REMINDER: Public Meeting to Design Ward 22's Two New Park Spaces!
Working together as a community, we successfully fought to preserve green space at the former Glebe Manor Lawn Bowling Club site. We also worked amicably with the Manor Road United Church to create public space rather than a townhouse development at their site.
Now the fun part begins! Please join me and your neighbours to discuss potential designs and uses for our two new parks at 6:30pm on Tuesday, December 6 in the gymnasium at Maurice Cody Jr Public School. City of Toronto Parks staff will also be in attendance.
Please click here to view the event flyer.
Ward 22's Hodgson Ice Rink is Now Open for the 2016/2017 Skating Season!
I am happy to announce that our community ice rink at Hodgson is now open for your skating pleasure!
I am pleased that the 2016/17 skating year will once again feature expanded community hours at Hodgson ice. The agreement with the TDSB reached last year will see the rink open for community hours starting at 11:30am (rather than 4:30pm) every weekday.
For more information regarding hours of operation and specific programming, please visit thiswebsite.
Manor Road United Church Grand Re-Opening Celebration
Manor Road United Church is celebrating the Grand Opening of their renovated space on Saturday, December 10 & Sunday, December 11 and everyone is welcome!
The church has several events planned over the course of the weekend, including the 3rd annual Santa’s pancake breakfast at 9:30am - 11am on Saturday, a Christmas Concert and Carol Sing at 7pm on Saturday, and a Celebration Service at 10:30am on Sunday. I look forward to giving opening remarks and congratulations at the official Open House celebration at 11:45am on Sunday. I hope to see you there!
Please Join Me in Celebrating the Holiday Season with our Mount Pleasant Village and Midtown Yonge BIAs this Weekend!
On Saturday, December 3, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, their elves and more will be on hand to celebrate the Mount Pleasant Village BIA Christmas Fair. The day will be filled with fun activities, as well as in-store promotions. New for this year will be a scavenger hunt! The event will take place along Mount Pleasant Road between Eglinton and Davisville from 10am to 4pm.
Full event details are available here.
Also, come enjoy some local shopping and holiday fun on Yonge Street between Soudan and Davisville. The Midtown Yonge BIA are ringing in the season at the intersection of Yonge Street and Lola Road with a 20ft Christmas tree, carolers & Santa himself. This event will take place on Saturday, December 3 and 10 from 1pm to 4pm.
Please click here to view the Midtown Yonge BIA event flyer.
Annual 58th Toronto Scouts Christmas Tree Sale
If you'll be looking for a Christmas tree, our local kids with the 58th Scouts, Cubs & Beavers have one for you! For over 60 years, local Boy Scouts have been selling fresh, Ontario-grown Christmas trees & wreaths to neighborhood residents. The sale starts November 26 and, as always, they can be found on the main lawn at the Church of the Transfiguration (111 Manor Rd East). Open weekdays 6am -9pm (weather permitting) and Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. Deliveries available. Call or text 647-970-0947 or email [email protected].
Please click here to view the flyer.
As many of you are aware, the City of Toronto will be carrying out waterproofing and structure rehabilitation work on the Rosehill Reservoir at David Balfour Park. These necessary upgrades will help to ensure the structural integrity of the reservoir, extend its service life, and bring the infrastructure to a state of good repair. I have been pleased to work with my colleague, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, City staff and local Residents' Associations on honing this restoration plan.
I certainly support the work that a core group of engaged residents has been doing toward the Vision Plan. We all want this park to be remarkable once the rehab work is completed, and I look forward to working together with the community on that front.
Also, City staff had originally planned to host a Public Open House in November 2016 to discuss the project plans further with local residents. However, in response to comments received from the community so far, they have decided to postpone this event in order to allow for additional work to be completed. I will share the full meeting details with you for the Public Open House, once confirmed, via my e-newsletter and website. This event is anticipated to take place early in the New Year.
City Planning recently issued a refusal report to construct a 9-storey mixed-use building at 390 Spadina Rd, consisting of 46 residential units. Unfortunately, the developer has appealed this decision to the OMB.
While this development is actually located in Ward 21 (on the west side of Spadina Road), it will obviously impact many Ward 22 residents directly across Spadina Road and throughout the Ward 22 portion of Forest Hill Village.
In February 2014, I successfully moved a motion requesting City Planning Staff to study Forest Hill Village (located along Spadina Road) and prepare Urban Design Guidelines to protect the small town feeling of this distinctive area. The mandate for the Forest Hill Village Urban Design Guidelines is to maintain the small town character of the area by identifying the appropriate urban character, materials and building rhythm and articulation for future developments and/or renovations within the study area. This includes a Staff recommendation for a maximum of four storeys street wall for the Village.
These new guidelines will help strengthen City Planning’s position when assessing future development applications for the Village. To learn more about the new guidelines, please see this City report that was approved today by Toronto & East York Community Council. To speak to the planner directly, please contact David Driedger at 416-392-7613 or// ' ); // ]]> " target="_blank" style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #2baadf; text-decoration: underline;" mce_style="text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #2baadf; text-decoration: underline;"> [email protected].
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of the South Forest Hill Residents' Association (SFHRA) in fighting the current development proposal, their shared passion to preserve the character of the Village and to ensure that any development at this location is an appropriate one. For more information about SFHRA, please click here.
I look forward to joining SFHRA and my colleague, Councillor Joe Mihevc, for a community meeting about this proposal in the New Year. I will be sure to share details of that meeting with you via my e-newsletter and website, once known.
