Dear Friends,
Thank you for your strong support to try and keep Jimmie Simpson as a Priority Community Centre with free recreation for everyone. Over 500 Jimmie Simpson Centre users signed the petition – the most signatures of any priority centre. The petition was submitted to the special budget meeting of City Council.
The following motion to Council lost by only 2 votes:
"That City Council continue to provide free recreation programming in Priority Centres for all participants regardless of the age of the registrant so that the $200K revenue to be generated from paid registrants be eliminated and be offset by a reduction in the Welcome Policy Expenditure Budget."
Vote (Amend Item) Feb-24-2011 4:38 PM
|
Result:Lost |
Majority Required - EX3.4 - McConnell - motion 1 |
| Yes: 21 | Maria Augimeri, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| No: 23 | Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Michelle Berardinetti, Gary Crawford, Mike Del Grande, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Karen Stintz, Michael Thompson |
| Absent: 1 | Vincent Crisanti |
What's next?
The new adult user fees will not apply to the Spring-Summer programs. They start in the Fall-Winter session and will apply to all programs which are classified as "adult". The exception is AcTIVe8. This program for people with developmental disabilities is a partnership with Community Living and will not have any user fee.
The City's Welcome Policy for individuals and families living below the LICO (Low Income Cut-Off) will be available at Jimmie Simpson. To apply for a Welcome Policy Membership register online http://www.toronto.ca/parks/torontofun/welcome_policy.htm or call 3-1-1. Welcome Policy Memberships go from September 1st until August 31st each year. Please register NOW if you are eligible. And please let me know if you are turned down for any reason.
Thank you again for all of your calls, your petitions and emails expressing your concerns about these new user fees and the impact they would have on your families and our community. Access to recreation for all has been an important principle in Toronto and we are all deeply saddened to see this reversed with no public debate.
The City is reviewing all of its recreation programming in the coming months and will be holding community consultations. I will let you know when and where so you can contribute your very important ideas.
Let’s continue to work together to keep Jimmie Simpson a vibrant community centre which contributes to the physical and mental health in our community while fostering important neighbourhood connections.
Working for you,
Paula Fletcher
My spring newsletter is out! Plus: free compost this weekend & 2024 Environment Days.
Read my latest update on engagement and enforcement activities at Tommy Thompson Park and the Leslie Street Spit.
