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QUICK NEWSLETTER UPDATE

Hello Valued Readers,

You probably noticed that we’ve made various changes the cadence of the CRA newsletter over the last year or so, in response to the cataclysmic events we’ve all been working through together. Moving the newsletter from monthly to weekly throughout 2020 and into mid 2021, then back to bi-weekly a few months ago. As things continue to settle down (hopefully) we’ve decided to move back to our normal monthly publication from this issue onwards.

Thank you for supporting the CRA and for subscribing to and reading the newsletter so consistently. As ever, if there is anything you would like to see us cover, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by email at: info@cabbagetowner.com.

CABBAGETOWN CRIME ALERT

(Thanks to Doug Fisher at Cabbagetown Neighbourhood Review for this article)

A crew is going door-to-door through the neighbourhood offering to restore patios – and possibly do other projects as well.  They’re rip-off artists.  Stephen Armstrong from Wellesley and Sumach has sent us a caution about them. His wife was intimidated and his neighbours were cheated out of $3,000.  It’s an old scam.  

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FINAL REMINDER  FOR THE ANNUAL PUMPKIN WALK

Cabbagetown’s beloved Pumpkin Walk will once again be happening in Riverdale Park West (Sumach and Winchester entrance), on November 1 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

We invite all Cabbagetown Residents to ring their Pumpkins over and, of course, feel free to dress up appropriately for the occasion!

As we have done in previous years, we’ll also be hosting a food drive,  this year it’s for local service provider Dixon Hall , so please bring some non-perishable foods to donate as well.

All the Pumpkins will be recycled by the City of Toronto.

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FINAL FEW POOP SIGNS LEFT (NO, REALLY!)

Been meaning to email us to get your very own scoop your poop sign but haven’t quite get round to it yet? Well, we have a dozen or so left from our initial print run – so it’s now or never. 

We created these free lawn signs to provide a gentle reminder to dog owners that perhaps forget to stoop and scoop their lovable pooches poop.

If you’d like one to display in your front garden please email us at info@cabbagetowner.com, indicating your preference for design A or B.

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CafeTO SET TO BECOME PERMANENT

They’ve become popular fixtures during the pandemic: those expanded patios dotting sidewalks and curb lanes, spilling into city streets. They’re all part of the city’s CaféTO program — initially expected to be a temporary help to the city’s struggling restaurants. Now business owners and city residents say they’re thrilled these outdoor spaces could become a permanent part of the city — though they do have a few suggestions for improvements. Update from the Toronto Star.

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FILM PRODUCTION SCHEDULE UPDATE

Film production continues at the Coop on the corner of Winchester and Metcalfe next week (see below). For those of you that don’t know, Jubilee is an education series about a young girl whose idol is Jane Goodall. From the series web site:
“Jubilee follows Jane Garcia, a 10-year-old girl with an active imagination. Through pretend play, Jane and her trusty teammates work to protect an endangered animal in each mission-driven episode because, according to her idol: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.”

The production is creating a bit of disruption in the neighbourhood, as usual, but it’s good to see that it’s squarely aimed at developing strong educational content for kids.

The CRA is in talks with the production company to see if we can get further donations for local charities/concerns, to serve as compensation to local residents for the inconvenience caused. 

Filming Location(s) & Times: 77 WINCHESTER ST
FILMING – Start Date Time: Oct-25 07:00, To: Oct-28 23:00
PREP – Start Date Time: Oct-25 07:00, To: Oct-25 23:00
WEATHER, Start Date Time: Oct-29 07:00, To: Oct-29 23:00

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QR CODE BASED VACCINE CERTIFICATE LAUNCHED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

The Ontario government has now made the enhanced vaccine certificate with official QR code (and the free, made-in Ontario verification app, Verify Ontario), available for download. Together, these tools will make it easier, more secure and convenient for individuals to provide proof of vaccination where required to do so, and for businesses and organizations to verify vaccine certificates while protecting people’s privacy.

