durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, February 24, 2022 | 4 Have Your Say: Coronation Road Park The Town is getting a new local park to be built on the west side of Coronation Road, south of Taunton Road. View the proposed conceptual park design and complete a survey by March 4. connectwhitby.ca/CoronationRoad Stay Active This Spring - Register on March 16 Looking to register yourself or a family member for a program like swimming classes, Basketball or 55+ Art Classes? Browse ACTIVE Net and create a Wish List starting March 1 so you're ready for registration day on March 16 at 9 a.m. Sessions start March 28. whitby.ca/GetActive Final Call - Community Development Fund Applications Due March 31 Due to the October 24 municipal election, all applications for the Town's Development Fund Grant (up to $25,000), Mayor's Golf Tournament Lead Cause Grant (up to $25,000) and Community Grants (up to $5,000) are due by March 31. Apply at whitby.ca/CommunityFunds P: 905.430.4300 E: info@whitby.ca whitby.ca What You Need To Know This Week: Town Council Approves 2022 Budget The Town's 2022 Budget was approved by Whitby Town Council on February 17. The approved budget will result in a 2.2 per cent Town increase or an estimated 0.8 per cent increase on the overall residential bill for Town services - about a 12 cent per day increase, per household, for the delivery of important services residents rely on every day. This budget focuses on maintaining affordability and continued essential service delivery. For more information, visit connectwhitby.ca/Budget World Water Day Film Screening Visit the Whitby Public Library on March 22 at 7 p.m. to attend a free screening of the documentary "SHORELINE: The Paddle Against Plastic", an inspiring film that follows Rochelle Byrne as she embarks on a 430km paddle journey across Lake Ontario to raise awareness about plastic pollution. A live question and answer session will take place with Rochelle following the screening. Space is limited, register now. whitby.ca/Calendar For the past two years, government has taken on a significant role in how we work, shop and enjoy life. From mask and vaccine mandates, to capacity limits and online school, government has become firmly entrenched in everyone's life. Yet while people across the country argue about what role the provincial and federal governments should play as we (hopefully) move out of this pandemic, something else happened in our communities, something some of us perhaps did not even notice. As municipal councils, school boards, police service meetings and even court had to transition to a virtual world, local government quickly became far more accessible than it had ever been before. Below we talk to those who welcome this advancement and hope we do not fall back to old habits when the pandemic is over. RON STEVENS Ron Stevens is an older adult who stays up on what is happening in his community of Whitby. He has been doing that via his computer mostly since COVID-19 made it necessary to do so, as Whitby committee and council meetings went virtual beginning in March 2020. Stevens has issues he is particularly interested in, and when they come before council or committee, he tries to tune in on his computer or sometimes on Rogers TV. "As a concerned citizen of Whitby, I try and regularly watch the various council meetings online," Stevens said. Stevens took part in and was a delegate at a meeting last October about an environmental assistant for the controversial Brooklin bypass, a major issue in Whitby. "I feel it is important for all of us to engage with the council members we elect, on all important matters. Our voice is important and participating is how our voices are heard," he said. Stevens said once CO- VID-19 restrictions are lifted and citizens can attend council in-person again, "we should all participate whenever we can." SARAH TAYLOR For Clarington resident Sarah Taylor, and many like her, virtual meetings make it possible to volunteer to build up their community. Taylor joined the Accessibility Advisory Committee to help make Clarington accessible and inclusive for everyone. She has multiple sclerosis and an "uncooperative" right leg. "My son was a little over two when we moved here. My leg was being a challenge and, pushing a stroller, I started to be aware of situations that were accommodating or not accommodating for someonewith mobility issues," said Taylor. Through the committee she's learned about efforts to make Clarington more accessible and has advocated for better multi-use paths connecting the communities, so she can ride her e-bike with her son while he bicycles. "I'm exposed to such a higher level of detail on all the efforts, the ideas, the applications for grants," said Taylor. "Clarington is very proactive and forward thinking. It feels like an honour to be working with such a progressive community." The pandemic struck just a few months after Taylor joined Clarington's accessibility committee. Now the meetings are held virtually each month. On the meeting night in early February, Taylor's husband had to work late and she was still able to get dinner on the table and attend the meeting -- while her seven-year-old son Theo enjoyed the rare treat of playing on a tablet. Taylor remembers when the committee met in-person, one member relied on Durham Region accessible transit to attend. He would often have to leave the meetings early to meet the transit schedule. OUR CHANGED WORLD 'OUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT AND PARTICIPATING IS HOW OUR VOICES ARE HEARD': RON STEVENS Sarah Taylor, middle, with her son Theo and husband Sebastian, is a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee that helps develop strategies for a barrier-free Clarington for people with disabilities. Sarah Taylor photo See 'THE', page 6