Welcome, 2021!
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The City of Vaughan is here to support your New Year’s resolutions
Happy New Year! This is a time to reflect and look forward to the year ahead. No matter what your plans are for 2021, the City of Vaughan is there to support you and your New Year’s resolutions.
Resolution #1: Be more active
The City continues to offer virtual exercise classes so you can stay active at home. Join in the virtual fitness classes via Zoom – free for Vaughan Fitness Members. Classes include yoga, total body conditioning, barre, HIIT circuit training and Zumba. Pre-registration is required at vaughan.ca/RecOnline. Free, full-length fitness classes (40- to 60-minutes long) are also streamed Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. on the recvaughan YouTube channel. For more information on virtual fitness offerings, visit vaughan.ca/fitness.
Resolution #2: Read more
Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) has everything you need to become a book worm this year! VPL offers a full digital library service that is frequently enhanced to engage and educate residents of all ages. Available at vaughanpl.info, the web hub features a variety of free online resources, including eBooks and audiobooks, film and television programs, music streaming services, e-learning courses, bilingual materials and more. Additional content, such as virtual storytime, is also available daily on VPL’s Instagram. VPL also offers other great resouces to take advantage of. Here is more information on their offerings:
- Curbside pickup: All library branches remain closed to the public, but are offering curbside pickup. You can place a hold as usual and arrange pickup at a library of your choice. For more information on this service, visit vaughanpl.info/curbside.
- eBooks and audiobooks: VPL provides free access to several digital platforms, including Hoopla, Overdrive and Tumblebooks. Adults, teens and kids will find something to love, allowing you to bring a little piece of the library home without leaving the house. Titles include novels, animated picture books, non-fiction, graphic novels and more. Audiobooks can be played on a smartphone, computer or smart TV.
- Film and television: You may borrow free digital videos with your library card. Members also have access to Hoopla titles – available for instant streaming or temporary download – and can be watched on a smartphone, tablet or computer. VPL also provides access to Kanopy, which offers more than 30,000 critically-acclaimed films. The selection ranges from new popular titles and classics to world cinema, art and indie as well as top-rated documentaries.
- Music: Stream more than 150,000 albums of classical, opera, jazz and world music with Naxos Music Library. Use your VPL library card and PIN to start streaming for free today.
- Online learning: Lynda.com gives you free access to thousands of video tutorial courses with a focus on technology, software development, business skills, project management and creative skills like animation and video editing. The courses are taught by recognized industry experts who will guide you along in learning the skills for personal and professional development. Also available is Transparent Language – a fun way to learn a new language. The app aims to lock words and phrases into your memory so you can recall them with ease.
- Newspapers: If you want to read newspapers in languages other than English and French, VPL provides access to Press Reader, a database with access to more than 4,000 newspapers from 100 countries in 60 languages.
- French offerings: Through Cantook Station, you have access to nearly 7,000 eBooks and 39 audiobooks. You can check out up to seven eBooks at a time and have up to three on hold. Three times a week, VPL French-language specialists provide video content through social media. On Tuesdays, there are French-language activities for school-aged children. On Thursdays, staff offer tips on how to access French-language eBooks, audiobooks and videos at home. On Saturdays, there is a storytime offered in French for preschool children. Every other Thursday, VPL hosts an online French Meetup through Zoom. Each meeting will provide a theme for discussion. This is open to people of all ages and provides an opportunity to practise speaking French.
- Databases: Whether you are doing research for a business or academic project or are interested in expanding your knowledge, VPL has a database that can help. For example, World Book Online for Kids brings the classic encyclopedia set into the home.
Resolution #3: Get outside more!
Even in the winter months, it is important to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and beauty of the season. The City has many ways to get outdoors and be one with nature.
- Outdoor rinks: Lace up your skates at one of the City’s five outdoor skating rinks, open now until March 2021, weather permitting. Outdoor rinks are located at the following community centres: Chancellor Community Centre (350 Ansley Grove Rd.), Dufferin Clark Community Centre (1441 Clark Ave. W.), Father E. Bulfon Community Centre (8141 Martin Grove Rd.), Garnet A. Williams Community Centre (501 Clark Ave. W.) and Vellore Village Community Centre (1 Villa Royale Ave.). For more information on rules, visit vaughan.ca/skate.
- Toboggan hill: Feel the wind in your hair while sliding down the City’s tobogganing hill at North Maple Regional Park (11085 Keele St.). The toboggan hill is not supervised. Please limit your time to ensure others have a chance to use the hill. The hill is open daily, weather permitting.
- Trails: Put on your best walking boots and explore the scenic nature Vaughan has to offer. Public trails include: William Granger Greenway nature walk, Mackenzie Glen neighbourhood walk, Sonoma Heights neighbourhood walk, Peter Rupert neighbourhood walk, Rainbow Creek neighbourhood walk, Marita Payne neighbourhood walk, Riverwalk neighbourhood walk, Maple Nature Reserve nature walk, Jersey Creek neighbourhood walk, Sugarbush nature walk, Vellore neighbourhood walk and North Maple Regional Park nature walk. Note, not all trails are maintained in the winter. For more information, visit vaughan.ca/trails, download the Great Walks of Vaughan guide (PDF) or visit vaughan.ca/GreatWalks to access maps of all the trails.
If visiting any outdoor amenity, follow these health and safety reminders: wash and sanitize your hands properly before and after visiting, sneeze and cough into your sleeve or a tissue and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Do not visit if you are feeling unwell or exhibit signs of COVID-19. Do not share equipment with those outside of your household.Practise physical distancing by keeping a distance of two metres from others or returning later if physical distancing is not possible.
Resolution #4: Learn a new skill
Learn something different in the New Year with a fresh lineup of 2021 virtual winter programs beginning on Monday, Jan. 4. Try your hand at cooking cultural dishes, crocheting a blanket or building a website or a robot. Give acting, dancing or singing a shot with the help of the City Playhouse Theatre crew. Release stress with yoga, karate or boxercise. Learn to write speeches or compete in a family games night. Educational programming is also offered for preschoolers and individuals with special needs. Virtual winter programs are 45 minutes to one hour each and run weekly for up to 10 weeks.
View a full list of programs in the Virtual Winter Programs eGuide at vaughan.ca/recreation. A list of materials and supplies will be emailed to participants in advance. Parent or guardian assistance may be required.
Resolution #5: Get involved in the community
Public consultation remains a vital part of the planning and city-building process. While Vaughan City Hall remains closed to the public, there are many ways you can get involved. Visit vaughan.ca/HaveYourSay for current projects that need public feedback. Committee and Council meetings will be resuming soon as well, and there are several ways to comment on the matters being discussed.
Those who feel unwell, and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19, should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on the virus, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19.
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