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NEW TRAVEL VACCINE PASSPORT UNVEILED

Canada’s new proof of vaccination program for domestic and international travel has been unveiled and it is very similar to what some provinces are already using. The new pan-Canadian vaccine passport will be issued through the provinces and territories, as they have access to the immunization records.

The federal government says it has been working closely with the provinces and territories for some time on how to ensure the system is as easy to access as possible. Update by Clair Fenton from City News.

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CANADA NO LONGER ADVISING AGAINST NON- ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

The Canadian government has quietly lifted its advisory against non-essential international travel, marking the first time since March 2020 that the notice has been lifted.  

A travel notice on the Government of Canada website had been advising travelers against all non-essential international travel, but is now replaced with a notice urging all travelers to be fully vaccinated before a trip, reports Ben Cousins at CTV News.

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CITY NEWS UPDATES

CITY PREPARES TO LIFT CAPACITY LIMITS  

Yesterday, the Province announced a plan to safely reopen and manage COVID long term and provided details about the provincial plan to gradually lift COVID-19 safety measures:  The City of Toronto welcomes the reopening plan and is prepared to support reopening activities, including the lifting of COVID-19 capacity limits in a number of settings as of next Monday, October 25.

TORONTO PREPARES FOR 5-11 YEAR OLD VACCINES, ONCE APPROVED

Team Toronto continues to prepare for the vaccination of five to 11 year-old children in Toronto as soon as the vaccines are approved for use by Health Canada, and guidance is received by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the Province of Ontario. Partners from across the City have come together to develop a multi-pronged strategy to reach the more than 200,000 Toronto children, along with education and engagement opportunities with their parents and guardians in the coming weeks.

TPH LAUNCHES ANNUAL FLU VACCINE CAMPAIGN

Toronto Public Health (TPH) is kicking off the City of Toronto’s annual flu vaccination campaign this week by bringing vaccine to those who are at increased risk of serious illness. Starting this week, TPH is collaborating with Inner City Health Associates (ICHA) to start offering the flu vaccination to homeless and under-housed individuals in shelters and drop-in settings to protect some of our city’s most vulnerable residents.

LIVE GREEN TORONTO COOKING DEMO FOR GARLIC WEEK

Live Green Toronto is excited to present the 11^th episode in the LiveGreen@Home Workshop Series in collaboration with Nepali Momo and Ontario Garlic Week.

NEW BIKEWAY FOR CANARY, DISTILLERY, ST. LAWRENCE AREA

Planned construction of a new, permanent two-way cycle track along The Esplanade and Mill Street in Toronto officially began on Sunday, October 17.

The new bikeway will help improve overall road safety for the surrounding communities, support transit use, and grow Toronto’s cycling network in three of the city’s heritage neighbourhoods (Canary and Distillery Districts and St. Lawrence Market area).

THE CRA WELCOMES THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS!

Following the commitment made by the CRA board at the AGM in June, we have identified three residents to join our expanded board. 

We are therefore delighted to welcome the following individuals to the CRA Board of Directors: 

Caroline Murphy: Cabbagetowner since 1998, Lives on Winchester Street , works in Financial Services.

Sarah-Jane Greenway: Cabbagetowner since2010, lives on Rolston Avenue, Associate Dean at Humber College.

Matt Boire: Cabbagetowner since 2021, lives on Salisbury Avenue, works at Scotiabank.

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THE CABBAGETOWN PUMPKIN WALK  IS BACK!

We just received an email from the City announcing the return of Pumpkin Parades across Toronto.

So our beloved Pumpkin Walk will once again be happening on November 1 in Riverdale Park West, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Bring your Pumpkins and, of course, feel free to dress up appropriately for the occasion.

We’ll also be hosting a food drive, so please bring some non-perishable foods to donate as well.

All the Pumpkins will be recycled by the City of Toronto.

