Warrior Within driven by students, staff, and mentors

By Marielle Torrefranca

A student-driven short film project is being used to inspire a school curriculum regarding positive mental health for youth.

The initiative, titled Warrior Within, is run mostly by students and alumni of the University of Toronto Schools (UTS). The project involves using art, metaphor, and imagery to engage students in understanding stress and anxiety, as well as developing their own resilience.

[pullquote]“There simply aren’t enough mental health resources for adolescents in Ontario”—Deanna Kim, student, UTS[/pullquote]

Currently, the team consists of about a dozen students and is still open to growth. Students are taking on roles like acting, cinematography, directing, and musical scoring, and have access to a handful of professional mentors for one-on-one guidance. Mentors come from a variety of schools, and specialize in drama, dance, English, art, and photography.

The film and its facets will go on to inspire a curriculum based on creativity and art.

It will be a curriculum made by students for students, said Catherine Wachter, a guidance counsellor at UTS who is spearheading the initiative.

Wachter was inspired by her work as a guidance counsellor, which involves looking for engaging material to help her teach social, emotional, and mental health in the classroom.

“I really struggle at finding that sort of thing,” she said. “So I wanted to do a couple of things: use art to engage students’ emotions in the classroom, because then they can really relate to their own experience, but also use the student voice, because peers, I find, really, really listen to peers.”

Deanna Kim, a grade 11 student at UTS, will work alongside filmmakers and create art of her own that is related to the film, which will be used in conjunction with the curriculum.

“I have actually fought with mental illness myself,” said Kim, who sought treatment in Boston.

“There simply aren’t enough mental health resources for adolescents in Ontario,” she said. “I’m very very, lucky and privileged to have parents who were able to pay for that. But I know that definitely not all adolescents can afford to have that experience.

“I really want to help work with Warrior Within in order to communicate these sorts of strategies to people who might need them the most and might be facing barriers toward treatment.”

Mia Sanders, who graduated from UTS this year and is also creating visual art for the initiative, said the usual recommended coping techniques, such as trying to relax, don’t quite match the reality of what treatment is needed.

“We learn about or experience things like yoga and breathing in relation to mindfulness in school, which are really important parts of it…but there is so much more beyond that in terms of being able to observe your emotions and create this distance between feeling something and reacting to it,” said Sanders. “It can be quite a difficult and rigorous process.”

This is just some of the background that will drive the curriculum, which will be developed starting in January. With the guidance of Wachter and other students, Ben Swadron, a University of Toronto student, UTS alum, and aspiring teacher, will assist in the development of educational materials that can accompany the film in the classroom.

“We’re going to use everything,” said Wachter. “For example, it might be like ‘Okay, let’s look at this photograph series that Naomi [a student on the team] took of her response to the stress that we were talking about…. Let’s use that in conjunction with this little scene, plus this creative writing piece from Jonah, plus this art piece from Deanna.’”

So far, Warrior Within has been warmly received. At press time, the initiative’s Indiegogo campaign has raised $15,400, with donors from as far as California.

There’s still a long way to go, though, especially since Wachter hopes to renew the project every year. The campaign has set a fundraising goal of $45,000 to cover shooting costs, workshops for students, post-production, and educational mentors.

Leftover funds will be used to organize a celebratory gala and exhibition, where the film is expected to premiere next spring.

Shooting of the short film begins this month.

Listen to Marielle Torrefranca’s full interview with Catherine Wachter.

Critically acclaimed Maureen Judge discusses early beginnings to her most recent film

PHOTO BY NEILAND BRISSENDEN/GLEANER NEWS: Maureen Judge followed five well-educated recent graduates who are unable to find employment or paid internships for her most recent documentary, My Millennial Life.

By Clarrie Feinstein

In a documentary that premiered in May at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Maureen Judge explores youth unemployment and underemployment. For My Millennial Life, the Annex filmmaker followed five recent graduates who are all well educated, yet unable to find employment or paid internships.

[pullquote]“With My Millennial Life, I wanted to show the shift that is happening in the current economic infrastructure”—Maureen Judge, documentary filmmaker[/pullquote]

At the heart of the documentary are the personal accounts of five young, aspiring individuals, all of them pursuing their passions, even if it means having to work multiple jobs to support themselves. In telling these stories, Judge taps into what she views as a troubling part of the present economic climate.

“For me my documentaries are not earnest films,” explained Judge, who co-founded Makin’ Movies, a television production company that produces documentaries and television series. “The backdrop has a discussion of politics, it could be in terms of family politics, socio-political problems, the work environment, etc. With My Millennial Life, I wanted to show the shift that is happening in the current economic infrastructure.

