Printer friendly version | help

News 2006

News and Notices 2006

posted December 10, 2006

Macgregor Park Solstice Celebration

Dec.21, 4 to 6 pm.

Master of ceremonies: Jane Wells. Story-music performances with students from West Toronto Collegiate. Young children who want to be part of the pageant can come to the hour-long rehearsals at 4-5 p.m., Dec.18, 19, and 20, to be held at the school beside the park. To find out more or sign up, call Anna Galati at 416-535-9032.

There will also be a campfire with hot dogs, marshmallows, and hot chocolate, and lots of lights – to mark the shortest day of the year. Dufferin Rink staff will be there too. Under the direction of MacGregor Park artist-in-residence Kristen Fahrig.

posted December 10, 2006

Park Staff Want To "Take The Show On The Road"

The park staff at Dufferin Grove are often asked by people from other parts of town, how some of the nice things about this park could be put into other parks as well. That makes sense – Dufferin Grove is a neighbourhood park, that’s its strength, and if it inspires people to enliven their own neighbourhood parks – good! In November, the little research group that started through the park (The CEntre for LOcal research into public Space, CELOS) made an application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation to “take the show on the road.” That means, when the part-time staff are not working at this park, if another park has friends who want help getting started, the help is available. Trillium won’t make their decisions until March, and 3 out of every 4 applications are turned down, but we might as well try!

In the meantime, park staff have been practicing. One of their specialties is campfires. Near the end of October, five staff volunteered to make a campfire at a Trinity Bellwoods park planting day organized by the friends’ group there. Anna Hill, head of their Green Space Committee, got the permit lined up with help from the Councillor’s office, and the Dufferin Staff came with fire stands, buckets, shovels, firewood, and cooking utensils. One of the objectives of the planting day was digging up the burdock roots that crowd out the other plants. Burdock root is a delicious root vegetable common in Japan, so the Dufferin Grove park staff helped to dig the burdock. They cleaned it and cooked it into a stir-fry and served it to the numerous Trinity-Bellwoods park friends who were digging and planting and talking to one another. That was a very enjoyable adventure. Hopefully, if the grant application is approved, there will be many more.

posted November 10, 2006

The Gerstein short-term residential crisis centre at 1045 Bloor Street West

This centre is connected to the very successful Gerstein Centre at 100 Charles Street East. The proposed crisis centre on Bloor near Havelock will have individual rooms and 24-hour staffing, with programs and referrals for residents. The Centre staff held an open house at the Gladstone Library on Nov.30, and they are also available to answer questions about their plans at 416-929-0149: Paul Quinn, Executive Director ext. 222, Susan Davis, Coordinator of Community Partnerships ext. 235, or Pamela Rodgerson, Coordinator of Finance and Administration ext. 226. Or e-mail admin@gersteincentre.org

Pamela Rodgerson lives in the neighbourhood and is a park friend, and she’s agreed to post more material about the plans at the rink house. She says one of their letters of support (which she’ll post) comes from the superintendent of police responsible for the area around Charles Street, praising the organization for their expertise in operating a mental health crisis service, their co-operativeness, and their successes.

Park staff are very happy that this centre is coming. They have made some frustrating attempts to find help for mentally ill park users over the years. One of these park users – an older man named Mimo, whom many longer-time park friends will recall, and who used to plug the men’s park toilet so regularly (God told him to do it) that the park washrooms had to stay closed for two seasons – finally went to the Gerstein Centre downtown and has now been long settled at an excellent nursing home in the Beaches. He has almost stopped plugging the toilets, apparently, and is regard with affection. The other story is not as nice. A young Chinese man, very ill with schizophrenia, lived in the park for several years and rejected all park staff attempts to give him food, blankets, etc. But they kept an eye on him. He was very skilful in living out of doors, until one late fall he began to get much sicker and seemed to be starving himself to death. The park staff tried for weeks to get him into hospital (a very hard thing to do if the person doesn’t agree). With the help of park friend Dr.Alan Abelsohn, who lives nearby, and two inspired Homeless Outreach workers from CODA, the man was finally taken into the Toronto Western Hospital for assessment.

