October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE: A report card on our parks (Summer 2024)
A plethora of Annex-area parks under scrutiny
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. The reviews accompanying the grades also let the reader know what makes each space unique. This is the first instalment of reviews for 2024.
By Mia Keskinen
The beautifully designed Robert Street Park is a quiet oasis away from the hustle and bustle of traffic and noise. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Robert St. Park
50 Sussex Ave. Grade: A (last year’s grade A) Time of visit: 2:30 p.m. Reason to go: Located by Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street, Robert Street Park is a well-maintained park abundant with amenities. This park was originally called the Robert Street Field Project and was created by the University of Toronto as a multi-use greenspace for all ages to enjoy. The park features cottage-style chairs epitomizing summer comfort, mini pavilions built in the shape of trees, benches surrounded by hydrangeas, unique rope structures for little ones, as well as a butterfly garden. Like Paul Martel, this park features an Indigenous art piece on one of the walls. Robert Street Park is next to a large field that often hosts soccer games for teams of all ages. Overall, Robert Street Park is a wonderful place to relax during summer in the city. Overheard: Three men playing Caribbean music, dancing together, dimples carved into their cheeks from the smiles with which they sing. Did you know: In the Robert Street playing field to the north, the University of Toronto drilled 153 boreholes, each 850 feet deep, in order to extract geothermal energy to heat and cool the new Spadina-Sussex Student Residence as well as connect to the university on the other side of Spadina. In 2020, when it was built, it is the largest geothermal installation in the country, and it will ultimately lead to a 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions from heating and cooling the university’s buildings. (See gleanernews.ca, March 2020, keywords: Robert Street geothermal).
Jesse Ketchum Park is a fabulous greenspace again earning a high grade. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Jesse Ketchum Park
1310 Bay St. Grade: A+ (last year’s grade: A+) Time of visit: 10:00 a.m. Reason to go: Jesse Ketchum Park reminds city-goers of the innate charm of simplicity. The essentials are covered: pathways lined with benches, water fountains, and trees swaying in the summer breeze. Despite the greenspace’s location at the corner of Avenue Road and Davenport Road, the sound does not distract too much from the park’s ambiance, as the trees and expanse of the park absorb much of the oncoming traffic. Located near Jesse Ketchum School, the park is also close to a soccer field where children can often be seen playing sports in the sun. This park is a delightful stop for those who are looking to appreciate nature amongst an urban landscape. Overheard: Two dog owners laughing as their pups roughhouse. Did you know: This park was named after Jesse Ketchum, who was well-known for his philanthropic efforts towards education. One of his most notable contributions was his support for public education. He donated land for the first public school in Toronto which was named Jesse Ketchum School in his honor.
Paul Martel Park’s planting beds, paths, indigenous murals, audio tour, and ample seating make this a must-see destination. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Paul Martel Park
10 Madison Ave. Grade: A (last year’s grade: A) Time of visit: 1:55 p.m. Reason to go: In 2022, Paul Martel Park was rated by the Gleaner as the most improved park going from a D- to an A within a year due to a transformative restoration. This greenspace, located near the intersection of Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street, continues to uphold its charming allure with several painted park benches, cottage-style chairs lining the paths, and abundant wildflowers. This park is pleasing to the eye. Along the back wall, which provides a level of privacy given that the park is right behind Spadina station, is a beautiful Indigenous mural of vibrant orange and blue hues which pays tribute to our innate connection with nature. There is a sign explaining Indigenous peoples’ profound worldviews and beliefs. This greenspace is perfect for those who wish to rest in the shade as the summer sun elucidates the cityscape. Overheard: Birdsong from robins hop through the bushes, taking mud baths to cleanse themselves. Did you know: The park is named after Paul Martel, a well-known local resident who was dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of urban greenspaces.
Vermont Square is a Seaton Village gem. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Vermont Square Park
819 Palmerston Ave. Grade: A (reviewed last in 2022, grade then A+) Time of visit: 1:45 p.m. Reason to go: This park is a gem within Seaton Village. Despite being located close to Bathurst Street and Dupont Avenue, there is a pervasive calm and quiet that exists within this greenspace. As sunset rolls over the hills of Vermont Square Park, children can be seen chasing liquid gold until the sun falls asleep, playing into the hours of the night. Within its expansive grounds, lie various amenities: paths that linger through the park, various benches, as well as a playground built like a pirate ship. This park is often bustling from sunrise to sunset and draws in folks of all ages, be it the little ones who walk the plank, or the parents who gather to watch their little pirates. Given its expansive grounds and several amenities, this greenspace is the perfect place for all park-goers. Did you know: Vermont Square Park has a rich history, dating back to its establishment in the late 19th century. It has evolved over the years to become a beloved community gathering place.
