Earl Bales Park Welcomes Community Centre Expansion

The Earl Bales Community Centre is in the process of a 4.5-million-dollar expansion. The City of Toronto is redeveloping the property in order to upgrade how the building functions and benefits the community. Construction began this past June, and is expected to wrap-up by summer 2018.Earl Bales is the fourth largest park in Toronto, known for being a fully accessible alternative to other parks in the core of the city. Supporting over 50 local groups and clubs of all age groups, Earl Bales Community Centre is a hub for leisure, education and growth.The new gymnasium has been the subject of immense anticipation. With a full basketball court, two half-courts, and three badminton courts, the 50x80-foot space will provide sufficient recreational opportunities for countless residents. In addition to the exercise zones, the expansion will include two universal washrooms, a family change room and a lounge area.The design of the gymnasium allows natural light to illuminate the room by incorporating enormous windows, featuring views of the park and playground. Visitors to the new site will enjoy an upbeat and comfortable atmosphere. Councillor James Pasternak has expressed his excitement, saying that this project is a major part of “ongoing attempts to make Earl Bales one of the premier parks in the city.”In addition to the gymnasium, the building will receive upgrades to the kitchen, barrier-free doors, and a movable partition in the multi-purpose room to accommodate simultaneous events. The flooring will be upgraded, providing a seamless transition from the main hall to the multi-purpose room. Environmentally friendly features like a sustainable “cool roof” as well as energy efficient lighting will be added to the building as a part of the City’s ongoing green adjustment initiatives.The 127 acre park has always been known for its picnic pads, trails, and ski centre. This new expansion offers numerous upgrades that will make the park an outdoor hotspot for years to come within and beyond Ward 10.

Ontario's Workers Demand Justice

“Why hasn’t Canada signed, ratified, and implemented the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and Their Families?” asks a plum. “I demand dignified treatment, respect, and guarantees of my rights as a worker”, says a pear. An apple notes that, “It is legal for farmers and employers to exploit migrant farm workers in Canada.” Meanwhile, grapes from the Niagara region join in with “Ice Wine: Pride and Luxury with a Canadian label, one of the most expensive but produced with the exploitation of migrant labour with the worst salary and without protection.” These fruits are not actually talking but are simply packaged in small paper bags with a card, with a question, or statement. Migrant workers in Ontario were asked, “If the fruit you were growing could speak, what do you wish they would say?” This traveling exhibit, Speaking Fruit, collected their answers and has been on its way to Ottawa to raise support and demand a response from our government.Many Ontarians are unaware that most of the produce grown in Ontario comes from a small town near Windsor called Leamington. Leamington has a vast series of greenhouses growing food for sale to big and small grocery stores in this province. Calling itself the Tomato Capital of Canada, Leamington has the largest concentration of greenhouses on this continent. The farmer-owners of these greenhouses employ migrant worker to do most of the gruelling labour. Most of these workers are from Mexico and the Caribbean and they are brought in with promises of rich-country wages. However, they arrive to learn that they have to pay their employer for their housing (at several times the market rate) and they would be living with as many as 20 people in one house and would have to sleep in shifts. These workers are not given safety training or equipment and they are adversely affected when working with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. If migrant workers complain, they lose their jobs. Since their work visas are tied to their employment, they are also then immediately sent back to their home countries. In many cases, even their final pay-cheques are withheld by their employers or they are not paid the full amount. If one of them dies or is injured on the job – an all too common occurrence – they (or their corpse) are swiftly sent home to their family with no recompense or even apologies. Ontarians should be ashamed that this happens in our province.What can be done to help? Currently, Bill 148 (Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act) is under consideration by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the mandate of which is to raise the minimum wage and improve workplace conditions. However, there are no provisions to improve conditions for migrant workers - or temp agency workers, for that matter. There cannot be two classes of workers: one treated fairly under the law and one for exploitation. Call or visit your MPP and let them know that Ontarians demand fair treatment for all workers.

Keele Street to get a makeover

On 21 September, 2017, the  residents, business owners and property managers of Downsview, University Heights, and Black Creek  communities were invited to discuss the beautification plan and business improvement strategies being implemented by Councillor Anthony Perruzza and Matias de Dovitiis, the Executive Director of DUKE Heights BIA, for Keele Street, Toro Road, and Tangiers Road. The proposed plan included but was not limited to: new public seating areas, signs, bike racks, garbage and recycling bins, and the addition of green spaces. This plan will essentially change the face of Keele Street. The objective of these improvements is to create communal spaces to encourage outdoor activities, enhance neighborhood aesthetics, make the BIA more attractive for business investment, encourage people to visit DUKE Heights for leisure and, ultimately, to make it more enjoyable for residents to spend time in the neighborhood. Through these enhancements, Keele Street will look bolder, more beautiful, and more attractive for businesses and residents.

