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.
Humber River Regional Hospital: New Site, Same Problems
Part 1“The union filed a complaint,” the nurse said to her colleague. “They don’t want us porting patients. But I don’t know how to use the new computerized porter booking system, so I just do it myself.” By her own account, she has more than 20 years’ experience in nursing, including at the old Humber River Regional Hospital.During my previous chemotherapy session, she was the “senior” nurse who had angrily and confrontationally increased the drip rate of the drug I was receiving, overruling a younger, more recently educated nurse, whose patient I was. The “senior” felt that I was “wasting their time” by insisting they follow the chemotherapy protocol laid out in my file by my oncologist.When I had an entirely preventable rigors reaction (intense sweating and uncontrollable shaking) to the drug minutes later, the “experienced” nurse shrugged it off, casually saying, “well, that has never happened before.”Except similar events have happened before. Frequently.The “old” Humber River Regional Hospital (at its site on Finch Avenue West) had frequent problems with patient care. The first problem I heard was from my 19-year-old neighbour who went to emergency with unexplained continuous bleeding from his nose. He bled for 36 hours at the hospital while doctors found “nothing wrong with him”. “It felt like the doctors and nurses didn’t take me seriously because there was no obvious bullet wound causing the bleeding,” he told me. He believes that he would have died if his terrified parents hadn’t taken him out of the Humber River and checked him in to Sunnybrook hospital. “The University Health Network (UHN) was completely different”, he recounted. “They actually cared about me and took my condition seriously. They put me on a new drug and it saved my life.”His story and many similar ones were used to justify the massive cost of the new Humber River site, with claims of the latest technology improving patient care. And plenty new technology is being used, like the pneumatic tubes that deliver blood samples to the lab at such high speed that they shatter the blood cells, leading to faulty test results. “They promised us when they installed the system that it wouldn’t harm the blood samples,” another nurse told me. But that didn’t prevent my being admitted to emergency due to a bad test result. “You are standing and talking to me, so this result can’t be correct. You would be dead,” the ER doctor told me looking at my blood test result after I waited 60 minutes to be admitted (imagine if it had been a correct result!). A couple of days later it was, “the system would have beeped to warn me, don’t worry!” said casually by a nurse who almost gave me the wrong type of blood transfusion (which could have killed me).Technology is neither the problem nor the solution in these cases. The underlying cause is a lack of critical thought, patience, and listening to patients by burned out, jaded health care professionals. And the patient experiences that I have heard about at the “new” Humber River while researching this story are exactly like the old ones: Medication screw ups, sending elderly patients to non-OHIP-covered offsite clinics they can’t afford, uncompassionate and confrontational medical professionals, and long wait times, including in emergency cases.Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article in the next edition.
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.
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
Repair Cafe in Downsview
|
On Saturday, June 18th, there was a steady stream of people who came to the Driftwood Community Centre for the Repair Cafe. Over 60 people got their items fixed for free!
   Photo credits: Heather Ramsay
|
March North York Really Really Free Market
Photo Credit: Tahoy James
YUM farmers market @ York University
Students and staff came to check out the YUM farmer's market outside the Scott Library at York University on Thursday March 31st
Ward 8 Environment Days
ICC International Women's Day Seminar
To celebrate International Women's Day the Iranian Canadian Congress' Cultural Committee and the Iranian Women's Association of Ontario, led a discussion about Iranian Women in Cinema. The discussion was held on March 6th at the North York Public Library and featured Dr. Khatereh Sheibani a professor from York University.
PEACH 25th Anniversary Celebration
On Thursday February 25th at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club PEACH (Promoting Education and Community Health) celebrated their 25th anniversary in the Jane and Finch community. We have some pictures of the event below for you in case you missed the festivities!Photo Credits: Atieno Miguna 
