May 2022 PSN- Issue 57
PROVINCIAL ELECTION JOB DESCRIPTION FOR AN MPP THE GEORGIAN CHANGING CITY POLICY PARKSCAPE
COMING SOON TO GERRARD + PARLIAMENT
THE GRANDEUR AND THE GLAMOUR OF DOWNTOWN LIFE…
A LOCATION FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
For those who love the city for its energy and glamour, here’s a boutique condominium residence destined to offer something unexpectedly grand and vibrant. Emerging on Gerrard Street East at the southern tip of colourful and eclectic Cabbagetown, The Georgian offers urban-minded home seekers classically inspired larger suites including 1-bedroom and den, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom collections. The Georgian is an intimate and heritage inspired mid-rise designed to offer all the convenience and luxury of contemporary living.
2
Boutique Residences Starting from the $1M Register Now:
TheGeorgianResidences.com Presentation Centre: 1910 Avenue Road, North York 416.782.0722
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Renderings are artist’s concept. E.&O.E.
May Issue Roxborough St E
CN
Rd
Balmuto St
Ro sed a le
Valle y
Gl
en
Rd
We obviously can’t do it without our contributors and advertisers. Thanks to all of you. If you are reading an article please let them know you saw it and share it.
Pre tori aA ve
Rd
Danforth Ave
CPR
ayv
l
Chestnut St
Edward St
We also have a new contributor Walied Khogali Ali an up an coming community organiser. t Armou ry S
Bostok Hathaway
Cabbagetown Carpentry Bostok Hathaway
Green Thumbs
Silver Birch Flooring
Cabbagetown People
Tony Lafazanis Law
Rogers & Company
Haddad Hudson Law Offices
r ad vie
wA ve
George Smitherman
Tony Lafazanis
Epicure Shop
Forsythia Festival
Cabbagetown Arts & Crafts
Walied Khogali Ali
Hepburn Landscaping
Tour of Homes
Cabbagetown Carpentry
Heritage Toronto
Ron Reaman
Pstreet News
Kristyn Wong-Tam
David Morris
Genuine Auto Imports
Kristyn Wong-Tam
Brando 416
Toronto St
ent St
lia
Lower Jarv
St
oa Don R
t
Quay
dway
ur
Nick Rondinelli
DV P
yS
err
m
P
Ch
Lake Shore Blvd
oners
missi
Com
Laird and Son David Morris
t
Queens
CNR
Che r ry S
r Sherbourne S t
Lower J arvis St
o
rb
Ha
Freeland St
d er Blv
Bremn
All the best
Instagram @ParliamentStreetNews Twitter @Pstreetnews Gardiner Web www.pstreetnews.com XWY Facebook @cabbagetownnews Email ParliamentStNews@gmail.com Call 647-281-3417
Marci Ien
Don Valley Art Club
Wellington St
CPR
Cabbagetown BIA
Richard Silver
Scott St
York St
Ave
As usual thanks to all of our advertisers and contributors. We love your contributions and we always need them. With the city election coming the PSN is a great way to connect.
Gardener Don Weenen General Contracting
Cabbagetown BIA
c
Sheppard St
University
Local business owner Nick Rodnelli has singlehandedly changed policy at the city. The garden tour details are in along with Multch.
ar
Surrey Pl
Parliament Street
Elm St
Bay St
Elizabeth St
ue e n's Park Cres
e Av iew
College St
Dr. Emily Stowe Way
Q
r Cres
t
St Joseph St
Here we are on the brink of an election and we have some great content. Both leading parties in the area contributed as well none other than George Smitherman who was nice enough to give a job description and realities of the role of an MPP.
P lay t
ADVERTISERS
e
Charles St W
Hello Beautiful VOTERS!!
South Dr
Elm Ave
Rd
St Paul's Sq
Asquith Ave
Cumberland St
rk Pa
Ch
ch St ur
Queen's Park Avenue Rd
Pa
Collie r St
Yorkville Ave
CONTRIBUTORS
Playter Blvd
port
Av e
er
v
en
Rd
R
Sherbourne St N
Da
A yl m
rk
Belmont St
Mount Ple asa nt R d
Crescent Rd
St
Pete Lovering Publisher, Parliament Street News
Stafford Homes Michael Obrien Heart 2 Heart CPR Expedia Cruises
A NEIGHBOURHOOD DEMOLISHED The conversion of the St. James Town neighbourhood from Victorian homes to modern high-rises began in the mid-1960s. To make way for the proposed buildings, over 250 homes were slated for demolition north of Wellesley Street and west of Parliament Street. Tenants of the area’s boarding houses were evicted while property owners were offered market rate payments for their homes. Although many sold their properties for development, there were holdouts. One such holdout was the owner of a semi-detached home at 600 Parliament Street, Lucio Casaccio. His family had owned the property since 1910, and ran a tailoring business, Casaccio Bros., out of the front portion of the home. When the developers came knocking at his door, Casaccio refused to sell for less than $100,000. At the time, market value for the home was estimated at $12,000. Developers refused, but were able to purchase the majority of the homes surrounding Casaccio’s property, including 598 Parliament Street, which was connected to Casaccio’s home. Developers ripped down the attached semi and built a Y-shaped, 32-storey building called “The Halifax” at 280 Wellesley Street East.
Lucio Casaccio continued to fight the building’s developers even after the Halifax was completed. In 1968, he sued Howard Investments Ltd., the firm behind the Halifax’s construction, for $1,000,000. In an unusual legal argument, Casaccio claimed the company violated his property’s air rights by swinging materials over his building during construction. Ultimately, Casaccio was awarded $1,200 by a judge, but also required to pay $60,000 in legal costs. After Lucio Casccio died in 1971, his family eventually sold the 600 Parliament property. Today the former Casaccio home still stands, but has been heavily remodelled over the years. It is currently open as “New World Coin Laundry.” The building serves as a visual reminder of resistance to urban renewal in the 1960s. This half of a semi-detached continues to tell the story of the evolution of the St. James Town neighbourhood even after the original owners left.
