News & Updates

The Future of Casa Loma and a Museum of Toronto Public Meeting

In August 2011, City Council created the Casa Loma Corporation (CLC) for the purpose of managing the continuing operations of Casa Loma on an interim basis until its future ownership and management direction could be determined. The City of Toronto is now moving forward with a plan to ensure the long-term viability of Casa Loma and the potential for a Museum of Toronto as part of the site’s future. For more information about our progress, click here. I invite you to attend a public meeting to learn about these opportunities and give us your feedback, vision and guidance.

Date: Monday, November 26th
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Location: Casa Loma (1 Austin Terrace)

Attendees may arrive at 5:30 p.m. for a site visit of the property prior to the meeting starting at 7:00 p.m.

We will be seeking feedback from the public in two key areas at this meeting:

1.     The future of the main building (south side of Austin Terrace)

The City is seeking qualified proponents with whom to enter into a long term lease to operate Casa Loma as an historic attraction and special event venue. As the Request for Proposal (RFP) is developed and the associated evaluation criteria the Board is interested in hearing from the public about your priorities for the building and opportunities to expand on its role in presenting Toronto’s history. A two stage Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued in mid-December 2012.

2.     The future of other buildings (north side of Austin Terrace)

In early 2013 the Board will issue a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) for a vision and uses for the complex north of Austin Terrace, including the Hunting Lodge, Potting Shed, and Stables. At this public meeting input will be sought on the REOI, where Respondents will be asked to consider the feasibility of including a Museum of Toronto in their proposals.

Official Plan Open House

City staff have developed a draft of new Official Plan Section 37 policies for affordable housing and are looking for feedback from you on the draft policies. If interested, you can attend their Open House or view the proposed draft online at http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-49671.pdf.

Date: Wednesday, November 21st
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Metro Hall, Room 310 (55 John Street)

Toronto Cycle Workshop

Please join me for an interactive Street Smarts workshop with Cycle Toronto. The workshop will focus on riding safely in cold, rain, and snow. You’ll gain knowledge on appropriate clothing, safe riding techniques, and maintaining your bicycle. We’ll also review rules of the road and route selection, and give you all the knowledge you need to get out there!  Please RSVP by Thursday, November 22nd to [email protected].

Date: Saturday, November 24th
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: CyclePath Norco (2106 Yonge Street)

Engagement Resources

As part of the City of Toronto's ongoing efforts to support civic engagement, the City has developed an online Civic Engagement Portal at www.toronto.ca/civic-engagement. On the Portal, you can learn more about City government and how you can get involved. You can review a series of Learning Guides on the following topics: Accountability, Affordable Housing, City Agencies and Corporations, City Council and its Committees, City Planning, Decision-Making, Elections, Roles of the Mayor and City Council, and the Toronto Public Service. These online guides can be translated into numerous languages using the website's built-in translation tool.

Meetings with neighbourhood associations, tenant associations, condo boards, TCHC tenants and other local groups of residents

Most weekday evenings, I meet with groups of Ward 22 residents to discuss important issues, update them on city hall and local matters and learn about priorities they'd like me to advocate for in the community and at city council.

If your group would like to meet with me, please feel welcome to contact my office and speak with Chloe to arrange a date, location and time.

Dear residents,

Last week's storm caused some localized power outages, tree damage and basement flooding in Ward 22 and across Toronto. I would like to commend our city's first responders, Toronto Hydro workers and City Forestry staff for working around the clock to deal with emergency situations, restore power and remove fallen trees and branches.  Of course, all of our thoughts are with our neighbours in the northeastern United States, and further south, who bore the brunt of Hurricane Sandy. A week later, there are still many people without shelter, power, fuel or food. If you would like to help, please support the Red Cross' efforts to support those affected by this tragedy.

Please see my community update, along with upcoming public meeting dates, below.

