E-Newsletter

Dear Residents,

After the seemingly never-ending winter we endured, our neighbourhoods have finally come alive again with several events over this past month. Since the beginning of May, I've enjoyed seeing so many of you at countless community fun fairs, fundraisers and activities in every corner of our Ward 22 community including:

·         Davisville Village Farmer's Market at June Rowlands (Davisville) Park

·         Beltline Cleanup

·         Brown Public School Garden Fête fundraiser

·         Doors Open Walking Tour

·         Eglinton Way BIA Social

·         Forest Hill Homeowners' Association AGM

·         Jane's Walk

·         Meals on Wheels outreach

·         Oriole Park Community Garden Opening

·         Oriole Park Public School Parents' Night Out fundraiser

·         Rathnelly Area Residents' Association AGM

·         Sharon, Lois & Bram Playground Naming Ceremony and concert

·         South Eglinton Residents' and Ratepayers' Association AGM

·         YWCA Women of Distinction Awards

A special thanks to all the parent and resident volunteers whose hard work makes these community-building events and fundraisers possible. June will also be a very busy month and I look forward to seeing you at one of the many Midtown events, including:

·         My Community Environment Day at Eglinton Park

·         Deer Park Residents' Group AGM

·         Forest Hill Jr/Sr Fun Fair

·         Glebe Manor Square East park public meeting

·         Relief Subway Line Public Information Meeting

·         School graduations

·         St. Clair West Planning Study Public Meeting

(See some dates and locations below in this e-newsletter)

These events are not only a wonderful chance to meet my neighbours but a great opportunity to receive feedback, suggestions and new ideas. Please always feel welcome to share your thoughts with me.

You're Invited to a Public Meeting on the Relief Subway Line!

The City of Toronto and the TTC are starting to plan for a Relief Subway Line. Please join me and City experts to discuss possible route alignments, how this project could help ease congestion on the overburdened Yonge-University-Spadina subway line and more.

Please click here for the invitation and here to learn more about the Relief Subway Line – Toronto's top transit priority.

REMINDER: Councillor Josh Matlow's Community Environment Day

On Thursday, May 29 from 4 pm to 8pm, I will be hosting my annual Community Environment Day. The event will take place in the parking lot of North Toronto Memorial Arena at 174 Orchard View Blvd. Please drop off any unwanted art supplies, books, toys, and used sports equipment. Facilities will be available to dispose of computers and other hazardous household waste, or even replace your damaged green bin.

Reducing the Cost of Paid-Duty Police Officers

As a member of the Council's Audit Committee, I set a process in motion to reduce the number of paid-duty police officers the City needs to hire at construction and work sites.

I, along with many residents, find it frustrating and wrong to see uniformed police officers standing by work sites while other budgets to important City services are being cut.

At Audit Committee today, my colleagues adopted my motion that requests the province to follow Vancouver's lead by ensuring that lower-paid enforcement officials are monitoring construction sites. If permitted, this initiative will save the City of Toronto, businesses and community organizations millions of dollars while ensuring that the police are focused on what they're best at - serving and protecting us.

For more information please see this article.

Community Opposes Completely Inappropriate Development

Earlier this month I co-hosted a public meeting with City Planning regarding 33 Holly Street and 44 Dunfield Avenue. I was joined by the many residents in attendance in condemning this proposal.

This is the most egregious infill application I have seen since becoming your Councillor. The developer is proposing to build two condo towers, at 32 and 24 storeys, on a site that already has two large "slab" apartment buildings. If built, pedestrians would face a continuous and imposing wall along both Holly and Dunfield. In addition, the plan envisions placing an extra 5 storeys on "stilts" above each of the existing apartments. To make matters worse, new amenity spaces are proposed for the top of each of the existing apartment buildings that will be off-limits to the tenants below.

The local planner and myself have told the developer that drastic revisions are necessary. If a more reasonable proposal is not submitted, I will aggressively oppose this development at Council and, if need be, the Ontario Municipal Board.

For more information please see this article.

Documentary Screening: Cyber-Seniors

On Friday, May 30th, the new documentary Cyber-Seniors will be premiering at the Carlton Theatre. Directed by Toronto's Saffrom Cassaday, Cyber-Seniors has been described as a "humorous and heartwarming documentary." The film chronicles the journey of a group of older adults as they discover the world of the internet through the mentorship of teenagers. The film's goal is to raise awareness of the digital divide currently facing older adults, and inspire a call to action for local tech-savvy youth to give back to their community.