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
Contributed by Heritage Toronto - www.heritagetorornto.org
3
GARDEN LOVERS ALERT The Hidden Gardens and Private Spaces tour in Cabbagetown will take place on Sunday June 5th, 2022 from 10:00am – 3:00pm Cabbagetown is a designated HCD: Heritage Conservation District. Gardening guru and popular CBC gardening expert PAUL ZAMMIT will be present to give advice and say hello. Also in attendance, Toronto Master Gardeners in a few of the gardens. This tour draws people from across Metropolitan Toronto and beyond. The attraction for many is not only the unique and charming gardens found here but also the historic streets, charming laneways, and Victorian architecture from modest to grand. Gardeners often say, “A garden is never finished.” This year’s tour includes many gardens that show creativity with small inner-city spaces, unique plantings and dealing with shade and the occasional visit by wildlife, mainly raccoons and squirrels. Attending this tour is not only an inspiration for your personal garden space but also a chance to meet up with friends, stop at shops and restaurants offering tour-goers special deals, talk to Master Gardeners for pertinent advice, explore the neighbourhood, to celebrate beautiful historic Cabbagetown. Included in the tour will be several “community” gardens maintained by local residents to beautify their section of a street. Map included in the ticket booklet. For more up-to-date information closer to the date, please visit www.cabbagetownpa.ca. Tickets booklet “vouchers” will be available at this web site beginning May 1, 2022, by credit card or from many neighbourhood merchants ,as well as at selected outlets across the city, by cash only - $20.00/ticket booklet.
MULCH IT UP!!
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
Michael Hepburn, Hepburn Landscape, 416-801-4438 As we turn the corner on another spring our At this time, I like to mulch with natural thoughts turn to our gardens it seems like mulch (I prefer natural pine, readily available forever on our first foray into the holy land. at suppliers). I choose not to use coloured mulches adding chemicals to a garden I I recommend early, very early light cleaning working on so hard seems counterproductive. with our hands (wear gloves) to remove loose The benefits of mulch are it helps to keep twigs, leaves and other debris. By hand because I do not want to damage moisture in, weeds down, and over time mulch permanently our early bloomers with a rake or dissipates re-energising the soil. hand trowel. I would be remiss if I did not mention Sunday Once all frozen matter is loose enough a very, June 5th the Cabbagetown Tour of Gardens is very light raking can be done. At this time any Back! I personally have 2 gardens featured and obvious pruning of shrubs, trees, and cut-back would love to answer any questions about the of ornamental grasses can occur. Cutting of gardens or your garden. Two fabulous plant ornamental grasses, hydrangeas, lavender selections will be given away via draw at each should be 6” above ground level. location delivered to you by me after the tour. May 24th is still an accurate time line to install 4 coloured annuals & additional base perennials. See you soon. M
WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY The Georgian, by Stafford Homes nestles within the community Contributed by PSTREET NEWS The general rule of thumb; development starts high and then gets higher. Then a squabble with city planners, the community, and the OLT to settle on some building far greater than what has initially been zoned. This is usually the game, but it does not seem to be the game played by Stafford Homes, the builder of The Georgian on Gerrard St. East. By all accounts, The Georgian by Stafford Homes has been designed as a luxury, boutique 7-storey mid-rise condo versus a towering high-rise. Part of their goal was to ensure that it comfortably nestles within the community versus standing out like a sore thumb and disrupting the skyline and neighbouring views. In addition, the activation of the laneway and the improvement to the south side of Gerrard will add a great deal of vibrancy to a bleak portion of the street that, for the most part, was a big beer store parking lot. Direct involvement, community engagement and listening seem to have been part of the plan as well. It seems the developer has been very open to working with the Cabbagetown South Residents Association, Heritage, and the Councillor’s office to accommodate the neighbourhood’s concerns. For example, all building angles have been designed to have visual impact, including the often forgotten building rear and sides facing the laneway. Not to mention, frosted balcony glass to avoid the look of clutter, more heritage style brick and masonry instead of poured concrete and adjusting the storefront awnings to fit in with the neighbourhood’s boutique storefronts. “Overall, it was a productive meeting. Stafford has been very receptive to community feedback and made a number of modifications to the design based on community feedback,” said Rick Mathews, community representative for Cabbagetown South Residents Association. It is a big city and development will happen. It has been nice to see the commitment of a developer to design and build something more sensible that will bring new life to the area. By listening to the community and addressing their concerns, Stafford Homes has improved the property for the residents who live there as well as everybody else in the community.
CABBAGETOWN
PARKSCAPE
Coming to Cabbagetown on Parliament Street this summer. Our thanks to sponsors: CentreCourt & Fitzrovia cabbagetownto.com/projects
@CabbagetownBIA
#CabbagetownParkscape
A MAGNIFICENT PARKSCAPE IN CABBAGETOWN We interrupt this moment in the never-ending news of multiple elections to bring you news of something beautiful, green, fresh and welcoming. The Cabbagetown Parkscape is coming soon, and will keep us all cool, green and shaded right through summer into early autumn. The idea for the Cabbagetown Parkscape came to light in 2021, born of the initiative and efforts of former Cabbagetown BIA Executive Director Rick Matthews. More recently, former Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam rallied the troops, found sponsors, and connected the Cabbagetown BIA with Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds.
Cabbagetown Parkscape is sponsored by CentreCourt and Fitztrovia, Toronto-based awardwinning home builders committed to sustainable living.
Don
This initiative is vital for the economic recovery of Cabbagetown. It will bring together partners that will not only help us recover from the pandemic by attracting more visitors to our businesses, but offer a new and life-affirming approach to our urban landscape by connecting our community to nature. We look forward to seeing and hearing a variety of exciting and wonderful homegrown arts and culture installations and performances available free to the public in the custom made stage area. Local businesses, community groups, artisans, performers, yogis, jam groups, meditation sessions, drum circles and much more will be welcome to book a time to share their art and collaborate with the community. Get in touch with us to learn more
GARDENER
Elite & Discreet Property Management In the neighbourhood since 1996
Don Moffatt 416.668.3096 GardenerDon@outlook.com
and to let us know what you may have in mind to bring to this space yourself.