Sincerely,

Josh

Preservation of historic Postal Station K in North Toronto

As some of you are surely aware, Postal Station K is an building and still-functioning post office that sits on Yonge just north of Eglinton. Its long-standing service to the community, sitting on the site of the Upper Canada Rebellion's Montgomery Tavern, along with its Art Deco architecture and the rare Royal Cipher of Edward VIII make this a very valuable and historic building. I have therefore put my support behind the Eglinton Park Residents' Association's formal application to have the City grant Postal Station K heritage status. I invite anyone who wishes to find out more about the issue and get involved to take a look at their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/YongeEglintonPostOfficeStationK.

Mount Pleasant Village BIA Annual General Meeting

I'll be speaking at the Mount Pleasant Village BIA Annual General Meeting, tonight, Monday, November 5 at 6:30 PM at The Briton House (720 Mount Pleasant Road). Please visit their website for more information about events and activities in the community. In addition, congratulations to their Coordinator, Julie Federman, and the BIA Board, for hosting a very successful Harvest Fair and for winning a TABIA award for their original street tapis event, "Restaurauntacular".

US Election Night with Democrats Abroad

On Tuesday night I'll be watching the US election results with Democrats Abroad at the Sheraton Centre Hotel (123 Queen Street West). I hope to see you there! Election returns begin at 8 PM. Tickets are $25 at the door.

Maurice Cody Public School FSA

The next meeting of Maurice Cody PS Family and School Association this Tuesday, November 6, at 7 PM in the school library. I'll be stopping by to speak with parents about my support for school initiatives including improving their school field.

17-25 Lascelles Boulevard Planning Meeting

I invite you to attend a community consultation meeting with City Planning staff and myself on Wednesday, November 7, at 7 PM, at Christ Church Deer Park about a proposed development at the Brentwood Towers on Lascelles Boulevard. A rezoning application has been submitted to City Planning to permit the construction of 12 townhomes, each three storeys high.

Oriole Park Association Public Meeting

The Oriole Park Association is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, November 7, about developments at Yonge and Eglinton. Toronto's Chief Planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, will be the guest speaker. Everyone is welcome. The event begins at 7 PM at North Toronto Memorial Community Centre in the Multi-Purpose Room on the ground floor.

Councillor Matlow at Remembrance Day Ceremonies

As Remembrance Day will be falling on a Sunday this year, on Friday, November 9th, I will be attending Remembrance Day ceremonies at Northern Secondary School and Maurice Cody Public School to commemorate the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives as members of the Canadian armed forces. I am very pleased to be addressing this generation of students, and to be honouring all Canadians who have served to protect our country and take part in important international peacekeeping missions.

Midtown Planning Group Meeting

The Yonge-Eglinton area is considered a Centre within the Official Plan, and thus is designated for intensification of employment and residential uses. There is a great deal of development currently underway in, or being proposed for, the Centre and the construction of the light-rapid transit along Eglinton will likely increase development pressures.

Currently the Yonge-Eglinton area is divided between two planning departments, two Community Councils and three municipal ward boundaries (Wards 22, 16 and 25). The North York Community Council adjudicates planning applications for the north-west and north-east part of the Centre north of Roehampton, and the Toronto and East York Community Council adjudicates planning applications for the southern portion of the Centre. Although there are Urban Design Guidelines, an Area Study and work underway on a planning study related to the Eglinton Crosstown, a strategy is required to ensure this work is comprehensive and consistent across Community Council boundaries.

For decades, successive Councils and prominent residents have done important work toward the creation of a strong neighbourhood. I deeply appreciate the significant contributions you have made towards developing our community. This is why I am delighted to invite you to the first meeting of the Midtown Planning Group.