“After I’ve established the backdrop I then ask, ‘How do people navigate their way within that system?’ Often from these personal accounts a lot of humour is found, which always offsets the pain that is being revealed. It allows the audience to feel something with depth; the human perspective and emotion is pivotal.”

As Judge sat in her dining room, discussing her career and film ventures, it was evident she had specific stories to tell and that documentaries allowed for the perfect synthesis of narrative and analytical research.

“I got to research. I could study, read, interview, and bring that all in with the creative aspect. After my first documentary — And We Knew How to Dance: Women and World War I (1994) — I fell in love with the medium.”

Judge’s initial studies at the University of Toronto were not in film but in science and philosophy. Only after studying French in Paris, where she attended weekly film screenings, did the spark ignite for her to pursue film as a viable career option. After attending graduate school at New York University in cinema studies, Judge realized she wanted to pursue the practical avenue of filmmaking: directing.

Over Judge’s career her films have garnered critical acclaim, making her a figurehead in the Canadian film industry. Her subject matter is varied, yet many works focus on certain distinct themes such as family relationships. As one of eight children Judge was always in a full household, experiencing multiple personalities and emotions.

“Every kind of joy, sorrow, and tragedy were all shared experiences.”

Her documentary trilogy, which she produced and directed in association with TVO, explored love and betrayal in parent-child relationships. The first in the trilogy, Unveiled: The Mother Daughter Relationship, was inspired by her own relationship with her mother, which Judge describes as “one of the most important relationships in your life. These family dynamics are universal and are worth exploring.”

Family is an integral component in her life.

Judge, who moved around many times in her childhood, says she would often respond to the question, “Where are you from?” with, “my family. They’ve been the one constant in my life.”

Often found cycling around the Annex, the filmmaker says she loves “the intimacy of documentary making. The small crew, the spontaneity that it allows, and hearing ordinary people’s stories.”

View My Millennial Life.

Green spaces are critical to sustainability

By Joe Cressy

What makes a livable community? As we continue to see growth across our downtown neighbourhoods, we must focus on building livable communities, not just adding density. We must build vibrant neighbourhoods, and to be vibrant, neighbourhoods need community spaces, cultural spaces, and, critically, green spaces.

Over the last 20 years we’ve witnessed transformational change in the downtown. In the railway lands, an entire new neighbourhood, CityPlace, has been built in two decades. In the King-Spadina district, defined as Front to Queen streets and University Avenue to Bathurst Street, the population has grown from 240 people in 2001 to nearly 30,000 people today, and it will grow to an estimated 50,000 when all approved developments are built.

[pullquote]Green spaces and parks are critical to the livability and sustainability of life.[/pullquote]

Despite this tremendous population growth, we have not adequately invested in the vital social infrastructure that makes a neighbourhood livable such as community centres, libraries, affordable child care, and parks. In fact, we are so far behind that we don’t have solid information on which services are most deficient in each neighbourhood. But we are finally working to catch up now.

In October 2015, Toronto City Council approved our plan for a partnership between the City of Toronto and the YMCA to bring a new YMCA centre to the revitalization of the city-owned Waterworks building at 505 Richmond St. W. This partnership demonstrates a real step in building a livable community in the continually growing area.

But, critical to real livable communities and to combatting the ever-growing crisis of climate change is expanding green spaces. We need more parks, creative greening solutions, and most of all, the political commitment to make it happen.

On June 13, I was proud that the city’s government management committee helped us move forward in supporting our ward by taking the next step towards initiating parkland acquisition in King-Spadina. Over the last 18 months I’ve worked with city staff to identify a suitable large site for a new large downtown park. We’ve identified a site, and now we need the political will to acquire it — by sale, or if necessary, by expropriation.

Whether through acquisition or expropriation, proceeding with new parkland in this area is a critical step in building a livable community.

Expanding parks space is critical, but it is just one component. We also need to find creative solutions to green concrete spaces within our neighbourhoods. The Annex Residents’ Association’s longstanding parks and trees committee has been creating incentives to green the Annex for years. And more recently the Harbord Village Residents’ Association (HVRA) created an innovative neighbourhood plan.

In collaboration with the HVRA, we have created the Harbord Village Green Plan — a local, comprehensive vision to green forgotten spaces throughout the community. The plan identifies opportunities to expand and enhance green spaces throughout the neighbourhood, but zeroes in on laneways and flankage corners as key priorities to enhance our green space. Thanks to hard-working community volunteers, this is a solid foundation from which to grow green infrastructure. Croft Laneway has already been the subject of a pilot project by the HVRA to formalize laneway greening. Moving forward, we will be working hard on laneway planting, creating green punctures, introducing vining, and many other opportunities to restore and foster ecosystem health.