Cabbagetown Parkscape by the numbers: • 250 seats added for business patrons • 20C surface temperature reduction in summer months • 50 per cent reduction of traffic volume • 50 per cent increase in retail foot traffic to local businesses • 100 new street trees and shrubs • 3,000 tons of natural materials • 130 truckloads of soil • 10 week installation
Proudly serving Cabbagetown since 1980 416.928.0291 473 Parliament Street, Toronto, On www.theepicureshop.com
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
“The Cabbagetown Parkscape is designed to use nature to bring this vibrant community back together after two years of the pandemic,” said Adam Bienenstock, the Founder of Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds that designed and will build out the space. “We create these important urban natural oases, which we call Living Streets, across Canada and the United States as proof of concept that greener cities increase community cohesiveness, equitable access to nature and profitability of the local businesses without breaking the bank or breaking the rules. Connection to nature is not a problem to solve, it is the solution to the most pressing problems our cities face today.”
5
SYSTEM IS FAILING SENIORS The COVID-19 Pandemic Revealed Our System is Failing Seniors, Ontario Liberals Have a Plan to Fix It
davidmorris.ca
Contributed by David Morris The COVID-19 pandemic has touched the lives of every Ontarian. We have learned to work and socialize online, lost valued time with family and friends, and far too many of us have lost loved ones. But no group has been hit harder than Ontario’s seniors. I remain horrified by the media reports exposing how Ontario’s for-profit care homes neglected and mistreated our parents, grandparents and friends all for the sake of “cost savings” during the pandemic. People literally died from dehydration, malnourishment, and neglect. Conditions in these ‘warehouses’ were so appalling that the Canadian armed forces had to step in. Let that sink in for a moment — Doug Ford promised an iron curtain around our seniors, but he failed so badly that the army had to come in to rescue them. Unfortunately, things are getting worse, not better. As we emerge from the pandemic, seniors face an affordability crisis, where the cost of groceries, gas, public transit, and care are too expensive for pensioners. The people who built Ontario—the group that enriches our families and neighbourhoods every day—have been abandoned by their government. We can and are morally obliged to do better. Seniors across Toronto Centre deserve a government that notices and cares about their suffering. But Doug Ford doesn’t seem to think there is a problem. In fact, the Conservatives are doubling down on their plan to prioritize private long-term care homes operated by their donors and friends with little oversight. Ontario Liberals are offering a better choice: a plan that gives seniors their dignity back, be it in a care facility, or at home.
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
If elected on June 2nd, Ontario Liberals will double the Old Age Security top up and increase the number of seniors who qualify for it. Qualifying seniors will have nearly $1,000 more each year to help them make ends meet. We will also reduce the cost of public transit to just $1 per ride to help seniors get around affordably and make public transit free for veterans.
6
A new Liberal government will also help 400,000 more seniors stay in their own homes by boosting the total base funding for the home care system by $2 billion by 2026. Most importantly, an Ontario Liberal government is committed to ending forprofit long-term care by building 30,000 new long-term care spaces and modernizing 28,000 existing spaces by 2028. On June 2, Toronto Centre has the opportunity to elect a government that cares about seniors. Either Doug Ford is allowed to continue warehousing them in deplorable conditions or a new Liberal government is chosen that will provide seniors with a more affordable, dignified retirement. The choice is yours. David Morris is the Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Toronto Centre
Authorized by the CFO of the Toronto Centre Provincial Liberal Association
Farmers’ Market
Ellie Ruggles, Market Manager, Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market Mark your calendars! The first market day for the Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market will be Tuesday June 14 from 3pm – 7pm, rain or shine. We’ll be open every Tuesday until October 25th. The list of accepted vendors will be announced in the following weeks. Please check www. cabbagetownmarket.ca for further updates. We’re also looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our team to primarily assist with market setup and take-down. Volunteers interested in helping with market set-up are needed from 1:30pm – 3:00pm and from 7:00pm – 7:30pm for market takedown. No previous experience is necessary. Volunteers need to be comfortable working in all types of weather and capable of doing some light lifting. Please contact Ellie Ruggles at ellie@cabbagetownmarket.ca to apply.
DEAR RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBOURS Contributed by Kristyn Wong-Tam
It is with great humility that I am running in the upcoming election to represent you as your NDP Toronto Centre champion at Queen’s Park! As your local City Councillor, and with your support, we have accomplished much to create healthier, stronger neighbourhoods by investing in the people who make our communities great. Together, we created new affordable housing, small business tax reform, new parkland and enhanced public space. We also expanded cycling infrastructure and safer roads, and increased investments in the community, recreation and public health services. But there is so much more to be done and cities can’t do this work alone. So many of the issues that face downtown communities require the political support and investment from the Provincial government. Despite vocal advocacy, our calls have been left unanswered and I know how high the stakes are for residents across Toronto Centre. Doug Ford is taking the province and our city in the wrong direction. We’ve watched Doug Ford cut public health services, download social programs, lengthen waitlists for housing, abandon tenants, and weaken municipalities from his perch in Queen’s Park. Toronto Centre can’t afford another four years of regressive Ford politics. My love for Toronto Centre and our neighbourhoods run deep. It is my home. When my family immigrated to Canada in 1975, our first apartment was in Regent Park and it was there I learned to speak English at Sprucecourt Public School. As a queer teen, I found community and support in the Church Wellesley Village. As a university student, I was an overnight worker in a women’s shelter run by the Catholic Church near Allan Gardens and later in my 30s, I opened a successful business on Church Street. I am raising my family in Toronto Centre and there is no place I would rather be.
YOUR CHAMPION FOR TORONTO CENTRE!
ELECT
KRISTYN
WONG-TAM MPP FOR TORONTO CENTRE kristynwongtam.ca kristyn@kristynwongtam.ca 647-558-9783
@KristynWongTam
Paid for by the CRO for the Toronto Centre Ontario NDP
YOUR HOME REDEFINED ..
OUTSIDE AND IN Weenen General Contracting Limited is your trusted and local design build contracting company. For 60 years we have specialized in old homes and the idiosyncrasies each of them have to offer. Our team of professional trades and staff, combined with designers and architects ensure projects are spectacular. Please get in touch or visit our website at www.weenengeneral.com
Weenen General Contracting Limited 211 Carlton Street,Toronto, ON, M5A 2K9 Tel: 416-961-0065 office@weenengeneral.com www.weenengeneral.com
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
This is one of the most important elections our province has ever faced. We have an opportunity to not only defeat Doug Ford, but elect a progressive NDP government, a government that will work for families and fix what matters most across our diverse downtown communities. Let’s do this together! Our office is open at 242 Carlton Street.
