Gord Perks City Councillor, Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park

The west side of Roncesvalles Avenue between Marmaduke Street and Howard Park Avenue is now accessible to Solid Waste collection trucks.

The trucks can come southbound from Howard Park Avenue although, again, crews may need to remove a barrel. Conversely, trucks can also come northbound and then swerve into the southbound lanes at Marmaduke Street.

Please be advised that collection crews will now be able to pick up garbage / recycling up from curbside between Marmaduke Street and Howard Park Avenue.

Solid Waste Management Services has initiated a new waste diversion program called the 3Rs Ambassador Volunteer Program to help apartments and condominiums divert more of their waste from landfill.

Through the 3Rs Ambassador Volunteer Program, multi-unit residents can volunteer to help their building divert more waste by promoting the 3Rs: REDUCE, RE– USE, and RECYCLE. With tools, resources, and support from City Staff, residents can create a custom waste diversion education program that will work for their building and the residents that live there.

SWM is looking to promote and recruit volunteers to join the program.

The first volunteer recruitment session will be held on Monday, November 30, 2009.

Date: Monday, November 30, 2009

Time: From 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street (King Street West and John Street, downtown Toronto)

Room: 308/309

If you know of anyone that might be interested in becoming a 3Rs Ambassador, please have them visit the program website at toronto.ca/3rs or contact Charlotte Ueta at 416-392-9961 or cueta@toronto.ca for additional information.

West End Food Co-op Film Screening: Food, Inc.

The West End Food Cooperative would like to invite you to a fun and informative film night at Roncesvalles Revue Cinema!

On Wednesday December 9th, WEFC is screening Food, Inc., as part of our ongoing Community Bond campaign. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone magazine advocates: “Don’t take another bite till you see Food, Inc., an essential, indelible documentary.” Variety magazine states: “Food, Inc. does for the supermarket what ‘Jaws’ did for the beach.”

The box office opens at 6:30, with an admission price of $10. Arrive early to get a seat and talk to WEFC Co-op Directors in the foyer. The movie begins at 7:00, followed by a discussion about community bonds with co-op founder John Richmond. WEFC will explain how our co-op is part of the sustainable solution to an undemocratic food system.

Please find the event poster attached. If you’d like more information about this event and other events in 2010, visit www.westendfood.coop, or email melissa@westendfood.coop.

wefc_december_9th_food_inc_.pdf

PLEDC will be hosting the ‘Parkdale Holiday Party’.

A fun and joyful day for the whole family with live musical performances.

Lots of good cheers welcoming all our Neighbors and friends.

In the spirit of the Holidays, we are having a Holiday Food Drive in which we are collecting Non perishable food items for the less fortunate which will be distributed through our local food banks.

The day will be filled with the kid’s crafts station and a visit from Santa Claus where the good little boys and girls will take pictures.

We will also be honoring the beloved Tibetan community with the ‘Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony’ with awards and recognition certificates. At this occasion, Councillor Gord Perks will join us and MPP Cheri DiNovo will deliver a speech. Following the ceremony we’ll have a projection of pics & video of the projects the Tibetan and community volunteers has helped us with.

Refreshments will be served throughout the day!

Come join us for a Jolly Ole time!

Where: At the May Robinson Auditorium

When: Saturday September 5^th 2009

Time: From 1:30pm until 4:30pm

On Friday October 30th, Mayor David Miller joined myself, Toronto Poet Laureate Dionne Brand, artist Jim Bravo, photographer Kate Young, Mural Routes Executive Director Karin Eaton, and Jameson Avenue area residents to view “Impressions” a new outdoor street photo gallery featuring the faces and places of Jameson Avenue.Created by artist Jim Bravo and photographer and Jameson Avenue resident Kate Young, “Impressions”installed over 560 photographs – 8 photographs on each of over 70 tree planters – along Jameson Avenue from Queen Street West to Springhurst Avenue. Residents along this culturally and economically diverse street overwhelmed the artists with their support and enthusiasm for the project by posing for over 250 passport-style photographs which were mixed with an equal number of contemporary and archival images of the street.Dionne Brand’s poem, written especially for Jameson Avenue, is attached.After reading the poem a resident from the neighbourhood approached Dionne Brand and said, “That was good, you got everything but you forgot the pigeons.” Ms Brand replied to her, “You know, you’re right, I did, didn’t I!” Then the resident said ‘Oh well you can’t be expected to remember everything, I guess, but you forgot the pigeons.” Ms Brand had to chuckle quietly because the woman was so earnest. So, when she returned home she wrote her a line about the pigeons and inserted it into the poem.

If you have the chance, walk along Jameson Avenue and meet its residents both inside the buildings and outside on the planters – they are truly beautiful.

Dionne Brand’s Poem:

microsoft-word-jameson.pdf

Residents of Ward 14, get ready for a greener and healthier Toronto. On November 2, 2009 I and other members of the executive committee approved the “Power to Live Green”strategy that will help to reduce Toronto’s greenhouse gas emissions. As a long standing advocate of improved environmental practices I am pleased to have played a role in this initiative which will help Toronto reach its goal of 80% lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“The Power to Live Green”is an energy plan that will save money, create jobs and improve the air that we breathe. By embracing three core principles of; greater energy efficiency in new and existing buildings, maximizing renewable energy generation, and smartly distributing energy for heating and cooling, Toronto is set to become one of Canada’s first low carbon cities. Through these three principles we aim to make our existing energy infrastructure more efficient in order to save you money and improve the quality of your environment. This will help both residents and businesses to lower their carbon footprint.