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LAST CALL FOR SCOOP THE POOP SIGNS

Following a few complaints about an uptick in “un-scooped poop” on the sidewalks of Cabbagetown we created some free lawn signs to provide a gentle reminder to dog owners that perhaps forget to stoop and scoop their lovable pooches poop.

If you’d like one to display in your front garden please email us at info@cabbagetowner.com, indicating your preference for design A or B.

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HOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE PASSPORTS 

This week marks the launch of the (to some, controversial) Vaccine Passports. We think that they’re a great idea, to keep both clients and staff members safe. In fact we’re seeing many retail establishments, beyond those outlined by the Province, adopting them as a right of entry and we applaud this move.

If you are wondering how to download your vaccine passport so that you can still continue to access bars, restaurants, gyms and? Becky Robertson at BlogTO explains everything for you.

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NEWS FROM DIXON HALL  

2021 IMPACT REPORT

We received an email from Mercedes Winson, CEO at Dixon Hall :

As we present this year’s Impact Report, we cannot ignore the factors that made it so different than years prior. The pandemic marked new challenges of distance, separation and scarcity for the agency and our community. However, with all the hurdles we faced – individually and collectively – we have also witnessed, and been part of, a strident coming together of more agency partners, funding supports, donors and community engagement than we thought possible.
 
This year’s report celebrates the growth and accomplishments our departments, clients, partners and community achieved. You’ll read about new programs and partnerships brought together by the pandemic; personal stories from a number of our clients; our increased reach and impact in the community, including three new shelter sites; and our continued efforts to respond to the needs of our community in a time of emergency.

JOB FAIR

On October 7^th, 2021 Dixon Hall will be hosting a job fair

The event will be hosted outside with a BBQ (weather permitting) and will run from 11am-2pm at our 188 Carlton St. office. We ask those interested in attending to please pre-register by sending an email to hr@dixonhall.org, and to bring their resume on the day of the event. 

It’s a great opportunity to:

• Explore current employment positions and future opportunities
• Interview on-site for current openings
• Grow your network
• Make connections
• And more!

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CITY NEWS UPDATES

HOW TO CelebrateTO THIS FALL

The City of Toronto department of Economic Development & Culture has provided a round up of City-produced festivals and events for everyone featuring arts, culture, food, heritage, music and more! This September, rediscover your city through ShowLoveTO, a City-led initiative to support economic and cultural recovery by using creativity to inspire engagement. Connect with neighbours, support local artists and businesses and explore the city’s many neighbourhoods.

REGISTRATION FOR FALL RECREATION PROGRAMMING OPENS SOON

The City has announced that registration for City of Toronto fall recreation programs opens on September 25 and 28. This fall marks the return of regular recreation programming for the City of Toronto, where COVID-19 has impacted programming since March 2020. The City is Toronto’s largest provider of recreation programs for people of all ages, skill levels and interests.

Registration for fall recreation programs and December holiday programs starts at 7 a.m. on the following dates:
• Saturday, September 25 – Etobicoke York and Scarborough
• Tuesday, September 28 – North York and Toronto and East York

DineTOgether KICKS OFF AT OVER 270 LOCATIONS

DineTOgether, part of the City of Toronto’s ShowLoveTO initiative, kicks off to support local restaurants and celebrate Toronto’s diverse culinary scene.

DineTOgether will run for two weeks starting today Friday, September 17 to Sunday, October 3 and will showcase the breadth and diversity of Toronto’s restaurants. Over the next two weeks residents are encouraged to patronize local eateries by ordering a feature menu available through takeout, delivery, patio dining and/or indoor dining as part of DineTOgether.

Tokyo Ramen, Phosome and Stout Irish Pub are listed as participants

FREE PUBLIC ART IN YORKVILLE THIS WEEKEND

Toronto’s Yorkville community will welcome people to explore the neighbourhood and enjoy free outdoor public art animations from Thursday, September 23 to early morning on Monday, September 27.