Please join myself, Councillors Stintz and Robinson, and City Planning staff at our first meeting on Monday, November 12th, 2012 at 10 am. Kindly let me know if you'll be able attend by calling my office at 416-392-7906 or by e-mailing [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Ecumenical Food Drive

Churches in Rosedale, Moore Park and Leaside are again sponsoring a Christmas Drive (the 41st consecutive) to help local food banks and agencies that are in urgent need at this time of the year. Flyers will be delivered to households on Saturday, November 17 and pick-up of donations is Saturday, November 24.

There are two locations for this year's drive: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (OLPH), one block west of Mount Pleasant Road on St. Clair Avenue East and Leaside Presbyterian Church on Eglinton Avenue, just east of Bayview Avenue. Times on both days are from 9:30 am until 12 pm.

Donations are sorted and packed at OLPH with same-day delivery to recipient food banks and agencies. Last year about 20,000 items were collected. Upwards of 300 volunteers are required and community hours are available for high school students and members of youth groups.

Two area Sobeys stores (Yonge/St. Clair and Wicksteed Avenue near Laird Drive) are again supporting the event by holding in-store drives throughout the Christmas season. They have specially prepared bags for purchase containing nutritious foodstuffs and these sources usually add another 10,000 to the overall total.

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

Dear residents,

If you're available, please join me and Friends of The Beltline tomorrow morning for our Third Beltline clean up and tree planting.

When: 9:45am-noon, Sunday, October 14th, 2012   Where: Meet at Robert Bateman Parkette (Chaplin Cres. between Russell Hill and Warren Road).  Come early and enjoy a hot drink compliments of Second Cup.

The City of Toronto will provide the tools, gloves and trees.

It should be a beautiful, autumn morning. I hope to see you tomorrow!

Update: The Toronto Sun covered the cleanup in their paper the next day. Click here to read the article and watch the video!

Dear residents,

Hail dear Old Northern.

This Saturday, October 6th, at 11am, Northern Secondary School's newly improved Clarke Pulford Field will be officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the entire community. Named after a former Northern physical education teacher, the field has long been in need of revitalization. The playing surface was patchy, full of holes and was unusable at times.

This is the culmination of a long journey that took the dedication of many students, parents, alumni and local residents to see the project through to completion. While working as our area's School Trustee, I saw first-hand the passion and devotion that the Northern community had for this project. Through countless fundraising events including a "taste of the town" evening, raffles for Maple Leafs tickets and a 24 hour camp out on the field, the Northern Secondary School Foundation and our school community raised much of the needed funds.

As our new City Councillor, I was honoured to be able to complete this fundraising initiative through City Council last September where I worked with my colleagues to ensure that the remaining $630,000 needed for the field was approved by Council for the school and local community.

The new field consists of a 400-metre, four-lane running track and a full football and soccer field built to professional standards. The grass will be replaced by high-quality artificial turf while bike racks and fencing will also be installed. The playing area will be used by physical education classes, Northern's many successful athletic teams and will provide recreational opportunities for the wider community. Through hard work, a consensus was reached on a Community Use Agreement with the support of Shelley Laskin, our School Trustee, the Sherwood Park Residents' Association, Northern students, staff, parents and alumni. When not in use for school activities, the field will be available for neighbourhood residents to play soccer, frisbee, running and many other activities.

All of the hard work put in by dedicated volunteers has paid off with the creation of a field that will merit the excellence of Northern's athletes and will be accessible to local residents. Thank you to our entire school and residential community for your support – I hope you are able to join us on Saturday to celebrate this remarkable achievement!

I also wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving weekend.

Sincerely,

Josh

Dear residents,

I am very pleased to report to you that Toronto City Council took an important and critical step today toward establishing a Toronto City Museum at Casa Loma by supporting motions I put forward along with motions regarding its governance by Councillor Mihevc.  While moving on ways to better operate and preserve Casa Loma, a historic Toronto icon, Council endorsed our idea to ask for expressions of interest from Torontonians to create a space to share our city's history.

For over 40 years, successive Councils and prominent residents have debated various venues for a City Museum; unfortunately none of the sites have ultimately been deemed appropriate. Casa Loma presents an exciting opportunity to house Toronto's artifacts in a building that merits their importance.