Whether you live in a condo tower or a low-rise residential neighbourhood, green spaces and parks are critical to the livability and sustainability of life. As downtown Toronto continues to grow, we must be proactive and creative about providing the spaces to grow trees as well.

Joe Cressy is the councillor for Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina.

READ MORE:

NEWS: Green sanctuaries in the heart of the city (June 2016)

NEWS: New landscaping for Lennox Street (June 2016)

NEWS: Second phase of park revitalization to begin (May 2016)

NEWS: Bloor Street goes green (April 2016)

NEWS: Huron Street Playground renewal (April 2016)

NEWS: City seeking street greening opportunities (February 2016)

READ MORE BY JOE CRESSY:

FORUM: Bike lanes on Bloor Street (May 2016)

FORUM: Untapped potential (February 2016)

White adds a new chapter to Leafs baseball lore

PHOTO BY R.S. KONJEK/GLEANER NEWS: Ryan White takes a turn at the plate during recent baseball action at Christie Pits. White’s home run in the bottom of the ninth sealed a 13-10 comeback victory for the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Burlington Bandits on June 8.

By R.S. Konjek

For 48 seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been playing baseball at Christie Pits.

Hoary old-timers with the longest of memories will tell you that at least once for every one of those seasons, they have watched the Leafs stage an epic comeback victory after falling way behind in a game. Seen it with their own eyes, honest.

Why doubt them?

[pullquote]The hearty fans that remained clustered around the slopes of the ballpark buzzed in anticipation. It was happening again.[/pullquote]

The Leafs play ball in a hitter’s league. The fences at the Pits are short and cozy. An inspired team could score runs by the bushel. There is no reason why the home nine couldn’t mount a late rally to overcome a deficit of four, six, or eight runs.

How about a deficit of twelve?

Such was the case during last year’s Intercounty Baseball League playoffs, when the Leafs came all the way back from a 12-0 score to defeat the Brantford Red Sox 16-15 in one of the most memorable games in Christie Pits history.

These miracle comebacks, they do happen.

There is a mystique to Toronto’s famous sunken ballpark. It says that no lead is ever safe and no game is ever done while the Leafs are still at bat.

That old Christie mystique was in evidence on June 8, when the Leafs hosted the Burlington Bandits.

The Leafs fell behind early.

Way behind.

After eight innings of play, the Bandits enjoyed a healthy 10-4 lead, and the Leafs were down to their final three outs.

June 8 will go down as one of those games when the Leafs came all the way back.

Online readers will want to open another window now and cue up some Wagner, Berlioz, or the theme from Rocky.

The Leafs came up to bat, and the wheel of fortune spun hard. A walk. Another walk. A two-run double. Four more walks, then another double to tie the game 10-10. The hearty fans that remained clustered around the slopes of the ballpark buzzed in anticipation. It was happening again.

The next man to the plate was Ryan White, the team’s second-year shortstop.

White’s rookie season with Toronto had been cut short by a knee injury. He did not play again until this summer, and now the spotlight was trained firmly on him.

Bottom of the ninth, two out. The game rested on his shoulders. It was do-or-die time. Clichés circled like bees. He was about to live the age-old dream played out by countless kids in countless backyards.

White dug in. The moments that followed would be memorable, not just for him but for his teammates and everyone who was there to bear witness.

“I was looking for a fastball over the plate that I could barrel up,” White recounted later. “I think the pitch was middle in, which I like.”

Burlington’s pitcher served up just the thing, and White did not hesitate.

First pitch. Gone. A walk-off home run — the most electrifying moment in baseball. With a crack of the bat that resonated like a cannon shot, the game was won 13-10.

Did he know he had hit a home run right away?

“It was way out. I was just hoping it didn’t hook foul.”

As he circled the bases, White’s teammates poured onto the field and surrounded home plate to receive the hero of the day.

“It was my first ever walk-off home run. Everyone was pumped. It feels great to be part of that unbelievable comeback with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.”

And with that, Ryan White added another chapter to the mystique of Christie Pits. His walk-off winner saw the Leafs continue their hot start to the 2016 season.

As the month of June progressed, the Leafs stumbled into a win-lose-win-lose pattern. They approached the end of the month with a winning record, but only just. Hopefully things will turn out for the better in the month of July.

