The leaves are changing colours, the air is getting colder, and people are beginning to bundle up, but that didn’t stop them from heading down to the annual Pumpkin Fest at Downsview Park on thanksgiving weekend.The atmosphere was lively, with a large pumpkin patch, fun rides, an exotic animal petting zoo, and more bouncy castles and food trucks than you could dream of. There were families visiting for the first time as well as some who could not resist coming back for another round.Rajeev Nigom’s family was having an excellent time, especially during pumpkin bowling. Nigom believes that events such as Pumpkin Fest are great for family moments and a healthy way to get kids outside and having fun.The Fawad family was also having a wonderful time at the festival, with son Hammad claiming that it was “awesome, there were so many activities to do!” Daughter Linta said “going climbing and boxing” was so much fun.Guests were also able to meet and pet an exotic kangaroo named Jasmine. Natalie Cheng from Hands On Exotics spoke about Jasmine and the other pets that they carry, such as lemurs and snakes. The organization hopes to teach children about conservation, so festivals like Pumpkin Fest are a great way for children and families to overcome their fears of certain species, or to just have fun meeting new ones.Combined with all of the exciting things to do, Pumpkin Fest’s success can be measured by the many smiling faces around every corner.By: Rhiannon Moller-Trotter and Giovanna Loureiro
Restaurant Review: Moxie’s Grill & Bar
Yorkdale is probably one of the best malls in Canada. In the GTA, it just might take the crown. It has a fairly new food court which is spacious and illuminated well. The many retailers in the mall add to its eclecticism, and proves it has a very vast expanse when it comes to its offerings. What it also has is a great Moxie’s!Located just south of the Indigo Books and Gifts store, it’s a wonderful, mouth-watering restaurant. I had patronized one of its locations in Brampton for family birthdays, then had the awesome idea of trying out the one at Yorkdale. It did not disappoint.I’ve lunched there a few times, later followed by a couple of dinners. The wait staff are mostly millennials. I have to say one thing, they have personality – both the males and females. The ones which I have dealt with have social skills which are par excellence! They know how to engage patrons, and try not to be superficial in their way of serving. Not sure if they are trained like this or if it’s their million dollar personality which gets them the job.The uniforms of the wait staff are classic black. In this case noir is the new black. Moxie’s is more family-oriented and the uniforms give the wait staff a very elegant touch.If you’re dining with your family there are some booths – which are made of leather or leatherette, not sure which – that can feasibly fit a family of four or five. If your family is more plus size it might be a tighter squeeze. There are some stand-alone tables which would be able to accommodate you.The food is delicious. During several trips to Moxie’s I’ve never been disappointed. The portions are very generous. If you are dining with your spouse, or significant other, and don’t have large appetites, I would suggest you get two appetizers and one entrée. It would leave you both satisfied.The last trip my wife and I had their spectacular bruschetta and chicken wings. Heavenly. Every bite was better than the last. It’s that good! My wife elected to opt for a Coke when it came to her beverage, I tried their Virgin Caesar. They really know how to make a Virgin Caesar! Be careful if you order one – it comes with a jalapeno pepper.The main course we dined on was fries and fish tacos. Moxie’s has one of the best fish tacos on this side of the universe! From the first time I tried it, I could not resist it on subsequent trips. One other dining companion opted for their burger. He was mightily impressed.Their restrooms are also a sight to behold with their flat screens and haute sinks. A very nice touch.Moxie’s is ideal for feasting any day of the week.Address: Yorkdale Shopping Centre, 3401 Dufferin St.Phone: (416) 787-7600Website: www.yorkdale.com/stores/moxies-classic-grill
Modernizing Transit Need Not Create Social Class Divides
You may have noticed posters placed in some TTC stations advising riders that tokens will no longer be accepted at unmanned entrances. These ads represent a new, more aggressive push for adoption of the PRESTO card that has been in deployment for several years across the GTA. While there are useful qualities to tap cards, tokens have three important features that the Province of Ontario and City of Toronto overlooked when pressuring the TTC to phase out this alternative currency that has been used since the 1950s.The primary benefits of PRESTO cards stem from their ease of use in the digital era. You can “top-up” online with a credit card. That’s fine for many TTC riders. It’s not so easy for many others. Public transit is a fundamental social pillar used by some of the most vulnerable people in our society: the poor, elderly, sick, and young. For these riders, added complexity—even small levels of added complexity—are a barrier to access. Tokens are simple, well understood, easy to use, and ubiquitous. For those who cannot readily use the Internet, having to visit “select” TTC stations in person to “top-up” creates unnecessary hardship, not to mention that such money is not immediately available for use on their card. As a result, cash becomes the next simplest, viable alternative. And the cash fare is roughly 12% more, effectively the same as sales tax!Taxing the vulnerable is a practice we detest, but there are deeper issues such as identity. Not all TTC riders can easily establish and maintain a verifiable identity—something that is required to have a PRESTO card. Tokens are anonymous, untraceable, and that’s a good thing. Even assuming the best case of world-class technology and privacy law adherence, recent history repeatedly teaches us that it’s not enough. A support worker at a homeless shelter or food bank can hand a token to a visitor effortlessly—not so with a PRESTO card.It is true that transit users can currently still use the “main entrances” of TTC stations in order to pay with tokens. The overlooked result is a social-class divide, where vulnerable riders are no longer allowed to use the unmanned entrances they had used for decades with tokens & turnstiles. Instead, they must go wait in long lines with the other “people who refuse to modernize”, corralled into a place for that lower class of rider. Tokens do not draw lines across social class like PRESTO cards. Preventing the use of tokens to some entrances will not increase PRESTO card adoption. It simply separates people according to entrances in a manner that were decried in social movements of decades past, with no tangible benefit.I am not advocating against the PRESTO card. It has value. My concern rests with phasing out the token so aggressively. The TTC reassures us that it is a “transition period” and that a “network of vendors will eventually be established” to support single-ride anonymous card purchases. Yet, in the meantime, it is barrelling forward constraining token usage without viable alternatives in place. Why not simply delay token phase out until everything is ready? Modernizing transit need not create social class divides.
