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

The City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto (StART) Underpass Program provides opportunities for artists to create works of street art that help to make our city’s underpasses safe, walkable and beautiful.

The Keele Street Underpass, north of Bloor across from the Keele Street TTC station has been selected to receive art in 2015. This streetscape improvement is meant to bring street art to the community, beautify this location, continue the enhancement and rejuvenation of this neighbourhood, and help prevent vandalism.

Three (3) proposed designs are being considered by the jury. We welcome your input into these design by responding to the survey (http://cityoftoronto.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/start/keele/) by 5pm (EST) Sunday, August 9, 2015.  Additionally, to view the designs in person and meet the artists please attend our public meeting on Wednesday, August 5th from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm at Lithuanian House located at 1573 Bloor Street West (west of Dundas Street West).

Your feedback will help ensure all shortlisted submissions enhance, and reflect the aspirations of your local community. Thank you for providing your feedback for each of the proposed designs.

The City of Toronto, Parks Forestry and Recreation, has plans to upgrade the Playground at Budapest Park on the Western Waterfront.

Improvements to the playground and surroundings will make this existing outdoor play space easily accessible for children of all ages and abilities. Upgrades will include :

 a new paved pathway into the play area and onto the boardwalk
 reformed and resurfaced play-pads
 new sandbox and play fixtures, with park bench seating on generous platforms
 restored and increased sodded areas
 The riding dinosaurs and the wading pool will remain.

Budapest Park Playground Upgrade notice

Budapest Park Playground Design

Weekend event with road closures in Toronto

A special event in Toronto this weekend – the annual Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival – will involve the closure of Lake Shore Boulevard.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy this event.

Businesses in the area affected will be open to pedestrian traffic.

Festivals and other special events are important to the city, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually into Toronto’s economy, and they are enjoyed each year by local residents.

In addition to road closures related to special events, a significant amount of road work is taking place in the city. People are encouraged to take public transit as a greener, faster and more affordable way of getting to their destinations.

Those who need to drive in the general vicinity of special events should allow extra time to get to and from their destination. The City has recently introduced a new web-based map to help residents make their travel plans, at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions. Information about the City’s planned capital construction work is available at http://www.toronto.ca/inview.

Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto

Lake Shore Boulevard will be closed in both directions between Colborne Lodge Drive and Strachan Avenue from Friday, July 31 at 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday, August 2.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

Councillor Perks Office has been advised through City Planning staff that a Re-Zoning application has been filed for 2 sites:

1182 King St W at the NE corner of Dufferin; 21 storeys, and

1221 King St W, near the SW corner of Dufferin, 19 storeys.

At this time, the information filed with the city is available on-line at http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/associatedApplicationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3790808&isCofASearch=false  , click on Supporting Documentation.

Councillor Perks has a regular practice of requesting that developers meet with community members to review developers intentions and community comments prior to submitting a development application. The developer can then amend their proposal prior to their formal submission to the city. This practice has been well received and has helped to shape development in Ward 14.

Both of these applications have been filed prior to meeting with or advising the Councillor and/or the community of the proposed developments. City Planning staff are reviewing the application. There will be a statutory community meeting held once the city review takes place which will include an opportunity for community input.

Councillor Perks has reached out to meet with the developers of 1182 and 1221 King Street West. Our office will be in touch when any new information is made available.

Councillor Perks Office

Cooling centres

During Extreme Heat Alerts, the City opens the following Cooling Centres:
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=0f85dca9d4071410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Metro Hall
(John and King)

55 John St
Open 24 Hours

Air conditioned public places:

Masaryk-Cowan CRC
220 Cowan Ave
416-392-6928

High Park Public Library
228 Roncesvalles Ave
416-393-7671

Parkdale Public Library
1303 Queen St W
416-393-7686

http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/toronto_public_health/healthy_environment/heat_alert/files/pdf/beatheat_ac_south.pdf

Cooling centres

During Extreme Heat Alerts, the City opens the following Cooling Centres:
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=0f85dca9d4071410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Metro Hall
(John and King)

55 John St
Open 24 Hours

Air conditioned public places:

Masaryk-Cowan CRC
220 Cowan Ave
416-392-6928

High Park Public Library
228 Roncesvalles Ave
416-393-7671

Parkdale Public Library
1303 Queen St W
416-393-7686

http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/toronto_public_health/healthy_environment/heat_alert/files/pdf/beatheat_ac_south.pdf

Due to the Extreme Heat Alert issued by Toronto Public Health, 8 City pools will be extending their operating hours this evening until 11:45 pm.

Taking a dip in Toronto’s pools is a great way to stay cool and be safe during the hot summer months in the city. When an Extreme Heat Alert is declared, and when the weather forecast calls for low probability of inclement weather such as heavy rain or lightning, some outdoor and indoor pools may extend their hours until 11:45 pm.

When the extended hour program is in effect at our pools, the Parks, Forestry & Recreation homepage will be updated in the early afternoon on the day of the extended opening. Parks, Forestry & Recreation will also notify Toronto media to help alert the public.

When proper weather conditions are present, below is a list of pools running extended swimming hours during an Extreme Heat Alert.

Sunnyside – Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool 1755 Lake Shore Blvd W 416 392-7929

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=e6efdada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=d7fadada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

As part of the ongoing review of the Toronto Official Plan, the City of Toronto is updating the City’s Official Plan definition for Affordable Ownership Housing. The proposed draft definition is one of several housing policies under review to help encourage the provision of new affordable housing. At its meeting on June 18, 2015, the Planning and Growth Management Committee endorsed draft changes to the definition for Affordable Ownership Housing of the Official Plan as the basis for a public consultation open house.

The Open House is scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

5:00 – 7:00 pm [staff presentation starts at 5:45 pm]

Room 304, Metro Hall, 55 John Street

The staff report can be accessed at:

• http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-81111.pdf

For the full Official Plan Review story and our public consultations to date please visit www.toronto.ca/opreview .

If you have questions about the draft definition or consultations, please contact Kirsten Stein, Planner at 416-392-0421 or kstein@toronto.ca .

The Greenest City​ Parkdale Community Good Food Market has begun! The Parkdale Community Good Food Market provides high quality, affordable fruits and vegetables. These markets bring produce to neighbourhoods that otherwise would not have access to it. The market focuses on building food security and community connections. Also at the market are delicious momos (tibetan dumplings), guest vendors serving locally sourced foods, health oriented information and demos, and fun activities to engage the kids. We use this market to build community relationships, get people outside, and to make the park a fun and engaging place to be.

The market will run on Wednesday afternoons from 3-7, from July 8th to Sept 30th. It will take place in Masaryk Park, next to the community centre at 220 Cowan Ave.

http://greenestcity.ca/programs/community-engagement/parkdale-community-good-food-market/

oronto Arts Foundation has launched a new mapping website as part of its commitment to connect communities to the arts. Torontonians can now browse arts events of all types in every neighbourhood of the city. Offering a free and easy way to reach audiences makes the site valuable to Toronto’s artists and arts organizations.

This free, searchable events map lets you:

http://www.neighbourhoodartsnetwork.org/toronto-arts-online/attend-an-event#/map-view