But the hospital released this man after a few days and he came back to the park – this time in bedroom slippers. He sat in the park with his feet in the snow for a day before anyone realized what was happening. He had to have both his feet amputated.

If there is a close relationship with a nearby crisis centre, even just for good advice and connections, so that such a thing can never happen again, the park staff and park friends will be very happy. Find out more this winter on the rink house bulletin boards.

posted November 11, 2006

MAKING FRIENDS AT OTHER PARKS.

The park maintenance staff steer in the direction of smooth lawns and good order. The park children steer in the direction of play and construction. The adults in the park also play, with frisbees or hockey sticks or guitars or giant puppets. The park recreation staff introduce people, help them make friendly connections, try to minimize the obstacles that might frustrate the newcomers, work to keep up a standard of civility among so many different people. All these activities together make up Dufferin Grove Park. Often the park staff are asked by people from other parts of the city – can’t you tell us how we can make the park near where we live nicer?

Good question. Certainly, if people are happier with their own neighbourhood parks, it will reduce the crowds at Dufferin Rink and Dufferin Grove playground, which would be a good thing.

Dufferin Grove Park has only part-time, “casual” recreation staff. Many of them do other things as well, or are students – of dance, of anthropology, of environmental science. Some of them have found a little time to begin making friends at other parks, responding to requests for help. With the help of the park “cookie-money,” they’ve begun to work with friends of MacGregor Park, Susan Tibaldi Park, Trinity-Bellwoods, Lawrence Heights Community Housing, Withrow Park, and the community garden at the City Adult Learning Centre. The dufferinpark.ca webmaster, Henrik Bechmann, is helping many of these park friends to set up their own web sites, using his wiki adaptations from the Dufferin Park web site. Soon these new web sites will be unhooked from the dufferinpark.ca “neighbourhood” section, and settle into their own domain, “parkcommons.ca,” branching off from there.

All these parks are very different from one another, and making friends with them is an adventure. To have a look at the beginning web sub-sites, go to www.dufferinpark.ca and click on “neighbourhood.”

posted November 11, 2006

URBAN PARK DESIGN PANEL: HART HOUSE, WEDS. NOVEMBER 22, 7 P.M.

Some friends of Dufferin Grove Park have been invited to be on a panel for the Hart House (University of Toronto) public discussion series: Conversations on Urban Design. Wednesday, November 22, 7:00 pm in the East Common Room at Hart House.

Three people who have influenced Dufferin Grove Park and three people now working on the outdoor spaces of Lawrence Heights Community Housing (120 acres!) will talk on a panel and with the audience about “Revitalizing your community.” From Dufferin Grove Park, it’s Georgie Donais (cob building and bio-toilet), Jutta Mason (newsletter), and Gene Threndyle (park native species gardens). We get to tell stories for twenty minutes, then the three Lawrence Heights panelists will tell stories, then everyone can contribute or ask questions. These Hart House sessions are open to the public and admission is free. Organizer Gail Skikevitch would like it if park friends from other parts of the city came too and there was a real swapping of experiences about what works well in Toronto’s outdoor public space. Park cooks will bring bread and butter, to ground the discussion.

This event fits in with the recent efforts of CELOS researchers to find park friends who are trying to enliven their local parks elsewhere in the city. CELOS is the “CEntre for LOcal research into public Space,” born at Dufferin Grove Park and moving outward from there. CELOS researchers want friends of parks to “steal” each other’s ideas, and this panel fits right in. If you can’t get down there, they also have a live webcast of the session: www.distantperception.com/HH/broadcast_frame.asp.

But being there in person will be more fun.

posted November 5, 2006

Mondo Bazaar – Holiday Shopping Event

Saturday November 18 – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.. Gladstone Ballroom and 2nd floor

Join us for the 4th holiday shopping event
featuring local artisans, entrepreneurs and imports from foreign lands.
Art, jewelery, clothing, aromatherapy, kids stuff,
home accessories and more.

For years friends gathered in my living room and kitchen to sell their wares and test the market for new designs and ideas. As the ideas and shoppers grew, Mondo Bazaar was born at the Gladstone Hotel.

Imagine holiday shopping that isn’t impeded by florescent lights and plastic Santas. Mondo Bazaar welcomes you to a market vibrating with colour and energy. Showcasing local artisans and entrepreneurs, you are assured your gift will be one of a kind, even if it is for yourself.

This 4th event has expanded to two floors brimming with local artwork, aromatherapy products, bags, clothing, children’s toys, jewellery, art cards and knitted accessories. Imports from distant lands plus homemade edibles are part of the ecclectic mix that draw repeat shoppers year after year.

Promoting non-profit community ventures, this year we welcome Sketch - working arts for street-involved and homeless youth. SKETCH artists will sell silkscreened t-shirts, purses, jewelry, dreamcatchers and more with all proceeds going directly to the artists who created the work.

With a free children’s craft area from 1:00 – 3:00, on-site mini massages and refreshments served at the Ballroom Café, who could ask for a more perfect shopping day?

Gail Glatt – glattford@sympatico.ca
www.mondobazaar.ca

posted October 30, 2006

Meet the Candidates, 2006

Municipal election, 2006:

Other candidate meetings:

Monday, Nov. 6th, 7 pm at Bloor Collegiate School - Bloor St.
1 block west of Dufferin, south side of street

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 7-9 pm - McCormick Recreation Centre, Seniors' Room
66 Sheridan Avenue 1 block west of Dufferin, south of Dundas

---

posted November 2, 2006

Fundraiser for Regent Park Focus

Dufferin Park neighbour Andrew Munger is donating a screening of his classic 'The Making Of A Candidate' as a fundraiser for Regent Park Focus, Nov 7, 2006 at 7:00 pm. There will be a discussion afterwards.

---

posted October 18, 2006

WALLACE EMERSON BIKE SITE COMMUNITY MEETING

Saturday October 21st, 12 noon to 4 p.m

All Community members and interested Parties are welcome!!! At the new Wallace BMX track, west end of Wallace-Emerson Park.

12:00 noon: Address Community Concerns with regards to the Recreational Use of a Public Park. Basketball, Bocce, Soccer, Bikes and just hanging around
1:00: BMX demonstration and explanation of the sport
2:00: Competition with prizes
3:00: Sign up for BMX clinic. Draw and Prizes

There will be lots of bike riders there: the Toronto BMX Riders Alliance, The Ontario Cycling Association, the Community Bike Network, BikeShare, the Bicycle Dealer of Toronto, the Toronto Police Service, Toronto EMS and others.

Some staff from Dufferin Grove will go, since they got friendly with BMX riders using the skateboard park this summer. Some folks may have noticed that a few kids recently built themselves a little track with a few jumps in the south section of the Dufferin Grove adventure playground. That’s old-style play, kids not just parked in front of a computer screen!

If you come have a look at how the Wallace Rink rebuild is proceeding.

---

posted October 18, 2006

YIMBY (yes in my back yard), OR WHY YES? Saturday Oct.28 11am to 5 pm.

Gladstone Hotel, 2nd floor, everyone welcome, free admission.

A one-day gathering of Neighbourhood Groups and Citizens Organizations from across the GTA. [see gladstone hotel web page]

From organizer Magda Olszanowski:

Magda Olszanowski

“As Toronto continues to densify and our neighbourhoods get larger and more complex, how does the citizen express hope, dreams and new ideas for the city? Through the neighbourhood group!!! The focus of this festival is on positive change. The upcoming election brings galvanized energy and ideas to municipal politics. As much as neighbourhoods get unfairly labeled as NIMBY, we know YIMBYs to be the instruments of some of the best urban policy and ideas.

On the “Eve” of the municipal election, 30 associations are setting up shop at the Gladstone Hotel in order to share strategies, network, educate “hope-to-be” Councilors and MPPs and talk to YOU about the issues that concern all of us across the GTA.”

• Can anyone come to the event? Yes the event is family-friendly and open to all who want to learn more about these associations (or even start their own!!!!)
• How can my neighbourhood group sign up? Registration is still open on Saturday morning from 10am-11am, please e-mail magda@gladstonehotel.com and let us know you will be attending. Neighbourhood Groups pay $25+tax to have a table and display your group's issues and strategies.

This is who’s coming:

• Active18,
• Model48,
• A Day in the Life,
• Spacing Magazine,
• Dig In!
• Homecoming Coalition,
• Urban Seed Savers Network,
• RISE: Riverdale Initiative for Solar Energy,
• St. Clare's Multifaith Housing Society,
• Multistory Complex,
• Sistering,
• Parkdale Residents' Association,
• St. Christopher's House,
• The Wellington Place Neighbourhood Association,
• Palmerston Area Residents Association,
• FoodShare,
• Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association,
• Indiepolitik,
• Niagara Neighbourhood Now,
• Toronto Public Spacing Committee,
• Parkdale Liberty,
• PARC: Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre,
• King Spadina Residents Association,
• Draper Street Residents Association,
• several friends of Dufferin Grove Park,
• Annex Residents Association,
• Toronto Association of Business improvement Area,
• Voices from the Street,
• West Queen West BIA,
• The South Rosedale Ratepayers' Association,
• St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association.
• The Queen Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Association,
• ideaNation,
• CommunityAIR,
• Gooderham Worts Neighbourhood Association

---

October 10, 2006

Friends to Attend YIMBY Festival at The Gladstone

October 28th, between 11am-5pm at the Gladstone Hotel. This is a family friendly event.

The Friends of Dufferin Grove Park will be tabling at the YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) Festival, hosted by The Gladstone Hotel.

From the YIMBY Festival Website:

The focus of this festival is on positive and decisive change. This election brings galvanized energy and ideas to municipal politics. As much as Neighbourhoods get unfairly labeled as NIMBY, we know them to be the instruments of some of the best urban policy and ideas.

As Toronto continues to intensify, as our neighbourhoods get larger and more complex, how does the citizen express hope, dreams and new ideas for the city? Through the neighbourhood group!!!

For more information and a list of community groups attending the festival, see the YIMBY Festival website

posted posted October 14, 2006

International Day for the Eradication of the Poverty

Tuesday October 17, meet at Dufferin Grove Park

Anna Bekerman, Dufferin Grove on-site staff and new volunteer at The Stop Community Food Centre, wants people to know about an event coming up:

Tuesday Oct 17: International Day for the Eradication of the Poverty

Our neighbours at The Stop Community Food Centre (1884 Davenport Rd. at Symington) will be hosting a light breakfast before taking people by bus to Queen's Park to join the Anti-Poverty Rally at 10am sharp, returning in the afternoon.

The rally is part of "Action against poverty week", and it's being organised by the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice.

The day's events include:

• 10 am: Entertainment
• 10:30 am: Speakers and the release of a report card grading the Liberal Government's action on poverty issues
• 11-2 pm: Information fair where people can find out how to get involved in campaigns fighting against poverty and how to get extra money.
• 2 pm: Sit in the public galleries of the Legislature, where the Premier and the Liberal Government will be questioned on why they have done so little to end poverty in Ontario .

There will also be a free community meal at 12 noon (with meat and vegetarian options).

For more information about the rally, see the upcoming events at www.ocsj.ca.

To learn more about the Stop, a great place all round, visit: www.thestop.org

---

posted October 13, 2006

Dufferin Park goes to Trinity Park Fall Day

Trinity-Bellwoods Park (Queen and Crawfort), Sunday October 15th from 10 AM-1PM

EVERYONE WELCOME

Dufferin Grove cooks are going to have a cooking fire at Trinity-Bellwoods Park's Fall Park Day, this coming Sunday, October 15th from 10 AM-1PM. Everyone welcome!

The cooks will be making stir-fired burdock root harvested from the park's native-species areas. They'll also be cooking soup, since the farmers from the Dufferin Grove Farmers' market donated lots of vegetables for this event. A good way to keep up your strength for :

• Planting flowers and mulching the raised beds in the Kids' Playground
• Weeding the flower beds just north of the Kids' Playground
• Filling in the dog-dug holes in the bowl
• Mulching young trees on the east side of the park
• Caring for native tree beds on the east slope of the bowl
• ADOPT A TREE PROGRAM

There's also a Noon Park Walk with Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, telling the park story.

---

posted September 15, 2006

St. Anne's Church flower event

Saturday and Sunday, Sept.30 and Oct.1, Gladstone and Dundas

The Garden Club of Toronto celebrates its 60th anniversary of community involvement at St. Anne's Anglican Church. [See map.]

This National Historic Site is Canada's only Byzantine Anglican church and houses the sole collection of religious art by members of the renowned Group of Seven. The front garden will be restored to complement St. Anne's unique design and a Floral Carpet will lead you into this beautiful church where floral artistry will enhance the rich interior.

There will be seed packets for children to take home.

The church will be open to the public on:

Saturday September 30th, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday October 1st, from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is free.

Some of the stained glass and art inside St. Anne's church.

posted September 12, 2006

Yoga with Dufferin Mall Youth Services

Every Thursday, 4:30 pm to 6 pm - Studio @ Bloor/Gladstone Library 4:30-6:00pm- If the weather is good we’ll go to the park

It is open and free for youth (12-24), no registration is necessary. They usually meet in the middle of the park.

posted September 21, 2006

posted September 12, 2006

Free prenatal yoga and campfire in the park

Friday September 22, 4-5:30pm, followed by a campfire at the park

Join the drop-in program from Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto for pre/postnatal yoga led by First Nations yoga instructor Rhianna Keon. Yoga happens from 4-5:30pm, followed by a campfire at the park. We will be making bannock over the fire. Please wear comfortable clothing.

See the Neighbourhood section.

posted September 7, 2006

Annual Neighbourhood Street Fair

Saturday September 9, On Havelock Street and Dufferin Grove Park, 10am to around 9pm

10 am fantastic lawn sale

clean out the basement and browse for bargains. At the park fence along Havelock Street.

12 noon free hot dog lunch on Havelock Street

courtesy of Councillor Adam Giambrone.

2- 4 pm celebration tea

for a special person from the neighborhood

4.30 pm kids’games

games for kids with prizes, also stilt-walking, juggling, tumbling for kids with park staff Eroca and Sandy

6.30 pm potluck dinner and $2 pizza

by the park bake-oven. Join your neighbours, bring plates, cutlery, extra pizza toppings.

7 p.m. cakewalk

Decorate a cake in the most imaginative way you can think of, walk it around so everyone can admire it, then share it for eating.

7.30 p.m. after-dinner dancing with a live band

“Gordon’s Acoustic Living Room” On the basketball court. Donations welcome to defray the cost of the band.

See the Picture Gallery.

posted September 6, 2006

Havelock Street Fair

Saturday September 9, 2006

Hi neighbours:

Fall is in the air, and it's time for our annual giant lawn sale and street fair!

Mark you calendars for Sat. Sept 9, for our usual lawn sale in the morning:
(+ face painting!),
hot dog lunch (courtesy of Councillor Giambrone) at noon on Havelock St., kids games in the park at 4:30,
potluck dinner (+ $2 pizza-making) near the bake ovens at 6:30,
cakewalk,
and dancing with Gordon's Acoustic Livingroom
(donations welcome to defray costs!)
to follow on the basketball courts.

See you there!

Liz Martin

---

September 10, 2006

Hi Neighbours:

Our 18th annual Street Fair managed to fly despite a rainy morning; thanks to all who came out and made it a success! Robin Crombie organized the kids games, the park staff came through with support and pizza, and the potluck dinner featured some amazing cakes, including a tricky mud-and-worm cake never before seen! The basketball court proved a good dance surface, and despite the first cold Street Fair in 18 years, we did "The Gay Gordons" and "Strip the Willow" proud! A general jam followed, with some entertaining dancers grooving to the great music! We hope to have Gordon's Acoustic Livingroom back another time.

If you would like to help outwith next year's event, we need people for the following tasks, and it would be great to commit now while it's fresh in peoples' minds. Every year I do up a poster and distribute some with friends, but it would be good to have more publicity, especially for the Lawn Sale. So if you think one of the following is do-able, please let me know and I'll stow it away till next year.The Street Fair is always on the first Saturday after Labour Day (when the weather is --usually-- still good!).

We will need help with:

• someone to distribute flyers (or get their kids to) about a week before the event on Rusholme
• someone to distribute flyers on Sylvan
• someone to distribute flyers on Gladstone
• any other local streets people may want flyers for...
• parents to think up/help organize kids' activities and help Robin with games
• someone with ideas/contacts to help us publicize, maybe on radio or in NOW
• anything else you can think up which might make our Street Fair even neater!

Email me quick, before the Fall roller coaster starts...

Until next year,

Liz Martin

posted August 2, 2006

LOCAL MERCHANT OF THE MONTH: AUTOSONIC GARAGE

The park web site (www.dufferinpark.ca) has a section called “Neighborhood marketplace,” which is full of good recommendations about carpenters, auto repair shops, book-keepers, and every kind of person who might make life easier when a job is not do-it-yourself. These are not ads but neighborhood references that have appeared on the “dufferingrovefriends” e-list over time. To add to the word-of-mouth about who’s local and good at their trade, the park newsletter will carry one item a month about a local merchant whom people like.

From local resident Max Wallace: “I have discovered something truly rare in Toronto that I just have to pass on - an honest car mechanic! They're called Autosonic and they're located at 1236 Dundas, around Dovercourt. Their phone number is 416 535-7565. After some unhappy experiences at other mechanics, I first brought our 14-year-old Honda Civic to them a few months ago for a tune-up and checkup and I even told them that I thought it sounded a bit funny. Nelson called me back the same afternoon and told me there was nothing wrong with it except that it needed new windshield wipers. They replaced the wipers, changed the oil and the total bill came to about $60.00. I think that's the cheapest I ever ended up paying after a checkup/tuneup on any car, new or old. But I assumed that was just a fluke. Then, earlier this week, I heard what sounded like a metallic clanking in the car and knew something was wrong. I immediately brought it to Autosonic and, since my Drive Clean test is due in three weeks, I also asked them to do that at the same time. A few hours later, I received a call informing me that it was a very minor problem with the exhaust, they had fixed it, and I could pick it up at any time. If they had told me I needed a new fligabidijit and the total was $1200.00, I would have paid it. Total cost, including the Drive Clean test, a new gas cap required to pass the emissions test, and taxes: $57.44. I noticed on my bill that they had charged me a grand total of $4.00 for labour! They are also very friendly and incredibly efficient.”

To submit a story of a favourite local merchant, e-mail editor@dufferinpark.ca.

posted August 10, 2006

Heydon Park Police Station Meeting

I went to the meeting tonight about the proposed police station at the Heydon Park school site. (on Ste. Annes Road between Coolmine and Dovercourt - map).

Here's what they said:

The police very much want the site to build a 54 000 square foot police station, probably 2 stories high, maybe three, not higher (the current building is 80 000 square feet). The School Board is consulting with the community. They have not yet sold the site to the police. Since the meeting had very low attendance (four neighbours, 10 police, and 10 school board people) they plan to have another meeting in early September. They say they sent out fliers to everyone in the neighbourhood,but most people we've spoken too didn't get one (including us).

If the school board agrees to sell the property to the police - and the trustee at the meeting, Maria Rodrigues, said she supports the idea - then the police would start designing the building probably around December or January, and would start building about a year after that (January 2008). Construction would take around 2 years. It's important to point out that until they buy the land, they have no design for what the building will look like... that only starts once they acquire the land.

My impression from Sheila Penny, the TDSB executive superintendent for facility services, was that if the community strongly said they didn't want the police building on the site, they TDSB would turn down the request. I could be wrong about that... However, there were 5 neighbours at the meeting, and most were in favour, or leaning towards being in favour, of building.

