News and Updates

Subscribe to my weekly and community updates. Catch up on recent editions of my weekly e-newsletter.

Sunday June 24th, join friends and neighbours for the 2012 Leslieville Tree Festival. It will be a day of music, entertainment, kids’ activities and green education. Local eco-friendly products, hand crafted goods, art and culinary delights available from local vendors. Admission is free and all are welcome.

What: Leslieville Tree Festival Where: Leslie Grove Park (Queen St and Jones Ave)

Permit fees for sports fields are on the agenda again at City Hall.  On Tuesday, June 12, the City's Executive Committee will consider a report on permit fees and sport fields. The report addresses issues that were raised by sports organizations in consultations over the past month.  The report can be found here   http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2012.EX21.8

In 2008, City Council introduced a 5cent bag fee and set a goal of a 70% reduction of plastic bags in Toronto.

Since then

  • bag usage has declined by 53%, from 457 million to 215 million bags annually
  • major retailers are donating some of the net proceeds to environmental causes and
  • a culture of renewable bag usage has been widely adopted
"Reducing use of plastic bags is good for the environment," said City Councillor Paula Fletcher.  "It takes a tremendous amount of petroleum to produce plastic bags. According to Green Footprints, the same amount of petroleum energy is used to make 9 plastic bags as to drive 1 km in a car."

A Remarkable New Park is Coming

The City will unveil plans for the new park as the forecourt to the historic Old Don Jail as part of the redevelopment of the Bridgepoint Hospital. It will create a panoramic view of this heritage landmark, providing a calm, tranquil setting for the community to enjoy.

The park is being developed by Plenary Health/PCL for the City of Toronto.

Neighbours Together on Canada Day will host its 19th Canada Day celebration on July 1st in Toronto’s Riverdale Park.  The celebration is organized by my office, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce (East Toronto) in conjunction with elected representatives, Peter Tabuns and Craig Scott.  businesses, and local community partners.

Highlights of the celebration will include:

The TD Festival of South Asia celebrates the experience, culture, and cuisine of South Asia. From Bhangra to Basmati to Bollywood music, this event has all the ingredients to make festival visitors feel like they've traveled the world.

The TD Festival of South Asia takes place July 07-08 in Toronto along Gerrard Street East between Greenwood and Coxwell Avenue from 12:00-11:00 p.m. The entertainment line-up promises to be a showstopper. On 07th July, the TD Festival of South Asia is presenting its second South Asia's Got Talent show for Toronto based youth. This show is based on a popular reality show Britain's Got Talent. It will aim to showcase the best Toronto youth have to offer in dance, singing, drama, magic and much, much more. Visit southasiasgottalent.com for complete details on this maiden talent show.

The South Riverdale Good Food Market is a community initiative, in partnership with Foodshare, that strives to increase access to fresh food at affordable prices. The Riverdale Food Working Group is composed of community members and organizations striving to make Riverdale a food friendly and food secure neighbourhood.

The market will be open every Tuesday for the summer from 3pm-7pm, located on the grassy area between SRCHC and the church. This is a great community initiative that strives to increase access of fresh food at affordable prices. It is a partnership program with Foodshare.

Art of the Danforth  is  scheduled to for May 20 – June 10. The 2012 festival will include:  public art, art in stores, walking tours, community workshops and performance, presented in venues such as: vacant storefronts, commercial spaces, public spaces such as parks, parking lots and sidewalks.

They will be displaying art, created by both professional artists and community groups,  on and near the Danforth between Greenwood & Woodbine Ave.

The 14th Annual Riverdale Art Walk takes place June 2nd and 3rd. This year's festival will feature more than 125 artists. The artwork will be displayed in stores and galleries along Queen St E, and dozens or artists will be showing their works in Jimmie Simpson Park.
Where: Along Queen St E from the Don River to Jimmie Simpson Park When: Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday June 3rd, 11am-6pm

Air Quality Impact Study South Riverdale and Leslieville

In July 2005, the Toronto Board of Health requested that the City examine the air quality and associated health impacts in the South Riverdale-Leslieville-Beaches area of Toronto. The study was developed in cooperation with staff of Toronto Public Health and with the input of local residents on the study’s special Liaison Committee.

Take action

Sign up for Updates
News and Updates
Upcoming Events