future Garden Street Extension is now underway. Road impacts started on July 2 and will continue until November 2024 including Baldwin Street reduced to one lane in each direction south of Hwy. 7 and road and bike lanes closed on Ashburn Road closed south of Winchester Road and north of Spencers Road. Click here for more information or go to project page at https://connectwhitby.ca/MidArterial to subscribe for updates.

Welcome to my new “Because You Asked” feature, available in my monthly newsletter and on social media. I often receive many calls or emails on an issue and this format allows me to share helpful information on a question that’s being asked often.

Today we’re talking about Rowe House. I have received many comments about the fact that this historic property has recently been vandalized.

Here’s some background information about Rowe House and an update on plans to start exterior renovations soon.

• James Rowe House was the home of James Rowe, Whitby’s first mayor. The frame house was built in 1856 and originally located at 1600 Charles St.
• In the late 90s, Rowe House was set to be demolished, but the community rallied to save it
• Judith Barker late Town of Whitby councillor Shirley Scott were the heart behind efforts to save Rowe House
• They worked with residents to create the Whitby Heritage Community Association, acquiring land from the Town of Whitby to move the house to its current location on Front Street West. Judith and Shirley also brojght together volunteers to help maintain the house
• In 2016, I had the pleasure of working with fellow members of the Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise to scrape and paint the house as a community service project
• In March 2023, the Town of Whitby assumed ownership of Rowe House from the Whitby Heritage Community Association.
• In November 2023, Council approved $400,000 for repairs to Rowe House
• In April 2024, the Town issued an Expression of Interest, asking respondents to provide a commercial adaptive re-use concept for Rowe House that would help enhance Whitby’s waterfront and tourism sector
• As a next step, the Town is issuing a Request for Proposal to seek submissions from qualified food and beverage operators interested in using Rowe House as a food and beverage destination
• Exterior renovation work will be starting soon – the tender for the project will go out this summer
• The work will include: replacement of exterior siding, window glass, asphalt shingles, and soffit/ fascia, refinishing doors, and repair and replacement of wood decking and handrails
• The Town has reviewed the planned renovation work with the Whitby Historical Advisory Committee and received their endorsement of the plan

Watch for more updates soon!

This is our monthly shout-out to those who make Whitby proud. If you know a person, group, or organization that has accomplished something noteworthy or is helping to make Whitby a better place, let the mayor’s office know! Email Jillian Follert at follertj@whitby.ca

• Shout out to Aly Van Wyck-Smart from the Whitby Swimming Club who will be part of Team Canada’s 2024 Paris Paralympic Team! This is the latest in a long list of accomplishments – Aly is a multiple world championship medalist and was awarded the Provincial Para Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Ontario Sports Awards. Whitby will be cheering you on, Aly!

• A resident asked me to give a shout-out to All Saints’ Church and its amazing food bank and community garden. Deacon's Cupboard Food Bank has been in operation since the late 1980s, relying on donations of food and funds to keep the shelves stocked. Powered by a team of 32 volunteers, the food bank served 13,970 adults and children in 2023, with an average of 117 visits per week. The community garden was launched in 2021 to provide fresh produce to the church’s food bank clients and is supported by 28 volunteers. Vegetables and herbs are grown from seeds, as well as purchased and donated plants. The garden currently includes tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, beans, garlic, squash, carrots, hot peppers, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi, rhubarb, and a variety of herbs. A "Three Sisters" garden honours Indigenous planting traditions with grouped corn, beans, and squash. Thank you, All Saints volunteers, for all you do for our community!

• Congratulations to 12-year-old Whitby resident Laila Farag, a high-performance taekwondo athlete who recently competed for Team Canada in the Pan American Cadet-Junior Championship in Queretaro, Mexico, winning a silver medal. Laila trains at Whitby Taekwondo Academy and is the holder of a second-degree black belt. In 2023 she became the Ontario Provincial Champion in her division at the Ontario Taekwondo Provincial Championship, then went on to the Canadian National Taekwondo Championship in Winnipeg on July 6 and 7, where she won gold and became the national champion for the Cadet Female -37 Kg division. Way to go, Laila!

This new Downtown Whitby business offers women’s pre-loved, brand-name, and designer clothing and accessories. Located in Pearson Lanes at 1A-103 Mary St. W. Style Loft Boutique, aims to bring affordable, sustainable luxury to Durham residents. “Our goal is to give everyone the opportunity to own luxury brands at an affordable price,” the store’s website notes. Clothing and accessories are in like-new condition, priced up to 80 per cent off retail. Brands include Kate Spade, Gucci, Lululemon, Louis Vuitton and Guess. Visit styleloftboutique.ca for more information.

• The Town of Whitby is hosting Movies in the Park Aug. 9 and 30 at Whitby Civic Park (behind Town Hall) starting at dusk. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs and popcorn for an evening under the stars. Movies are shown on a large, outdoor screen with concert-quality sound. Check out whitby.ca/en/play/movies-in-the-park.aspx for movie details.
• Sunset Tango is back! One of four Culture Pop-Up events taking place this summer, Sunset Tango is happening Aug. 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rotary Sunrise Park (rain date Aug. 22). Check out a professional performance by Tango Soul and take a short lesson accompanied by the music of the Paul Grecco Trio. Visit whitby.ca/en/play/culture-pop-ups.aspx for more Culture Pop-Up details.

• Music in the Park runs until mid-August. You can catch live music on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at Rotary Centennial Park and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Grass Park in Brooklin. Visit whitby.ca/en/play/whitby-live.aspx for the full performance schedule.
• The Whitby Chamber of Commerce hosts the 2024 Whitby Job Fair on Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Abilities Centre, 1 Jim Flaherty St., Whitby. Job seekers can explore exciting opportunities, and employers can discover top talent. For more information or to register, visit https://ow.ly/btFf50SppeZ