Virtual Vaughan
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Top five things to explore and participate in online during COVID-19
Although some of the City of Vaughan’s physical doors remain closed, City business continues uninterrupted. Many virtual offerings have been introduced or enhanced to provide a new, efficient and streamlined experience for the community. Here are the top five things to do online in Vaughan:
1. Events
Some events are resuming virtually, including the 2020 Order of Vaughan, the annual Remembrance Day ceremony on Monday, Nov. 2 and the Vaughan Accessibility Champion Awards. The annual Vaughan Culture Days events began on Friday, Sept. 25 with a variety of virtual cultural programming. Details are available at vaughan.ca/CultureDays. These events come after a successful virtual Canada Day celebration on Wednesday, July 1 that featured JUNO Award winners and Grammy Award nominated artists, Barenaked Ladies.
2. Committee and Council meetings
Electronic-participation Committee of the Whole and Council meetings have been held throughout the pandemic to move City-business forward. Upcoming agendas can be viewed at vaughan.ca/CouncilMeetings. While Vaughan City Hall remains closed to the public, visit vaughan.ca/HaveYourSay to learn more about how to participate virtually, including through live deputations via teleconference or telephone. Email or written communications are also accepted. Citizens can watch the meetings by tuning in to the live broadcast at vaughan.ca/LiveCouncil.
3. Recreational programs
Frequent enhancements continue to be made to the department’s new webpage featuring virtual recreation resources for all ages, abilities and areas of interest. Available online resources include:
- Vaughan Playschool educational reading, writing, math and science worksheets for children aged three to five years old.
- easy-to-follow at-home workouts from Vaughan Fitness instructors featured six days a week on the RecVaugan YouTube channel.
- general activities such as cooking, arts and crafts, colouring and more.
A series of fall virtual recreation programs will be offered after Thanksgiving weekend.
Recently reopened facilities – with limited scheduling – include select pools, arenas and fitness centres. Visit vaughan.ca/recreation for updates.
4. Library services
Vaughan Public Libraries’ fully digital library service continues to be enhanced to engage and educate residents of all ages. The web hub – available at vaughanpl.info/vpl_at_home – features a variety of free online resources and programming, including eBooks and audiobooks, films and television programs, music streaming services, e-learning courses, bilingual materials, STEM activities, online book clubs, virtual event information and more.
5. Business supports
Virtual programs and new services are being offered from the City’s Economic and Cultural Development department to further support local businesses, including:
- the newly launched vaughanbusiness.ca website with a dedicated COVID-19 information page.
- virtual business advisory services to support with registering a business, business planning, accessing government assistance programs and more. Local businesses can access these services through this online form.
- sector-specific eNewsletters to keep businesses up to date on government announcements, funding and relevant programming. Businesses can subscribe here.
- online resources such as the #ShopVaughanLocal campaign and the Open For Business webpage.
- access to all events and webinars hosted virtually for businesses across York Region via vaughanbusiness.ca/events.
- season two of the Vaughan Rising Podcast, which examines the resilience of Vaughan’s business community and talks to leaders who are pivoting, innovating and doing what it takes to make it through to the other side of the pandemic.
- the Activate!Vaughan Health Innovation Challenge, in partnership with the Province of Ontario, Mackenzie Health, the Mackenzie Innovation Institute, SE Health, Sterling Industries, The HUB and ventureLAB. Entrepreneurs can register at vaughanbusiness.ca/ActivateVaughan by Monday, Oct. 5 to present innovative business solutions that will deliver high-quality, effective and patient-focused care.
6. Digital art – BONUS!
In 2007, the City began building a corporate art collection designed to animate key public areas of Vaughan City Hall, Vaughan Public Libraries and civic partnership venues. Titled the Art Integration Collection, the gallery can now be viewed in a virtual art format on Flickr. The pieces are housed permanently in Vaughan’s growing art database and currently features 77 art acquisitions by local and GTA-based artists. Browse through the online gallery at Flickr.com.
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