I deeply appreciate the support and thoughtful suggestions I have received from many of you since our proposal was put forward a couple weeks ago. I would also like to thank former Mayor David Crombie and historian Mike Filey for their guidance. In fact, this has been a long-running passion of Mayor Crombie's who put forward a motion to establish a City Museum as a Councillor in 1970 and was instrumental in the creation of a digital site to exhibit our past through the Toronto Museum Project.

While today's approval at Council is an important first step, the hard work has just beginning. To join New York, Chicago, Montreal, Vancouver and most other major, global urban areas that have a city museum, we will need to capture Torontonians' imaginations and support.

It's now time that together we city-build, protect and celebrate our heritage and offer vision for Toronto. For our city's history and Casa Loma's future, let's create Toronto's first City Museum.

Sincerely,

Josh

Dear Residents,

I hope this finds you well and that you're enjoying what's left of the summer.

We have a very busy September coming up and as always, it's a priority for me to keep you informed about, and engaged in, our community. Please see my update below.

Have a great Labour Day weekend.

Josh

Josh Matlow
Toronto City Councillor
Ward 22-St.Paul's
www.joshmatlow.ca

Let's create a great public space at Yonge and Eglinton's TTC bus barns

For far too long, the southwest corner of Yonge & Eglinton has been left by the TTC as a derelict eyesore. Since being elected as your City Councillor, I have been working hard with the TTC and City planning staff to beautify the site of the old bus barns.

While I recognize that it can't immediately be redeveloped because it will serve as a staging ground for the Eglinton Crosstown construction, its current state is simply unacceptable.

That's why I'm pleased that, with the support of TTC CEO Andy Byford, we are moving forward with an improvement plan for the perimeter of the site. The new public space will feature a seating area, greenery and informational panels on the new Eglinton line that will run underground through midtown.

The second phase of this plan concerns the future of the site- after the transit project is completed. I am advocating that Build Toronto (the City agency charged with future development on the bus barns site) begin the complicated planning process as soon as possible to ensure that the location can be transformed quickly after construction is finished. This process must be public, inclusive, and honour agreements made between the City and community.

Most importantly, I strongly feel that the City and the Province cannot continue to mandate increased density in the area without providing open, people-friendly public space. The need is even more apparent with the unfortunate loss of the square on the northwest corner in favour of an expanded mall.

That's why I'm calling for the inclusion of a permanent, significant, grand and beautifully-designed public space on this site. Great cities such as London, Paris and New York have great squares at major intersections and transportation hubs - let's start building the Toronto we all want to live, work and play in at Yonge & Eglinton.

It's time for Toronto to take a visionary approach to buiding design and public realm. As midtown grows, its infrastructure and public amenities must be able to provide for its residents.

Please see this article on my bus barns beautification efforts for more information.

Bayview Buckets

Please read the amazing and inspiring Ward 22 resident, Helen Godfrey's blog about our ward's new initiative to take care of trees on Bayview Avenue she has spearheaded. Thank you to Helen, LEAF, Bayview Avenue businesses and local residents for your amazing work!

Community Environment Day

On Thursday, September 6th 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.

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!

Beltline Trail Public Meeting

On Monday, September 10th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm the City of Toronto will be hosting a public meeting to discuss possible improvements to the Beltline Trail. The meeting will include a presentation from the project team about existing conditions of the Beltline Trail, followed by an interactive workshop session. City staff will be seeking ideas on a stewardship program for the trail, along with existing challenges and opportunities for improvements to the trail and the associated natural environment. As your local councillor, I want to hear what your priorities are to improve our remarkable midtown trail. The location is the Northern District Library at 40 Orchard View Blvd.

For more information, please visit www.toronto.ca/beltline.