The City of Toronto is hosting four public consultation meetings from December 5 to 8, in addition to an online survey that is available from December 5 to 23, to gather the public's input on how the City can manage expenses, raise revenue and optimize its assets as part of the development of its Long-Term Financial Plan.
Public meeting details:
- Monday, December 5, Etobicoke Olympium, 590 Rathburn Rd.
- Tuesday, December 6, Chinese Cultural Centre, 5183 Sheppard Ave. E.
- Wednesday, December 7, Mitchell Field Community Centre, 89 Church Ave.
- Thursday, December 8, Toronto Reference Library (Epic Hall), 789 Yonge St.
Live webcasts of the meetings will be available on the website for those who cannot attend in person, along with learning and background materials and the online survey. Consultation toolkits can be downloaded for those who want to conduct their own community meetings.
To keep Toronto strong and vibrant, there are some key issues that require attention, including transit, housing, investment in poverty reduction, and social cohesion. City Council has adopted economic, social and environmental strategies that can lead Toronto forward. A Long-Term Financial Plan will ultimately present options and create a road map to achieve long-term financial sustainability through multi-year expenditure and revenue strategies while supporting the City's ability to fund its city-building and policy aspirations.
Findings from the consultation process will be considered by the City Manager as he provides advice to Council on the development of the plan. A second phase of the consultation process, including another round of public meetings and an additional survey, will take place in 2017. Members of the public are also invited to join the conversation on social media, using the hashtag #InvestinginTO.
The City of Toronto offers affordable community recreation programming for the winter season. Residents of all ages can register for winter skating programs, swimming programs and March Break camps.
Get ready!
Registration begins at 7am on Saturday, December 3 for Etobicoke/York and Scarborough Districts, and 7am on Tuesday, December 6 for North York, Toronto and East York Districts.
Residents should visit toronto.ca/torontofun prior to registration day to:
- Find out district registration dates
- Build a list of choices (program titles and barcodes) using the website or the printed FUN Guide
- Get a family number and client numbers to log in and register
- Have a payment method ready or credit on the account, if fees apply
Residents can use the "Search Programs" options at toronto.ca/funguide to build wish lists and have a few options ready in case they don’t get into their first choice.
Using the website efun.toronto.ca is the easiest and fastest way to register for winter recreation. In September, 90 per cent of users were able to log in to the registration system in less than 11 minutes and, on average, once logged in, each registration was completed in just over seven minutes.
Those who wish to register for programs will need to set up an account. Call 416-338-4386, e-mail [email protected] or speak with staff at a City community centre to get a family number and a client number, update your account information, put a credit on your account or request information on the Welcome Policy.
Welcome Policy yearly credit
The Welcome Policy credit can be used to register for City recreation programs. People receiving social assistance (Ontario Works) and living in Toronto are pre-approved to receive this credit and should speak to their caseworker. More information about the yearly credit is available at toronto.ca/wp.
Free programs
Many community centres offer free recreation programs including leisure swimming and skating, and drop-in programs for children, youth and older adults. More information about free and low-cost programming options is available at toronto.ca/lowcostrecreation.
Older adult discounts
Older adults (60+ years) who register for adult programs receive a 50 per cent discount.
#WelcomeTOwinter
Winter is arriving in Toronto’s parks, community centres and natural environments. Visittoronto.ca/winter for more information on winter activities and events.
If you are a senior or disabled resident of Toronto, the City will clear snow from the sidewalk in front of your home in those areas where the service is not provided by machine.
The City of Toronto provides sidewalk snow clearing in most of Toronto, however, there are some areas where equipment is unable to clear sidewalks due to insufficient sidewalk width for the plows, lack of boulevard space for snow storage, and on-street parking. Most of these areas are in the older, central parts of the city.
Seniors and people with disabilities living in areas where the city does not clear sidewalks can contact the City at 311 to register for the program. The service applies to the sidewalk in front of the home only. It does not include driveways or walkways leading to homes. All participants in the program must renew annually to continue to receive the service.
You can read more about this program, view a map of the areas where the city provides mechanical sidewalk snow clearing, and access the printable application here.
The pipes in your home can freeze in cold weather. This can leave you with no water or cause
your pipes to burst, leading to expensive property damage. If your pipes are prone to freezing,
you may wish to contact a plumber for advice. Here are some other tips to protect your home:
Know your Pipes
- Ensure you know where the main water shut-off valve is in your home and how it operates (in case your pipes burst)
- Insulate pipes: wrap foam pipe insulation around pipes most at risk, especially near outside walls and in crawl spaces, the attic and garage
- Eliminate drafts: seal air leaks in your home and garage to stop cold air from getting in
- Check around windows and doors, electrical wiring, dryer vents and pipes
- Drain and shut the outdoor water supply: outdoor faucets are the first to freeze
- Unscrew any hoses, turn off the outdoor water supply and let the taps drain
- Keep your pipes warm: keep areas that contain indoor pipes above 8 degrees C, especially near the water meter
- Turn on the tap: for your own peace of mind, you can choose to run a pencil-thin stream of water to ensure some movement of water in the pipes. However, you will be charged for the water used if you choose this step.
Annual 58th Toronto Scouts Christmas Tree Sale
If you'll be looking for a Christmas tree, our local kids with the 58th Scouts, Cubs & Beavers have one for you! For over 60 years, local Boy Scouts have been selling fresh, Ontario-grown Christmas trees & wreaths to neighborhood residents. The sale starts November 26 and, as always, they can be found on the main lawn at the Church of the Transfiguration (111 Manor Rd East). Open weekdays 6am -9pm (weather permitting) and Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. Deliveries available. Call or text 647-970-0947 or email [email protected].
Please click here to view the flyer.