Doctors’ Parkette features too much hardscaping. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Doctors’ Parkette
15 Brunswick Ave. Grade: C- (last year c-) Time of visit: 3:05 p.m. Reason to go: It is easy to bypass Doctors’ Parkette on one’s commute. While other greenspaces on the list have plenty of trees to provide ample shade, Doctors’ Parkette, located at College Street and Brunswick Avenue, is sorely lacking shade. Additionally, this park is almost entirely paved, making it feel very urbanized, much like the rest of one’s experience of living downtown. Its benches are uncomfortable due to the direct sun, and surfaces are hot to the touch. While the extensive hardscaping is not desirable, the pavers do exhibit an attractive pattern Overall though, this park still has room for improvement. Overheard: “Apparently pigeons are entirely domesticated and reliant on people for survival because we used to use them as messenger pigeons,” a friend said to another friend, while feeding the pigeons. Did you know: The parkette’s name pays homage to the medical professionals who have historically been part of the community or contributed to the city’s development and to Doctor’s Hospital which was located just north of the space on Brunswick Ave until 1998.
Christie Pits Park
750 Bloor St. W. Grade: A+ (Last year A+) Time of visit: 2:09 p.m. Reason to go: Among one of the largest and most well-known parks in the city, Christie Pits is a favourite for those who need to escape to nature amid the fast-paced city life. Its convenient location next to Christie subway station, and its many amenities create a unique pull. Aside from the rolling hills and standard park amenities such as picnic benches and a clean washroom, Christie Pits offers various attractions including an outdoor swimming pool, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, and a skateboard park. The park truly comes alive during the summer, as there is always something to keep oneself entertained within the breadth of this greenspace, be it a weekly movie-night under the summer stars, pop-up vendors, or a picnic in celebration of pride month. This park teeming with life is worth visiting this summer. Overheard: A young woman lying on the grassy knoll humming to herself happily with a book in hand. Did you know: The park was originally known as Willowvale Park, but it was renamed Christie Pits in recognition of the Christie Sand Pits which were used for sand extraction in the early 1900s. The park is also named after the Christie Sand Company which owned the quarry.
Gwendolyn MacEwan Park is something of an island oasis offering ample seating and garden. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Gwendolyn MacEwen Park
33 Walmer Rd. Time of visit: 12:01 p.m. Grade: B- (Last year’s grade: B-) Reason to go: Located at Walmer Road and Lowther Avenue, Gwendolyn MacEwen Park is a quaint, small greenspace featuring flower beds laden with lush purple hues. The park lies in front of Walmer Road Baptist Church where there is a beautiful Indigenous mural. Amenities include several park benches where park goers can relax. The park is in the middle of a roundabout, providing scenery for passersby on their commute. The only drawback of this park is the noise, given its location in the heart of a roundabout. Overheard: Dogs panting happily as they sniff the flowerbeds on their afternoon walk. Did you know: The park celebrates the life and work of Gwendolyn MacEwen who made significant contributions to Canadian literature. It serves as a reminder of her impact on the literary community and her connection to the Annex neighborhood.
Jesse Ketchum Park is a fabulous greenspace again earning a high grade. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Jay MacPherson Green
255 Avenue Rd. Time of visit: 1:20 p.m. Grade: A- (Last year’s grade: A-) Reason to go: Jay Macpherson Green is a small park located at the bustling intersection of Avenue Road and Dupont Street and encircled by Victorian homes. Its amenities consist of several benches, amongst the tall sway of the trees under the warm summer sun. Unfortunately, due to its location on a main road, noise pollution makes this park harder to enjoy than others on the list; however, the park serves its purpose, given that it is well kept. The park is across from Sergeant Ryan Russell Parkette. Overheard: “C’mon boys!” says a dog walker walking with ten dogs in tow, relishing the warm summer sun. Did you know: The park is named after Jay Macpherson, a celebrated Canadian poet and academic known for her contributions to Canadian literature. She won the Governor General’s Award for Poetry in 1957 for her book The Boatman.
Sergeant Ryan Russell Parkette
Time of visit: 1:45 p.m. Rating: A (last year B+) Reason to go: Sergeant Ryan Russell Parkette, near Jay Macpherson Green, is also located at Avenue Road and Dupont Street. The park provides more of an escape from the din of traffic than Jay Macpherson Green because the trees block the view of the roadway, creating a better sense of privacy. This park is great for those with little ones as the parkette features a large enclosed playground for children to safely enjoy, as well as benches for parents to sit and chat. Overheard: “You’ll never catch me!” a little one yells to one of his friends, childlike wonder painted across his face as he runs from his friends during a game of tag. Did you know: This park was named after Sergeant Ryan Russell who died in the line of duty on Jan. 12, 2011 in the arms of his fellow officer, Sergeant Sarah Andrews. The tragedy took place nearby on Avenue Road.
