Toronto’s Live Green Perks program supports eco-friendly shopping and local businesses
Posted on October 31, 2017
News Release
October 31, 2017
Toronto’s Live Green Perks program supports eco-friendly shopping and local businesses
The City of Toronto’s Live Green Toronto has upgraded the Live Green Card to a new app-based rewards program called Live Green Perks that offers members exclusive access to discounts and deals at local businesses, and invitations to special events and contests. Businesses offering deals and discounts via the app include local restaurants, retail shops and attractions that offer eco-friendly products, services or experiences.
“The Live Green Perks program makes it easier for people to make eco-friendly choices and support local businesses, which is a win for the city and the environment,” said Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon (Ward 32 Beaches-East York), Chair of the Parks and Environment Committee. “It’s also a great way for Torontonians and visitors to get out there and explore what our amazing city has to offer.”
Anyone can join the program and membership is free. The Live Green Perks app can be downloaded for free for both iOS and Android devices. Members simply show their app at the time of purchase to redeem their perks. A physical card is available on request.
Live Green Toronto will also plant a tree for every 20 deals an individual claims in the app. Trees will be planted in the Live Green Forest in the Smith Ness Forest Conservation Area in the Niagara region.
Previously known as the Live Green Card, the City’s perks program has over 50,000 members. Live Green Perks is a component of Live Green Toronto, a program that promotes sustainable living. More information about Live Green Perks is available at http:www/livegreenperks.ca.
Free Lecture: EATING WELL IN THE CITY | Joshna Maharaj – Land, Food, and the Urban Commons – Nov 2 7PM
Posted on October 31, 2017
This free two-part public lecture series will provide an opportunity for local residents, students, and special guest to think together about the complex realities of land and food in the urban context.
This public lecture series is being run concurrently with a course through Trinity College called, Taste and See: A Theology of Food, taught by Jason McKinney. The series has been made possible with support from Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust, Greenest City, Trinity College, Toronto, Faculty of Divinity, and The Jeremiah Community.
LAND, FOOD, AND THE URBAN COMMONS
All lectures take place at 201 Cowan Ave (south entrance) 7:00 – 9:00 PM
LECTURE 2 – November 2, 2017
EATING WELL IN THE CITY
Joshna Maharaj… is a Toronto based food activist and chef.
Masaryk Pumpkin Parade – November 1st , 6PM to 8PM
Posted on October 26, 2017
“Come show off your pumpkin at the Masaryk Park Pumpkin Parade. Starts at Dusk! FREE Hot Chocolate!!”
Sorauren Pumpkin Parade – Wednesday, November 1st at Dusk
Posted on October 25, 2017
“Every Nov. 1, the day after Halloween, the world-famous Pumpkin Parade takes place at Sorauren Park. With close to 2,000 pumpkins on display in recent years, the Parade is a neighbourhood and even regional highlight of the season. From witches and cats, to politicians and world events, the artful jack-o-lanterns represent the spirit of Halloween and also the spirit of the times.”
As you know, there are several pumpkins that are brought to Sorauren Park for the Pumpkin Parade. Please help restore the park to its regular condition by helping out with the clean-up. The clean-up will take place:
November 1st – 10PM to 11PM
November 2nd – 7AM to 9AM
Bins will be placed for pumpkin waste at the end of the event.
Pre-Application Meeting – 2639 Dundas St W, current site of Active Green and Ross | November 2, 2017
Posted on October 25, 2017
Please share this information with your neighbours
Gairloch Developments, the owner of 2639 Dundas Street West, the current site of Active Green and Ross, will be holding a pre-application meeting to discuss their proposed plans for this site.
The proposal includes an 8-storey mid-rise building fronting Dundas Street West. Proposed are 93 residential units and 52 parking spaces in an underground parking garage.
Date: Thursday, November 2, 2017
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Place: 3rd Floor Staff Room
Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School
1515 Bloor St W (Bloor St W and Dundas St W)
Both Councillor Perks and City Planning Staff will be in attendance.
If you are unable to attend the meeting and are interested in providing comment and/or receiving more detailed information, please email Councillor Perks office at councillor_perks@toronto.ca.
2639dundasCommunity Meeting Notice (Nov 2 2017)
Fall Safety Campaign – Please Slow Down
Posted on October 25, 2017
The City is pleased to launch their “Please Slow Down” Safety Campaign. The program will provide high visibility signs to residents who may want to install them on their own boulevard to help remind road users to drive carefully as they travel in residential areas.
In support of the Vision Zero Safety Plan emphasis areas for Older Adults and School Children, there will be two types of signs: one for neighbourhoods with older adults and another with school children.
If you wish to order one of these signs, you can request one by contacting us through 416-392-7919 or councillor_perks@toronto.ca
For more information, visit https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=cbe5841071c80510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=747c4074781e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
A Message from Councillor Perks about the King Street West and Cowan Avenue Intersection
Posted on October 19, 2017
Dear Friend,
The loss of David Delos Santos in a horrible collision at King and Close has hit us all hard. It has reminded us that we as a City have to do better. I wanted to tell you about a few things that are happening and let you know how to bring your ideas for improvements to the City.