7
416 901 5323
Your local Family Owned and Operated Dispensary Spiritleaf - Cabbagetown - 238 Carlton ST
W E A R E C A B B AG E TOW N , W E A R E TO R O N TO , W E A R E G LO B A L
spiritleaf.ca/locations/cabbagetown
TORONTOism.com | silverburtnick@sothebysrealty.ca | 416.960.9995
OFFICES
1000
75
COUNTRIES & TERRITORIES WORLDWIDE
24,000 associates $150 billion in global sales 37 million website visits annually Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Brokerage. Independently Owned and Operated.
EXPECTING EVERYONE
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
SEPTEMBER 9-11 Riverdale Park
8
‘Lara Kerem is a UK artist with a passion for architecture, particularly historic homes around the world. Though her professional career is in primary education, Lara spends her spare time drawing and painting. Her style is highly-detailed, freehand fineline pen work with watercolour finish. Lara has illustrated several children’s books in the UK and is currently open for commissions. Find her work and contact details on Facebook and Instagram - @LaraKeremArtwork’
MPP JOB DESCRIPTION
Contributed by George Smitherman, MPP representing Toronto Centre – Rosedale, Toronto Centre in the 34th, 35th and 36th Parliament (1999-2010) Position: Member of the Ontario Legislature Employer: Legislative Assembly of Ontario Position Rank: 1 of 124 “Seats” in the Legislature MPP Compensation: $ 116, 550 (unchanged 2010!) (Less than Toronto City Councillors and much less than MP)
MPP Pension: None. Employer makes a contribution of 10 % of gross pay to a locked in RRSP. (unlike MPs who are made eligible for a pension after 6 years of elected service or City Councillors who can participate in the Municipal pension plan, MPPs do not have an avenue to participate in a Pension Plan).
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE? We are very pleased to announce our recent move to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, the single most trusted real estate brand by home buyers and sellers in North America. BHHS has the expertise to prepare and promote your property both locally and internationally in a way that is unmatched in the industry. With over 30 years combined experience in the field, the Bostok Hathaway team has successfully helped clients buy and sell residential, recreational, and investment properties. Every person and each situation are different, so we make a point of finding out what is important to you. Working together with our network of specialists, we make your real estate dreams a reality.
MPP Global Budget Each Member of the Ontario Legislature receives a “Global Budget” for the staffing and operation of their community office and to staff their office at Queen’s Park. Historically the budget has not been adjusted to reflect the reality of much higher office lease costs in Urban areas. Resource allocation will be challenging because the MPP for Toronto Centre will be experiencing 100 % of their staff and office expenditure in a very expensive environment. MPPs who are not the Premier or a Minister will obtain an office in the Ontario Legislature Main Building or North Wing. Ministers and the Premier have their MPP staff physically integrated within their executive office.
First and foremost the job of an MPP is to be an energetic problem solver and community animator. A successful MPP will be capable of functioning in a multi – stakeholder environment where careful balancing of time, energy and political capital must be strategically managed to produce tangible results. MPPs come together in sittings of the Legislature Monday to Thursday about 6 months of the year. Other times of the year will provide the MPP more flexibility to prioritize their calendar and focus. Whereas an MPP who travels to Toronto and stays at a secondary apartment funded by the Legislature may be shielded from attending events every night of the year, the MPP for Toronto Centre has no excuse since the Legislature actually sits in Toronto Centre. Functioning at once as a local representative and as a contributing participant in the caucus of a political party (almost always) often relies upon skills that are not taught. MPPs who are called upon to take on greater leadership roles within their party or as Minister within the Government can experience even greater tension and conflict militating between “local” and “provincial” roles and policy stances.
Oversight Role The 124 Members of the Ontario Legislature provide oversight to the Executive function of the government. The Ontario Government has a budget of nearly $ 200 Billion dollars, directly employs 60,000 and indirectly employs 100,000s more in the broader public sector (BPS) including Hospitals, Schools, Colleges and Universities and more.
Provincial Election numbers? Contributed by Pete Lovering
The provincial election is fast upon us, and there is a great battle between the Liberals and the up and coming NDP. With Suze Morrison stepping aside for Kristyn Wong-Tam. Up until the last election, this riding has almost always been Liberal. The liberals in Ontario got badly beaten, as we all know. And now, with KWT at the table will the weight she carries at the city level be enough? Hard to tell, especially with a proven candidate like David Morris. In the last city election, KWT got just over 50% of the vote representing 15000 voters in the ward. Suze Morisson got 23,688 votes in 2018 a 37% positive swing in the NDP’s favour from 2014. The Liberals lost 30% of their popular vote from 2014. So roughly speaking, 30% of the popular vote is in play or approximately 13000 votes. In the last federal and provincial elections, only 24,000 votes have won the day, tracking at 53%. What is more astounding is the federal and provincial elections over the last 10 or 12 years, including the bielection, an average of 76% of all voters voted NDP and Liberal in Toronto Centre.
If we assume that 76% of the vote went evenly to the Liberals and NDP (17,000 votes each), NDP and Liberals would both have 38% of the popular vote. That 38% would represent a negative swing for the NDP of -15% of the popular vote from 2018. In contrast, the 38% for liberals would show an 11% gain in the popular vote. So in a riding where both parties had massive swings, good and bad, there is bound to be some bounce back and regression or is there? The NDP and the Liberals both have great ground game and it is going to come down to the wire. Without predicting who, I will suggest it will be very close within 2% or 880 votes.
Haddad Hudson Law Office Barristers & Solicitors
Michael Peter Haddad michael@haddadhudsonlaw.ca
Anne Hudson
anne@haddadhudsonlaw.ca 548 Parliament Street t: 416-926-8151 f: 416-927-9005
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
Job Description
9
Hello neighbours and friends! We’re Jon and Christina from The Great Mallard County Market. Our journey began at the North Oshawa Farmers Market selling our delicious jams and sauces. This is where we met our fellow farmers and makers. They are the inspiration for wanting to bring a friendly, countryside feeling and place it into this unique and charming community. Our dream is to create a warm, small-town experience in the heart of Cabbagetown. We thank this incredible neighbourhood for being so kind and welcoming. Just like you, we promise to do our best to support local by sourcing our products locally. So, stop by! We love our local visits... sharing stories and some laughs. With love,
Your Federal Member of Parliament, Hon.