The road ends here: bookending Boswell with greenery. MIA KESKINEN/GLEANER NEWS
Boswell Parkette
4 Boswell Ave. Time of visit: 1:25 p.m. Grade: B (last year’s grade: B) Reason to go: Boswell Parkette is a small pocket that can be easily missed while walking through the city. It provides a beautiful canopy of trees which form a passageway to a residential area along Boswell Avenue to Avenue Road. This greenery adds an additional level of privacy and serenity to a quaint neighbourhood, and it absorbs noise for those who live within the historical homes, located close to a main road. Finding this spot is a pleasant surprise for passersby amidst the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. The noises of the streets are unfortunately audible making this parkette less ambient than others on the list, but it can still be an enjoyable quick stop, nature amongst the urban landscape. Though its amenities are few, a single bench by a bus stop, Boswell Parkette is nonetheless an enjoyable place to pass through while waiting for the bus. Overheard: A group of girls giggling and laughing with each other, carrying a bouquet of flowers; a glimpse of girlhood within a fast-paced urban jungle. Did you know: Boswell Parkette was named after Toronto’s 24th mayor, Arthur Radcliffe Boswell, who is most remembered for hosting a renowned party in commemoration of Toronto’s 50th anniversary in 1884.
October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on CHATTER (Summer 2024)
Cornfest returns; Koreatown’s inaugural street festival; street closure at Bloor and St. George streets
Cornfest returns to Jean Sibelius Park on Sept 15 (3-5pm)
COURTESY MIMI TOMPKINS/ARA
The Annex Residents’ Association is again hosting its annual Cornfest. All are welcome to this rain or shine event to enjoy the sweet seasonal treat together with baked goods, games, and live entertainment!
Koreatown Street Festival
The Korea Town BIA hosted its inaugural street festival on August 10 featuring food vendors, drumming performances, and a brass band. A portion of Euclid Avenue from Bloor St. W was closed for the Saturday evening event which drew a large gathering.
Bloor and St. George full closure
BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
The city has announced that construction on Bloor Street West will require the full closure of the intersection at St. George for the week of August 19 to 26. No vehicle traffic, including cyclists, will be permitted passage. Cyclists will be expected to dismount. Pedestrian access will be maintained.
The city’s contractor anticipates substantial project completion by August 30 and to be off the street by the end of September after two years of roadwork.
—Brian Burchell/Gleaner News
Comments Off on CHATTER (Summer 2024)Tags:Annex · News
October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Road safety for some, sometimes (Summer 2024)
When Ontario Premier Bill Davis stopped the Spadina Expressway, the decision could have been a defining moment for Toronto. But over a half century later, it’s still not clear that we are “building a transportation system to serve people” instead of automobiles. Construction projects and heavy trucks that endanger vulnerable road users, along with politicians devoted to protecting the status quo, continue to block a more people-friendly way forward. The death of a young female cyclist on Bloor Street on July 25 offers additional, tragic evidence that we still live in a car-first reality.
It’s easy to find construction projects where the safety of people looks like an afterthought, beginning with the year-long road work on Bloor Street between Spadina and Avenue Roads.
When the Bloor work started in August 2023, the first casualty was the bike lane, obliging people on bikes to travel single file with cars and trucks in narrow lanes where some motorists were quick to assert their power advantage, especially at dangerous merge points. Among the over 5,000 daily Bloor cyclists, about 10 per cent predictably took refuge on sidewalks, potentially undermining the safety of pedestrians.
Meanwhile, where detour routes are indicated to get around a road construction site—instead of providing safe passage through it—some efforts verge on the absurd. On Queen’s Park Road, just south of Bloor, where an elevator is being installed for the TTC’s Museum station, a detour for southbound cyclists was so long (1.7 kilometres) and so challenging (including two left turns) that very few people could be expected to use it, given that the obstruction itself was a mere 50 metres long.
Heavy trucks are another well-known peril because of driver blind spots and the risk of a person being pulled under the rear wheels in a collision. Anguished community pleas for remedial action after these deaths are as predictable as they are futile. Since 2018, cement, dump, and flatbed trucks have been involved in four deaths at or near the Bloor and Avenue Road intersection alone. The government and industry response has been consistent, but only in trying to pass the buck or to fight improvements, including truck side guards twice recommended by Ontario coroners in comprehensive death reviews.
Illegal placement of construction materials in bike lanes is a variation of long-standing problems of illegal, poorly enforced rules against parking in bike lanes by motorists who often wave off their delict with: “l’ll just be a minute.” While we don’t yet know definitively why the young woman exited the bike lane on July 25 before she was struck and killed, we do know that a construction bin was illegally parked in her path.
Fortunately, solutions to the existing dangers are not hard to find.
First, we need clearly articulated, consistent rules for all construction sites, based on the paramount importance of human life in our Vision Zero Road Safety Plan.
