I recently had a letter to mail and the nearest mailbox, in my area, is one block away. Since the weather was lovely, I decided to take a walk to the mailbox and do an experiment along the way.When I left my house, I took a couple of plastic bags. My goal was simple: See how much garbage I could pick up during the short walk from my house to the mailbox. The results were fascinating.By the time I made it half way to the mailbox, I had already filled a full bag of garbage. Its contents included pop cans, chocolate bar wrappers, plastic containers, half-filled bottles of water, newspapers, bus transfers, chip bags, plastic utensils, and a box of organic chicken bouillon. Wow!Where did all this garbage come from? Did one of the garbage bins by the curb get knocked over by mistake? Did the local racoons host a feast for a furry family reunion in the neighbourhood? I continued my walk towards the mailbox and discovered more garbage along the sidewalk, grass, flower beds, and street.As I walked onward, past people waiting at the bus stop, I realised that some of them were looking at me with a confused expression. Perhaps it is unusual to see a man walking down the sidewalk, picking up garbage as he goes. I smiled politely at them and carried on -their faces suggested that they thought I might be out of my mind!Turning the corner, I saw a man and his two sons, about 8 and 10 years old, walking on the opposite side of the street. He noticed what I was doing, and pointed for his sons to look. “Great job!” he shouted across the street with a smile, gesturing to his kids to observe and learn. “Thanks!” I replied. “We have a lovely community. I’m just doing my part to keep it that way.” The man’s friendly words felt good. His children might remember how easy it is to use one of the many City of Toronto garbage and recycling bins. They might encourage others. A simple thing might grow.The walk to the mailbox and back took a total of 10 minutes. The letter was safely mailed. I filled two full bags of garbage from that single street block.Back at home, I thought about my experiment and what I had learned. When reading the news, I often find myself feeling helpless to make a difference. I cannot fix all of the problems. Picking up two bags of garbage means very little on the larger scale of the city, country, or planet. Yet, I did not feel that same helplessness. Instead, I felt closer to my community. I would wish that pleasant feeling upon you as well, because you too can do one small thing here and another small thing there to make our Downsview community a little prettier, a little more comfortable, a little more our home. You don’t need any special skills. You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need bountiful free time. You can help keep our community green and clean, one short walk at a time.
Urgent Care Closed at Jane and Finch Hospital
July 2016 marked the end of urgent care at the Humber River Hospital site located at Jane and Finch. The location will continue to provide CT, MRI and general x-rays.The news may be bitter sweet for many residents who are watching the sun set on the community's old York Finch Hospital, while services are being redirected to the new hospital located near Keele and Wilson.Joe Astrella, President of the Grandravine Homeowners Assocation, says the old York Finch Hospital played a large role in his life.When Joe moved into the community in the late 1960's he immediately took up the call to help in fundraising for the York Finch Hospital that was under construction. In 1970, his daughter Grace was born there and over the years, his family would drop by when the need arose. In 1994, Joe credits the hospital for saving his life following a heart attack.When talk began of expanding the Humber River Hospital network a decade ago, Joe joined a coalition of local residents who favoured expansion of the Jane and Finch site rather than moving it to a new location.Joe learned of the urgent care closure through this interview and believed residents should have been better notified since the news came as a surprise to him.Without proper notification, some residents might seek medical assistance at the hospital only to find out through a sign that they will have to seek help elsewhere."I am disappointed." said Joe, "When I was active with the coalition, we were told that the Humber River Hospital site on Church Street would be closing, but that emergency services would still be provided at our Jane and Finch location."As services continue to be cut back at the Jane and Finch hospital location, the time may well come when the government decides to pull the plug on our local hospital once and for all. A disappointing outcome indeed.For more information on the new Humber River Hospital or the urgent care closure, residents can visit www.hrh.ca or call 416-242-1000.