A temporary vehicle closure of Yorkville Avenue, between Bellair Street and Hazelton Avenue, will be in place Thursday to Sunday, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly, and on Sunday at noon until Monday at 2 a.m. for pedestrians. A free mural activation will be available for all starting Friday through the weekend.

CABBAGETOWN ARTS & CRAFTS IS BACK THIS WEEKEND

Sadly there is no Street Festival on Parliament this year but everyone will be delighted to know that Cabbagetown Arts & Crafts will be on. And it’s happening this weekend!: 

Sat, 11 & Sun 12 Sep., 2021: 11 a.m. – 6.p.m.

Please come out and give your support to all the amazing artisans that will be showcasing their very best creations over the two days. After 18 months of no festivals I’m sure all the vendors will appreciate all the support that Cabbagetown can provide. 

Cabbagetown Art & Crafts was founded by Randy Brown in 1988 and is a not-for-profit corporation which benefits many local charitable organizations in various ways. The aim of CA&C is to encourage appreciation of the visual arts, to give artists a place to sell their work, and to foster community spirit.

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GOT DOG POOP ON YOUR STREET?

We’ve received a few complaints from residents over the last few months about an uptick in “un-scooped poop” on the sidewalks of Cabbagetown. So we created some free lawn signs for you, to provide a gentle reminder to dog owners that perhaps forget to stoop and scoop their lovable pooches poop.

If you’d like one to display in your front garden please email us at info@cabbagetowner.com, indicating your preference for design A or B.

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UPDATE ON CABBAGETOWN YOUTH CENTRE

Last year, the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (CYC) decided to merge with the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club (now known as BGC-Toronto Kiwanis or BGCTK) and in December 2020, the operations of CYC and ownership of the clubhouse at 2 Lancaster Avenue were transferred to Kiwanis. Here is an update on what’s happening from Art Eggleton, Chair of Joint Merger Committee and Chair of Capital Campaign.

AND DON’T FORGET BLAIR’S RUN!

The 42nd annual Blair’s Run, in support of the Cabbagetown Youth Centre runs from Friday September 10 thru Sunday September 19.

Help to launch the rejuvenated Cabbagetown Youth Centre under the umbrella of The Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Clubs (BGC Toronto Kiwanis). You can find all about how to participate and donate at the event web site.

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ADDITIONAL PARKING ADDED FOR FILMING NEXT WEEK

The Production company that starts filming next week at the corner of Winchester and Metcalfe Streets has added some additional parking for residents. Oak Street may not be the most convenient, but it’s better than nothing.   

Parking Location(s):

WINCHESTER ST between METCALFE ST and SACKVILLE ST, Side: N. Start: Sep-14 07:00 , End: Sep-15 23:00

SACKVILLE ST between MILLINGTON ST and WINCHESTER ST, Side: W. Start: Sep-12 07:00 , End: Sep-17 23:00

PARLIAMENT ST between WELLESLEY ST E and BLOOR ST E, Side: E. Start: Sep-12 18:00 , End: Sep-17 23:00

METCALFE ST between MILLINGTON ST and WINCHESTER ST, Side: W. Start: Sep-14 07:00 , End: Sep-15 23:00

WINCHESTER ST BETWEEN METCALFE ST AND SACKVILLE ST, Side: S. Start: Sep-12 18:00 , End: Sep-18 23:00

OAK ST BETWEEN PARLIAMENT & SACKVILLE ST, Side: S Start: Sep-12 18:00 , End: Sep-18 23:00

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ROOMING HOUSE UPDATE FROM DIXON HALL

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40 ESSENTIAL FALL DAY(ISH) TRIPS FROM TORONTO 

Fall day trips from Toronto run the gamut from deep forest hikes to quaint small towns. There’s no better way to see how the province transforms each autumn than by packing into a car and heading to nearby destinations that show off the beauty of the Southern Ontario landscape. A fun photo report by Olivia Little at BlogTO.