Meeting to discuss the TDSB's proposed redevelopment plan for Davisville PS

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is in the process of considering redevelopment the Davisville Public School property. As your City Councillor, I have been closely following the TDSB's work towards a development proposal that would ultimately come to City Hall -as it will have an enormous impact on both our community and the stablity of our neighbourhoods.

I have been made aware that the TDSB is exploring proposals that could see several condominiums on the Davisville site, with one of the buildings at 20 storeys.

The Davisville PS is located in a Neighbourhood designated zone under Toronto's Official Plan. This designation allows for a maximum of 4 storeys. The south side of Davisville is located in an Apartment Neighbourhood, with an allowance for higher structures.

Having served our community as a two-term school trustee, I fully understand the financial pressures the TDSB is facing to provide excellent programming in quality facilities our children, parents and teachers deserve. I have been working with Trustee Laskin, TDSB and City Planners to find a solution. However, I have significant concerns with how the TDSB has gone about their process and want to ensure that parents and residents are fully informed about what the school board can, and cannot, do on the site.

On Wednesday, September 12th from 7 pm to 9 pm I will be hosting a public meeting regarding the proposed Davisville PS redevelopment. The meeting location is Christ Church Deer Park, Elliot Hall, at 1570 Yonge Street. Please join me and City Planning Staff to discuss this important issue further. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and voice your concerns. I look forward to seeing you.

Vision for the Village Town Hall Meeting for Forest Hill Residents

On Thursday, September 13th from 7 pm to 9 pm, I will be hosting a Forest Hill Town Hall meeting where you can discuss your priorities for your neighbourhood and city. The meeting location is the Grace Church on-the-Hill at 300 Lonsdale Road in the Parish Hall and Reception Room.

Ward 22 Toronto Community Housing Town Halls

During the months of September and October, I'm planning to meet with residents of every TCHC building in our community to actively listen to their needs and priorities. Please see the calndar at www.joshmatlow.ca for upcoming dates and locations.

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

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.

Dear Resident,

I hope that you've been enjoying this beautiful summer weather and taking good care of yourself in the heat. It's always a great pleasure for me to see you in our community when Melissa and I go for our weekly Ward 22 neighbourhoods walk, at our new farmers market, at my town hall meetings, community events or even when out shopping at one of our local businesses!

To keep you informed, I've prepared an update for you below about our community and upcoming public meetings and events. To learn more, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca

Best regards,

Josh Matlow
Toronto City Councillor
Ward 22-St.Paul's
www.joshmatlow.ca

Oriole Park Update

Good news, Ward 22. At long last, the corner of Oriole Park, at Oriole Pkway & Chaplin, is now restored and beautified with new turf and flowers. I am continuing to make improvements to this park including the newly paved entrance at the North East corner.

Hydro One and the Community Tree Committee

Earlier this spring many residents contacted my office with regards to Hydro One's planned removal of trees and brush along the hydro transmission corridor that runs adjacent to the CP rail tracks behind Cottingham Street. While it was understood that vegetation management to be carried out by Hydro One was needed to address safety concerns along the corridor, residents had also expressed concern about the impact that the loss of several trees will have on the area. I shared their concerns, and it is was important to me to ensure that local residents were engaged as much as possible in the decision making process regarding the proposed removal and replanting of trees along the transmission corridor.

We held a public meeting with Hydro One and local residents in May and subsequently formed a working group with my office, Hydro One and representatives from the community. I am pleased to report that the working group and Hydro One have agreed to a plan that will allow for the necessary pruning and in some cases removal of trees that on the Hydro corridor, while at the same time minimizing the impact this work would have on the community and the environment. Hydro One has agreed to a three year pruning cycle (as opposed to six years) for trees along the corridor, which will result in more frequent but less aggressive pruning at any given time.