Healthy Back to School Lunches
Children need a constant supply of energy, vitamins and minerals throughout their day to grow, play and learn. Providing healthy lunches and snacks that are appealing to younger tastes is a challenge for most parents. Parents want to send convenient, affordable, nutritious food that their kids will eat. By offering a variety of foods, a child’s growing body will get all the nutrients that they need while exciting their tastes buds.Children should eat balanced meals and snacks to provide lasting energy throughout the day. Snacks help children stay energized and prevent overeating at meals. Without enough energy from food, they may feel too tired and find it difficult to concentrate in class. To keep a child nourished and ready to learn, a snack should include a mix and match of 2 out of the 4 food groups and a balanced lunch should include at least 3 out of the 4 food groups as recommended by Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide.For example, a snack and lunch for a child between 9 to 13 years of age needs a total of 2-3 servings of vegetables and fruits, 2-3 servings of grain products, 1-2 servings of milk and alternatives and 1 serving from the meat and alternative group for their school day .To prepare a healthy lunch and snack that your child will look forward to eating, think like a kid. Use your imagination and the food guide for creative ideas. Packing a lunch and a snack needs some pre-planning. Involve your child in the planning and preparation. Not only will you spend quality time together, your child will learn about balanced eating and will be more likely to eat food they made themselves. Tasty Bagged Lunch Ideas Add interest and variety by trying the following ideas:
- Salmon or tuna whole wheat wrap with cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, white or flavoured milk and a plum
- Quartered chicken quesadilla made with sliced yellow and orange peppers, mushrooms & cheese with a side of grapes
- Mini-muffin eggs with spinach & onion on a whole wheat English muffin, green and red pepper slices & peach halves
- Grilled Turkey, apple & cheddar sandwich, carrots with dip & milk pudding
- Nut butter sandwich with banana and/or strawberry slices and steamed soybeans (edamame)
- Homemade sesame chicken fingers with plum sauce, sweet potato fries, vegetable sticks, milk pudding & melon slices
- Mini meatloaf muffins, thermos noodle vegetable soup, & pear quarters
- Bagel pizza with celery and carrots stick with a hummus dip, yogurt & mango slices
- Homemade mini burgers with couscous salad & orange wedges
- Turkey kebob skewers, whole wheat pita triangles with a tzaziki dip & raspberries
Nutritious Snack IdeasTry these easy ready-to-eat snacks your kids will love. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Yogurt with high fiber cereal and blueberries
- Apple slices and low-fat cheese cubes
- Sliced bell pepper sticks and baby carrots with cottage cheese, hummus or guacamole dip
- Banana bread with cheese strings or milk and kiwi
Back to School Shopping in Downsview
Going back to school, after summer break, is one of the most exciting and long-awaited moments, especially for kids. But what’s even more exciting is going back-to-school shopping!Parents are looking for deals on products that are of good quality, that will last the whole year and kids want products that look cool.Generally, when we think of where to shop, we think of the big malls or superstores. This year I encourage you to shop right here in Downsview and support a local business. Look for small business owners and help boost the economy right in the neighbourhood by shopping close to home.There are many shops in the area where you can find all your child needs for the new school year. We have two malls in the area: Jane and Finch Mall and Yorkgate Mall, both at the corner of Jane St. and Finch Ave. These malls offer great discounts to residents who live in North York with stores for students of all ages.In Yorkgate Mall they have stores like S’il Vous Plait, Payless -which usually offer a 40% discount on shoes for back to school, Ardene’s -featuring some products that are 70% off all year round. In the Jane and Finch Mall some great stores to shop at are Mega Children’s Wear, Mini Kids Fashion, Urban District. You can also check out the many shops on Orfus Rd (off of Dufferin near Yorkdale Mall), also close to Downsview.Happy back to school shopping, we wish you all the best in your new school year!
New Trustee elected in by-election
A very tight race culminated with a new name being chosen as Trustee to York Centre. The election was held on Monday, July 25th to fill in the opening created after the passing of Howard Kaplan. Alexandra Lulka is the new school trustee. She won by just over 100 votes in a very close election. 10 candidates put in their names for the contest and the top two won 31% and 29 % respectively. Erica Shiner came in a close second. This is the 4th by-election the TDSB has held as a rash of events has led to multiple Trustees needing to be replaced.