MARCI IEN
Scan barcode with your smartphone camera to sign up for our E-Newsletter and stay up to date!
Christina and Jon Owners, Operators The Great Mallard County Market
Toronto Centre
Due to COVID-19, our office is currently operating virtually. To assist you, we can be reached at marci.ien@parl.gc.ca or 416-972-9740 Our Hours of Operation are: Mon - Thurs: 10:00am - 4:00pm Friday: 10:00am - 1:00pm
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
FEDERAL ISSUES INCLUDE:
10
NATIONAL STUDENT LOAN SERVICE CENTRE PASSPORT CANADA VETERAN AFFAIRS CANADA PENSION PLAN (CPP) EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CANADA CHILD BENEFIT CANADA REVENUE AGENCY OLD AGE SECURITY CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT
(416) 972-9749
/Marci.Ien
/Marci.ien
/MarciienTO marci.ien@parl.gc.ca
430 Parliament St. Toronto, ON, M5A 3A2
Al Purdy 1918 - 2000 - Poet Contributed by Cabbagetownpeople.ca Plaque located at: 435 Sackville Street, Toronto, ON, Canada Al Purdy has been called “the most Canadian poet”, as well as the best English-language Canadian poet of the century. He wrote 33 books of verse, and twice won Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award, once in 1966 for his collection, The Cariboo Horses, and again in 1986 for his Collected Poems, 1956 – 1996. He also received the Order of Canada. These awards are among the highest honours an artist can receive in Canada. As a young man living on Sackville Street, he loved observing the residents of Cabbagetown, and spending time at the Riverdale Zoo. His voice was that of the common man and woman; he gave ordinary events an extraordinary view. He was not a poet-academic like so many of his peers. His first book was self-published. A high school dropout, he served an “undistinguished” term in the air force. His final work is a 652 page collection of poems entitled Beyond Remembering. Al Purdy died at his home in Victoria, B.C. from lung cancer
LET’S END THE ERA OF IRRESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT, TOGETHER. Contributed by Walied Khogali Ali, Community Advocate , Toronto Centre
In regent park, the first phase of development promised a “revitalized” regent park neighbourhood, which was neglected over decades due to austerity measures that did not adequately fund the maintenance of important social housing needs, one of the largest housing interventions in North America also known as Turtle Island. The start of the project displaced hundreds of families to surrounding neighbourhoods. The promise of the right to return, fought for by residents was won, but many families forced out of their community will need to wait for decades to return. A social development plan and the succession of a neighbourhood association that will carry the promise of social cohesion and inclusion was being created by neighbours that chose to care. The same neighbours who realized that the duty to care for their neighbourhood was neglected through false promises and worse results. The promise to allow TCHC tenants and residents to register to own their own home was the most popular, a measure we now refer to as “rent to own”. However only 17 individuals who were TCHC tenants benefited from home ownership, specifically, accessed home ownership in 2011 when house prices were more affordable. Hundreds of residents who were city staff, business owners, professionals, elected representatives and friends or relatives of the developer, their agents or sub - contractors benefited too. In fact one city staff recently donated some of the benefits to start a city
fund to help the residents of regent park. It seems a conscience does exist in most of us. What’s alarming, is that hundreds of new market residents that did not have to wake up to security concerns, the impact of poverty, rodents and the harassment by those who swore to serve and protect, had just purchased one of the best investments in their lives, a home, which we all claim is a basic human right. Over the years, speculation grew of the real - estate value of homes, and prices kept climbing from the three hundreds of thousands to over a million.
Through coalition building in Regent Park, Moss Park and other neighbourhoods across downtown Toronto, we have come to realize that we have more in common, especially now. We all oppose irresponsible development. We don’t want developers to dictate to us what to build, when and how much of what to build. We have started the movement to connect as residents to independently develop our own priorities and work collectively as neighbours to accomplish the changes we wanted to see. We learned that we are stronger together.
Many families were priced out. Many governments elected soon after, promised to deliver results, not rhetoric. Specifically the return of “rent to own” as a pathway to home ownership for TCHC tenants. The popular boost and foundational funds funded by governments to incentive and make it accessible for home ownership, was back on the table. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the “rent to own option”, a primary pillar of the liberal party’s solution to the housing crisis in anticipation of the 2021 federal elections. Many communities supported the agenda, leading to a liberal minority government supported by the NDP led by Jagmeet Singh. The community priorities continue today, no funding for “rent to own” or other community priorities in the budgets. What has changed? Our communities became more organized.
Will you join our coalition advocating for change now, not later? Are you invested in real solutions, evidence based solutions, not excuses? If so, join us to create change together, as neighbours who love our community and believe in accomplishing social cohesion and inclusion. Walied Khogali Ali Community Advocate Toronto Centre Email: walied.k@gmail.com Cell: 416-625-7712 https://buildingroots.ca/ https://www.regentparkcoalition.ca/ https://www.regentparksocial.org/ https://healingasone.ca/
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
As spring concludes and we prepare for the hot summer months ahead. Let’s remember that we are living through times of crisis. A pandemic. A global recession. A climate crisis. Also a housing crisis that will deeply impact our future for decades to come.
11
GETTING TO KNOW YOU Cabbagetown is a neighbourhood of beauty, heritage, cultural diversity and inclusion. We are Anita Bostok and Norman Hathaway and we’re proud to contribute this regular feature where you get to know the people and businesses that make Cabbagetown so special. If you’d like to be featured or would like to nominate someone please get in touch.
Gene Carpenter, Linda Jong, Mohammad Mashal
These three friends came to Toronto from BC with the dream of having their own restaurant. With a strong background in cooking, they worked over the past few years at various locations including The Drake Hotel. With the desire to create an eating environment of fast, healthy, great tasting but casual food, close to downtown, Cabbagetown was the perfect choice. Fattoush, 253 Gerrard St. E.. Opened just over a year ago during COVID, they’ve been overwhelmed by community support and generosity. The good life for them is “experiencing great food 24/7, taking it slow and enjoying the Cabbagetown vibe”. Watch for the patio out front very soon.
