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posted July 5, 2005

Of Special Interest

To join an independent neighbourhood email discussion forum, click here. For a more park focused discussion group (also independent) click here.

Dufferin Park Residents Association now has its own website (including material on the Dovercourt Square Development) at www.thedgra.org

www.PlayAtThePark.ca is a Toronto group which promotes use and acquisition of parks. Play at the Park is committed to building communities around Toronto's parks.

CELOS operates a web hosting service for urban park supporters. See parkcommons.ca.

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Neighbourhood (Main)

On This Page: Local Artists and Performers | Neighbourhood News and Notices | Local Service Providers

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Welcome to the Neighbourhood Section

This is a repository of information, stories, and notices from around the neighbourhood. It includes Community News And Notices, Local Service Providers, Local Artists and Performers, and some Picture Galleries.

See also, in conjunction with CELOS, a moderated webhost named parkcommons.ca, which offers a place to host websites for any neighbourhood groups supporting neighbourhood parks.

Lost Pets bulletin board

March 11, 2010

D. P. wrote:

I just wanted to let everyone know there seems to be a rash of car break-ins lately on Havelock (perhaps other streets too, but I have not heard). Our neighbour had their back hatch window smashed by a rock a week ago, and now last night my car hit – a large rock through the passenger side window, landing on the shifter console and smashing that too. Nothing was taken from the car as there is nothing to take. I doubt anyone saw anything last night, but I did want to suggest that people could post notes in their car windows saying there is nothing to take. I don’t know if that works, but it might deter someone. It looks like it was a very quick smash and grab – the door wasn’t even unlocked, and they did not search beyond the front seat area. Read more >>

News And Notices 2010

From the September 2010 Newsletter:

Saturday September 18: the twenty-first annual Havelock (and neighbourhood!) Street Fair

- Lawn sale from 10 a.m. in the morning alongside the park on Havelock Street
– 4.30 pm kids’ games in the park (to be confirmed)
- 6 pm potluck dinner (plus bring $2 for park staff’s pizza-making for kids)
- 7 pm CAKEWALK, and then dancing on the rink to follow (to be confirmed).

EVERYONE WELCOME

Clean Train Coalition’s GO ELECTRIC music event

Mark the Date!

Pressure mounts on Premier McGuinty to GO ELECTRIC!!

You are cordially invited to attend the ''Clean Train Coalition’s GO ELECTRIC music event on Sunday, September 26th in Sorauren Park, from 1:00pm – 5:00pm. Local musicians will perform throughout the afternoon, with keynote speakers taking the stage at 3:00pm.

Join the growing number of Torontonians who understand that electrified transit on the Georgetown Corridor is the only sustainable option we have.

Let’s build it once. Let’s build it right.

(Charity BBQ. Kids games. Bring your own chair. Rain or shine.)

Lady Janitor, DIMBY2009.
photo credit: Kristy Kennedy

DIMBY: Dance in My Backyard, Toronto's local backyard dance festival

When: Friday, August 27 at 7:30pm; and Saturday, August 28 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm

Where: 171 Havelock Street, backyard, Near Dufferin and Bloor, rain or shine

Tickets: Pay what you can/suggested donation of $10.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds

Contact: Eroca Nicols, 647-438-7178, danceinmybackyard@gmail.com

The DIMBY festival (Dance in My Backyard) invites Toronto to experience contemporary dance in a cozy, backyard setting. Building on the success of last summer's event, DIMBY continues to blur the lines between public and private performance space.

DIMBY brings exciting new dance works from emerging Canadian dance-makers to a family-oriented, backyard celebration near you!

This year, DIMBY showcases local choreographic outfits Alicia Grant and Cara Spooner, cube 3 and Lady Janitor (aka Eroca Nicols), with dancers form Toronto and Montreal. Join us in the beautiful blooming backyard at 171 Havelock Street! Sidle up with friends and neighbours, babies and dance buffs, and behold the sights and sounds of Toronto's best and brightest new wave of danceartists. Read more >>

Click on poster to enlarge it.

Garrison Creek Art Education Centre August Summer camp

Art, Music and Drama - 4-10 years
10am-1pm
For Africa week! August 23-27.

Deep in the forest. Aug 30 - Sept 3.

Click on poster for more information.

From the July - August 2010 Newsletter:

MacGregor Park Stimulus Project s-l-o-w-e-d down

When the Dufferin Grove wading pool gets too full on hot summer days, families have always been able to find more space at the big wading pool in MacGregor Park, down the street near Lansdowne and College. That wading pool is open this year, but the adjoining field house, centre for summer play programs, community events, and healthy snacks, is off limits. Even the washrooms are locked, with a chemical toilet instead.

The field house was assigned some “Stimulus Funds” for much-needed water-proofing, electrical upgrades, and floor and window repairs. New door frames and doors were also part of the plan, although the existing doors were still good. But the door frame work stalled in early June, and not a great deal has happened since then. The renovations will eventually make the MacGregor field house much nicer than before. But oh!! – the frustration of seeing the building locked day after day, and glacial progress….

the windows have vanished behind heavy green metal screens

Prison-style field house windows

In the last version of this summer news-letter, we reported on the excruciatingly s-l-o-w progress of the MacGregor Park field house ”stimulus fund” renovations.

Work resumed, but there are some new problems. The original hinged metal windows were to be rehabilitated rather than replaced, since they are still in fine condition, except for the multiple layers of paint that were preventing them from closing properly. On July 28, the ugly wire 1950s style window cages were removed, for glass replacement. The windows looked great from the outside, so park users asked that the cages not be replaced (such cages are no longer being installed in newer park buildings). But instead, brand new metal screen coverings were installed, so thick they make the building look boarded up. Park users described it as the “penal” look.

Inside, the normally bright building is dim because the dense screens let in much less light than before. The windows have mostly been painted shut (instead of removing the old paint), so there’s hardly any air flow inside.

Calls to the Capital Projects staff were not returned. If you live near Lansdowne and College, have a look. In case you want to share your opinion with Councillor Giambrone’s office: 416 392-7012, or Councillor_Giambrone@toronto.ca.