There is a common refrain that there are two seasons in Toronto – winter and construction. We are in store for a busy construction season in Ward 10 and while there may be some inconveniences, the work across Ward 10 and the city in general will bring enormous improvements and benefits to our neighbourhoods. Recreation is a vital part of any liveable city. And, it is with much excitement that we are now only weeks away from the re-opening of the Earl Bales Community Centre. Work has been happening over the past several months to add a new gym, new change rooms, a public lounge area and other improvements to the existing facility. This $4.5 million project is expected to be completed in late June to early July. Torontonians love their parks but great parks need regular improvements and investments. Construction of new playgrounds at Garthdale Park and Champlain Park will be starting shortly and we expect work on Phase II in Irving Chapley Park to be under way by the end of the summer. We just received word of another exciting addition that will be coming to Earl Bales Park. An announcement will be made shortly – keep an eye on www.JamesPasternak.ca for further details. After the major rain storms of 2013 and 2014, I promised that the City of Toronto would make the necessary investments to help prevent basement flooding. This is essential to protect the value in homes and keep our neighbourhoods healthy. This year $22.3 million of basement flooding protection work is scheduled to begin in Ward 10. In total, $178 million of improvements are planned for Ward 10 over the coming years.The City of Toronto is continuing to improve roads in our neighbourhood including repaving Finch Avenue West between Bathurst and Dufferin as well as along Wilson Heights Boulevard. Just outside Ward 10, The Ontario Ministry of Transportation is completely rebuilding the aging Avenue Road- Highway 401. This is a major project that will likely go into 2019.Toronto is a great place to live, work and raise a family. But to keep it that way we must make major investments in infrastructure. It will be messy and noisy and the traffic will be slower, but these investments will provide a great return for the good people of North York and Downsview. We thank you for your patience during the work and as always, I am available to speak at 416-392-1371 if you have any questions or concerns. You can also keep up with our progress and check back for regular updates at www.JamesPasternak.ca.