Second, the city must follow a clear hierarchy—with pedestrians and cyclists at the top—in deciding how to use available road space to provide safe passage through construction sites. The parking of personal vehicles by construction workers will fall low on this scale. Maintaining bike lanes and sidewalks, even if it means closing a road to motor traffic, must come first.
Third, we need effective and routine monitoring of construction projects that intrude on public rights of way—and routine enforcement for noncompliance. In the aftermath of the July 25 tragedy, Mayor Olivia Chow spoke of instituting an urban “mobility squad,” similar to one in Montreal, to monitor streets for dangers. Whatever the name, such patrols can’t come soon enough, especially to deal with cavalier attitudes to obstructing bikeways and sidewalks. Would any company illegally obstruct a bikeway if it reasonably feared being caught and penalized?
It’s time to build a city for people as if our lives depended on it…because they do.
Albert Koehl is an environmental lawyer, coordinator of Community Bikeways, and author of Wheeling through Toronto: A History of the Bicycle and Its Riders.
October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on FORUM: Saxe and the City (Summer 2024)
Councillor debuts podcast; Avenue Road safety improvements are on the way
By Dianne Saxe
Summer’s heat doesn’t slow things down in beautiful University-Rosedale! Celebrations raise spirits across the city, and our ward plays host to some of the best. I proudly celebrated love and diversity by dancing in this year’s Pride Parade (Thank you for all the cheers!). I was also glad to see so many of you enjoying this year’s Taste of Little Italy, the Toronto Jazz Festival, and Yorkville’s Exotic Car Show. A special thank you to everyone who came out to our June Environment Day. During summer in the Annex, I always look forward to being inspired and surprised at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Don’t miss my conversation with the new heads of the festival on my new podcast, Saxe and the City!
At June city council, we were able to address unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists on the most dangerous road in our ward: Avenue Road between Bloor and Dupont. After months of intensive work in conjunction with the Avenue Road Safety Coalition, community members, my colleagues and staff, I am delighted to deliver the largest number of pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements that can be achieved without reconstructing the road (which could take decades). These measures strike a careful balance between the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, businesses, residents, visitors, the TTC and emergency services, transforming this section of Avenue Road into a more pedestrian-friendly corridor while maintaining traffic flow and a reasonable amount of parking. Installation south of Davenport began in July; Dupont to Davenport should begin this fall.
Unfortunately, council did not approve a staff-recommended median to physically bar dangerous maneuvers from Roxborough to Avenue to Dupont, which leads to a crash about every 12 days. The median would have made this particular intersection safer, but at the cost of more neighborhood traffic infiltration, and longer travel times for those who use Roxborough as a shortcut to the west.
Meanwhile, I continue to support measures to improve housing affordability and stability for Toronto’s renters. This includes turning a parking lot in the heart of Kensington Market into over 60 affordable, sustainable, supportive units; a proposed renovation control bylaw; and a new Rental Housing Supply program to construct purpose-built, rent-controlled homes. If the province does its part, we could build 65,000 more homes by 2030, including 6,500 much-needed rent-geared-to-income (RGI) homes in mixed-income developments.
We are also working to improve TTC fare enforcement which should reduce the numerous delays caused by “disorderly patrons,” many of whom did not pay for their ride.
As climate damage visibly worsens around the world, I am relieved that Toronto is still making slow but steady progress. I continue to work hard on climate action and to take the initiative whenever possible, and I am proud to report several landmark results from last month.
The biggest win was a landmark equity investment in Toronto Hydro. This long overdue investment will keep Toronto Hydro’s debt-to-equity ratio and borrowing costs within reasonable bounds while keeping pace with population growth and electrification. I am also looking forward to working with our new CEO and four new board members to lead Toronto Hydro through this exciting time. Two of them, Joyce MacLean and Ersilia Serafini, are respected climate leaders, and I expect that we will be able to do much more together than I could do alone.
Toronto city council also adopted my motion calling on the Independent Electricity System Operator to dramatically reduce gas generation by 2035 and allow Toronto Hydro to lead the transition. Now I’m working with the Clean Air Partnership and Environmental Defence to encourage other municipalities to do the same.
We can dramatically reduce our climate pollution by tackling two significant sources of it here in Toronto: car pollution and gas emissions from existing buildings. To these ends, we are pushing for buildings to eliminate their emissions by 2040, in line with the aims of TransformTO. I am also continuing to work on making it safer and more convenient to get around Toronto on foot, by bike, or by transit, and I am thrilled council also approved the 2025 to 2027 cycling network plan, plus more 2024 sidewalk and bike lane projects.
Dianne Saxe is city councillor for Ward 11, University-Rosedale.
