n
Humble beginnings
Honouring influential citizens
Vaughan’s history dates back to the 1600s when
the first European to visit the area, French explorer Étienne Brûlé, travelled through in 1615.
Vaughan itself would not see settlement until the
late 1700s. The early settlers were farmers, and, by
the 1800s, hamlets were developed with the first
being Thornhill. With what was considered large
growth at the time – the population was 4,300 –
Vaughan was incorporated as a township in 1850.
Its namesake is Benjamin Vaughan, an author
of the Treaty of Paris and a friend of Benjamin
Franklin. Meetings were held at the first Township
Hall, located on what is now Weston Road. Other
communities followed and by the 1900s, the area
was home to thousands of residents spread out in
Kleinburg, Maple and Woodbridge.
Citizens are the backbone of a city. They contribute to the success of their hometown and represent
the true meaning of community spirit. In recognition of the people who have been influential in
shaping the city, the Order of Vaughan was introduced. It is the highest civic honour given by the
City and the first recipients will be presented with
the award at a signature event on October 25 at
the Riviera Parque Dining, Banquet and Convention Centre. A special ceremony for the honourees
will be held at 6 p.m. and the entire community is
invited to join.
In 1971, when York Region was created, the township of Vaughan became a town and by 1976, the
population stood at almost 18,000. Rapid growth
came in the 1980s when the town saw its population increase by 118 per cent. In fact, according to
Statistics Canada, Vaughan was the fastest-growing
city in Canada between 1996 and 2006, achieving
a population growth rate of 80 per cent. The biggest and most important change came on January 1,
1991, when Vaughan became the first city in York
Region with a population of 111,000. Today, that
has almost tripled and Vaughan is the eighth largest
city in Ontario and the 17th largest in Canada with
a population of more than 325,000.
Comprised of five communities – Concord, Kleinburg, Maple, Thornhill and Woodbridge, Vaughan
has become a city of choice, and new residents and
businesses are welcomed all t he time.
Where we’re going
CELEBRATING 25 FANTASTIC YEARS!
The City kicked off its year-long celebration with
a special event at City Hall in January. The entire
community was invited to share in the occasion
and mark this milestone in the City’s history. Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, Members of Council and
other dignitaries raised the 25th anniversary flag at
Vaughan City Hall to launch the event and commemorate the special occasion. Mayor Bevilacqua
noted it was a great time to be living in Vaughan.
“As we look to the exciting future of our growing
City, I am inspired by the passion and energy that
is evident everywhere in our community. We are
blessed to have compassionate and generous citizens who understand the value of giving back and
supporting people who need it most. Vaughan’s
25th anniversary is a momentous occasion and I
look forward to celebrating this incredible milestone with the entire community.”
The City has been encouraging residents to participate by sharing their personal stories about their
time in Vaughan on social media and the website
dedicated to Vaughan 25. vaughan25.ca.
The Order, through a nomination process, recognizes people in a number of categories – arts and
entertainment, media and communication, athletics, health and wellness, business, philanthropy,
public service, education, science and technology,
not-for-profit, equity and diversity, accessibility,
environment and spirituality.
Civic pride
As part of the 25th celebration, the City of
Vaughan will receive an official coat of arms to
serve as its permanent symbol of a modern, prosperous and engaged community. Together with the
Canadian Heraldic Authority, the City of Vaughan
collaborated in the making of the very first coat of
arms for the city. This piece of history will be revealed to residents in the fall and will represent the
Vaughan of the past, present and future.
Recognizing visitors
A Key to the City program has been established as
part of Vaughan’s anniversary year. It’s an honour
bestowed upon a visitor to Vaughan in recognition
of their contributions made elsewhere. The recipient of this honour may be a resident, former resident, visiting dignitary, or prominent entertainment
and sports figure.
Looking forward to the future
The story of Vaughan continues to evolve with
each passing year and the many initiatives that are
underway in the city. A new page to the narrative
is added every single day as the city continues to
grow and prosper. Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
said, “Vaughan is well on its way to becoming a
world-class city because of you – the people who
call it home. Vaughan’s 25th anniversary is an opportunity for us to reflect upon and pay tribute to
our heritage while looking ahead to our future.”
To share your most memorable moment
over the last 25 years and for more
information about Vaughan’s 25th
anniversary, please visit vaughan25.ca
timeline
1792 - First settlements
1850 - Municipal
government established
1971 - Regional
government established
1971 - Vaughan
incorporated as a township
1981 - Grand opening
of Canada’s Wonderland
1991 - Officially
incorporated as a city
(First in York Region)
2002 - Keele Valley
Landfill closes
2004 - Grand opening
of Vaughan Mills
2004 - Official
opening of Pierre Berton
Resource Library
2009 - Groundbreaking
for Toronto-York
Spadina Subway
Extension into Vaughan
2010 - Vaughan unveils
its new City logo
2011 - Approval for
construction of Mackenzie
Vaughan Hospital
2011 - Official opening
of new City Hall
2013 - LEGOLAND
Discovery Centre opens
at Vaughan Mills
2014 - Groundbreaking
for the early works
for Vaughan
Healthcare Centre
2014 - Topping off
ceremony for Vaughan’s
tallest building – Expo City
Tower 1 – in the Vaughan
Metropolitan Centre
2015 - Vaughan
welcomes Toronto FC II,
a professional soccer team
that competes in USL PRO
2016 - Vaughan's 25th
anniversary celebration
2016 \ Celebrate Vaughan
23