?Great downtowns deserve great names,? said Mayor Linda Jackson. ?This project will establish Vaughan as a leader in smart growth and sustainable community development, and as such, the name of this district will be central to the City?s progressive image in the GTA and beyond.?

?Our new downtown will be the heart and soul of our community, a place for residents and visitors to enjoy, and businesses to grow,? said Regional Councillor and Acting Mayor Joyce Frustaglio at the contest launch event held today at the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Vaughan. ?Since this is the most ambitious undertaking in the City?s history, we want our citizens to have their say in what it?s called.?

The downtown development will stretch along Highway 7 and be centred around Jane Street. This area will be developed to offer all the amenities of an urban lifestyle: restaurants, cafes, hotels, shops and entertainment areas; as well as urban squares, green spaces, pedestrian walkways and bicycle networks. Mixed-use residential and commercial buildings will be featured.

"Building on the planned subway extension to our downtown core, this initiative encourages our residents and businesses to become more involved in the planning and development of one of the greatest gateways for the Province of Ontario," said Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, Chair of the Vaughan Corporate Centre Advisory Committee. "We are hoping that the new name will reflect and capture the energy, excitement and the power of our vision - a vision that our residents and businesses will embrace as theirs."

The contest rules and prizes are posted on the City?s website at www.vaughan.ca and contest posters will be on display at libraries, community centres and other City facilities.

For more information about the naming contest > click here