Screenings will take place at the Carlton Theatre (20 Carlton St., just east of Yonge) at 2 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm & 9 pm daily from May 30 to June 5. Q and A and contest draws will take place at the Friday 7 pm screening and the Saturday 2 and 7 pm screenings.

Spadina Museum Launches New Historic Landscape Tour and Owlery

Spadina Museum will be opening a new self-guided landscape tour which includes historical facts and images relating to local history. Its official launch will feature reproduction owlery by Alex Moyle and live owls to meet, provided by Mountsberg Conservation.

The event will be hosted from 1 to 3 pm, on Saturday, May 31, and all admission to the grounds are free.

Seniors Month at Nathan Phillips Square

In celebration of Seniors Month, the Toronto Seniors Forum is hosting an event on Tuesday, June 3 from 11 am to 2 pm at Nathan Phillips Square. Join us to learn more about seniors' services in Toronto and the City of Toronto's Seniors Strategy. There will also be live entertainment and an opportunity for networking.

Lead in Drinking Water Update

Last week, following a story published by the Toronto Star, I heard from many concerned residents regarding lead in drinking water. I've been advised by Toronto Water staff that lead does not exist in Toronto's source water, Lake Ontario, or in the City's drinking water distribution system. Rather, lead is a concern for homes built before the mid-1950s when residential water service pipes were commonly made of lead. As these pipes corrode or break down, lead can enter drinking water.

If you live in a home built before the mid-1950s, the City offers free lead testing. You can call 311 to pre-register for a water testing kit. For more information, please visit the Toronto Water website.

For ongoing council and community news, my contact information, along with a calendar of events, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca. Click here to read my previous community updates.

Rathnelly Area Residents Association AGM

Please join me on Thursday, May 8 at 6:30 pm for the Rathnelly Area Residents' Association's Annual General Meeting. This year the meeting will be held at The Mabin School, 50 Poplar Plains Road. I'll be discussing local issues and priorities for our city as well as rail safety concerns.

SERRA AGM

On Wednesday, May 14 the South Eglinton Ratepayers' and Residents' Association (SERRA) is hosting their Annual General Meeting. The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 9 pm in the Manor Road United Church’s Main Hall at 240 Manor Road East.

If you live in the South Eglinton Community (bounded by Yonge Street to the west, Eglinton Avenue in the north, Bayview Avenue in the east, and Merton Street in the south), this is an opportunity to discuss what is happening in your neighbourhood and to make sure your voice is heard. Along with myself, other invited guests are Trustee Shelley Laskin, representatives from the Eglinton LRT project, officers from 53 Division, and representatives from the Mount Pleasant Village BIA. Topics of discussion will include tackling local crime, progress on the Eglinton LRT, and condo developments in the area.

REMINDER: Community Playground Naming Ceremony for the Sharon, Lois & Bram Playground at June Rowlands Park

Last year, my motion was approved to have the playground at June Rowlands Park named after the celebrated Toronto-based children’s music and entertainment trio, Sharon, Lois & Bram. On Saturday, May 10 at 1 pm, I’ll be hosting a community playground naming ceremony at the Sharon, Lois & Bram Playground to celebrate these beloved members of our midtown community. I hope to see you and your family there for a few songs performed live by Sharon, Lois & Bram!

Community Environment Day

On Thursday, May 29 from 4 pm to 8 pm, I will be hosting my annual Community Environment Day. The location is the North Toronto Memorial Arena at 174 Orchard View Blvd. Please bring any unwanted art supplies, books, toys, and used sports equipment. Facilities will be available to dispose of computers and other hazardous household waste. You can also replace your damaged green bin.

Doors Open Toronto

Doors Open Toronto, one of the city's most popular annual events, provides free access to buildings of architectural, historic, social and cultural significance to a diverse, all-ages audience.  Launched in May 2000 by the City of Toronto, this award-winning event has attracted over 2 million visitors.

The theme for 2014 is Secrets and Spirits… Exploring the Mystery Behind the Door. Secret spaces and stories exist all over Toronto; from the underground bowling alley in one downtown church to the secret tomb in another. Hidden nooks and crannies in the buildings at the University of Toronto hide hundreds of years of history, and little known ghosts haunt the Distillery.