Here is a summary of the resolution between Hydro One and the community working group:

• Hydro One has agreed to the three year pruning cycle of the 31 Norway Maples just north of the fence at the south end of Robertson Davies Park.
• Hydro One committed to landscaping at the top of the railway embankment, which will occur in the spring of 2013. This landscaping will include cleaning up debris (previously fallen trees and rubbish) on CP property.
• Six mature trees along Macpherson Ave., west of Avenue Rd., will require some pruning to meet electrical clearance requirements.
• Hydro One has agreed to cut the brush down to ground level just south of the Cottingham Tennis Club and a landscape plan will be implemented that could entail planting a coniferous buffer along the top of the CP embankment, which would minimize leaf litter on the clay courts.

Preservation of historic postal office in North Toronto

As some of you are surely aware, Postal Station K is an iconic building and still-functioning post office that sits on Yonge just north of Eglinton. Its long-standing service to the community, sitting on the site of the Upper Canada Rebellion's Montgomery Tavern, along with its Art Deco architecture and the rare Royal Cipher of Edward VIII make this a very valuable and historic building. I have therefore put my support behind the Eglinton Park Residents' Association's formal application to have the City grant Postal Station K heritage status. I invite anyone who wishes to find out more about the issue and get involved to take a look at their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/YongeEglintonPostOfficeStationK.

Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation B.U.L.B. Program

The B.U.L.B. program – that is, the Better Urban Living with Bulbs Program – is a fantastic program run through the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation. The program provides daffodil bulbs to groups across the city for planting in publicly accessible space. It provides this service free of charge. For more information as well as application forms, please see www.greenhere.ca/GREENHERE/TPTF_BULBS_Form.html.

Davisville Village Farmers' Market

The Davisville Village Farmers' Market continues throughout the summer on Tuesdays from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm in June Rowlands Park, which is located at Davisville and Mount Pleasant. The Davisville Village Farmers' Market is operated by Appletree Markets, a local non-profit organization, and supports local farmers and food producers. The Farmers' Market runs until October 16th, 2012.

Congratulations to Olympian David Wright

Local athlete David Wright is competing in the Men's Laser sailing event in the London 2012 Olympic Games. David finished sixth in the World Championships for his event in 2009 and placed third in the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta earlier this year. David was Canadian Sailing Male athlete of the year in 2009.

David placed eighteenth in his first Olympic race and fifteenth in his second on July 30th. I would like to congratulate David for his performance and I wish him luck in his upcoming races. Your Ward 22 community is cheering for you David!

1331 Yonge Street Public Meeting

Date: Thursday, August 9th, 2012 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Location: Christ Church Deer Park, Elliott Hall, 1570 Yonge Street

I would like to invite you and your neighbours to an important community information meeting, regarding a development application for 1331 Yonge Street - the former CHUM site.  Keeping residents engaged and informed is a priority for me, and the purpose of this meeting is to review the new plans submitted by the applicants for the project.

In December of last year, approximately 150 of you attended a meeting hosted by City Planning to voice your concern with the initial proposal for this site. The original plan was for a 13 storey condo with 214 units and 184 parking spaces. The community was almost unanimously opposed to this proposal.

Subsequent to the winter meeting the applicant has submitted new plans for an 11 storey building with 149 units and 4 levels of below-grade parking. While certainly a step in the right direction, I have heard from many of you that there are still concerns with the traffic that will be come from the building along with the height, density, its relationship with adjacent properties and design of the building itself.

I have asked the applicant to present their revised plans to the community and for City Planning staff to attend. You will have an opportunity to ask questions of both parties.

Final Port Lands Acceleration Initiative Public Meeting

The final public consultation meeting for the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative is being held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. on August 8, 2012 at the Toronto Reference Library's Bram & Bluma Appel Salon (789 Yonge Street, 1 street north of Bloor Street). If you have any questions, please contact Christopher Dunn, Waterfront Secretariat, at (416) 395-1211 or [email protected].

