Warning: Some images and content in this post may be disturbing to some readers.
If you live in Toronto, you may have noticed an increase in the number of graphic anti-abortion posters around the city.
They come courtesy of anti-abortion groups like the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) and Show The Truth Canada and feature images of bloody, dismembered fetuses. The “protests” are known as “truth tours” and “choice chains.”
The City of Toronto announced today that street artists Kirsten McCrae and Jason Pinney have been awarded commissions to create artwork on the underpass on Gerrard Street East at Carlaw Avenue, and on Jones Avenue between Gerrard Street East and Boultbee Avenue.
"I am looking forward to watching artwork from Kirsten and Jason come to life at these sites. These are the first two – of nine – that will bring together the rail line that runs through Toronto's east end,” said Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth).
Toronto City Council voted unanimously at its recent meeting to rename the Regent Park Aquatic Centre after the late Pam McConnell, former deputy mayor and councillor for Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale.
The renaming honours McConnell and her many contributions, with a career spanning seven terms as a city councillor. She served as Deputy Mayor, South and was selected by Mayor Tory in 2015 as the champion of the City's Poverty Reduction Strategy. She also served as a member of the Government Management Committee, the Affordable Housing Committee, and the Toronto and East York Community Council as well as several other boards, committees and business improvement areas. She also was instrumental in getting the Regent Park Aquatic Centre built.
East End “Bridges to Art” is a City of Toronto funded program initiated by local Councillor Paula Fletcher to have an integrated street art vision for a series of murals on rail bridges in the Carlaw-Dundas area. This former industrial area has been transforming into a hub of cultural and creative businesses and residents. There are a total of nine bridges along the rail corridor that stretches from Eastern Avenue to Coxwell Avenue. StreetARToronto (StART) worked with Bespoke Cultural Collective to gather community input to develop a unifying theme and an integrated approach for mural installations at all nine underpass locations. This year two artists will be awarded commissions for the underpass on Gerrard Street at Carlaw Avenue and the underpass on Jones Avenue north of Gerrard Street.
The #TorontoStrong Fund will open a designated account for donations to the victims of the July 22 shooting on the Danforth. This fund will ensure that the generous outpouring of philanthropic support is collected and distributed to those affected in an accountable and transparent manner. The entirety of these donated funds will be distributed to the victims through a process established following the April 23 van attack on Yonge Street and informed by models and best practices from around the world.
We will be gathering for a walk and vigil on Wednesday, July 25th at 7 pm at the corner of Danforth and Bowden Ave to honour the lives of those affected by Sunday night’s tragic event.
Thank you to the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA, the Danforth BIA, our Interfaith Community, Riverdale Share and community members for organizing this.
We will begin with a candlelight procession starting at Bowden Ave walking to Ferrier Ave, and then we will proceed to Alexander the Great Parkette at Logan and Danforth where there will be a short interfaith ceremony.
Dear Friends,
Like you, we are in shock and disbelief about the tragic shooting on the Danforth on Sunday night. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims of this terrible violence. We can't imagine what they are going through. We know that our entire community will support the victims and their families in every way we can.
There are many questions still unanswered as emergency services respond to this tragedy. One thing we do know is that we will not allow our community to be defined by this violence - we will be defined by how we respond. With love, with strength and by coming together.
The City of Toronto and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar track replacement work continues this summer on Broadview Avenue. This will result in the full intersection closure of Broadview Avenue at Gerrard Street East.
From Tuesday, July 24 at 4 a.m. until the beginning of September, the intersection of Broadview Avenue at Gerrard Street East will be fully closed to all traffic. Road users travelling east-west are encouraged to use Eastern Avenue and Dundas Street East or Danforth Avenue. Road users travelling north-south can use Parliament Street, River Street, Logan Avenue or Carlaw Avenue.
Partial Lane Closures: Sunday July 22 to Friday July 27 Surveys to inspect and document underground utilities will require partial lane closures for periods of one hour at a time. From Sunday, July 22 to Friday, July 27 between the hours of 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., crews will be working on the following streets:
1. Lake Shore Boulevard East (between Cherry Street and Saulter Street)
Last year the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) started a summer campaign that used very graphic images to attack the right of women to reproductive choice. Their summer interns dropped flyers door to door and they also demonstrated with large signs on street corners across the City. They are back again this summer.
We held a community meeting last August where we heard from so many of you. Since then Councillor Doucette submitted a motion to City Council that is still be reviewed by City Legal (MM35.10 - Distribution and Display of Graphic Images). We do not expect to hear back from them until the new term.