Participating Doors Open 2014 buildings and walking tours located in Ward 22 are:

·         City of Toronto Archives (255 Spadina Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2V3)

·         High Level Pumping Station (235 Cottingham St, Toronto, ON M4V 1C6)

·         Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens (285 Spadina Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2V5)

·         Upper Canada College (200 Lonsdale Rd, Toronto, ON M4V 1W6)

·         Mt. Pleasant Cemetery: Where Soldiers Rest in Peace (walking tour)

This year's event takes place on Saturday May 24 and Sunday, May 25, 2014. Please click here for a complete list of buildings, tours and hours of operation.

For ongoing council and community news, my contact information, along with a calendar of events, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca. Click here to read my previous community updates.

Dear residents,

Rob Ford advised the City Clerk today that he is taking a personal leave of absence due to his ongoing problems with substance abuse. I wish Mr. Ford, and his family, well if he is trying to improve himself.

However, his recorded bigoted comments toward the LGBTQ community, his racial slurs and his sexist and misogynistic remarks regarding Councillor Karen Stintz are completely inexcusable. As Torontonians, we are proud of our remarkable diversity and are committed to equality. We should expect our leaders to reflect our values.

Mr. Ford did not indicate how long he intends to be on leave. But it is my opinion that he should resign immediately. If he truly loves this city, and cares about its residents, he would put the well being of Toronto before his own interests.

To help you understand what this change means to the governance of our city, I'm providing you with the following information.

During Mr. Ford's absence, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly will assume the full duties and responsibilities of mayor. This shift, while seemingly dramatic, is an easier transition due to Council having already taken necessary steps to remove many of his powers and staff last November and reassign them to the Deputy Mayor. Moreover, Rob Ford will no longer officially represent our city at official functions, here at home or abroad, during his absence.

Deputy Mayor Kelly continues in the role of Deputy Mayor. All official documents will bear the title "Deputy Mayor". Deputy Mayor Kelly continues to serve as the Member of Council for Ward 40. He also now has all of the duties and responsibilities of the mayor that Rob Ford had before he started his leave, including:

• The power to appoint and remove standing committee chairs and the deputy mayor
• The power to appoint nominating panels for appointments to City corporations
• Various powers and duties under the Emergency Management chapter of the
• Toronto Municipal Code (Chapter 59)
• The power to appoint and chair the selection panels for the selection of
• Accountability Officers
• The duty to chair the Executive and Striking committees
• Various duties under the Debenture chapter of the Toronto Municipal Code.
• The right to lead and conduct agenda briefings for Council meetings
• The right to call special meetings of City Council
• Chair the Executive Committee.

As your city councillor for Ward 22, I am dedicated to working respectfully and productively with Deputy Mayor Kelly and Council to move our city forward and focus clearly on Toronto's real priorities.

As always, please feel welcome to contact me or my staff if we can be of assistance to you.

Sincerely,

Josh

For ongoing council and community news, my contact information, along with a calendar of events, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca. Click here to read my previous community updates.

Yonge Eglinton Bus Barns

The TTC's bus barns site at the south west corner of Yonge and Eglinton has been left as a derelict eyesore for too long. While the area will now be used as a staging ground for the Eglinton Crosstown construction, there is no excuse for the condition in which the TTC has left it for the past decade.

Dear residents,

There have been massive power outages reported across Toronto this evening. In Midtown, I know that it has already affected the Yonge/St. Clair area.

If your home has no power, Toronto Hydro's number is 416-542-8000. I'm providing you their website here and Twitter account here.

Significant Progress Made Toward Keeping Hodgson Rink Open!

The Hodgson ice rink is closed this year as a result of two ammonia leaks in two years. Components at a facility like Hodgson have a life cycle of 15-20 years. The Hodgson rink is now over 30 years old. There is no doubt that the rink's infrastructure needs to be completely replaced.

With the rink closed, I worked closely with many dedicated parents to build a natural ice rink nearby. While this rink has been a great success, it does not replace having a reliable artificial rink in our neighbourhood.

The land on which the rink is located is owned by the TDSB. The City earmarked $2 million toward the Hodgson rink in its 2014 capital budget and is ready to begin construction. However, TDSB staff was only willing to commit that their property will remain a rink for 10 years to keep their options open for future uses, which is insufficient for a capital investment of this size.