Live Green Toronto Grants – Fall Round 2012

Starting September 4, the Toronto Environment Office will begin receiving applications for its Live Green Toronto grants. This represents an exciting opportunity for resident associations, community groups, not-for-profit organizations, and BIAs. Two grants are being offered:

• Community Investment Program Grants ($25,000): geared towards community-led projects addressing local issues such as food production, renewable energy, and transportation;
• Capital Projects Fund (up to $250,000): geared towards community improvement projects – building retrofits, tree planting, park restoration, and more.

For more information, please see http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen/greenneighbourhood_rebates.htm.

2nd Annual Toronto 5K Run

Get active and get running for a great cause! The 2nd Annual Toronto 5K Run will be happening on Saturday, September 15 at Winston Churchill Park. The race is in support of SickKids Foundation. Join Councillor Matlow at the starting line at 8:00 AM. For more information, please see www.toronto5k.com.

For more council and community information, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca.

Dear Residents,

I hope that you've been enjoying your summer and are taking good care of yourself in this hot weather. Please also consider checking in on neighbours who are seniors and those with mobility challenges. Please note that during extreme heat alerts, civic centres are open to provide an air conditioned environment while public pools and splash pads will be operating under extended hours. Please call 311 for more information.

I would like to provide you with an update on a very successful week at Council and on several priorities. Council strongly supported my motions to move Toronto closer to a successful rapid transit expansion plan, support tenants during periods of extreme heat and increase the number of solar projects in our City. In Community news, I would like to share information regarding park improvements, Republic of Rathnelly street signs, tree protection, seniors' strategy consultation and more.

Sincerely,

Josh Matlow
Toronto City Councillor
Ward 22-St.Paul's
www.joshmatlow.ca

Moving Forward on a Regional Transit Strategy Approved at Council

Council was united this week in declaring that a regional approach is the best chance we have to build and fund the transit that Torontonians need and deserve. My motion, Moving Forward: Improving Public Transit and Relieving Traffic Congestion through a Regional Funding Strategy, was passed unanimously by my colleagues.

To fund public transportation and relieve traffic congestion for Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), it is imperative to move forward with a regional funding strategy. Implementing a sales tax, tolls or other tools across the GGH would create new, and dependable, revenue streams paid into by everyone in our region rather than have Toronto cover capital expenses through our property tax base.

We need these tools to move forward with a Downtown Relief Line to ease overcrowding on the Yonge Line, to finally build a rapid transit link to Pearson airport and to connect our city and region.

This fall, Metrolinx will begin a public discussion on transit funding while Toronto Council will discuss local funding and route requests. My hope is that these two initiatives find a common path to see a connective and fully funded plan through to fruition.

The "OneCity" transit proposal announced by Councillor Stintz and Councillor De Baeremaeker was not put forward by the proponents for Council's consideration.

Establishing Appropriate Room Temperatures for Tenants

This past May was unseasonably hot. I heard from many of you in apartments that your units were uncomfortable and that sleeping, in particular, was difficult. Toronto's tenants have the right to a comfortable and healthy home.  That's why I put forward a motion that seeks to establish appropriate room temperatures for renters.

Currently, the Municipal Code requires that landlords turn on the heat in rental housing units from September 15th through to June 1st.  This is to ensure that the room temperature be maintained to at least 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit).  However, this enforcement by date rather than by temperature ensures that during hot days before June 1st, a tenant's unit may be not only uncomfortable but could present a public health issue to the elderly and/or tenants with certain medical conditions.

The Motion looks to change the Municipal Code to reflect the reality that before June 2nd, it may not be necessary to keep the heat on due to warm or hot spring temperatures. Further, it may be necessary to set an acceptable maximum temperature at which rooms can be heated.

My intent is not to necessarily make air conditioners mandatory. There are many environmentally-friendly ways to cool an apartment including improved ventilation, green roofs, deep lake cooling and shading. This issue will be studied by City Staff and a report will come to committee for public input. To read the National Post article on this subject, click here.