Minh Hao
After gaining several years of experience working in other clinics, Minh opened the Old Cabbagetown Physiotherapy clinic at 255 Gerrard St E. Since 2007 he has worked with Cabbagetown’s diverse population, helping the community to overcome different conditions. He has enjoyed getting to know the neighbours and watching the little ones grow up. His passion for healing began in high school when the young athlete and science enthusiast learned firsthand how to overcome sports injuries. Minh earned his degree of chiropractic medicine and acupuncture in Toronto at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and traveled to Australia to study physiotherapy. His favourite thing to do away from work is taking his two kids on road trips.
Hilary MacMillan - Everything in the store at 224 Carlton St is a Hilary MacMillan design. The boutique carries cruelty-free women’s fashions in sizes XS to 4X, and a brand-new home collection. She opened the Cabbagetown shop about four years ago when she found the large space that was the ‘perfect nook with a neighbourhood vibe.’ Since the start of the pandemic, the online component of the store has become huge, but she opens for in-store shopping by appointment and for special shopping events. Hilary is very excited to be launching the swimwear line on May 16th. A Toronto native, Hilary loves to travel and is passionate about scuba diving. She also loves films, catching the TIFF festival every year, and wandering through local markets where she is always on the lookout for new brands.
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
Wes
12
- Being fond of tacos and especially of making taco sauces, was all the inspiration Wes needed to open Pastor Taco at 245 Gerrard St E. While living in Mexico and working in leather factories, Wes was introduced to the authentic tacos that he has brought to Toronto. In addition to his time in Mexico, Wes has traveled a great deal with trips to Asia, Honduras, the Caribbean, and the US. Wes has lived in Cabbagetown for thirteen years and is happily married. During the Pandemic, Wes noticed the empty buildings along Gerrard and thought this area was a natural due to the great local support. His other great interest is wine. He is a wine agent in Niagara region, and he will soon be opening a bottle shop as an extra draw to his popular Taco restaurant.
RED CROSS FIRST AID & CPR TRAINING
Heart to Heart Office:
216 Carlton Street, lower level Toronto (Cabbagetown @ Carlton & Parliament)
TOLL FREE: 1-866-260-2790 PHONE: 416.960.5319 EMAIL: register@heart2heartcpr.com
www.heart2heartcpr.com First Aid & CPR/AED, CPR/AED Only & BLS Courses Recertification Courses, The Professional Responder Professional Responder Recert., Babysitting Courses The First Aid Instructor Course, First Aid Instructor Recert First Aid Instructor Transfer, Teaching Experience Supervisor, Workplace WSIB Courses, Youth Leader
We Save Lives, So Can you.
OVER 25 YEARS
Preserving Cabbagetown home at a time! WE MUST BEone DOING
SOMETHING RIGHT
Comfort | Safety | Trust
GOOD PEOPLE. GOOD WORK 416-421-2121 info@lairdandson.com
Furnaces Air Conditioning Boilers Water Heaters Duct Cleaning Air Quality Heat Pumps
Home comfort since 1948, 4th generation, family owned.
HEART2HEART CPR HELPS REFORM CITY POLICY LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER HELPS REFORM TORONTO SHELTER STANDARDS AND ONTARIO’S OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT! Nick Rondinelli - Owner and CEO, Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services Inc. nick@heart2heartcpr.com www.heart2heartcpr.com encountering, and experiencing opioid poisoning. We wanted to provide our free services and specialized training in a meaningful way and in honour of all those who have lost their lives, including my late dear friends Garth Johnston and Natalie Brais.
For those who are not familiar, we began our advocacy work on the overdose crisis on October 15, 2020, when we first learned that Toronto shelters were experiencing a record high number of deaths from opioid poisoning. We discovered that many shelter operators and workers (who are required to be trained and certified in First Aid and CPR) were following a similar protocol as outlined in a Toronto Public Health (TPH) “5-Step Overdose Response” graphic. This graphic recommends: “Do Chest Compressions ONLY during COVID-19, NO Rescue Breathing.” A version of the same “5-Step Overdose Response” is also on the City of Toronto’s website.
As a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, I have seen first-hand how vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted. We decided to focus directly on the populations most at risk. Our goal was to target people who use drugs (PWUD) and their friends, family, and peers who are close by and can intervene quickly to prevent accidental death.
As a Red Cross First Aid Instructor Trainer and the owner of Heart to Heart CPR, I strongly felt that this “directive” to perform “compression-only CPR” was not appropriate for trained responders, who, with the right equipment and PPE, should be able to provide critical ventilations when managing an opioid overdose. It also may discourage a competent lay person to provide critical oxygen to a loved one. The ambiguity arising from the 5-step graphic has created confusion among trained responders. We also identified other major gaps and breakdowns within the Toronto Shelter Standards regarding workers being under-equipped and under-prepared to protect themselves and others during COVID-19. We also pointed out the lack of 4-piece PPE and PPE training among staff, including the use of a Bag-Valve Mask and two-rescuer CPR.