Mayor Tory talks Manufacturing in DUKE Heights
On the morning of Tuesday September 13th, approximately 250 people gathered at Teknion furniture headquarters for some breakfast and to hear Mayor John Tory speak. It was the Mayor’s Economic Update Breakfast and the purpose of the event was to remind everyone that manufacturing is an essential part of Toronto’s economy.The mayor’s message was clear: we need manufacturing in order to be a successful economy and there was no better neighborhood to deliver this message than in DUKE Heights. This is a neighborhood that provides many of the manufacturing jobs in the GTA, with manufacturing being the second largest source of employment for the 30,000 employees who work in the area.Mayor Tory emphasized that Toronto has a very competitive market for manufacturing. Toronto is home to some extremely innovative and intelligent individuals who create quality goods whose production is supported by good laws. The Mayor stated that because of these things, despite the economic downturn of 2008, manufacturing has grown in Toronto. In the last few years the GTA has added 1300 new jobs in manufacturing.Despite this growth, our local manufacturing sector is suffering. Canadian companies do not seem to have very strong exports and despite the Mayor’s claims that there are laws setup to support the manufacturing sector, there are many other road blocks from the city and local infrastructure that hinder development. The Mayor gave an example of a local company that wished to expand their food processing plant. For this addition they needed to receive new permits and hook up hydro to the new part of the building. It took so long to go through these official processes that the new addition of the plant was built and ready long before hydro was hooked up. Mayor Tory stated that he is aware of the roadblocks that manufacturers face when dealing with the City and city infrastructure and says he takes responsibility for these problems. “Time is money” says Tory “and we are working on that”. What form that work and responsibility will take remains unspecified at this juncture as this update seemed to serve mostly as a morale boost to the manufacturing sector.It is understandable since more than ever manufacturing is seen as a less viable career option. Part of the importance of holding his update at a factory like Teknion is to showcase what modern manufacturing can be. The products at Teknion are sleek and professionally engineered and the work is both craftsmanship and technology based. Teknion is a good example that to be successful in modern manufacturing requires intense training, education, trade skills and more.One thing to take from this economic update event is to try a little harder to support our local industry by buying local and supporting Canadian manufacturers.
A Community Initiative Comes to Life at the New Driftwood Parkette Playground
On August 13th over 200 volunteers came together at Driftwood Parkette (359 Driftwood Ave.) for the one-day build of a new playground.The playground is a result of a partnership between Councillor Anthony Perruzza’s office, the City of Toronto’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation department, local residents, and organizations.Celia Smith, a local resident and community activist was deeply involved with the project from the beginning. Celia explained that through her work with Action for Neighbourhood Change she consistently heard community members asking for better play spaces for children.In 2015 Celia decided to reach out to Councillor Perruzza’s office, and soon after, a partnership to obtain funding began with Parks, Forestry and Recreation. Part of the initial process involved Celia and the tenant group at 415 Driftwood collecting signatures of support.An application for funding was successful and the city joined forces with Foresters Financial, and KaBOOM! to construct the new playground. KaBOOM! is a non-profit based in the U.S. dedicated to improving the lives of children by creating great places for them to play. Foresters Financial and KaBOOM! partnered to generously provide funding for the new playground. In the last decade their partnership has resulted in the construction of over 130 playgrounds across Canada and the U.S.The consultation process began with children from Shoreham Public school participating in a design day event. “The students were so excited about having an input on the design that they didn’t want to put the markers down. It gave them a great sense of pride to create the drawings” said Hanan Mohamed, who works with Councillor Perruzza.Following the design day, local residents participated in a consultation to decide on the playground equipment based on the children’s drawings. It is great to see that many of the children’s ideas have come to life in the playground through the form of rock climbing walls, slides, spring toys, picnic tables (with game tops to play chess or checkers), and accessible swings.Councillor Perruzza explained that "this project demonstrates what can be accomplished when the City partners with businesses to make Toronto's green spaces more livable," and is looking forward to how the "neighbourhood will benefit greatly from this new playground for years to come."Celia recalls the one-day build with great enthusiasm, “it was amazing! I’ve worked on so many projects, but have never seen anything like this one. There were over 200 people helping and it was so well organized.” In regards to what this meant to the children and youth in the neighbourhood, Celia mentions that, “this really helped them learn valuable skills and it is good to see them enjoying the playground. The kids would roll down the hill before, so it shows how necessary this playground was. It also helps parents because they can take their kids to a safe place to play and they know exactly where their kids are.”The Driftwood Parkette playground is an inspiring example of what communities can achieve when they work together.