I worked with Trustee Laskin to ensure that City and TDSB staff were focussed on arriving at a resolution rather than the obstacles in their way.

I am delighted to report that there has been significant progress made by the City and the TDSB toward an agreement. The City is now moving forward with tendering a contract to refurbish and upgrade the rink. The facility will continue to be located at Hodgson Senior Public School and, barring any unknown construction, the rink will most likely be ready for the 2014/2015 winter season.

To the parents and residents who have advocated for our local rink, I can tell you that not only were your voices heard, they were instrumental in what we've achieved.

Once again, when our community has been presented with a challenge we've successfully faced it together.

City Staff recommends Necessary Further Study Needed to Properly Assess Porter's Expansion Proposal

Porter Airline's proposed expansion plans for Billy Bishop Airport (BBTCA) represent an intriguing proposal that could present benefits to downtown businesses, tourists, and travelers. As you may be aware, though, City Staff are making strong recommendations to Executive Committee next week that advises more time is needed to weigh the potential benefits while honestly studying possible long=term negative impacts on, for example, our city's waterfront and local traffic. Moreover, the Staff report points out that Porter's expansion proposal are as yet insufficient and Transport Canada has yet to even evaluate the proposal.

While I recognize that a downtown airport is an asset to the city and appreciate the quality service Porter Airlines provides to Toronto's residents, I believe it's responsible to thoughtfully accept the advice City staff have presented to Council. In fact, I believe it would be reckless not to. I know that Porter has been actively lobbying and campaigning. The convenience of an expanded downtown airport and the excitement many people have about taking a jet from Toronto Island to various destinations has convinced many of you to contact me. Obviously, if Porter's request was a simple as that, I believe it would have been approved already. But it's not. It's actually a far more complex issue than it may seem like on the surface, as clarified in the Staff report I've read. I sincerely hope you can support my position, and strong conviction, that I have a duty to put facts before politics, and to ensure the decision we make is fully informed and truly evidence-based. I voted for a Staff report to be completed on the benefits and concerns regarding an expanded Billy Bishop Airport that would allow jets, no matter whether they eventually be operated by Porter, West Jet or Air Canada, etc. Now, I would like to read the completed Staff report I requested in order to make the right decision for Toronto.

Free the Food Trucks

Earlier this week, the Licensing and Standards Committee made a number of recommendations to provide new opportunities on food trucks. After months of thoughtful debate and collaboration between Councillors and staff, the primary guidelines are:

• Food trucks can park for five hours on any one block
• Limit removed on the number of Mobile Food Vending Permit holders on any block
• Mobile Food Vending Permit holders will be required to be 50 linear metres from a licensed eating establishment that is open and operating.
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I strongly support the measures taken by the Licensing and Standards Committee and I will be voting for their recommendations when they come to Council next month. I also support the idea of BIAs being a part of this conversation. From everything I have read and learned on the matter, it has been shown in other cities that food trucks contribute to more vibrant and active streetscapes.

Eglinton Crosstown Update

Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown will be conducted through Midtown from Spring to late Fall 2014. The work zone will extend from approximately east of Spadina Road to Heddington Avenue along Eglinton Avenue West. Traffic patterns in the area will continue to change and shift during different phases of the work. For more information on the Crosstown project, please click here.

2014 Community Clean-Up

The City of Toronto's annual spring clean up is quickly approaching. Residents, businesses and organizations are welcome to participate in local clean up events. If you are interested in helping to keep Toronto clean and green this spring, please click here to register your group.

This year’s clean up will take place on the following dates:

• Friday April 25, 2014 - Corporate & School Clean-up Day
• Saturday April 26 & Sunday April 27 - Community Clean-up Days

Please call my office at 416-392-7906 or email me at [email protected] and I can provide you with free bags for trash and recyclables. I would also be delighted to join you and help clean our community with you and your group.

Enter and vote in the 2014 Live Green Toronto Awards

With video entries and public voting, the City's Live Green Toronto Awards offer everyone an opportunity to participate in the search for Toronto's greenest people, groups and businesses.

Residents, groups and businesses that reside or operate in Toronto can enter this year’s awards by submitting a short video, up to 90 seconds long, and telling their green story in 500 words or less. Residents can view the videos and vote for their favourites online, once per day. Winners will be determined through a combination of votes and judges' scores.
Award categories open for entries include:

• Youth
• Individual
• Group
• Small business
• Corporate

Winners will receive $2,500 courtesy of sponsors, including Toronto Hydro and the City's Economic Development and Culture Division, and a chance to appear on CP24. Entries and votes will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on April 28. Winners will be announced on May 20, 2014. For details, the entry form and tips on how to create your video, please click here.

