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Volume 48 No. 11
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August 20, 2019
Traditional Medicine Sweat Lodge opened at hospital By Amanda Gibb
THE BEAR’S Den All Nations Traditional Medicine Sweat Lodge was officially opened on the grounds of the Michael Garron Hospital in East York after a formal ceremony last week. The event was hosted by Michael Garron Hospital Toronto East Health Network and members of The Aboriginal Healing Program. on Aug. 13. Community members of The Aboriginal Healing Program built the sweat lodge under the guidance of Elder Little Brown Bear. “I’m very blessed and very honoured to be able to do what I do with the Michael Garron family and community members. The sweat lodge marks a milestone—it’s history for us in the making that people will be able to come and they will be able to heal,” said Elder Little Brown Bear. The event began with songs from Georgian Bay Singers and Ogichidaa Kwe (Warrior Woman), followed by a welcome and land recognition from Sarah Downey, the president and CEO of MGH. Downey called the sweat lodge “a safe, sacred, and confidential space for anyone seeking healing and spiritual cleansing. “There are many people who will benefit from the sweat lodge and the teachings of our Elder: our diverse patients seeking spiritual healing; our staff, physicians, and volunteers whose line of work and personal lives can cause harm; and Aboriginal community members who have understood for generations the powers of these therapies,” said Downey. Elder Little Brown Bear, manContinued on Page 2
Cool cars at Wheels on the Danforth
PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON
Corrin Simpas-Waite stands beside a Scion coupe during Wheels on the Danforth held on Saturday afternoon. Hosted by Crossroads on the Danforth BIA, the event featured classic cars, food, fun and music along Danforth Avenue between Warden and Byng avenues. For more photos from Wheels on the Danforth, please see page 13.
Pedestrian safety ‘pop-up project’ set for Danforth By Amanda Gibb
A VISION Zero pop-up project called 8 80 Streets Danforth will be set up on Danforth Avenue from Woodbine to Woodmount avenues this weekend. Taking place from Friday, Aug. 23 to Saturday, Aug. 24, the project will be debuted by 8 80 Cities and local partners from the Danforth Mosaic BIA and the Danforth East Community Association, as well as Earth Day Canada. “We’re building kind of a prototype of a street that exemplifies the city’s (Toronto’s) vision to get pedestrian fatalities down to zero. We want to highlight, in a short amount
of time with simple materials, how you can build a better street for people,” said 8 80 Cities executive director Amanda O’Rourke. O’Rourke said that work on the street makeover will start on Aug. 22 with the help of about 70 volunteers. This is Toronto’s first project of this nature, and it will bring The Better Block Foundation to Canada for the first time. The Better Block Foundation are tactical urbanists, which means they make temporary low-cost changes to the environment to improve local neighbourhoods. “Our long-term goal is to accelerate action on creating safer streets
for vulnerable road users, not just for the Danforth but for all streets in Toronto,” said O’Rourke. “The key element that you will see in the space is expanded pedestrian space,” she said, which will be made possible by cutting car traffic lanes from four to two. There will also be physically separated bike lanes, improved seating, additional lighting, and a street mural that will be painted at Danforth and Moberly avenues. “We’re also installing two parklets, which are basically small parks, that will be expanding the lanes we’re taking over from car space and transforming it into a more human-centric space,” said
O’Rourke. The pop-up will also showcase local artists, and there will be music and games as well. Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford said he gives full credit to former Councillor MaryMargaret McMahon for championing the bringing of a pop-up like this to the east end, and that he went to get special approval from Toronto-East York Community Council to make this happen. “The pop-up is an incredible idea. It’s a great way to help people really see and feel a different way of designing our streets. The goal here is to move forward the converContinued on Page 2
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