New Solar Energy Projects Coming to Toronto

Solar energy has the potential to benefit Toronto's environment and economy. As your School Trustee I worked to have solar panels installed on school roofs and am proud to be helping expand green power across the city.

My motion, supported by Council, endorses potential solar projects for consideration by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). The OPA has new rules establishing a points system to determine the priority for offering of contracts for rooftop solar projects. Points will be awarded to applications that are supported by the municipality in which the project is located. Projects with more points will be more likely to receive contracts from the OPA.

In particular, I worked with Bright Roof, a Ward 22 firm with projects in our community and across the city. The projects that BrightRoof and others are developing will deliver significant benefits to the City of Toronto, including:

Solar systems will provide 20 years of clean energy. On average, the systems produce 400kW of power. A 400kW rooftop system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 104 metric tons per year. These solar systems produce clean energy locally, reducing the need for new transmission lines and/or large power generation facilities within the City of Toronto. Each project represents a significant capital investment into the property and the community. For instance, BrightRoof is investing approximately $1.5 million into each rooftop solar project that it is building in Toronto, creating jobs for local tradespeople The landlord of the property on which the rooftop solar project is built will receive rent for 20 years. The income stream derived from the rooftop solar project (both rental income and investment returns) will increase the value of the property.

The Republic of Rathnelly to get "national" street signs

Ward 22's Rathnelly is a picturesque enclave of homes, situated at the bottom of the Avenue Road Hill. It is home to a large number of artists, academics, writers, and media.

The Rathnelly neighbourhood made headlines in 1967, while celebrating Canada's 100thbirthday. During the celebrations Rathnelly residents playfully declared themselves as anindependent republic of Canada. To mark their independence, the "Republic of Rathnelly" elected a queen, organized a parade, formed an "air farce" of 1,000 helium balloons, and issued Republic of Rathnelly passports to everyone in the neighbourhood.

The Republic of Rathnelly celebrations continue to this day with a bi-annual street party. To recognize this distinctive neighbourhood, I've allocated funds with Council support toward "Republic of Rathnelly" street signs designed by the community.

To read more about this, click here.

To see the street sign design, click here.

Dogs now allowed in Mount Pleasant Cemetery

As of July 1st, dog owners are now allowed to walk their dogs on paths and roads in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Please note that dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.

Oriole Park North Pathway Replacement

The north-east pathway at Oriole Park has been replaced and new lights will be installed in the fall of 2012.

Seniors Strategy Consultation Workbook

The Seniors Strategy Consultation Workbook can now be completed and submitted online at:

http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/sdfa/seniorscw.nsf/workbook?OpenForm

To learn more about Toronto's Seniors Strategy, please click here.

Get your green on at the Live Green Toronto Festival!

What do you get when you mix hundreds of green products and services with live music and great local foods - and invite everyone in Toronto?  The Live Green Toronto Festival!

The 7th annual celebration of all things green - the Live Green Toronto Festival - will take place on Saturday, July 21 (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.) at Yonge-Dundas Square.  Everyone is welcome and admission is free.

Toronto's largest outdoor green festival brings hundreds of green products and services, live music, local foods, and more to the streets of Toronto every year!  Stroll through the exhibits, sample locally grown foods, check out the TD Kids' Zone, and catch some of Canada's hottest musical acts on the 104.5 CHUM FM Main Stage.

Enjoy a dazzling musical line-up including performances by Faber Drive, Fefe Dobson, Platinum Blonde, and many more.

Help defend our urban forest against the emerald ash borer!

Protect our ash trees against infestation by becoming an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Ambassador. Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) is providing a free training session which will give you the tools you need to educate your neighbours and community about EAB and the options for treatment, removal, and planting.

The session will be held at Scarborough Civic Centre on Saturday, July 28th, 10:00am – 2:00pm, in Committee Room 1.

To register for this event, visit www.yourleaf.org.