Keele Finch Plus - Public workshop on the future of the area

On Thursday September 28, City of Toronto City Planning Staff will be presenting three options for how the area may evolve which are based on work conducted to date and public input at past events. Participate in the meeting to tell us what you like about the options and help us make the options better!Is there an option you prefer? Tell us! Is there a connection that we missed? Show us where that is. Did we interpret your previous comments properly? Help make sure we got it right!We'll start the workshop with a refresher on results and work completed to date, including public input from our last meeting and other public engagement events. With the help of a facilitator, you'll be working along side your neighbours to help us evaluate the draft options.Here are the details:Thursday September 28, 2017. Open House 5:00 to 8:30 p.m.Workshop from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., starting with a presentation.James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic Secondary School1440 Finch Avenue West. Cafeteria. Free Parking. Transit nearby.Please help us spread the word by passing this information on to anyone you know who might be interestedThis is an exciting meeting and we are looking forward to it. We hope you are too.See you then!Know someone who might be interested in this Study? Help us spread awareness and knowledge by forwarding this message and by encouraging others to sign up for the email list. You can sign up on the website at http://www.toronto.ca/keelefinchplus.On Twitter? Just use the hashtag #keelefinchplus. From time to time, we'll post information from the Official City Planning account @CityPlanTo.   

Community Cats: Our Furry Neighbours

There are as many as 100,000 feral cats in the Greater Toronto Area.  Unlike lost pets or stray cats, ferals shy away from humans, don’t meow, and have a life expectancy of only 2 to 3 years.  They live a hard outdoor life scavenging for food and shelter wherever they can find it, driven by a strong instinct to reproduce as often as possible.Feral cats can get pregnant as young as 4 months old and have litters of up to 6 kittens as often as every 12 weeks, which quickly leads to a population explosion, usually in the early spring.  Sadly, many of the kittens fall ill, suffer from malnutrition, and don’t survive harsh weather and predators. Feral cats will mate even if they are ill or starving, taking a huge toll on the health of females. Male ferals will spray and fight to establish and protect a territorial area, leading to those night time “cat fights” that can sometimes be heard in the distance.To address this problem, cat-loving volunteers from animal welfare organizations including the Toronto Humane Society, Toronto Street Cats, Annex Cat Rescue, and the city’s Toronto Animal Services created Community Cats Toronto with the mission of making a difference in the lives of community cats through education, advocacy, and collaboration.Volunteers take a formal workshop to learn about the best practices for helping feral cats.  The primary focus is on Trap, Neuter, and Return, or TNR, which has been shown in numerous studies in large metropolitan areas across North American to be effective in reducing the population of feral cats and improving the lives of the cats already living in our communities.  Once spayed or neutered, feral cats roam less, fight less, spray less, and the population normalizes through natural deaths instead of disease, exposure, and malnutrition.Volunteers are trained on humanely trapping feral cats, minimizing their distress and discomfort.  The cats are then taken to a clinic where a veterinarian performs a spay or neuter surgery, depending on the sex of the cat. Every cat is vaccinated for rabies and other common diseases.  A small tip is removed from the left ear of each cat to mark it as a feral from a monitored colony.  A microchip is inserted below the skin of the neck, which, along with the ear tip, ensures that the cat swill not accidentally be picked up by the city pound and can be returned to their local colonies if lost.  After a recovery period, the cats are released where they were originally trapped.  Insulated winter shelters are built and distributed to colony locations to provide the cats with comfort during the coldest months.  Feeders provide food and fresh water to the cats on a daily basis, sometimes donated by companies such as Purina or Whiskas.  They also monitor the cats for signs of injury or distress and arrange for veterinary care as necessary.In the past, many cat lovers in our community took care of feral cats in secret out of fear that neighbours would blame them for the cats’ presence in the area.  In fact, studies have shown that feeding cats does not increase their population.  Rather, feeding the cats is the first step in identifying and handling a feral colony through a local TNR program.  The City of Toronto established by-laws that authorize feeding and management of feral colonies, recognizing their importance in reduce the overall cat population in the city over time.It’s thanks to tireless volunteers who care about feline welfare that there aren’t hundreds of thousands of more cats on the streets of the GTA!  Community cats are our furry neighbors who do their part for pest control and help keep other animal species such as raccoons and squirrels in balance in the urban ecosystem.  With care and love and education these cats can be safe, welcome local companions as they have been in cities worldwide for millennia, such as in Istanbul, Turkey, as recounted in the documentary film “Kedi” that is playing at cinemas around the world (www.kedifilm.com).If you would like more information about feral cats or need help managing a feral colony in your area, please contact Community Cats Toronto (www.communitycats.ca).