Call for Nominations: Heritage Toronto Awards

The call is out for nominations for the 40th Annual Heritage Toronto Awards! The awards celebrate outstanding contributions in the promotion and conservation of Toronto's history and heritage by professionals and volunteers.

Nominations are requested for five categories, including heritage books, short publications, and digital media; promotion of Toronto's heritage by a volunteer-based organization; and the William Greer Architectural Conservation and Craftsmanship category for building owners' excellence in the restoration of heritage buildings.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 16 at 4:30 pm. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in October of this year.

For more information, and to access the nomination forms for the five categories, please click here.

First Annual Dupont Dig Festival

The Dupont Strip BIA is holding its first annual Dupont Dig: a flower and gardening festival with the goal of reaching out to and connecting with the community.

The event is set to take place on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25, from 11 am to 5 pm. The central location for the festival will be at Huron Street North and Dupont Street.

More information will be available closer to the festival dates, but for now please save the dates!

Build the Relief Subway Line Now!

The Relief Subway Line would provide an alternative within our existing subway system, which is already overcrowded during rush hours. It would also curb gridlock on our city’s streets and increase access to jobs and attractions. It is the evidence-based subway expansion project that would most improve Toronto’s economy and residents’ quality of life.

To take action and learn more about the proposal, please visit my page on the Relief Subway Line. In an upcoming update, I'll be providing you notice for a Midtown public meeting on Next Steps for the Relief Subway Line and a Regional Relief Network with the City of Toronto and Metrolinx that I'm organizing for early May, 2014.

Stop Unfair Rent Increases

Above the Guideline Increases (AGIs) for basic upkeep and repairs have pushed rents, that are already steep, into the unaffordable range in recent years. Landlords can apply for AGIs through the Landlord and Tenant Board. While there are certainly some very good landlords, too many others are abusing the system. Many repairs should be included as part of a landlord's overall expenses and paid for from the rent they already receive. It is clear that tenants, often seniors who have fixed pensions, are being unfairly burdened for the landlord’s basic cost of doing business.

For more information and to learn how you can take action against spiralling rent increases and unexpected fees, please visit my page on AGIs.

Free Toronto from the OMB! Stop Inappropriate Development

The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is an unelected and unaccountable provincial body which has the final say on all planning decisions in the province of Ontario that often gives the development industry an unfair advantage at "appeals" hearings over the interests of our communities and the City of Toronto's Official Plan.

The OMB has a history of contributing to inappropriate development in our city. Toronto's midtown neighbourhoods are facing an unprecedented amount of new developments, many of which are condos, and it's putting an unjustifiable strain on our community without the adequate infrastructure, including transit and public realm, to keep up with the growth in population.

For more information on how to get involved and take action, please visit my page on the OMB.

Fighting to Keep Hodgson Rink Open for our Community

Keeping Hodgson rink open for the 2014/15 season and retaining it in our community is a top priority for me as both our City Councillor and as a local parent myself.

REMINDER: You're Invited to a Community Skating Party at June Rowlands (Davisville) Park!

After working closely with parents in our community, I'm delighted to announce that the "SkinnamaRink" natural ice rink (near our newly named Sharon, Lois & Bram Playground) at June Rowlands (Davisville) Park is now open for fun! This season, Hodgson Rink is temporarily closed for necessary repairs. While I was very upset about the timing of this work, members of the community and I felt that it was important there still be a local rink for our kids to skate in the interim. I deeply appreciate our remarkable local parents/residents who worked incredibly hard to make this happen including Chris Trussell, Jon De La Mothe (our human Zambonis), Jennifer Dobson Matheson and many others!

To celebrate the opening of our new rink, AppleTree Markets has organized a Community Skating Party on Sunday, February 23. The party will be from 10 am to 12 pm, and will feature refreshments, music and an ice show. I hope to see you there!

Update on Addressing the Roots of Youth Violence

I am pleased to announce that, after nearly a year since I first moved a motion at Council to create this strategy, the final report to address the roots of youth violence, titled the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy, was supported unanimously by my colleagues at Council this week. This comprehensive report contains 110 recommended actions to support our most vulnerable youth.