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CITY (AND PROVINCIAL) NEWS

CITY OF TORONTO COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DAYS

The City of Toronto will be holding Community Environment Days at the City’s seven Drop-Off Depots on Sundays throughout September and October. The events begin September 12 and will run until October 31, 2021.

This year, the City will host 14 drive-thru events at Drop-Off Depots. Toronto residents will be able to drive to different stations at Drop-Off Depots to drop off household hazardous waste and electronic items, donate materials for reuse and pick up free compost.

LIVE GREEN NEWS 

Here’s the August update on green news from our friends at Live Green Toronto.

MAYOR TORY LAUNCHES ARTWORX TO

This week the Mayor unveiled a new temporary work of public art at the Ontario Place lagoon as part of the launch of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021–2022 which kicks off on September 22. The installation at Ontario Place, titled ‘Over Floe’, by John Notten, depicts five icebergs made almost entirely of Styrofoam salvaged from a Toronto demolition site.

As part of one of the largest investments in arts and culture in the City’s history, new City and Toronto Arts Council grants – funded by corporate and government partners – will provide Toronto artists with more than $4.5 million to produce more than 350 new murals, installations, exhibitions, art events, performances and productions in 2021 and 2022

TIME TO RENEW YOUR LICENSES AND HEALTH CARDS

People with expired driver’s licences, licence plate stickers, and health cards are being warned by the Ontario government that renewal requirements are being reinstated, reports Sean Davidson at CTV News.

At the height of the pandemic, the provincial government told residents that any identification cards that expired after March 2020 did not have to be renewed in an effort to keep people from gathering at Service Ontario locations.

AND……WE’RE BACK

Hello Everyone,

After a few weeks of summer-time R&R we’re back in the saddle and raring to go again, bringing you all the local and city news that you’ve come to rely on.

As always, if you have anything to share that you feel the community would value hearing about, feel free to drop us a note at info@cabbagetowner.com.

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GOT DOG POOP ON YOUR STREET?

We’ve received a few complaints from residents over the last few months about an uptick in “un-scooped poop” on the sidewalks of Cabbagetown. So we created some free lawn signs for you, to provide a gentle reminder to dog owners that perhaps forget to stoop and scoop their lovable pooches poop.

If you’d like one to display in your front garden please email us at info@cabbagetowner.com, indicating your preference for design A or B.

City Expands Dog Waste Pilot Project
While we’re on the subject of poop, the City has announced an expansion of the pilot to test the collection of dog waste in street litter bins based on the success of the first phase of the pilot. Read all about it here.

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CABBAGETOWN SAFETY AND SECURITY UPDATE 

Recently we’ve had a number of community members share experiences about bicycle thefts, mail and package thefts (from porches and mailboxes), arson (lighter fuel sprayed on front doors), as well as open air drug deals. This may be an indication that these types of crimes are on the rise, or that we are all just being more vigilant.  

Most of these are crimes of opportunity, and there are a few things we can all do that have reportedly worked well for other Cabbagetowners:

• Install motion sensitive lighting in poorly lit lanes, walkways or yards – reduces interest in people hanging around. Solar powered security lights are now readily available, making these much easier and cheaper to install.
• Install video cameras (such as RING, NEST, Blink, etc.) to cover your porch, mailbox, garage, shed, laneway etc. – to capture potential thieves in the act to share with police. Again, some of these (e.g. Blink) are wireless and therefore a breeze to install.
• Improve the security and locks on sheds and garages and securely lock bicycles, even if they are inside sheds/garages.
• Replace your mailbox with one that locks – this has proved to be a good deterrent for some residents.
• Post security or CCTV signs near your door as a warning to would -be thieves.
• If you see something, say something!  It’s imperative that you report crimes to the Police at 51 Division 51, so that all incidents get added to crime stats. This page provides details on how to do this.  (Please don’t report crimes / issues to CRA as a first line, as we are not able to help in the moment.)

