In this year’s installment of evaluating park spaces within the Gleaner’s catchment area, our observers noted the impressive revival of Queen’s Park North showing what a great city can do when it focuses its imagination and resources. The neglected Euclid Avenue Park, near Koreatown, shows what happens when these resources are withheld. Compiled by Mary An, Tanya Ielyseieva, and Nicole Stoffman.
By R.S. Konjek
Marek Deska smiles as he remembers that night.
“The cool thing was, I knew the whole time.”
By R.S. Konjek
The ballpark is quiet.
In this final instalment of this year’s Gleaner’s park evaluation once again Christie Pits score an A+ for its design, maintenance, and the sheer volume of activities and facilities there. Paul Martel Mark on Madison Avenue just north of Bloor can fall no further on our scale. It got an F because of the City’s utter neglect of the site.
Brunswick-College Parkette has received an upgrade and a new name, Doctors’ Parkette. A well-maintained and tidy spot, it’s great place to catch a breather in the midst of the busy city. AHMED-ZAKI HAGAR/GLEANER NEWS
Councillor Mike Layton’s (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina) eighth annual kick off to Bike Month returns May 27 from 12 to 5 p.m. at Christie Pits Park.
Bike with Mike is a free, family-friendly community cycling event open to anyone who wants to participate. It will feature a free barbecue and many children’s events like bike decorating, bicycle-themed story telling, and tricycle races. There will also be free bike safety checks, tune-ups, and community cycling information.
PHOTO BY NATHALIE RODRIGUEZ/GLEANER NEWS: Taddle Creek Park’s planters enhance its natural beauty. Exemplifying the best of community green spaces, the park earned top marks for being a relaxing oasis in the heart of the Annex.
PHOTO BY R.S. KONJEK: Jon Waltenbury patrols the outfield at Christie Pits during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ game against the Brantford Red Sox on May 22. Waltenbury’s three-run homer put the Leafs ahead for good, and ensured an 8-6 victory. R. S. Konjek summarizes a month of Maple Leafs in his baseball column.
Tags: Annex · Sports · Maple Leafs Baseball
Upkeep, or lack thereof, marks the return of our popular Grading our Greenspace feature. Published in two parts, we visit parks in our coverage area and review them based on cleanliness, amenities, and atmosphere. Our round-up reflects a mixed bag: some parks continued to be great, while others seem to have dipped further into mediocrity. Unkempt parks, with uncut grass, poorly maintained amenities, and dying flowerbeds, are a major complaint among park users, something that shouldn’t be difficult to address. With greenspace at a premium in our neighbourhoods, our parks have become more important than ever. What our reviews demonstrate is that parks, when well maintained, are thriving community hubs. We’ll publish our second part in the July edition and look forward to your comments, whether they be on parks or on our reviews. All reviews and photography were done by Geremy Bordonaro and Emily Rea.