We created a training program called Overdose Prevention & Resuscitation (CPR-OPR), a new classification of CPR training specifically for lay overdose responders who are most likely to perform overdose response. This training is unique as it covers critical opioid poisoning skills that are not covered in basic first aid/CPR courses. It uses a combination of current guidelines and protocols from “lay rescuer CPR” and more advanced skills from Basic Life Support (BLS). Between June 2021 to February 2022, we have trained and equipped over 220 high risk responders to provide overdose response. We completed Phase 1 in downtown Toronto, Phase 2 in Thunder Bay, Phase 3 was repeated in Toronto and Phase 4 in Brantford, ON. We collected extensive data during Phase 1 from 75 responders and completed an in-depth Impact Evaluation Report. This report allowed us to advocate to governments showing our evidence that supported our recommendations for policy change
We are happy to report that our training and responders are saving lives on the As a concerned citizen and a health frontlines of the opioid crisis. A followand safety professional for 23 years in up survey was conducted three months Cabbagetown, I contacted senior city post-training for the first cohort of officials as well as the executive directors responders (Phase 1). Fourteen (14) of two large city-run shelters about the out of the thirty-one (31) responders risk of more shelter deaths amidst the indicated they had utilized the skills pandemic. learned in-class to provide real overdose response. That is 46% in just three Our multiple attempts at communicating (3) months following the training! All with City officials and shelter executives responders indicated that the person were unanswered and there was no experiencing opioid poisoning survived. resolution to our inquiries or concerns. We understood early in our advocacy Shortly after the launch of our program, the urgency for specialized training the American Heart Association’s (AHA) not only for shelter workers but for any journal “Circulation” released a medical person who is most at risk of witnessing, statement called “Opioid-Associated
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest” which provides recommendations that coincide with those taken in our CPROPR program. This medical statement confirms that the additional first aid skills offered in our training meets the current medical standards for opioid response and are appropriate for shelter workers. When we came to learn about this medical statement, we were overjoyed and felt vindicated. This extraordinary alignment between our work and advocacy in overdose response, and the later published AHA medical statement solidifies that “evidence” must be rooted not only in science but also from lived experiences of people who use drugs (PWUD), along with the professional observations of frontline workers and service providers… like myself. My concerns were ignored and no one took me seriously. This is why we fought so hard to continue our work and produce evidence that supported our claims, which is exactly what we did. HOW WE AFFECTED POLICY CHANGE City of Toronto In September 2021, Toronto Public Health along with the Associate Medical Officer of Health, met with SSHA directors and agreed to bring forward overdose response training for the shelter environment beyond the lay rescuer approach. They want to adopt key components of our specialized program for their workers to be trained. They are using our Impact Evaluation Report as a key resource for their new training requirements. On January 17, 2022 we learned that all Toronto shelter and respite providers were given a new directive by the General Manager of Shelter Support Housing Administration (SSHA) that finally allowed for the provision of providing oxygen in overdose response with the proper PPE and Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) requirements. We are pleased to see progress as it has taken 15 months from our original request and ongoing advocacy to get clarity on this issue and a means to provide critical oxygen for those suffering from opioid poisoning, a breathing emergency that causes cardiac arrest as a result of a lack of oxygen. Province of Ontario On May 19th, 2021, Nick provided a report to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) and identified gaps within
workplace training and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which did not provide proper protections for workers who are most likely to witness opioid poisoning. In January 2022, the MLTSD proposed changes to OSHA that would mandate all high risk workplaces in Ontario of opioid overdoses to carry naloxone and to train workers in overdose response. This announcement came when the latest statistics indicated that 30% of people who died from opioid-related causes between March 2020 to January 2021 were from the construction industry. By this time, MLTSD was observing our training on social media and openly supported our training and leadership. On January 15th, 2022 Nick took part in the public consultation and MLTSD engaged Nick to provide expert advice regarding the implementation and impact evaluation on naloxone distribution and overdose response training to workers within workplaces in Ontario. On April 11, 2022 the Ontario Government passed the Working for Workers Act, 2022 (Act 2), which mandates naloxone in all high risk workplaces and includes very strict requirements for employers to abide by. For the first time in history, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) in Ontario now includes harm reduction to protect workers from overdose and workers who provide overdose response. OHSA will not limit or prohibit workers to use naloxone on clients, customers or anyone else in an emergency! This is now the law in Ontario. These major developments were at the root of our advocacy when we started back in October 2020 and within 15 months we are pleased to see them come to fruition. We are grateful that our extensive work, data and recommendations, along with the medical statement from the AHA, has urged beauracrates and policy makers to reform policies and encourage those who employ at-risk workers to provide them with the proper training and support they need and deserve. As we continue our efforts to counter the overdose crisis, we embrace the principle of “Nothing About Us, Without Us”. We would like to acknowledge and thank all the people with lived experience and the frontline shelter, outreach, and harm reduction workers, who assisted in the co-creation of CPR-OPR training.
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
It’s been a while since I have provided the Cabbagetown community with updates on our advocacy work and I am very pleased to share some groundbreaking outcomes that have influenced policy change within the City of Toronto and the province of Ontario.
13
GREAT HAIR CUTS AWESOME PRICE
Brigaldara Soave DOC
Contributed by Isabel Wai, Brand Associate Rogers & Company In the 2000s, Stefano Cesari and his sons, Lamberto and Antonio, initiated a profound renewal at Brigaldara. Today, the estate covers 120 hectares of land, 47 of which are planted with vineyards, while the rest is made up of olive groves, crops, pastures and woodland. The winery received the esteemed 2022 Gambero Rosso Sustainable Viticulture Award as recognition for its 360º commitment to a sustainable product, from cultivation in the vineyard to its work in the cellar. Brigaldara’s Soave is 100% Garganega grapes, handharvested from 40-year-old vines. The fruit undergoes a selective cryoextraction process where it is partially frozen to preserve the natural aromas and flavours while preventing oxidation to maximize the full aromatic potential of the fresh grapes. This wine is fresh and fruity with notes of chamomile, peach and citrus. Clean, medium-long finish. A perfect brunch pairing. The current vintage will be available from the May 21 Vintages release at the LCBO. It is priced at $14.95 (LCBO# 23030), recently receiving 90 points from James Suckling: “Aromas and flavours of whites raspberries and pineapple with a lightly spicy, mineral bed. Medium-bodied, fresh and spicy to the end. Drink now. Screw cap.”
INJURY ON A RENTAL PROPERTY
Professional Barber 647-720-4899
416 Parliament Street (just South of Spruce)
THE HONEST MECHANIC Genuine Import Auto Service Servicing all makes and models for over 20 Years Ask for Goldie You’ll be glad you did.
843 Gerrard Street East - 416-778-8330
SOLVING YOUR BUSINESS, FINANCIAL AND TAX NEEDS DONALD J. GERRIOR BBA, CA, CPA TORONTO, ON, +1 416 939 9754 DGERRIOR@CA4.BIZ WWW. CA4.BIZ
Contributed by: Tony Lafazanis – Personal Injury Lawyerwww.TLLawCanHelp.com
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
Renters make up more than 30% of Ontarians, and renters in Toronto make up nearly half of the population. With the prevalence of renting, how can tenants be sure that they are protected against injuries which may happen due to shoddy craftmanship or a landlord’s failure to repair something? Luckily, Canadians are protected by negligence law – that is, if it can be proven that the landlord’s negligence caused your injury, then you may be able to be compensated. Examples are: • • • • •
Trip hazards, inside or outside Stairs without railings Stairs with irregular height and/or step dimensions Exterior common walkways, not cleared in winter Rotted wood on decks, or exterior steps
The Four Elements of a Negligence Claim 1. The landlord owes a duty to the tenant to exercise reasonable care. 14
2. 3. 4.