The police say they are into community consultation, and because it's a city building, there is a process where the community is consulted. They say there are usually at least 5 meetings between the police and the community to hammer out details, etc... and they say they appoint a member of the community to sit on the design board for the building. They say they are flexible, and point out that 51 division many things changed during the consultation process with the community (i.e. the parking ramp was rejigged to not have car lights shine into houses, etc.). If we were very smart and organized, my impression is that our input would be taken seriously (somewhat)... the police also stressed that the new station would have a "community room" where community members could hold meetings, etc. and also that the 51 division building had an outdoor basketball court. They also said they will try and save mature trees, and will add many trees to hide...parking. Since the building proposed is smaller than the current building, a good deal of the space will be used for parking. Some might be underground, but mostly not. Also, the building would most likely be "green."

If you're interested in other new police stations, apparently 23 Division is a new building that is almost finished (as well as 51 division which is finished).

Also, the money from the sale would not go into classroom education, the TDSB would keep it in their real estate division to acquire other property.

Also, the old police station would not be used by the police after the new building was built...they would move all their stuff over to the new building and sell/lease the other one...which would probably get knocked down for condos.

I'm not sure what I think about all this yet (whether the building should go up), and am interested in your input.

Here are some contacts:

Sheila Penny
Exec. Superintendent, Facility Services
sheila.penny@tdsb.on.ca
416 394-3933

Michael Ellis
He gave the presentation for the police
Manager, Facilities Management
416 808 7951

Maria Rodrigues
Trustee War 9
maria.rodrigues@tdsb.on.ca
416 397-3069

Best,

Peter

posted June 8, 2006

Neighbourhood events, June 2006

FISHING TRIP: Wednesday June 7, 7-9 p.m.

The Mount Dennis Residents’ Association has invited Dufferin Grove Park users to come to a show-and-tell hiking/fishing expedition at Eglinton Flats (Jane and Eglinton). The huge complex of sports fields and naturalized areas was a market garden until the 1970s, and there was also a natural spring on one quadrant. The spring was dammed up and turned into a pond, which has been stocked with fish. The association has fishing poles and fishing programs for kids in the area. They also maintain the area around the pond, and log the many different kinds of birds and dragonflies attracted to this urban wildlife oasis. They want to share their knowledge with friends of Dufferin Grove Park – everyone welcome. (By the pond, at 7 p.m.)

BIG PARADE: Saturday June 10, 11 a.m.

The annual Portugal Day Parade. Location: down Lansdowne from Bloor to Dundas, along Dundas to Trinity-Bellwoods Park. Portuguese are famous for the ingenuity of their parade floats. This parade has a historical theme and it includes giant boats with medieval sailors, wine-making, lace-making, and bread-baking floats, floats with real chickens and goats, depicting farm life, dancers and musicians in the various costumes – a feast for the eyes and ears.

JANE JACOBS: Monday June 12, 7.30 p.m.

St.Paul’s Anglican Church at Bloor and Spadina: John Sewell hosts a celebration of the life of Jane Jacobs. There will be readings from Jane’s work by Max Allen, Anne Collins, Ken Greenberg, Anne-Marie MacDonald, Vince Pietropaolo, Mary Rowe, John Sewell, R.H. Thomson, and others. The Dufferin Grove bakers are baking 140 loaves of bread for the celebration. Jane Jacobs loved the park bread, and so does John Sewell. This former mayor of Toronto bought a loaf of park bread from the food cart years ago, when the park oven was still new. The next day he called up to ask if he could broker an anonymous grant for $10,000 to help the oven programs grow. The check was in the mail a few days later. We still don’t know the donor – John has never told – but now, when there are two ovens, a farmers’ market, and many other food-related things in the park, it’s our chance to bring bread to the Jane Jacobs celebration: an honour.

posted on June 5, 2006

The park bakers are baking 140 loaves of bread for this event:

posted May 16, 2006

Dufferin Grove Resident's Association Meeting May 23

See the flyer (pdf)

On 15-May-06, at 9:40 AM, Andrew Munger wrote:

Dufferin Grove Resident's Association Meeting

Tuesday May 23 2006 Doors Open: 6:30 PM Meeting begins: 7PM

Location: Gymnasium Dewson Street Jr. P.S. 65 ConcordAvenue between Dewson and College entrance from Concord Avenue
parking: limited on the street & in the school parking lot

Guest Speaker John Lorinc award-winning urban affairs journalist and author of "The New City - How the Crisis of Canada's Cities is Reshaping our Nation².

