August 16, 2023
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Dear neighbours,
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer thus far, as well as having a safe and relaxing time with family and friends. It has been a pleasure to listen to residents at events this summer that my staff and I have participated in. The 'Play on the Runway' event at the Downsview airstrip was a great success in bringing families and organizations together. Thank you to all those who came out with their bikes and scooters to enjoy a wonderful afternoon. The Fun Philippines street festival attracted tens of thousands of residents and tourists to celebrate our vibrant Filipino community and businesses. I look forward to the upcoming Taste of Manila festival which will take place from August 19th to 20th.
We have made steady progress on many issues throughout the past.
We have worked tirelessly to protect businesses in our Business Improvement Areas, such as Duke Heights, and across the ward from zoning changes that would negatively impact our prosperity due to restrictive land use conditions. We have also advocated successfully to expand Bike Share into the Downsview area, and I have held numerous meetings with constituents and business owners to address their municipal-related concerns.
Currently, work is underway by the Mayor and City staff to determine the new roster of our committees. Regardless of which committee I may be assigned to, I will always continue to fight to keep taxes low and bring positive enhancements to York Centre that would leave a lasting impact on residents and the business community.
I am ready for what the fall season brings and will continue to provide further updates on our work in the coming months. Wishing all of you the very best over the summer month of August and look forward to connecting with you again in September.
Sincerely,
James Pasternak
City Councillor for Ward 6 – York Centre
Chair, North York Community Council
Chair, General Government Committee