Ready, Set, MAP
The past two Saturdays included early mornings waiting in line at the Toronto Public Library in hopes of obtaining a Toronto Library Museum + Arts pass. My beautiful mother requested a trip to the Ontario Science Centre for her upcoming birthday and I made it my personal mission to make this happen-within budget.As it happens the Toronto Public Library and Sun Life Financial provides MAP passes which offer free entrance to vast array of attractions and museums within Toronto. If you’re like me and budget conscious you can plan your summer activities with the assistance of this great program.Now, you and the family can visit the new Panda cubs at the Toronto Zoo or check out the newly discovered dinosaur at the ROM. Passes are valid for 2 adults and 2-4 children depending on the venue and good for one visit. Each week libraries are provided with a new set of passes. This means you can check out a pass to a new attraction every seven days.There is one caveat. Passes are available in limited quantities. Some branches offer the passes on a first come, first serve basis. At these locations you may find those who are willing and able; waiting outside the library doors first thing in the morning.On my first attempt I was ninth in line which seemed pretty reasonable. Unfortunately for me the Ontario Science Centre is one of the most popular passes alongside the Toronto Zoo, The Gardiner Museum and Black Creek Pioneer Village. Normally three passes each, are available for the Zoo and the Ontario Science Centre which meant ninth in line was not early enough.I did not want to take any chances so I tried the Yorkwoods library again the following Saturday arriving at 7:30 a.m. This time I was third in line. Perfect! When the doors opened at 9:00 a.m., I was able to check out an Ontario Science Centre pass.There is another option if waiting in line early Saturday morning is not for you. Some branches have the option of a draw. Everyone who arrives at one of the branches between 9 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. are placed in a selection pool. Names are drawn at random, and MAP passes are distributed in order of the numbers drawn.If early Saturday morning draws or first come first serve options are still not viable for you; a select few locations offer passes during the week. Barbara Frum -hursdays at 9:00 a.m.: City Hall -Mondays at 10:00 a.m.: and Forest Hill -Thursdays at 6:00 p.m.For more information on this great program, check out your local Toronto Public Library or ask your local librarian for more information.
Opening of the Mao Art Gallery in Downsview!
Mao Correa, a local Downsview artist, has really proven that art has no limits. After transforming his 700 foot flat into an art gallery. Every wall and surface from every room on both the interior as well as the exterior of the house is covered with pieces of art. The gallery is open to the public and showcases his spectacular pieces along with other works from other up and coming artists.Mao, is a recognized plastic artist, photographer, and graphic designer who was born in Bogota, Columbia. After receiving much recognition for his work in Columbia and Central America, Mao brought his unique style to Canada. Toronto is now where Mao calls home.Mao uses art to illustrate his internal journey as a new immigrant in Canada. He does this by, creating pictorial pieces made entirely from recycled materials. Mao states “Mirroring my own experience, and re-signifying my esthetics through the view of diversity, I’m now not only breaking down pre-existing materials, reinterpreting and offering them a new form with a new purpose, but also reintegrating my soul to a new country”Visiting Mao’s Art Gallery truly is like watching the story of his life narrated by the pieces on every wall and surface of his home, with every piece offering new insight to his experiences in Canada. The gallery is the only newcomer artist-led gallery in Downsview area, and attracts a wide diversity of artists in the community.Mao has been an active leader in the art community. In 2015 Mao was the recipient for the RBC Arts Access Fund and the 2015 Finalist, for the Neilson Park Creative Centres 23 annual Juried Exhibition in Toronto. Mao is an advocate for for other immigrant artists struggling to showcase their art work here in Canada. The Gallery hosts art work from other artists in order to promote their work. The gallery also provides art classes for those who are interested. Mao has truly gone above and beyond for his community and is Downsview Advocate’s ‘Community Spotlight Leader’ of the month.Mao’s art and listings for upcoming shows can be viewed on his website at www.maocorrea.com
Should the Federal Government be allowed to do whatever it wants?
