The Dufferin Grove Park Farmers' market

After more than two years as a virtual market with pickup at St.Anne's Church, the market returned to Dufferin Grove Park, south end near the playground, in May 2022, every Thursday, rain or shine, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The last outdoor market was on Thursday October 27, 2022. In-person indoor markets will be at St.Anne's Church, starting on Nov.17.

NOTE: MOST OF THIS WEBSITE IS NOW A HISTORICAL ARCHIVE ONLY, FLAGGED ON EACH PAGE

ARCHIVE: 2000 - 2020 park newsletters

CURRENT

Update:

Until the middle of September, the former community oven at Dufferin Grove was a ghost oven. The city's oven policy was such an ill fit that many outdoor city ovens were padlocked most of the time.

removing the ghost signs with Anthony

That changed after some resistance. On Friday Sept.16, Recreation Supervisor Anthony DeLaurentis came to the park to talk about oven friends collaborating with city staff to bring this community oven back to life.

What happened next, Part 1

What happened next, Part 2

what worked ~ what didn't work

Follow-up posts and comments

Public Space Prize

Oct.2: celebration at the community oven ....

....for the awarding of the third CELOS public space prize, to Ladan Behbin and Blake Howard of Fresh Fields Grocery Store. CELOS picked Fresh Fields as the poster child for the people who run small local grocery stores in the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood. During the lockdowns, these grocery stores were the main remaining neighbourhood public spaces. read more

November is here -- garden coop activities at the park will resume in the spring.

Sakura by the cob

Want to join the Dufferin Grove Park Garden Club Cooperative? For more information, get in touch: gardens@dufferinpark.ca. read more

Park maintenance

This past summer there were very few encampments in the park, quickly removed, but there was some new vandalism. Dog walkers, moonlight picnickers, keep a lookout when you're in the park. If you see someone making a mess, or camping, and they look like they might need help, or a reminder to behave better, call 311 and let them know.

Park maintenance reports for 2022

The cob courtyard kitchen

kids cobbing, 2005

This structure is a remarkable collaborative project -- headed by Georgie Donais, involving over 500 pairs of hands -- both children and adults -- during the three months it took to build it, in 2005. It was plumbed and wired by the city's expert Tech services staff.

It's lasted well, but like every public structure, it needs maintenance. To find out more: cob maintenance, 2022

Toronto Life about being homeless in Dufferin Grove Park

"I used to own a condo in Toronto. How I ​ended up living in Dufferin Grove Park" by Toni Corrado

PARK BOOKLETS

new "multi-purpose room"

from the editor...

The Dufferin Grove Park Northwest Corner Revitalization Project (2019): a critical look.

A park booklet: "Dufferin Grove Park as a neighbourhood commons, 1993 to 2015" is posted here -- a little history, at the end of an era, with stories, lots of coloured photos, and some short interviews. Paper copies are available in the park newsletter slots.

Farm video

Farmers Ayse and Jens from Marvellous Edibles Farm told us at the market that one of their summer interns has made a short, lively video of life on their farm. Watch it here .

The strangeness of medals

The editor's story about getting an award from the governor-general:

Rideau Hall

read more