M & D Medical Clinic and Pharmacy

872 Sheppard Ave. West; Phone: Clinic 416-633-1600 and Pharmacy 416-633-6800On a stretch of Sheppard Ave. West, almost in the epicentre between Wilmington Ave. and Wilson Heights, on the north side, you will find one of the best kept secrets of Downsview. It is an absolute blessing to the neighbourhood. To what am I referring? It’s the M & D Medical Clinic and Pharmacy.The medical clinic is always filled with patients and is open six days a week (closed on Sundays). Dr. Gobrial, who is the physician at the clinic, has a great bedside manner. He has a very attentive ear, is very meticulous at what he does, and really does listen to the concerns and the symptoms of the maladies which afflict his patients.He takes his time, methodically deducing what treatment can help his patients. I speak from experience as I have used the clinic on a number of occasions. I was immensely impressed with the way he actually “listened” and did not try to rush through my appointment.One of the great things about the clinic is that it is attached to a pharmacy. So as soon as you are diagnosed – and if you need medication – the pharmacy attached to the clinic will dispense it for you expeditiously.The pharmacist, Mr. Hany William, also, like Dr. Gobrial, has a very attentive ear. He is very patient and takes his time when he explains how medications work, their side effects, and how they should be administered.When Mr. William was asked why he became a pharmacist, he had a very lucid answer: “My main objective for becoming a pharmacist was to help people. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.” Very well put.While awaiting your prescriptions it might behoove you to also peruse the pharmacy’s product lines. It offers a myriad of good products to purchase, from shampoo and conditioner to facial tissue, deodorant, shaving creams, lips balms and toothbrushes, cough syrups to vitamins or female hygiene products, beverages or chocolate bars and more. Also for those special occasions there are many great greeting cards for just a dollar, what a bargain!If you are visiting the clinic, there is ample parking in the back of the building. You can park in the spots which are labeled “commercial.”Next time you’re in need of a medical clinic or pharmacy, there’s one right in the neighbourhood. You don’t have to go very far, visit M & D Clinic and Pharmacy!The clinic and pharmacy operates during the following days and times: on Mondays at 9:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., on Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays 9:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Fridays 9:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and at 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays, closed on Sundays. 

Community Spotlight: Black Creek Community Farm

By: Giovanna Loureiro and Rhiannon Moller-TrotterBlack Creek Community Farms is a local staple in Downsview. The farm is dedicated to helping the area flourish through organic initiatives and outdoor education.The land used to be occupied by Toronto Urban Farms, which was fully funded by the City of Toronto. Black Creek then took over when funding for Toronto Urban Farms halted, and it is now in its fourth operating season. Black Creek Community Farms is an urban agricultural center that teaches members of the community how to utilize their lands to grow vegetables, and wants to encourage those in the area to use the facilities.Leticia Boahen, who runs the farm, has been a Downsview resident since she was 12 years old. She is constantly promoting agricultural education through farm schools and camps for elementary and high school students, outdoor environmental education and experiences, and many other events and activities.The farm offers a youth internship program that helps the young people gain experience in urban agriculture and teaches them how to start their own farms and engage community members to do the same. The farms offers many festivals, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and camps that run from January all the way through to November.Be sure to check out their website and the farm itself for more information on how to benefit from healthy initiatives taking place right in Downsview. The farm is an ideal spot for trail walks and picnics, and there is no charge for these opportunities.For more information visit or call:www.blackcreekfarm.ca / (416) 393-6381

RALLY TO SAVE BRANSON URGENT CARE CENTRE TO TAKE PLACE TODAY

Tuesday, May 8, 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TORONTO –May 4, 2017 The Branson Community Action Group and the residents of the Bathurst/Finch community are planning a rally outside the Branson Division of North York General Hospital to protest the imminent closure of the Urgent Care Centre.  The rally is to take place: Date:  Wednesday May 10^thTime:  5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Where:  on the sidewalk in front of the Urgent Care CentreOn the north and south sides of Finch Avenue555 Finch Avenue West, Toronto, ON  The Branson Community Action Group (BCAG), a local citizen’s group, believes that the Branson Urgent Care Centre is an extremely important part of this neighbourhood which provides necessary medical services within reasonable walking distances to a community with a high concentration of seniors, disabled, new Canadian residents and families of limited income.The members of the Branson Community Action Group feel that closure of the Urgent Care Centre would cause a great hardship in the community that might lead to avoidable deaths due to a lack of easy access to urgent and emergency medical care.  Collectively the Branson Community Action Group strongly advocates that the Urgent Care Centre should remain open to serve the community to ensure that the community has access to health care.  The Branson Community Action Group feels it is important to postpone the closure of the Urgent Care Centre to at least November of 2017 to allow a reasonable amount of time for public consultation on the matter.  It is the hope of the members of the Branson Community Action Group and the affected community that, with proper public consultation, an alternative solution to providing the medical needs of this area can be found.Contact:Kenneth Schafer, Co-chairperson,   Branson Community Action GroupEmail:  drkschafer@rogers.com                                    Tel:  416 618 4114