If you built a deck without a building permit the city inspectors would stomp all over your back with hob nailed boots. But the Federal government can build anything it wants, however it wants without one. It’s a legal principle called ‘paramountcy’. It’s based on the idea that one order of government can’t tell the one above it what to do and it makes some kind of sense. You wouldn’t want the province of Prince Edward Island declaring war on North Korea, or the city of Vaughan deciding what OHIP should pay a doctor.You can imagine my surprise then, when I notice a 33,000 sq. ft., $45M building being constructed in my ward and it had no building permit or any city approvals. In 1996 the Department of National Defence decided to consolidate their ten buildings in Toronto into a single structure which they built on Downsview base land on the north side of Sheppard Ave., just west of the Allen Road. As far as new buildings were concerned the Federal Government had until now, always respected the municipal planning and building process and had applied for building permits even though they didn’t have to. The city was the expert here. Toronto’s official plan laid out standards that protected public interest. The re-zoning process allowed for public input and the city design standards were some of the highest in Canada. This was the first time the military had evoked paramountcy in Toronto. It resulted in a very ugly building.Art Eggleton was the minister of defence. As a former mayor of Toronto he should have known better. Art and I shared the riding and had always worked co-operatively. My annoyance prompted me to give the building an award. It was a prize that I invented for the occasion; the “Toronto’s Ugliest New Building Award”. I invited Art to receive the honour in a ceremony at the County Style Doughnut shop at Wilson Heights and Sheppard. Alas, Art did not show up so the girl behind the counter accepted it on his behalf as we mugged for the Camera. Fortunately, I was able to present the award formally the next night at the annual “Toronto’s Best Building Award Gala” at the design exchange on Bay Street. Art wasn’t there either.I next took the issue to council and convinced them to establish a committee that would review any matter, no matter how trivial or routine, related to the Downsview Lands. Council appointed me to chair the committee.A few months later I received a call from someone who identified himself as a Colonel.“We need to have a municipal address. I thought that this was a routine matter”, he said. “Now I am told that I have to appear before the Downsview Lands Operational Protocol Committee. The delay in receiving a municipal number is causing a major headache for the armed forces. The building is the centre for all land forces in Ontario and unless we have a municipal address Canada Post will not deliver our mail.”“We don’t seem to have a record of your building in our files.” I said.”Can you put us on the agenda?” "I’d be happy to do that,” I replied"“When will the Committee be meeting?” “I’m not sure. It hasn’t had its first meeting yet. Perhaps it will meet in three or maybe six months. It would be helpful in the interim if you paid us the half million in building permit fees that you owe.” “As to postal delivery,” I said. “Tell them to send the mail to Art Eggleton’s constituency office. His staff will be happy to bring it over.”It took them a year but they finally solved their problem by having Canada Post give them their own postal code. Since that time they have further ‘uglified’ the building. Instead of flowers they’ve landscaped it with tanks and other military equipment. These, of course, are appropriate decorations for a military structure. You wouldn’t expect the military to display flowers. Only peaceniks do that.The military hardware is adorned by beautiful brass plaques that trumpet their historical significance. But there is just one problem. During the 3 day G-20 and G-7summit in Toronto when the Harper government blew $1.1 billion on security somebody threw barbed wire fences around the armories. This was obviously to protect the military from attacks by the protesters that never came north of Bloor Street. Now, because of the barbed wire fences, nobody is able to get close enough to read the plaques. Barbed wire, by the way, is illegal in Toronto but then again the Federal government doesn’t have to abide by our bylaws. They have paramountcy.
