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| '''Aylmer''' is a former city and a ] of ], ], ], located on the ]. Population (]): 36,085 -- approx. 16% of Gatineau. It is named after ], who was a ] of ] and a ] of ] from ] to ]. It remains primarily a ] of ] and ]. | |||
| It bills itself the "Recreation Capital of the National Capital" given its many golf courses, green spaces, spas, marina and bicycle paths. There is little industry in the sector, the area being mainly a residential area. | |||
| In the recent election dealing with demerger from ], Aylmer actually voted to separate, but since there were not enough votes actually cast, it remains part of the amalgamated city. (This was in keeping with a Quebec government regulation on similar demerger votes that for any referendum to be valid at least 35% of eligible voters had to cast ballots) | |||
| Aylmer's population is about 40% ] and 60% ]; much of its workforce commutes across the river to Ottawa. As such it tends to be a very federalist area, with much of the population being bilingual. | |||
| In 2002 the City of Aylmer became a part of ]. A large protest from the Aylmer residents screamed for a de-amalgamation and was lost by 3 votes. Aylmer continues to be part of Gatineau to this day. | |||
| Prior to the merger, Aylmer's residents and municipal laws had strongly opposed extensive construction programmes. Following the amalgamation, many of the sector's prized green spaces where cut down for residential construction. Ex-Aylmer neighbourhoods like Wychwood and Village Lucerne have seen there cherished wilderness sold to lobbying contractors. Additionally, these rapidly built living spaces have become an unforseen stress on the sector's infrastructure, producing numerous water shortages and electrical blackouts in 2004 and early 2005. As a result of this unchecked development, there is a strong resentment of the current municipal administration among Aylmer Sector citizens. | |||
| Recent debate over the status of Aylmer's Boucher Forest has resulted in the formation of the Aylmer Radical Youth Alliance, a group devoted to challenging the municipality's positions regarding the construction of "Bush decks", small structures built by youths in the forest to escape the often repressive atmosphere of the town. They have been labelled destructive vandals by many, but are also seen as a positive force for change by socialists and anarchists in the area. | |||
| ==Aylmer Tornado== | |||
| During the afternoon of ], ], Aylmer was hit by a strong ] that ripped through most of the downtown area causing major damage including several houses that were heavily damaged or destroyed. Miraculously, there were no fatalities, but several people were injured. It was one of the strongest tornadoes to occur in Canada since the ] of 1987, the strongest to occur in the ] and one of the strongest modern day tornado to hit the province of ]. | |||
| This was one of the events that led government-agency Environment Canada to improve its warning system and radars in order to quickly detect the possible presence of a tornado in a thunderstorm complex or cell. During that event, there were no tornado warnings issued for the region (like the May 8, 1999 ] in ]). It was later issued after the tornado dissapated after hitting the town. | |||
| ==Well-known persons== | |||
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