Highway of Heroes Living Tribute Honours Canada’s Military this Earth Day

Over one thousand trees to be planted at Downsview Park on April 23TORONTO, Ont. – Canadians who have served in the Armed Forces will be honoured with 2,000 new trees to be planted at Downsview Park’s annual Earth Day celebration.  Contributions to the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute on behalf of TD Bank Group (TD) and Maple Leaves Forever will also be announced.As part of Earth Day celebrations on April 23, 2017, the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute will enlist the help of volunteers to honour the Canadian men and women who both served and gave their lives for their country.  Volunteers will witness a special ceremony, hosted by Ziya Tong of Discovery’s flagship program, Daily Planet, and will also feature a special performance by JUNO Award winning group, The Trews, who will perform the hit song, Highway of Heroes.“With the 150^th anniversary of Canada just around the corner, we’re doing something special to recognize Canada’s fallen soldiers in conjunction with Earth Day,” says Mark Cullen, Canada’s gardening Guru and Chairman of the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute. “This is a perfect opportunity for people to take part in a great cause while also getting outside to enjoy the spring weather.”“The Highway of Heroes Living Tribute honours Canada’s fallen soldiers by creating a living reminder of the world they gave their lives to protect,” says Karen Clarke-Whistler, TD, Chief Environment Officer. “We’re proud to be supporting such an important event as part of the TD Common Ground Project, which is helping to connect people across Canada in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.”“We are proud to once again provide support for the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute,” says Ken Jewett, founder of Maple Leaves Forever, a founding partner of the Living Tribute. “This additional contribution was made specifically to honour the three gentlemen whose vision made this campaign come to life – Mark Cullen, Michael de Pencier and Tony DiGiovanni.”The Highway of Heroes Living Tribute is creating a living, breathing memorial along the Highway 401 corridor between Trenton and Toronto — known as the Highway of Heroes.  The campaign will see 2,000,000 trees planted to honour Canadians who have served in the armed forces, 117,000 of which will be planted directly on the highway – one for each Canadian that has fallen in war since Confederation.The Earth Day event will take place on April 23 from 10:45 a.m. to 4.p.m at Downsview Park with the ceremony starting at 10:45 sharp.The day will also feature;

• Military focused story telling session
• Birds of Prey demos
• Campfire and busker
• Information booths
• People Mover rides
• Face painting, glitter tattoo booth and more.

This planting is being undertaken in partnership with Downsview Park and in collaboration with TD, Maple Leaves Forever and Michael Levitt, Member of Parliament – York Centre.Available for interviews:

• Mark Cullen, Chairman, Highway of Heroes Living Tribute
• MP Michael Levitt

About Highway of HeroesWhen is a tree more than just a tree? The answer is when the tree is part of a memorial to honour Canada’s fallen heroes. The mission of the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute is simple: To honour Canada’s military contributions by planting 2,000,000 trees, 117,000 of which will be for each Canadian that has fallen in war since Confederation.  The Highway of Heroes Living Tribute is made possible by contributions provided by Mark’s Choice, Landscape Ontario, TD, Maple Leaves Forever, the Garden Club of Toronto and donations from Canadians from coast to coast.To learn more, visit www.hohtribute.ca 

Daniel G. Lovell | Special AssistantMichael Levitt, MP | York CentreOffice: 660 Wilson Ave, North York ON M3K1E1T: 416.638.3700F: 416.941.2421

Stay in the Neighbourhood: check out our list of cool things to do in Downsview!

The weekend is a great time to spend with the family but it’s also a nice excuse to get out of the house and enjoy what Downsview has to offer!We’ve created a list of awesome things to do in the community that is sure to keep your family happy:

1. Go for a relaxing picnic and/or walk in Downsview Park
2. Partake in an adventure at Escape Games Canada
3. Smell the fresh air at Earl Bales Park
4. Enjoy an all-you eat meal at Mandarin North York
5. Have a pizza party at Boston Pizza Yonge-Impasse
6. Do your spring shopping at Yorkgate Mall
7. Enjoy a latte while playing board games at Mystery Room Board Game Café
8. Test your target practice at the Archers Arena
9. Get a strike (or two!) at Playtime Bowl
10. Challenge your body at True North Climbing
11. Take the children to Kidnetix