The DGRA was formed in the fall of 2004 to fight the development of a fourth high-rise at Doverquare. We consequently represented the community at the Ontario Municipal Board. We'll update you on the OMB decision, what's happened since and what we expect will happen next at Doverquare.

We'll also update you on:

• the Sylvan-Havelock apartment building
• the Dewson Hospital
• developments on Bloor Street
• Houselink on Delaware and more!

But we can't do anything without your support. Come out to the meeting and renew your membership or join for the first time. Come meet your neighbours that volunteer their time to building this association. We look forward to seeing you! Refreshments will be served. Children welcome!

For more info call 538-3146

Thanks to Principal Beth Mills and Dewson School for allowing us use of the gymnasium.

the Groves Clothes

posted March 22, 2006

Dufferin Grove Park Rinkhouse -

Drop off: Sat May 6, 2005 11am-3pm;

Swap and BBQ: Sun May 7, 2006 11am-3pm

Clothes Swap @ Dufferin Grove Rinkhouse for Men, Women and Children

Clean your closet of those clothes that are perfectly fine but never get worn, And do your part for the environment through Swap rather than purchase, And find some really groovy clothes, And support those in need, And meet your neighbors.

Clothes Drop-off:

Saturday May 6th (11 a.m - 3 p.m) 1 Swap ticket will be given for each item donated. Maximum of 10 tickets but no limit to donations. Clothes need to laundered, be in 'good' shape and be dropped off with hangers. A note attached indicating size and perhaps any other info (i.e. story of its travels) is welcome.

Clothes Swap and BBQ:

Sunday May 7th (11 a.m - 3 p.m). Each Swap ticket from the clothes drop-off can be swapped for an article of clothing.

Direct donations to Charity are accepted. All Clothes left at end will be donated to the Battered Women's Shelter.

If you wish to volunteer, please contact Bruce

Whitaker@rogers.com

posted March 22, 2006

A note of `huge' thanks to those (Eroca, Silvie, Gabrielle, Michelle, Carol, Jane, Della, Sarah, Edie, Maren and many others) who contributed to the first annual clothing swap!!

Not only did we make it through both days but we successfully achieved our mission of supporting those in need '''(15 large bags of clothes donated to Sistering and St. Christopher House)''' and providing a `warm' place for community exchange rather than purchase. I hope everyone got to give and take home a special item from within our community. And if you didn't, well there is next year.

Bruce.

Festival of Non-Violence

posted May 1, 2006

Sat May 6, 2006, Toronto, ON - 1:00 - 6:00p.m

The Humanist Movement of Toronto invites you to participate in the 'Festival of Non-Violence' on Saturday May 6th from 1:00 - 6:00p.m.

To be held rain or shine at Dufferin Grove Park, the Festival is part of planned activities around the world recognizing a Day of Non-Violence. In Liberia, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Switzerland, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Mexico, Italy, Hungary, Cameroon, India, England... people are gathering on May 6 to celebrate the force of Non-Violence in their own lives and in the world.

There's another way to live. Enough with the violence within us and around us!

COME JOIN THE FESTIVAL!

- run an activity or arts table
- represent an organization at a table at the park on that day
- join the drumming circle
- spread the word and come out to join us for a great day in the park
- or just tell us what you'd like to do! it's a party!

There'll be live music(Russell Leon Band, Samba Elegua, SINVA, and others), speakers (Christian Peacemaker Teams, Charles Roach, Howard Jerome) and poets (Robert Priest), activities for kids of all ages, coffee and conversation, and a creative celebration to encourage the healthy community spirit that rejects violence in all of its forms.

See http://www.nonviolencefestival.com/to for more info, or email info@humanistmovement.ca.

hosted by parkcommons.ca | powered by pmwiki-2.2.83. Content last modified on May 23, 2007, at 01:13 PM EST