October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on FORUM: The heat is on (Summer 2024)
The Ontario government is AWOL on the existential threat that is climate change
By Jessica Bell
This year has been a defining moment in our global climate crisis because the devastating and life-threatening impacts of climate change have arrived in Canada. It’s no longer an inconvenience that affects someone else; it affects us.
This summer the extreme weather event is heat. Lengthy extreme heat waves are making life a misery for people without A/C, mostly renters. I worry about the low-income seniors and vulnerable people living alone. People are dying of heat stroke.
Workers are sweating it out in dangerous heat, from firefighters to farmers, to construction workers. Heat stroke can strike fast. Many workers are not able to refuse work because they can’t risk being fired.
Our public services, energy grid, and infrastructure are not ready to withstand our electricity needs during an extreme and lengthy heat wave. Demand on our electricity grid reached a record high this June during an unprecedented heat wave that occurred early in the summer. Our future will look like what’s happening in Houston, where 800,000 people are without power during the insufferable heat.
Because we have delayed taking serious action on climate, humanity now faces three huge challenges at once: we must get to net-zero emissions as soon as possible; we must take on the herculean task of preparing ourselves to survive in a world marred by extreme weather events and ecological disruption, from bolstering our healthcare system to making our farming and food sector more resilient; and we need to do all this while coping with frequent crises, like entire towns being razed by wildfires or epic rainfalls that endanger lives, bring our city to a standstill, and flood our roads, stations, and basements, just like we recently experienced.
Given the high stakes, it’s tough to watch the Ontario government’s clumsy, reluctant, and contradictory response to the climate crisis. To be fair, the Conservatives are investing in new transit lines and the electric vehicle manufacturing sector. They’re obsessed, however, with opposing any price on carbon to incentivize people and industry to go green. You can’t go through a question period without the Conservatives asking their MPP colleagues to “axe the tax.”
We need a response to the climate crisis that matches the enormity of the challenge. That will involve replacing the Conservatives’ car-centric sprawl approach to planning with a sustainable planning mandate, where we build more employment zones, homes and services in existing towns and cities.
We need to invest in electric vehicle, transit, cycling and walking infrastructure.
We need to protect our farmland, Greenbelt, and forests, and restore power to our conservation authorities to ensure we don’t build on floodplains.
It’s time to invest in a large building retrofit program and upgrade our building code so all existing and new buildings and homes are resilient, green, and well-made.
It means greening our electricity grid, investing in energy efficiency, wind, and solar, and moving away from gas-powered gas plants.
It means bringing in rules to protect people from extreme heat, such as a minimum temperature standard for rental homes in summer and protections for workers in extreme heat. We have solutions.
When I canvass, I occasionally meet residents who feel despair, grief, and a sense of defeat about the climate crisis and what we can do to usefully respond to the many crises we face.
These feelings are common, especially since so many of us are exhausted from the pandemic times.
I am inspired by the work of Joanna Macey, an Australian activist who helps people feel and channel their grief and despair about the world and recommit to useful social change. She writes books with titles like Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy.
“The most remarkable feature of this historical moment on Earth,” says Joanna Macey, “is not that we are on the way to destroying the world—we’ve actually been on the way for quite a while. It is that we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennia-long sleep, to a whole new relationship to our world, to ourselves and each other.”
These are words for hope and for taking useful action.
Jessica Bell is the MPP for University-Rosedale and the Official Opposition’s Housing Critic. She can be reached at jbell@ndp.on.ca or 416-535-7206.
October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on GREENINGS: Paris can do it, why can’t we? (Summer 2024)
Addressing climate change is a matter of will, not lack of means
By Terri Chu
Addressing climate change is a matter of will, not lack of means
Political leadership is rare these days. I want to give a shout out to the mayor of Paris for doing what those of us in Toronto can only daydream about.
In the 10 years since holding power, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has closed over 100 streets to motor vehicles. In a move sure to enrage car manufacturers, the parking fees for oversized murder machines such as SUVs have tripled. Torontonians can only salivate at the idea of removing 50,000 parking spots. The concessions we give to car drivers are unbelievable in this city.
Paris has also constructed more than 1300 kilometres of bike lanes since Mayor Hidalgo has held office. Meanwhile Toronto boasts less than 300 kilometres of on-street cycling paths as of the end of 2022. Those changes in Paris have contributed to a 40 per cent decline in air pollution—something Toronto desperately needs.
Toronto has its own challenges, starting with the car culture that sees residents whining loudly at the prospect of losing a single street parking spot. There’s the privilege of taking up public space with their vehicles for a song, meanwhile homeless encampments regularly get cleared by police. The use of public space has always been for the wealthy it seems…at least wealthy enough to own a car. Despite having extremely low capacity (rarely do cars have more than two people and usually only one), cars are rarely asked to give up space for public transit. Most of our major streetcar and bus routes see cars intermingled with public transit vehicles. A vehicle carrying dozens of people only has designated road usage on a small handful of lines.