What the standard of care was that the landlord owed to the tenant. The injury falls within the scope of the duty of care. There was a causal relationship between the breach of the duty and the injury.
How can you protect yourself against injuries at your rental property? There are a few ways you can protect yourself from injuries like this, or at least attempt to prevent them from occurring. When things are broken or hazardous on your property, contact your landlord by email or text, so there is a produceable chain of messages. Try to avoid the broken or hazardous item or area so that you don’t get injured. Rental Property Injury Lawyer If you have already been injured, contact Tony Lafazanis for a FREE case evaluation. Tony has over 35 years of experience as a personal injury lawyer and understands the often-complex issues in such cases. Hiring Tony Lafazanis is risk free. There is no legal bill to pay, if there is no settlement.
Eight exhibits on now
Public Art Museum Gallery Arcturus is fully open, a short walk west of Cabbagetown Tue - Sat 12 - 5:30pm FREE ADMISSION 80 Gerrard St East, at Church
THANK YOU The organizers of the Forsythia Festival would like to thank all the volunteers and sponsors for a long overdue and great day!
FINANCIAL DONORS Meridian Daniel et Daniel Catering & Events The York Search Group Hepburn Landscaping HomeLife/Realty One Ltd. Weenen General Contracting Limited F’Amelia Evelyn Sommers Psychologist Sam Richardson The Epicure Shop Fair Trade Jewellery Co. House on Parliament The Great Mallard TD Little House Cannabis Neighbourhood Care
2021 PSN BY THE NUMBERS It is all about in the delivery. A few years ago when the pandemic was in full swing we changed the style of the paper and most importantly we changed the delivery. We went from using rather random approach and local delivery guys to Canada Post. Since that time we have seen steady uptick in online activity and heard great things from our advertisers and readers alike.
3000 copies per issue 5 Issues / year (March, May, September, October, November) Number of Years Publishing the PSN 12 Targeted home delivery by Canada Post 2500 2500 copies delivered via Canada Post to Homes in the area per issue Number of 2021 advertisers 37 500 hand delivered to Restaurants, cafes, and select Condominiums per issue. 100% Online ads included in pricing Instagram followers 1250+ Twitter followers 900+ Unique web visits to pstreetnews.com website 800+ per month Average # of readers per issue 7500
Spruce Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre Labour of Love Cycle Solutions Buds and Blossoms Velvet Lane Cakes The Epicure Shop The Great Mallard Dova CRA Wonderkind SERVICES Absolute Bakery Buds and Blossoms Salt & Tobacco Parliament Street News Steve Yates Illustration & Graphic Design
2.8 person readership per household Average household value 1.74 M Average household income 120,000/yr Total impressions per year social/web/print 180,000 +
2022 Publishing Schedule & Deadlines MARCH 12 (THIS EDITION )
MAY 6TH (PROVINCIAL ELECTION)
AUGUST 19TH (CABBAGETOWN FESTIVAL EDITION & ELECTION)
SEPTEMBER 29TH (CITY ELECTION EDITION)
NOVEMBER 12TH ( HOLIDAY / CABBAGETOWN GIVING GUIDE)
| PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS - ISSUE 57
GIFTS IN KIND - RAFFLE
15
FROM PARIS TO PARLIAMENT ST
THE PERFECT SUMMER DRESSES
By appointment. info@poastudio.com 416-364-2761 546 Parliament St.
Insta: @poastudio www.poastudio.com
What Are We Planning for the Gardens Contributed by Green Thumbs For the last two growing seasons we have not been able to be in the gardens with the children so we are excited to be planning in person programs for the children and after what felt like the longest winter Green Thumbs is excited just to be getting back into the gardens, preparing them and planning to plant the gardens at our 3 partnering schools for this growing season.
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- MAY 2022
Rebecca Davis, our Urban Agriculture Specialist has been making plans all designed to tease the imaginations of our young gardeners. Seeds are now getting a head start in the greenhouses at Regent Park and Allan Gardens.
16
The children will help with the planting so that they have an opportunity to see the young plants and learn about the roots as well as to help them to recognize the plants as they grow. Beyond the many expected varieties of lettuces and kales, Rebecca has chosen others to be intriguing for the children. There will be small ball shaped carrots, red heirloom carrots, Bumble Bee cherry tomatoes, purple tomatoes, Moon and Stars Watermelons, Mad Hatter peppers, small sweet cucamelons, a very small sweet melon-like cucumber, and more. She explained that the small colourful vegetables are fun for young eyes and easier for small hands to harvest.
And then there is heritage corn! Three inch ears of Strawberry Corn for popping and Glass Gem for a cookout in the Winchester Firepit. Most of the plants she has chosen will grow to a child’s eye level and have been chosen for their appealing colours and shapes. Not just the vegetables but the Bee Balm, Dwarf Sunflowers, Coreopsis, Nasturtiums, and marigolds; all flowers which will attract the pollinators. Some of the edible flowers like borage, nasturtium and squash flowers will find their way into salads for in-garden lunches which the children will help to prepare after harvesting and washing the vegetables. A very important focus will be on the flowers that the plants produce which become the fruit when pollinated. Pollination is a critical teaching moment allowing Rebecca to explain the importance of bees and other pollinating insects as they watch the vegetables and fruit grow. For extra fun the kids are making wild flower bombs with donated wildflower seeds and mud to toss into neglected corners of our community. If you see clumps of wildflowers later in the season, growing in unexpected places, you will know that little Green Thumbs have been doing some guerrilla gardening...
Green Thumbs Growing Kids (GTGK) is a local charity actively creating and managing school gardens in this community connecting children to food and their environment. Gardens at Sprucecourt Jr. PS, Winchester Jr. & Sr. PS and Rose Avenue PS are managed by Green Thumbs. We also support gardening projects at Nelson Mandela Park PS. Green Thumbs is engaging the minds and imaginations of children in hands on garden and food education in our school gardens and depends on funding from members of the community and friends of the gardens. Look us up and learn more about what we do. Please support our work by visiting https://greenthumbsto. org and donate if you can.
Next issueNext Issue Deadline August 20th All content and advertising welcome