I am happy to have assisted in the formulation of this strategy and I look forward to my constituents enjoying the benefits of cleaner air and more efficient energy use.

To learn more about the City’s environmental work, and what your can do NOW to help make a difference, visit livegreentoronto.ca.

Continuing work associated with the elimination of the Dufferin “jog” (combined routing of Peel St., Gladstone Ave., Queen St. to continue southbound on Dufferin St.) will require the closure of Queen St. W. to all traffic between the Dufferin St. and Gladstone Ave. intersections, commencing at 12:01 a.m. on November 21st until 5:00 a.m. on November 23rd. The nature of the work to be conducted involves the elevating of the existing bridge structures to accommodate the alignment of the new roadway being constructed. The closure of the intersection will require the diverting of buses operating on the 29-329 Dufferin route and streetcars operating on the 501-301 Queen route. In an attempt to provide some service for Queen St. W., west of Dufferin St., a bus shuttle service will be scheduled.

Staff have advised that during the closure, pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be maintained on Queen Street West and barricades and pay-duty police will be provided at Dufferin St. and at Gladstone Ave.

Starting Wednesday, November 18th, Toronto Public Health will offer H1N1 vaccine to the general public.

The flu virus is still circulating in Toronto, and vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and your family. Flu shots are available at Toronto Public Health clinics and at many doctors’ offices.

More than 400,000 doses of vaccine have been distributed to health care providers in Toronto, and approximately 85,000 people have been vaccinated at the Toronto Public Health clinics. All 10 clinics are open Monday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A complete list of clinics is available at http://www.toronto.ca/health or by calling 311.

Please be advised that staff is hosting an Open House for the Fort York Visitors Centre from Friday to Sunday, December 4 to 6, from noon to 6 pm.

On Sunday from 3 to 5 pm light refreshments will be available in the member’s lounge for you and your neighbours. After the Open House feel free to enjoy the Cavalcade of Lights and skating at Nathan Phillips Square as well as the Community Folk Art Council “Christmas Around the World” exhibition in the Rotunda.

See attached notice for more details:

communityinvite_dec6-09.doc

Please be advised that staff is hosting an Open House for the Fort York Visitors Centre from Friday to Sunday, December 4 to 6, from noon to 6 pm.

On Sunday from 3 to 5 pm light refreshments will be available in the member’s lounge for you and your neighbours. After the Open House feel free to enjoy the Cavalcade of Lights and skating at Nathan Phillips Square as well as the Community Folk Art Council “Christmas Around the World” exhibition in the Rotunda.

See attached notice for more details:

communityinvite_dec6-09.doc

Grafton Community Garden 3rd Annual Winter Solstice Candle Lighting

Wednesday December 15th at 5:30

West End Flower Fairies invite you to join them for this celebration – feel free to bring a mug and cookies to share !

CultureLink HOST Volunteer Training Session- Building Welcoming Community: Monday, November 30th, 2009

For more information see attached flyer:

welcoming-community-training-series-no-1.pdf

11 Division – Hat and Mitten drive

The Community Police Liaison Committee of 11 Division of the Toronto Police Service is seeking donations of new or clean and usable hats, mittens, gloves and scarves to keep

your less fortunate neighbours warm this winter. They will be distributed by social in the area served by 11 Division.

For more information see attached flyer:

hats-mits-gloves-scarves-final.pdf

City Historic Sites Celebrate the Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Children Offered Free Admission to City Historic Sites to Celebrate the Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

On Saturday, November 21, the City’s historic sites will offer free admission to children (12 years and under) in honour of the 20th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child. Take the family to one of these great museums (does not include specially-ticketed events or pre-registered programs). Visit the website for details: http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/rightsofthechild.htm

Colborne Lodge

1 Colborne Lodge Dr. (just north of the Queensway), limited free parking, 416-392-6916

Fort York National Historic Site

100 Garrison Rd. (north of Fort York Boulevard), free parking, 416-392-6907

Gibson House Museum

5172 Yonge St. (north of the North York Centre Subway), limited free parking, 416-395-7432

Mackenzie House

82 Bond St. (two blocks east of Eaton Centre, south of Dundas), paid parking, 416-392-6915

Montgomery’s Inn

4709 Dundas St. W. (at Islington), free parking, 416-394-8113

Scarborough Museum

1007 Brimley Rd. (in Thomson Memorial Park), free parking, 416-338-8807

Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens

285 Spadina Rd. (next door to Casa Loma), paid parking next door at Casa Loma, 416-392-6910

Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum & Arts Centre

67 Pottery Rd. (bottom of Pottery Road, west of Broadview), free parking, 416-396-2819

“As we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child it remains important that we listen to children and their ideas for making Toronto a more liveable place for them,” said Mayor David Miller. “By building on our past accomplishments and celebrating our history, we can build an even better city for future generations.”