Restaurant Review: Wimpy’s Diner, 590 Sheppard Ave W., Phone: (416) 635-7013.
Wimpy’s Diner is part of a chain of restaurants mostly found in the suburbs or exurbia. I’ve never come across one in downtown Toronto. The one that is being reviewed sits in that large strip mall at the northwest corner of Sheppard Ave. West and Bathurst.The restaurant is always hopping with patrons. For anyone who craves some good grub at 3am in the morning, this will be the place for you, because it’s opened 24 hours.The servers are always vivacious and have the joie de vivre. They always smile and always punctuate their pleasant greetings with a smattering of conversation, if you, yourself, are of the sociable ilk.The kitchen is exposed allowing you to marvel at the wonder of the cooks and sous chefs, who can whip up cuisine in a matter of minutes. Wimpy’s décor reminds one of Alice’s restaurant from the titular eighties comedy. But, rest assured, you won’t find a surly cook or Flo to tell him to “kiss my grits!”No, this Wimpy’s is always bursting with life! CP24 is on all day long on three overhead flat screen TVs. And that’s a good thing in case you’ve had a busy day and missed the news. The restaurant has many pictures celebrating iconic American celebrities from the days of yore, like Elvis, screen goddess Marilyn Monroe, and the quintessential American “rebel without a cause,” James Dean.Wimpy’s has a very eclectic menu. It offers an all-day breakfast menu, which would please those who are into hashbrowns, toast, and eggs. Sunny side up, anyone? If you have more of an affinity for Greek inspired food they offer three variations of souvlaki. Trust me, their Greek salads are, unequivocally, heavenly.Of course, there are pastas for those with an Italian bent. I would highly recommend the chicken parmigiana. The servings are so huge you can take home a care package for lunch the following day.For the health nuts, and those, who are more into seafood, there is wonderful haddock served with your choice of potatoes or fries (their mashed potatoes are out of this world!), and either a garden salad, or my favourite, Greek salad topped with olives, feta cheese, and Italian dressing.For more Canadian-inspired fare, you may want to opt for the club house sandwich with coleslaw, which was the choice of my dining companion. I did manage to taste a sampling of the coleslaw, and it was absolutely delish! Jamie Oliver, if you’re reading this, you don’t know what you’re missing!I’ve always found the wait staff very congenial at Wimpy’s. They always check in on you while you’re dining and can accommodate all requests. There is always music from the eighties streaming while you savour your meal. The miniature juke boxes by every booth are inoperable but add a nice aesthetic touch.For those wishing to place an order for pick-up, your wish can be granted. Make your next meal be one at Wimpy’s! Sorry, they don’t take reservations. First come, first served.
On the Go? Grab Some Fresh Fruits and Vegetables during your Commute
If you regularly commute through Downsview Station you may have recently noticed a food market with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Grab Some Good TTC pop-up food market is an initiative by Toronto Public Health, the TTC, and FoodShare Toronto to make healthy and affordable food more accessible throughout the city.The produce sold at the pop-up market comes directly from the Ontario Food Terminal (which is the main food distribution centre for Toronto,) and from local farms who supply seasonal produce. This guarantees low-cost high-quality fresh produce that is never sitting on a shelf.The pop-up market has a variety of affordable and fresh produce including: oranges, cantaloupe, watermelons strawberries, blackberries, carrots, kiwis, peaches, pineapples, lettuce, kale, spinach, cilantro, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, mushrooms, avocados, cauliflower, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and other produce. For commuters that needed a meal on the go there were fresh salads and fruit cups available.Barbara Emanuel, Manager of Healthy Living at Toronto Public Health explained that, “prices are as low as possible to enable access to fresh produce,” which encourages commuters to make healthier food choices without breaking their food budget.In addition to providing healthy food alternatives at affordable prices, FoodShare employs community members like Rickysha Jean-Baptiste, a lifetime resident of the Downsview neighbourhood, who works at the pop-up market. Rickysha began working with FoodShare Toronto after completing a placement through the University of Guelph-Humber, where she studies. Her passion for the Grab Some Good market is visible through the friendly customer service she provides to commuters. According to Rickysha, her and her colleagues usually serve over 100 customers in their 4 hours of operation, and consistently receive positive feedback from commuters who would love to see an earlier start time for the pop-up market.The Grab Some Good pop-up market is a pilot project that started in May 2016, and will hopefully become a permanent fixture at Downsview Station. You can purchase affordable, fresh, diverse, and healthy produce at Downsview Station on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
A Cleaner Downsview Community: One Mailed Letter at a Time
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