Drivers were up in arms over parking ticket rates going up to $70, meanwhile skipping a $3.50 TTC fare can land you a fine of $400.
The concessions that we give to car and car drivers are part of a system of oppression that favours the rich. Now that we have enslaved the bulk of the population to cars, giving them no choice but to use them for mundane tasks to simply live, keeping those car concessions has turned into a rallying cry for advocates of the poor because public transit is so horrible in poor areas that they really have no choice. We are stuck in a horrible cycle that I do not see our political leadership having half the gall of Mayor Hidalgo to deal with. Both sides of our political spectrum favour continued car ownership. On the right, those who shill for the billionaire oil barons of course want us to keep driving. On the left, the unions have a huge number of auto and oil industry jobs they are keen to protect. This leaves people like you and me suffering the consequences of a system designed to take away our quality of life but too economically important to get out of.
The answer? We can’t just keep paying lip service to climate targets. We have no idea how many people in India have died in the latest heat wave. Just declaring a climate emergency while doing diddly squat does not cut it. Transition means some people will get hurt. The ones hurt most will be the poor oil barons who may need to scale down their mega yacht plans. The humanity!!
Next are the jobs dependent on the oil industry. We can have complicated schemes to ensure there is a just transition or we can do something simple like implement a universal basic income (UBI) scheme so that nobody is beholden to work that they hate or has no escape from a planet-frying job. Again, the ones hurt the most will be the billionaires. The injustice!
The city can’t implement these schemes alone, but if governments were serious about preventing mass death events from climate change, they would start with removing car-centric policies and a UBI plan. It’s simple policy, but hard politics.
October 15th, 2024 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Baseball feels the chill at Christie Pits (Summer 2024)
Maple Leafs and their racing mascot both search for elusive wins
Vanquished and unmasked, Gustavo Carvalho congratulates the latest fan to defeat him in the Freeze Race on July 7 at Christie Pits. The race is part of the in-game entertainment at Toronto Maple Leafs ball games this season. COURTESY CRAIG AIKIN
By R.S. Konjek
Gustavo Carvalho has a secret identity.
A native of São Paulo, Brazil, this soft-spoken 19-year-old now lives in Toronto and studies sports management at Brock University. He hopes his studies will provide a springboard to a career in the sports industry.
“My dream job is to be a general manager of a professional team,” he said. “I don’t really care what sport or what team it is.”
From an early age, sports has been in his blood. He played soccer as a youth, as well as basketball and baseball. His interest in the latter led him to an interesting gig at Christie Pits.
This spring, Carvalho found himself tagging along when his roommate was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club to be part of their new fan experience team. Led by gameday host Michael Roudbari, the team is 10 to 15 members strong and puts in a seven-hour shift each day the Leafs play.
Among the fan experience team’s tasks are setting up of tents and banners before the game, selling merchandise and raffle tickets, and coordinating between-innings entertainment during Leafs games. This includes time-honoured activities like trivia contests, dance-offs, food-themed races, and leading kids for a run around the bases.
On certain days, another activity is added to the lineup. It’s called the Freeze Race.
While Roudbari introduces the contest and seeks out a volunteer to participate, Carvalho ducks into the Leafs’ clubhouse like Clark Kent into a phone booth. Moments later, the figure that emerges is no longer Carvalho, but the Freeze.
Some context: the Freeze is a character first introduced in 2017 by Atlanta’s Major League Baseball club. Dressed in a spandex skinsuit and cowl, the Freeze is a lightning-fast sprinter. The Freeze Race is a simple premise. A volunteer from the crowd tests their speed against the stadium’s champion in a race across the outfield. The fan is even given a generous head start. Several seconds after they are sent on their way, the Freeze takes off in pursuit. With uncanny precision, the Freeze always overtakes the fan right before the finish.
This summer, the Leafs decided to add their own version of the Freeze Race to the Sunday schedule. When Carvalho applied to be part of the fan experience team, the race caught his eye.
“When I played baseball the one thing I loved was running the bases and just doing a lot of running,” he said. “I made it very clear in my interview that [for] anything involved with running, call me in.”
That’s how a teenager from Brazil found himself spending the summer pelting across Christie Pits clad in a mint-green skinsuit.
There is an unexpected twist to the story: this Freeze has lost every race.
As of mid-July, the Freeze has a record of 0-5. The man behind the mask is taking it in stride.
“I always get close,” Carvalho said with a laugh. “I may not win but I always catch up. A couple more metres, and I would overtake them.”
Carvalho has endured some good-natured ribbing from his fan experience teammates. One of them suggested that perhaps the Freeze should be given the head start, but he’s not letting the losing streak or the teasing get him down.
“I’m determined to win one. I can’t go undefeated, [but] at the end of the day it’s all about the fun and good experiences for the fans.”
