APRIL 10 = CRA SPRING CLEAN-UP. PLEASE JOIN US
Calling all Cabbagetowners!
Spring is in the air and it’s once again time to reclaim our parks and green spaces from that layer of winter garbage. Every year the CRA organizes a community wide Spring cleanup and your help this year is more urgent than ever, as last year’s event was cancelled due to the onset of COVID-19.
Please mark your calendars for Saturday April 10th. Volunteers should assemble at either the Wellesley Park splash pad or the top of the stairs at Riverdale Park West any time after 10:00 am.
In accordance with Covid-19 protocols we encourage everyone to wear masks at all times and practice physical distancing throughout. The CRA will provide collection bags, rubber gloves, hand sanitizer and face masks, as needed. This is a family event, open to all ages, and we encourage kids to attend to foster a message of community responsibility. We also encourage the adult volunteers to assist in the areas beyond the park boundaries to really attack the accumulated trash at our fringes.
Trash bags can be left alongside the city bins for collection by the Toronto Sanitation. We look forward to your involvement on April 10th!
_____________________________________
STANLEY’S VARIETY TAGGED WITH ANTI-ASIAN GRAFFITI
Rick Matthews from the Cabbagetown BIA reported on Wednesday that the Gou Family, who own and operate Stanley’s Variety (at Ontario and Gerrard), had their building tagged with anti-Asian Graffiti. As you would expect they were shaken up and saddened by the hatred directed towards them.
The BIA delivered flowers from the community to the Gou Family and planned to paint over the graffiti on the north side of their store this week.
The BIA thanked the Moss Park Community Officers from 51 Division who were quick to respond. Special thanks go to Staff Sargent Henry Dyck, who went over the same evening to start to paint over the hateful graffiti.
Racism is not welcome in our neighbourhood. The BIA and the CRA encourage residents to stop by Stanley’s Variety to say hello, show support for the Gou family’s small business and let them know that they are a vital and welcome part of our community.
_____________________________________
HAVE YOU HEARD OF ‘DON’T MESS WITH THE DON’?
Don’t mess with the Don describes itself as a group of nature-loving granola munching Torontonians that spend a good deal of their free time enjoying the vast trail system that we are lucky to have in the middle of our great city. To this end, they feel great pain when they come across abuse and disdain for the trails and ecosystem and have formed a group to advocate and address specific issues of unrelenting dumping of garbage and debris into the ravines.
Interested in learning more or helping out? Sign up for news updates.
_____________________________________
CABBAGETOWN RESIDENT BRINGS VACCINE TO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
“The pilot won’t let you on the plane if you’re not dressed for survival”: This Toronto doctor travelled to Northern Ontario to vaccinate people in fly-in Indigenous reserves. Article and photo care of Toronto Life.
_____________________________________
CRIME REPORT INFOGRAPHIC FROM 51 DIVISION
This handy infographic on how to report a crime arrived in our inbox just in time for this week’s newsletter. Thanks to Staff Sargent Henry Dyck at 51 Division for sending it in.
_____________________________________
CABBAGETOWN PHOTO CORNER
Don’t forget, if you have a photo to share, email it to us along with a caption and/or some background info. info@cabbagetowner.com
This week we have two more photos with caption from CRA board member Lise Flynn:
Spring has Sprung…and it’s Open Season for Park Snacks.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream & then some!
Tues- Sat: 10am-6pm, Sun. 10am-5pm.
_____________________________________
TORONTO SEEKS RESIDENTS INPUT ON GARDEN + SUITES INITIATIVE
The Garden + Suites project is one of several studies that the City of Toronto is leading through its Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods initiative. A Garden Suite is a detached housing unit, usually located in the rear yard, and is separate, or detached from the main house. Garden Suites, like Laneway Suites, are generally smaller than the main house on the lot and are intended to function as a rental housing unit.
Find out more about this city housing initiative and share your thoughts in the residents survey on the idea of Garden + Suites.
_____________________________________
CITY LINKS FOR VACCINE BOOKINGS – NOW 70 AND OVER
This online resource from the City helps people who are looking to clarify where vaccines are being offered and who is eligible.
If you (or a loved one) are 70 or older, (YES – the City of Toronto COVID-19 immunization clinic appointments are available to seniors age 70 and older starting March 27) the time to book your appointment is now. While registrations reached 100 per cent capacity during the first week of City-run clinic operations, more bookings are available following the initial booking rush, in addition to additional clinic capacity and increased vaccine supply.
Booking an Appointment
There are several options to book an appointment at a City-operated clinic or at a preferred hospital. The easiest ways for eligible seniors to book appointments are:
• Online (City-operated clinics
• Phone (City-operated clinics): 1-888-999-6488
• Online (hospital clinics)
• Phone (hospital clinics): 1-888-385-1910
For those not sure which clinic location is most convenient or looking for directions, a map of vaccination options in Toronto is on the City’s COVID-19: Vaccine Clinic Locations webpage.
_____________________________________
ActiveTO RETURNS, PLUS YONGE STREET CYCLE PILOT
The City of Toronto Infrastructure and Environment Committee today approved a staff report on ActiveTO recommending the return of Major Weekend Road Closures as well as a complete street pilot project along a section of Yonge Street to support the local economy and CaféTO with an expansion of the temporary ActiveTO cycling network.
The report, which will now be considered by Toronto City Council starting on Wednesday, April 7 identifies key findings and outcomes from the 2020 ActiveTO program.
ActiveTO was introduced in May 2020 as a quick-start COVID-19 response program. It was designed to provide more space for people to practise physical distancing while outside, support the overall wellbeing of residents and to quickly connect and expand Toronto’s cycling network by installing safe, separated temporary bike routes that mirror major transit lines.
_____________________________________
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RED AND GREY ZONES IN ONTARIO
With Toronto entering a newly-modified form of the same colour zone under the provincial government’s reopening framework this past weekend, people are starting to lose track of what these colour levels even mean, reports Lauren O’Neil at BlogTO.
_____________________________________
HAD COVID? ONE DOSE OF VACCINE MAY BE ENOUGH
Scientists at the National Advisory Committee on Immunization are reviewing research that suggests people who have been infected with COVID-19 can turbocharge their antibodies with just one dose of a vaccine, reports Hina Alam at the Canadian Press.