Recently, a request to review the King and Close intersection was sent to Transportation Services for their review. After completing their study, Transportation Staff recommended that the existing Pedestrian Cross Over (PXO) be removed and changed to traffic lights (http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2017.TE24.56 ). This was approved in City Council in September and could be installed as early as December of this year.
Creating safe cycling options for the neighbourhood has been a priority. Over the last year or so we worked with the community to create a local network of safe cycling routes. The cornerstone piece will link the neighbourhood via a new route on Dowling and a pedestrian/cycling bridge to the waterfront trail. This will be installed next year. You can learn more here: https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=7808b6c33c667510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Another safety initiative was the decision to reduce speeds on all residential side streets in our Ward and others to 30 km/hour.
As to the intersection of King and Cowan itself, the City has initiated a safety review. I will report their findings as soon as I have them.
My office hears regularly from community members about traffic concerns and the safety for pedestrians and cyclists. All concerns are shared with Transportation staff with a request that they review options to improve safety against professional standards or guidelines. If you have a specific concern please email or call.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. We are all deeply saddened, and we all need to speak up to make our neighbourhood safer.
Sincerely,
Councillor Gord Perks
Ward 14, Parkdale High-Park
100 Queen Street West, Suite A14
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
(t) 416-392-7919
(f) 416-392-0398
www.gordperks.ca
twitter: @gordperks
Facebook: @GordPerks
Budapest Park (1801 Lake Shore Blvd. W.) Maintenance Work – Starting October 18
Posted on October 19, 2017
The City of Toronto will be undertaking maintenance work on a portion of the Sunnyside Boardwalk and the overflow channel located on the south and east sides of 1801 Lake Shore Boulevard West (a portion of Budapest Park). The overflow channel was created for the overflow of water from the lake. Due to heavy rain this year, debris and residue are blocking the channel and must be removed.
Please see the attached for more details.
Public Notice-Budapest Park_final
Community Meeting: 1182-1221 King St. W. Rezoning Application – Wednesday November 1st, 2017
Posted on October 19, 2017
Please share with your neighbours
Friends,
City Planning will be submitting their Final Report on the 1182-1221 King St. W. Rezoning Application to the November 14th meeting of Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC).
Councillor Perks is holding a Community Meeting to review the developer’s revisions to the original application and to hear from community members.
The Community Meeting will be held on:
Wednesday, November 1st, 2017
from 7 – 9 PM
Basement Meeting Room
Parkdale United Church
171 Dunn Avenue, at King Street West.
Councillor Perks will be joined by City Planner Kirk Hatcher and a representative from the development team.
If you are unable to attend the Community Meeting but are interested in further information, please contact our office at councillor_perks@toronto.ca .
11821221 kingflyer
Tibet Kitchen
Posted on October 16, 2017
Dear Friends,
Thank you for taking the time to let me know that you support the Tibet Kitchen. Like you, I desperately want this business, which adds so much to our neighbourhood, to succeed.
When the owner of Tibet Kitchen contacted my office about a month ago, my staff and I immediately got to work. As you might have heard, he was faced with a rent increase he simply couldn’t afford and was looking to find a new location for his business. We provided advice about the kinds of locations he could and couldn’t move to, put him in touch with the correct public servants, and offered to help him work through all the necessary paper-work.
Since then, I have spoken with the owner and a number of his customers and have been asked to go further than that. Some have asked that the City waive the rules governing where restaurants are allowed so Tibet Kitchen can move to a specific location where it is not allowed. This is something I can not legally do, and frankly should not do.
Let me explain. Municipalities regulate the locations of businesses. Local governments create zoning bylaws which govern what use can go where and the concentration of certain uses within an area. Each property is “zoned” for specific uses. The Queen St. West By-law includes a special feature which limits the concentration of restaurants on Queen St W, between Dufferin and Roncesvalles to allow for other uses. You can read more about it here:
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-59243.pdf
Part of the reason for this is to protect local business. As you may recall a few years ago a number of west end main streets were suddenly inundated with restaurants which largely functioned as late night clubs and drinking spots. Special zoning rules were implemented on streets like Ossington, College and Queen St W after community consultation, and were approved by Toronto City Council on advice from the City’s Planning department. If Queen St W became an entertainment district or a restaurant row we would lose business that support the neighbourhood: hardware stores, laundromats, bank branches, etc.
Your petition asks me to give one specific business an exemption from the rules. This troubles me. I don’t believe individual politicians should be able to change the rules so that a specific business succeeds or fails. The opportunities for abuse, even corruption, are too large to ignore. We as a government design bylaws to achieve larger social goals: supporting local shopping; balancing the needs of business and residents; matching transportation capacity to land use. We don’t and must not have the power to make a specific restaurant succeed while others fail.
Where does this leave the Tibet Kitchen? As I’ve told the owner, although the City will not approve restaurant use at the particular site he is interested in there are other sites along Queen St W and neighbouring streets that may be an option.
I hope this helps clarify things. I also hope that you support local businesses in our neighbourhood in the best way you can: eat there, shop there and pass the word to your friends and family about the great spots in Parkdale.
Gord
Councillor Gord Perks
Ward 14, Parkdale High-Park
100 Queen Street West, Suite A14
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
(t) 416-392-7919
(f) 416-392-0398
twitter: @gordperks
Facebook: @GordPerks