If the Freeze does finally win one?
“You will never hear the end of it,” Carvalho said with a smile.
As for the Leafs, their season so far has mirrored that of the Freeze. They have struggled through multiple losing streaks and at the midpoint of the 2024 Intercounty Baseball League season, they find themselves in last place.
The Maple Leafs’ complete 2024 season schedule can be found at www.mapleleafsbaseball.com.
July 19th, 2024 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER (June 2024)
Harbord Village resident Rory “Gus” Sinclair has been piping in neighbourhood events for nearly 30 years, including his 18th year of opening the Bloor Borden Farmers’ Market, on June 19. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
In his first public performance Gus opening the Sussex Ulster Fall Fair on September 21, 1997.
July 19th, 2024 · Comments Off on NEWS: Screen now dark at the Hot Docs Cinema (June 2024)
Hot Docs closes doors for a review
By Meredith Poirier
For anyone who’s ever taken a walk along the long stretch that is Bloor Street West you’ve definitely seen the looming Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema sign outside the theatre.
Its bright green colour and white letters are unmistakable. The bright lights of the sign won’t be shining quite as bright though come June 12.
After co-owning the venue from 2011 to 2016, Hot Docs purchased the cinema, but the revered theatre opened in 1913 under the name the Madison Picture Palace.
The historic building and theatre is a staple for documentary filmmakers and those who enjoy documentaries. Hot Docs’ mission is to showcase Canadian and international documentaries.
On top of regularly scheduled programming, community events, and more, Hot Docs runs an annual festival showcasing unique and eclectic documentaries.
The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival typically takes place in the spring, and this year it ran from April 25 – May 5.
The festival showcased over 100 films and hosted Q&As with filmmakers both online and in person.
This year’s festival was quite successful and boasted attendance numbers that almost matched pre-pandemic numbers.
The box office also saw revenue exceed targets by 12 per cent; however, despite this success, Hot Docs will close its doors on June 12 for about three months while the leadership team creates a strategic plan to increase revenue and allow them to sustainably run operations for years to come. This closure will also mean temporary layoffs for staff. While the announcement of this temporary closure on May 22 may have been a shock to some and a huge disappointment to many loyal fans, the news is not entirely surprising for those who have been following the news surrounding Hot Docs these past few months.
Early in March, Hot Docs president, Marie Nelson, released a statement that detailed the financial struggles Hot Docs has been experiencing post-pandemic: “We are currently facing a significant operational deficit that threatens our long-term sustainability.” The statement urged audiences to support in whatever way they could. “You are essential to all that we do, and we need your support now more than ever.”
The statement emphasized that the need for financial support is directly related to the longevity of the theatre. “Hot Docs’ urgent need for support is not just about the festival; it’s about safeguarding a cultural institution and supporting the next generation of storytellers.”
On top of the post-pandemic financial struggles, Hot Docs missed out on some major funding this year; it was not selected as a recipient for 2024 funding from the federal government. A $38 million investment was made in the arts sector and recipients of that money were the Toronto International Film Festival and the Shaw Festival Theatre.
Things took a surprising turn in March when news came that Hot Docs artistic director Hussain Currimbhoy was stepping down from his role due to personal reasons.
Following his departure, 10 festival programmers left their roles as well.
They released a joint statement via social media saying they “were expected to work in an ever-changing, chaotic, unprofessional and discriminatory environment.”
In a statement released to the community via their website on April 6 the Hot Docs board of directors reported that, “When issues were raised by the programming team at the end of January, Hot Docs and the board acted in accordance with these policies and procedures, including conducting a thorough internal investigation, with all due diligence and speed to address their concerns.
Despite numerous proposed solutions to seek a path forward, offers to mediate were declined.”
Over the next three months programming will not be offered and the leadership team “will undertake an extensive review of the cinema—its mission, programming and operations—to determine a path back to profitability,” as shared in a May 22 announcement via the website.
For those who are currently members all memberships will be placed on hold. Any tickets purchased for dates after June 12 will be refunded and events are in the process of being rescheduled.
July 19th, 2024 · Comments Off on FORUM: A primer on changes to the capital tax (June 2024)
Finance Minister interprets tax changes made in recent budget
By Chrystia Freeland
If we were creating our tax system from scratch, what choices would we make as Canadians? Would we give the greatest tax advantages to those who make the most money? Or would we insist on each of us paying our fair share to keep Canada strong?
I’m confident most of us would choose fairness. It’s the Canadian way. That’s why our government introduced changes that will result in a small number of well-off Canadians paying a little more tax when they sell a successful investment.
That revenue will, in turn, pay for investments that will help all Canadians, especially our younger generations.
