Gleaner

Serving Toronto's most liveable community with the Annex Gleaner

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: A report card on our parks – part 2 (Sept. 2024)

November 8th, 2024 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: A report card on our parks – part 2 (Sept. 2024)

Each year the Annex Gleaner reviews the many parks and parkettes in our coverage area using a variety of criteria. While there is no decisive “winner” of the grading, letter grades are assigned to convey the quality of the parks, considering aspects such as upkeep, design, and amenities.

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Tags: Annex · Life

FOCUS: Grading our greenspace (Fall 2023)

December 5th, 2023 · Comments Off on FOCUS: Grading our greenspace (Fall 2023)

This collection of park reviews contains the first eight parks reviewed this year, with more gradings to come in future editions of the Annex Gleaner.

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Tags: Annex · Life

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: Third and final instalment (Oct. 2022)

October 19th, 2022 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: Third and final instalment (Oct. 2022)

Continuing from the August & September editions we review area parks and assign a letter grade. Park amenities, tree coverage, seating and waste management all go into the evaluations each year.

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Tags: Annex · Life

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (July 2021)

August 16th, 2021 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (July 2021)

The improving pandemic situation has led to some of the parks that were locked up last year to be set free again. Huron Washington Parkette and Margaret Fairley Park have been restored to their former glory. But, neglect and lack of resources have persisted in others like Sally Bird Park and Euclid Avenue Parkette.

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Tags: Annex · Life

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: Grading the green (August 2020)

September 9th, 2020 · 1 Comment

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.

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Tags: Annex · Life

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: Open spaces in the heart of the Annex (Summer 2019)

July 16th, 2019 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: Open spaces in the heart of the Annex (Summer 2019)

Lots of places for ambling with a dog, playing sports, or watching the world go by This is our first set of park reviews for 2019. The Annex and its surroundings are blessed with a rich array of green space — much of it under the umbrella of city parks. We grade them here, every year […]

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Tags: Annex · Life

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: More attention to green spaces means parks are improving (July 2018)

July 18th, 2018 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: More attention to green spaces means parks are improving (July 2018)

Annual review highlights spots for a picnic, spots for strolling, spots for playing Our annual review of the green spaces in the Annex is one of our most popular features. This year’s inspection reveals that a local focus on green spaces has yielded parks that, for the most part, are cleaner and better maintained. There’s […]

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Tags: Annex · General · Life

CHATTER: University of Toronto Schools to celebrate Day of Pink (Spring 2018)

May 1st, 2018 · Comments Off on CHATTER: University of Toronto Schools to celebrate Day of Pink (Spring 2018)

Students from the University of Toronto Schools (UTS) will join schools across the city and around the world to mark Day of Pink on April 11. A feature of the celebration will be their annual public event during lunch hour in Matt Cohen Park at Bloor Street West and Spadina Road. It’s the fifth year […]

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Tags: Annex · News

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (JULY 2017): Open spaces in the heart of the Annex

August 1st, 2017 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (JULY 2017): Open spaces in the heart of the Annex

Lots of places for ambling with a dog, playing sports, or watching the world go by Where are the best bathrooms, the best spots to laze away a day, or the best place to run a dog? It’s all here in the second instalment of our annual parks review. We’ll run the third and final […]

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Tags: Annex · Life

Green sanctuaries in the heart of the city

June 15th, 2016 · Comments Off on Green sanctuaries in the heart of the city

Annual parks survey returns 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 […]

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Tags: Annex · Life

LETTERS

May 13th, 2016 · Comments Off on LETTERS

Beware the corporatization of Bloor Street Re “Rexall replaces Brunswick House” (April 2016): Anyone who sees Rexall’s move into the Brunswick location as a good thing or as a positive addition to the neighbourhood is sorrily mistaken. I am not sentimental regarding the loss of the Brunswick House itself, but sad to see a large […]

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Tags: Annex · Letters

NEWS: Break out the pink on April 13

March 9th, 2016 · Comments Off on NEWS: Break out the pink on April 13

By Brian Burchell University of Toronto Schools (UTS) will mark its third annual celebration of International Day of Pink with an expanded mandate to raise money for Sprott House, which opened last month in the Annex. Led by UTS guidance counsellor Catherine Wachter and organized by the students themselves, the day builds awareness of homophobia, […]

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Tags: Annex · News