• Talk to your neighbors about what is going on in your area (good and bad) – sharing your knowledge and experience helps!

Thank you all for your vigilance and effort in keeping Cabbagetown safer!

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SPRUCECOURT FAMILY MEETUP

We received this note from Sprucecourt School yesterday:

Whether you’re a new or returning family, we would like to welcome you back!  Join us for a meet up on any of the following days (weather depending).  This is a great chance to meet other families, ask questions and get ready for school.  Look for a person wearing an “Ask Me” tag, like in the photo below.  Hope to see you soon.

Saturday August 28th 10am-12pm
Monday August 30th 4:30pm-6:30pm
Saturday September 4th 10am-12pm

BONUS: Welcome Back Poster making
Wednesday, September 8th 4:30pm-6:30pm.
Bring materials (or borrow some of ours) to make posters to decorate the school and welcome students and staff back after a long 5 months away!

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FESTIVAL SIDEWALK SALE – SEPTEMBER 11-12

We have had several inquiries about whether the annual sidewalk sale associated with the Cabbagetown Festival is happening this year.

While the Festivities on Parliament Street have been cancelled, we spoke with the organizers of the Cabbagetown Arts & Crafts Fair this week and they have told us that they are still planning for it to go ahead, so there will no doubt be an influx of visitors into the neighbourhood. As such, for those that are interested, it would seem like a good weekend to set out sidewalk stalls, assuming things stay as open as they are currently and that there is no significant increase in Delta driven cases. 

As has become customary over the last 18 or so months, we strongly encourage everyone that intends to participate to take suitable precautions to keep residents and visitors safe, including wearing masks, providing hand sanitizer and respecting social distancing guidelines. 

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NOTICE OF LOCATION FILMING

We’ve received notification of a couple of new film shoots from Alice Lilwell at the City film permitting office. Here are all the details. Both are starting around the same time in Mid-September. One is at 200 Winchester Street and one at Winchester and lower Metcalfe Street. The latter will lead to closure of lower Metcalfe Street for September 18^th. This production company has also asked to return for 4 filming days each month, but it is not yet clear for how many months.

As the latter request is for a reoccurring location, the production requires signatures from the residents in order to move ahead with the permit. The production company is putting together a notification to send out to residents to this end.

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CaféTO PUBLIC SURVEY LAUNCHED 

CaféTO now supports nearly 1,200 restaurants with expanded outdoor dining space in curb lanes and on sidewalks. A new public survey has been launched, to help the City better support recovery of the restaurant industry, enhance understanding of the appropriate use of public sidewalks and curb lanes, and identify the effects of expanded patios on private properties.

The survey is currently live and will be open until September 19, 2021. 

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TORONTO/PROVINCE REACH AGREEMENT ON FOUNDRY SITE

Two of four buildings at the disputed Foundry on Eastern Avenue will now be saved under an agreement reached between the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario. 

“There’s still a lot of work to be done but we’re in this for the long run. We’re just really happy we’re able to start working together on it,” said Franca Leeson, co-founder of Friends of the Foundry. News report from Ashleigh Stewart at CBC.

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TORONTO RANKED 2nd SAFEST CITY IN THE WORLD BY EIU

Despite last year’s spike in incidents of gun violence, stunt driving and more amid lockdown, Toronto was just ranked the second safest city in the world, coming only behind Copenhagen, which regularly places high on lists of the best and safest places to live.

The new list for 2021, courtesy of the Economist Intelligence Unit, takes into account a slew of factors, from digital, infrastructure and personal security to environmental security and, especially important after COVID-19, health security.

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SUPPORTING REFUGEE HOUSING

Techfugees Toronto reached out to the CRA recently. They are looking to connect with small landlords who would consider renting to refugee claimants (supported by settlement workers) in the future.

Do you own a rental housing unit? Perhaps in your basement, above a store or in a condo? Would you consider renting the apartment to a refugee family?