It will help fund our plan to build more homes, faster, so more younger Canadians can achieve the dream of home ownership. It will allow us to expand $10-a-day childcare, which is already saving young parents thousands of dollars a year. And it will support important new programs like national pharmacare, which will provide free diabetes medication and free contraceptives, and the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which is already helping two million Canadians across the country go to the dentist.
Canada could finance these critical investments by taking on more debt. But that would put an unfair burden on younger generations. Fiscal responsibility matters— and our fiscally responsible approach is in part what enabled Canada to lower interest rates this past week— the first G7 country to do so.
As I walk you through the details of the coming tax reform, I want to start by emphasizing that the changes are focused exclusively on investment profits known as “capital gains.”
When someone sells an investment that has appreciated in value—like a portfolio of stocks or a rental property—they accrue a capital gain. In Canada, these gains are taxed below the rate that we pay on income. Today, in fact, only half of the gain is taxed. So, if someone makes a $2 million profit on a stock sale, they pay tax on only $1 million of that gain. (One million is entirely tax free.)
Here’s one consequence of this preferential treatment of capital gains: many of the wealthiest Canadians make most of their money through investments, not income. And we applaud their success. But because of how investment gains are taxed, well-off Canadians can wind up paying a lower overall tax rate than a nurse or a carpenter.
That’s not fair. And so, beginning June 25, well-off Canadians will need to pay tax on two-thirds of their capital gains, instead of just one half.
A few important points about this change:
Canadians will continue to pay no capital gains tax when they sell their principal residence. Any money you make on the sale of your home is yours to keep.
The tax changes do not apply to the first $250,000 of capital gains every year. The higher rate only applies to gains above this $250,000 threshold. Most Canadians will still be able to sell successful investments without paying a higher rate. For example, a couple who own a rental apartment will pay no additional tax on their first $500,000 in profit from a sale.
We’re increasing the lifetime capital gains exemption for those who sell their small business or fishing or farming property. Gains up to $1.25 million will now be tax-free.
To encourage innovation and job creation, we are introducing a new incentive for entrepreneurs that will reduce the amount of tax they pay on capital gains and increase the lifetime exemption on the sale of all or part of their business.
Brian Mulroney’s Conservative government raised the capital gain inclusion rate to 75 per cent—higher than we are proposing. And the rate was 75 per cent throughout the 1990s, a decade of strong economic growth.
In the end, we estimate that only 0.13 per cent of Canadians—with an average annual income of $1.4 million—will be affected by this change in any given year. But millions more, especially younger Canadians, will benefit from it.
Our proposed reform to the tax system was voted on in the House of Commons last month. It is telling to see which members of Parliament voted against the principle of more tax fairness for Canadians and shifting a system that confers significant benefits to those at the top.
Chrystia Freeland is MP for University—Rosedale and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Canada
July 19th, 2024 · Comments Off on CHATTER: The Bloor-Borden farmers’ market is back! (June 2024)
Thanks to the dedication of a few hard-working volunteers, the Bloor-Borden market is here for another year. Helen, the market matriarch, can be found at the volunteer table virtually every Wednesday from 3 – 7 p.m. making sure that the market runs smoothly and answering questions from new and old shoppers. When you visit the market, be sure to thank her for her tireless efforts that brought this important community event back to the Annex and Harbord Village neighbourhoods.
“The market is now in its 18th season, again transforming the Green P into green peas!” according to market volunteer Jim Jacobs. Shopping at a farmers’ market supports farmers and food vendors directly without a middleman taking the bulk of the profits. This is vital for small farmers who want to grow using sustainable methods and avoid packaging their produce in ocean-bound plastic. Buying local also reduces the fossil fuels used in transporting foods, and there is an incredible variety of vegetables that typically can’t be found in supermarkets, making it easier to eat more fruits and veggies and less climate-destroying meat and dairy.
This year one can find some incredible baked goods, spicy samosas, out of this world quiches, and even ostrich dumplings! As spring moves into summer, there will be more produce available. Eat seasonally and take this opportunity to get to know the farmers. Ask them about their farming practices. Ask them what sprays they use. Ask them how their animals are raised and if they use hormones or antibiotics. Be knowledgeable about where your food comes from and thank the farmers directly. Shopping at a farmers’ market is good for the farmers, but as city dwellers, it’s good for us too. It’s a good reminder that good food takes effort and time and doesn’t just come out of plastic containers. Eat well by knowing what you eat. “While the focus of the market continues to be on fresh Ontario produce sold by the farmers who grew it, there’s also a rotating cast of vendors showcasing new product ideas, new ventures,” according to Jacobs.
The market is in the Green P parking lot south of Bloor, between Borden and Lippincott, every Wednesday from June to October, 3 to 7 p.m.
—Terri Chu/Gleaner News
Comments Off on CHATTER: The Bloor-Borden farmers’ market is back! (June 2024)Tags:Annex · News