“Public service should never be a chore” Erica Shiner joins the political arena
Part of what makes up the Canadian identity, is that everyone comes from families who came to this country to rebuild, buck traditions and start fresh. We all come from people, or are people, who have given their all to build up their communities to make a better life for their families.One such Canadian is Erica Shiner, a nominee in the upcoming School Board Trustee by-election. Shiner is the granddaughter of former North York Alderman and deputy mayor, Esther Shiner. Esther Shiner was often known for her passionate work on the GTA transportation system and now has a boulevard and a stadium named in her memory.When Erica Shiner’s great grandparents first came to Canada around the turn of the 20th century, they settled with many other Ashkenazi Jews, around Kensington Market. It was not until around the 1950s that her grandparents, Esther and Sol Shiner, moved up to North York and began establishing their family in our community. Shiner describes her grandparents as being active and concerned neighbors who worked hard to become “pillars of the community”.When speaking of her grandmother, Shiner states, “I'm so proud of everything my grandmother accomplished, especially as there were so few women in politics when she first threw her hat in the ring in the 1970s… I'm really inspired by her. She was so warm and so tough at the same time, and I'm often told that I've inherited her chutzpah”Esther Shiner’s example and passion seems to have been passed down through the generations, with her son (and Erica’s uncle) becoming a city councillor for ward 24 as well. While Shiner has inherited a civic passion and a compassionate personality type from her relatives, she has different plans for how to bring that into the community, by focusing in on the school board to start her political career. When asked about her future plans for the community, Shiner explains her desire to encourage the development of community hubs.Shiner explains, “Connecting children, as well as families, to their neighbourhoods by developing community hubs is a wonderful way to increase community engagement. Creating spaces where we get to know our neighbours and connect educational and recreational resources is a great way to develop our communities to serve the needs of children, seniors, families, and everyone in between.”The Shiner family is an excellent example of what it means to be Canadian, by working to create a better future for our children. Shiner is working hard to carry on that tradition by trying to contribute to our education system here in Downsview.And who knows, the passion and excitement passed down through her Grandmother may yet make it to another generation of Shiners with Erica’s son. When asked about his future Shiner says, “He’s just shy of 5, so it’s a little early to predict his life path” but “My son is the friendliest person I know, so.. It would be no surprise if he carries on the tradition”For more information on Erica Shiner’s campaign, please visit www.ericashiner.com
Jane and Finch Community Centre celebrates 40 years in the community
A little boy reaches for the red plastic firefighter’s helmet and puts it on his head. Next is the yellow jacket. He smiles while looking into the child-sized mirror. His mother looks on approvingly.The scene is the York West Ontario Early Years Centre (OEYC) located in the Jane-Finch Mall. Our firefighter and his mother are two of about twenty taking part in the morning program. According to Manager Nesta Blake, there are usually parents waiting outside every day before opening time.It’s a popular place because OEYC offers a wide range of free programs that support parents and their children up to six years.As the fledgling firefighter played with a toy fire truck, an older woman came in looking for help with her own problems. This occurs often at OEYC, as Ms. Blake does a lot of referrals that go beyond children, and nearly all of those go to the lead agency: the Jane/Finch Family and Community Centre.Located on the ground floor of 4400 Jane Street, the Centre was incorporated in 1976 by residents who wanted to address local issues. This social services agency has grown to offer programs from prenatal to seniors. According to Michelle Dagnino, the Centre’s Executive Director, “our goal is to increase capacity, leadership skills, and provide support for residents in the Jane-Finch area as advocates, and engaged and empowered citizens.“The Centre remains responsive to shifting community needs in large part because of resident advisory groups with decision-making authority over program objectives and outcomes.Once he outgrows the plastic helmet, our fire fighter can go to The Spot, located on the second floor of Yorkgate Mall. The Spot offers youth aged thirteen to thirty a wide range of social, educational, leadership, artistic and recreational programming.If he needs financial advice, there’s FEPS (Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving), which also offers a popular Income Tax Clinic for low income residents.Should he need support in times of crisis, Getting In Touch is a mental health drop-in program which started in 1980.One program he’ll likely never use is Women Moving Forward (WMF), which is for sole support mothers on social assistance between ages 20-29. WMF helps these women build a foundation based on education and meaningful employment, so they and their children can have better lives.Perhaps he’ll want to make a difference in his community. Given its origins, the Centre has always been involved in community development and advocacy. A recent highlight was the Centre’s role in the Jane-Finch TSNS Task Force, a community response to the city’s Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020.Maybe one day, he’ll look on approvingly as his son or daughter puts on a red plastic helmet.You can learn more about the Centre at the 40th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 23, in the parking lot of the Jane-Finch Mall, starting at 11:00 a.m. Or phone the main office at 416-663-2733.See you there!