I look forward to seeing the thoughtful and proactive measures to deal with youth violence implemented in community centres, libraries and TCHC facilities across Toronto. The staff-recommended initiatives to assist our city's most vulnerable youth include mental supports, employment training and crime diversion programs in targeted areas. This strategy also uses every dollar allocated to these programs in a more efficient, deliberate and focused way to get the best result for at-risk youth.

Motion to Stop Unfair Rent Increases Supported at Council

Our community's campaign to stop unfair rent increases has kicked into high gear. My motion to request the province to eliminate Above the Guideline Increases (AGIs) for basic upkeep and repairs passed Council this week. Please read this Toronto Star article for more information and to learn how you can take action against spiralling rent increases and unexpected fees, please visit my page on AGIs.

Congratulations to new TTC Chair Maria Augimeri

At Council this week, Councillor Maria Augimera was elected to replace Councillor Karen Stintz as Chair of the TTC. I look forward to working with her on the many important transit issues facing our city. In particular, I will continue to advocate to move up the timeline for the Relief Subway Line, increasing capacity on the existing Yonge subway line and local bus routes that are already overcrowded, returning evening service on the Mt. Pleasant 74 along with many other initiatives critical to reducing gridlock and moving us all to our jobs, school, family and friends faster.

Taxi Reform

After several years of consultation, City Council voted this week to support taxi drivers by moving toward an owner-operator system. The reforms will cut out the middle-men who owned the licenses and ensure that more of the profits will go to the drivers who put in the hard work. Taxicabs were also made more accessible. Please see this article for a more detailed description.

Protecting Ward 22 at the OMB

The applicants for the Art Shoppe development have taken the City to the OMB. At the pre hearing yesterday I ensured that our community's interests were well represented by City Planning and Legal staff. The OMB has suggested mediation and I will be fighting for a more reasonable development on this site. The developers have proposed two towers of 38 and 29 storeys on a site where a midrise is more appropriate. The Art Shoppe is directly adjacent to single family homes on Soudan and Hillsdale, has direct impacts on condo residents in adjacent buildings and many other residents, and is outside the provincially designated Urban Growth Centre.

For more information on developments in Ward 22 please see this webpage and please visit this page for more information about you can help free Toronto from the OMB.

Metrolinx’s Free Social Media Workshop for Businesses

Metrolinx is currently working with local businesses and BIAs to ensure that the public is aware Eglinton Avenue West will be open for business during the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown. Metrolinx will be hosting a free Social Media Workshop for small businesses on Friday, February 28 at 10 am in Northern District Library’s Room 244A (40 Orchard View Blvd.) If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to [email protected] by this Tuesday, February 25.

Eglinton Crosstown Construction Public Meeting

On Thursday, February 27, Metrolinx will be hosting a public meeting for information on the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The meeting will be an Open House format with an opportunity to view displays and speak one-on-one with Metrolinx staff.

The meeting will be held from 6:30 pm to 8 pm at the Northern District Library, located at 40 Orchard View Blvd.

New Circles Prom Drive

New Circles is collecting new and gently used dresses, suits, shoes and accessories to help make a graduating student's prom memorable. From now until Friday, April 4, items can be dropped off with Patrick Rocca at Bosley Real Estate (290 Merton Street). If you are unable to drop off the items, please e-mail Alexa Rocca or Christian Rocca to make arrangements for pick-up. Please note that all donations must be laundered.

If you do not have any clothing items to contribute but would be interested in donating, a donation can be made and an item will be purchased on your behalf. To make a donation, please e-mail Poppy at New Circles for more information.

Clean Toronto Together 2014

The City of Toronto’s Clean Toronto Together campaign returns this April during Earth Week. With the recent snow storms, Toronto's public and private spaces need our support more than ever! Led by Live Green Toronto, this year's campaign theme, Clean and Green, is encouraging participants to pick up litter, plant greenery, mulch and become involved in community gardening and graffiti clean ups.

Community clean up dates include:

• Corporate and School Clean-up Day on Friday, April 25
• Community Clean-up Days on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27

To register your clean-up event, please visit Clean Toronto Together 2014.

Last year, I joined many of you for your clean-up events. I would be delighted to participate again this year so please do keep me informed of any events you are organizing in our community!

For ongoing council and community news, my contact information, along with a calendar of events, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca.