Dear Residents,
I hope this finds you very well. I've had a busy summer thus far working in our community and am preparing for an even busier September. Please read the summer update I've provided you below on a few recent initiatives. As always, let me and my staff know if we can ever be of service to you.
Best regards,
Josh Matlow
Toronto City Councillor
Ward 22-St.Paul's
www.joshmatlow.ca
Come visit Ward 22's Davisville Village Farmers Market!
Every Tuesday, between 3-7PM until October at June Rowlands (Davisville) Park at the corner of Davisville and Acadia (just west of Mount Pleasant), you'll find Ward 22's new and weekly town square. At the Davisville Village Farmers Market, you can find fresh produce, fish and meats, chocolate and so much more. Moreover, come meet your neighbours and enjoy a new sense of community in Ward 22! I hope to see you next Tuesday!
Volunteer with Bayview Buckets!
Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) is currently organizing a tree-watering program, Bayview Buckets, on the west side of Bayview Avenue. Bayview Buckets is looking for additional volunteers to go door-to-door tomorrow, Friday, August 17th, and Saturday, August 19th. Volunteers will be explaining the tree-watering program to local businesses.
If you would like to get involved or receive more information, please contact [email protected].
Establishing Appropriate Room Temperatures in Classrooms for Students
After passing a motion at Council last month to initiate a process to establish appropriate room temperatures in apartment units, I heard from parents that there were similar issues in classrooms.
During the warmer months many students find themselves overheating in poorly ventilated classrooms. I have written a letter to Dr. Chris Spence, Director of Education for the TDSB, and Bruce Rodrigues, Director of Education for the TCDSB, regarding this important issue.
Our children deserve a comfortable, healthy environment in which to learn. I look forward to our school boards taking appropriate action to support students and teachers.
Protecting Tenants
I have heard a number of disturbing stories from residents regarding substandard property maintenance at apartment buildings and concerns about the quality and upkeep of their units.
Complaints range from appearance issues such as peeling paint or construction materials left on the property to serious health and safety concerns including bed bugs, vermin and even units being left without water for extended periods of time.
I have engaged City of Toronto Licensing and Standards inspectors and written letters to the appropriate property managers. Tenants in our community pay very high rents; they at least deserve to live in a clean, well-maintained and healthy home.
Update: Condo Proposal for 1331 Yonge Street (CHUM site)
Last winter, the Deer Park and Summerhill communities were stunned to see a proposal for a 13 storey block tower on the top of the St. Clair hill at 1331 Yonge Street. Working with local residents' groups and City Planning staff we were able to reduce the height of the building to 11 storeys, and cut the number of units while achieving a design that fits better into the fabric and character of the neighbourhood.
Over one hundred residents attended a meeting I held a meeting on August 9th to review these changes with the community at Christ Church Deer Park on Yonge Street. The consensus from the attendees was that while the changes made by the applicant were a good first step, the building was still too high and there were a number of traffic concerns that needed to be addressed.
I will continue to work with local residents, city staff and the applicants to see if we can come to a resolution that addresses traffic concerns, ensures that the streetscape is improved with new trees, benches and other amenities while lowering the building further so that a new precedent is not set for this area.
Seniors Strategy Consultation Workbook
This is a reminder that the deadline for submitting your Seniors Strategy Consultation Workbook is fast approaching. The deadline date is September 30, 2012.
Your feedback will help to identify specific service priorities and innovative ideas to ensure Toronto's seniors have what they need at each stage of their lives.
To learn more about other activities and initiatives related to the development of the City of Toronto Seniors Strategy, please email [email protected] , visit http://www.toronto.ca/seniors/strategy.htm or call 416-392-9125.