Techfugees Toronto is working with Romero House on a new project called the Refugee Housing Network, to help families living at Romero House transition from temporary to affordable permanent housing faster. They are looking for landlords who agree to be contacted by Romero House in the event that a settlement worker identifies a potential match with a refugee family living there. Settlement workers will only make tenant recommendations if the tenants have stable income.

Conditions for joining as a housing provider:

• ️ Agree to share your unit information with Romero House (location, price, availability).
• ️ Agree to be contacted by Romero House if a settlement worker identifies a potential match with a family.
• ️ Agree to meet with the settlement worker and the family if a rental arrangement is possible (with no obligation to rent).
• ️ Acknowledge that many refugee claimants do not have a credit score upon arrival and that many receive stable income from provincial assistance.

If you can help, email toronto@techfugees.com to find out more.

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CITY NEWS UPDATES

MEDICAL OFFICER RECOMMENDS WORKPLACE VACCINE POLICY

Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, is strongly recommending local employers institute a workplace vaccination policy to protect their employees and the public from COVID-19.

To help with implementation, Toronto Public Health is launching a workplace toolkit including guidance on developing a workplace vaccination policy. 

75% OF 12 YEARS+ NOW FULLY VACCINATED

Mayor John Tory announced this week that the City of Toronto and Team Toronto vaccination partners have now administered two doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 75 per cent of eligible Torontonians age 12 and older. To reach this exciting milestone, the team has administered more than 4.5 million doses of vaccine across the city.

INFO SESSION ON LANEWAY SUITES BY-LAW REVIEW

The City will host two virtual information sessions about the Laneway Suites Review and Monitoring work. Links to each session are available on the Changing Lanes website under the “Meetings & Events” tab. Both meetings will include the same content.

Dates and Times: August 31, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm and September 1, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm,

City Planning staff will present preliminary findings from laneway suite applications to date, summarize comments we’ve received from the building industry and residents since the Laneway Suite By-law was enacted.

Want to see a real live laneway suite? There’s one under construction at the bottom end of Broadcast Lane.

LIVE GREEN NEWS 

Here’s the August update on green news from our friends at Live Green Toronto.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRA AGM

The CRA Annual General Meeting was held on June , with 24 attendees, of which at least 18 were members in good standing, exceeding the quorum minimum of 15 for voting on official business. 

The meeting covered off a review of CRA activities since the last AGM in June 2020, provided a financial overview of fiscal 2020 and completed it’s official business with unanimous approval. Here’s a link to the meeting minutes for further details.

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CRA BOARD CHANGES 

At the AGM the following motions relating to changes in the board composition were unanimously carried:

Three new board members were elected to positions vacated during 2020/2021. We warmly welcome the following new members to our board:

1. Sam Lyon (City and CHCD Liaison)
2. Jeremy Neuringer (Saftey , security and joint Police Liaison)
3.  Katie Tozer (Event Chair, 2021 Forsythia Festival)

A further motion was made to increase the size of the board of
directors from 9 to 12 directors and to give the Board delegated authority to nominate such other individuals as it deems appropriate to fill such spots, in its discretion. 

The CRA has received a robust response to its recent call for new board members and is currently completing a review process to identify additional residents to join the board.

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CRA NEWSLETTER TAKES A SUMMER HIATUS 

The CRA newsletter will be taking a bit of a summer break following this issue, and will return to your inboxes sometime in August.

We will continue to post any ‘breaking’ Cabbagetown news on the CRA Facebook page  Twitter account. 

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GTGK LAUNCHES SUMMER MATCHING PROGRAM

When COVID-19 shifted schools online, Green Thumbs Growing Kids (GTGK) TRIPLED the number of schools it reached.  In addition to serving students in the home base of  Regent Park ), they reached 9 NEW neighbourhoods, (including Riverside, Parkdale, Eglinton West and Lawrence Ave) PLUS 4 NEW cities (Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Scarborough, and Whitby).

