Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 10

33 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 10 AYLMER , ONTAR IO because of all the wonderful amenities we have.” As a bedroom community, Aylmer is only 20 minutes from provincial highway 401, making it an ideal location for those who work in nearby cities. The town is a go-to destination for visitors to Elgin County, with its historic buildings, farmers’ market, festivals, and entertainment. “Our Old Town Hall theater is just amazing,” says Mayor Mary French. “It’s one of a kind. We have a great theater group here, Aylmer Performing Arts Council. We have musicals, we have a wonderful refurbished bandshell in our park in the center of town. Everybody cares for each other, and they always step up to the plate. It’s a friendly, clean community and not only a great retirement community but it’s also a great place to raise a family.” Unusual for a municipality of its size (population near 7600), Aylmer has its own police service, which Grozelle suggests, “means there’s a lot more police presence here and I think it shows in the reduced level of crime. It is a very safe community.” In order to accommodate new residents, the town is considering boundary adjustments, creating more space for development. There are several residential subdivisions in the review stages, with an expectation of a strong building year in 2022. French explains, “The biggest one is a 300-unit subdivision that’s going to be coming online next year, but we also have some other developers of subdivision/condo type properties who are looking to accelerate their plans and get in the ground faster.” Sifton is the developer of Aylmer’s new 300-home community, which will be named Cottonwood. Another project combining the redevelopment of older downtown storefronts with the addition of residential units on the upper floors is also in the planning stages, along with a possible low-rise apartment complex in another area of the town, which will have an affordable housing component. With a mix of single family, duplexes, and townhomes in the works, Aylmer