Before the pandemic, their programs were in person and staff performed many of the necessary garden caretaking tasks alongside students. Now Staff are doing double duty running programming AND tending the gardens. But the budget has not adjusted to reflect this growth. 

GTGK has launched a summer matching program to build much needed funds to help with the budget shortfall. Read more about how you can help.

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UPDATE ON GARDEN SUITES STUDY 

The Garden Suites Study looks at expand housing options in Neighbourhoods as part of the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) work program, endorsed by City Council in July 2020. 

A Proposals Report, including draft Garden Suite regulations, is going to the June 28, 2021 Planning and Housing Committee meeting. The draft regulations contained in the Proposals Report will form the basis for ongoing consultation. 

Additional information about the Garden + Suites study is available at www.toronto.ca/gardensuites

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SOME TORONTO BEACHES DEEMED UNSAFE FOR SWIMMING

Toronto is home to 11 supervised public beaches, eight of which are blue flag certified this year, meaning the city regularly conducts inspections of E. coli levels to see which ones are safe for swimming on any given day. Unfortunately, only two beaches have been given the green light for swimming in recent days: Woodbine Beach and Bluffer’s Beach Park. A report from Mira Miller at BlogTO.

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CITY NEWS UPDATES

CITY STAFF REPORT RECOMMENDS RENAMING DUNDAS STREET

In June 2020, City Council received a petition calling for Dundas Street to be renamed. The street is named after Scottish politician Henry Dundas, who scholars have concluded played an instrumental role in delaying the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, causing more than half a million more Black people to be enslaved in the British Empire.

Read the background to the city’s Recognition Review and Response to the Dundas Street Renaming Petition

A City of Toronto staff report which recommends a renaming of Dundas Street and other civic assets with the Dundas namehas now been scheduled to go before the Executive Committee on July 6. If approved, the report will then be reviewed by City Council at its July meeting.

The recommendation follows discovery sessions, extensive academic research and a review of over 400 global case studies, and furthers the City’s commitment to anti-Black racism, Indigenous truth and reconciliation, as well as building a more inclusive and equitable Toronto.

BIKE SHARE FREE RIDE WEDNESDAYS ARE BACK

 Mayor Tory, Scott Collier Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) President, and Rhonda English, Chief Marketing Officer, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) recently announced the return of Free Ride Wednesdays during the month of July.

Thanks to the Bike Share Toronto / CAA SCO partnership, Bike Share Toronto riders will ride for free every Wednesday in July. Riders can take out a bike for up to 30 minutes, return the bike to any station, and take out another bike for an additional free 30-minute ride for a 24-hour period.

ParkPlayTO AND SUMMER IN THE 6IX RETURN WITH KIDS PROGRAMS

Mayor Tory has announced that ParksPlayTO and Summer in the 6IX will return this summer to engage Toronto youth, children and their families at parks and outdoor spaces across the City for a second summer.

Beginning Monday, July 5, ParksPlayTO will offer free drop-in and activity-based, recreation programming Monday to Friday at 74 locations.

Check ParksPlayTO and Summer in the 6IX for more information.

FREE SUNSCREEN RETURNS TO 75 WATERFRONT PARK LOCATIONS

The City of Toronto, the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund and the Douglas Wright Foundation are collaborating once again to provide free sunscreen through touchless dispensers at select park and trail locations along the Toronto waterfront. The dispensers are available at 75 locations in City parks along the waterfront, from Marie Curtis Park in the west to Bluffers Park in the east.

Since 2017, #BeSunSafe has offered sunscreen dispensers in select Toronto city parks, protecting close to 250,000 Torontonians. 

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PANDEMIC/VACCINE UPDATES

As we all happily move into phase 2 reopening (with case counts remaining consistently low!), we will be closing off the pandemic/ vaccine news section, after nearly 15 months of coverage. We will roll any future related updates into the main newsletter content.