The Maple Leafs play ball at Christie Pits every Sunday at 2:00 p.m., with a handful of Wednesday night games, in June and July. As always, admission to Leafs games at Christie Pits is free.

READ MORE:

SPORTS: Leafs ahead 3-1 after first four games of the season (June 2016)

SPORTS: The bats are back at Christie Pits (May 2016)

NEWS: Second phase of park revitalization to begin (May 2016)

NEWS: Christie Pits renewal set to begin (July 2015)

A model for learning and sustainability

By Terri Chu

Two months ago, the province and the Toronto Catholic District School Board announced plans to build a new school on the site of St. Raymond Catholic School, which abuts Christie Pits. As a new parent, I’m very excited by the prospect of a new school in the neighbourhood, as well as for the opportunities presented by greenfield project (a development that is not limited by existing infrastructure or buildings), a rarity in this city.

With the funding only just announced, the new school’s design has yet to be developed. But parents have said they’d like the building to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and I thought I would reflect on what that could look like.

In terms of the building itself, being beside a huge open park provides lots of opportunities to include innovative features into the building. Geothermal loops (storing heat in the ground) could be incorporated if residents didn’t mind losing access to the park during construction. Solar panels could be used as an energy source; though I still have mixed feelings about solar panels due to their toxicity during production and end of life (depending on the type of panels used), they do help reduce peak demand, which is the dirtiest part of electricity production.

[pullquote] I don’t think any modern school should be built without a greenhouse on the roof. Not only is it energy efficient, but kids in the city don’t have as much connection to food and soil as their rural counterparts.[/pullquote]

Personally, I don’t think any modern school should be built without a greenhouse on the roof. Not only is it energy efficient, but kids in the city don’t have as much connection to food and soil as their rural counterparts. As a parent, I don’t believe there are enough opportunities to teach kids that food doesn’t start in foam packages.

Things like grey water recycling — re-using water that goes down sinks to flush toilets for example — are easy, no brainers, given that how we waste water right now should be criminal. And when it comes to lighting, current technology can virtually eliminate the need for overhead lights on all but the cloudiest of days.

Lots of research has gone into highly efficient ventilation systems that can now not only recover most of the heat out of the air, but ensure that only stale air gets ventilated away. Up-to-date recovery ventilations can recapture heat and moisture, and reduce space heating requirements by huge amounts, while passive heating and cooling drastically reduce the need for supplemental climate control.

The entire field of building sustainability has been the focus of a lot of research over the years. There are ways to get to net zero energy buildings, even in a cold climate like ours, though all of these low carbon and energy footprint technologies have one thing in common: they are expensive.

As some of these initiatives would cost significantly more initially, but lead to long-term savings, the capital cost of building the school should not be considered in a vacuum, but alongside future operating costs as well. Anything short of accounting for at least a decade of operating expenses should be considered a failure.

The question isn’t whether or not we can build sustainably, it’s a matter of whether we’re willing to invest in it…and that requires an entirely new way of doing business. Let’s make sure the school board and the province know that we are paying attention. There is so much potential value in a greenfield project like this for our city.

This new school isn’t just about the latest in sustainability, it should set the standard for how things are done.

Terri Chu is an engineer committed to practical environmentalism. This column is dedicated to helping the community reduce energy, and help distinguish environmental truths from myths.

READ MORE:

NEWS: A $9.4-million school with a view (June 2016)

READ MORE GREENINGS BY TERRI CHU:

 Taking action on climate change (June 2016)

Cloth diapers have gone from burden of the poor to luxury of the rich in one generation (May 2016)

Provide help or stand aside (April 2016)

Don’t fall prey to marketing (March 2016)

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.

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 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.

PHOTO BY EMILY REA: The Vessel, a sculpture by Ilan Sandler made of stainless steel rods, serves as a centrepiece for Taddle Creek Park, which was one of the best parks reviewed this year.

Taddle Creek Park

Bedford Road and Lowther Avenue

Time: 4:00 p.m.

Grade: A+ (last year A+)

Reason to go: Taddle Creek Park is a clean, spacious park located at the corner of Bedford Road and Lowther Avenue, a block north of Bloor Street. The playground is not fenced in, but set back from the street and protected from traffic and noise by large planters and trees that create a natural barrier and make the park feel more open. During the spring, hundreds of daffodils and pink tulips bloom in the planters, adding a dose of colour. The playground has a wood chip base and features two play structures, a swing set geared toward younger children, and a sandbox. The centrepiece of the park is a large stainless steel sculpture of a jug that doubles as a fountain. The playground and the fountain are surrounded by long metal benches that provide ample seating for parkgoers. The apartment building that the park borders on its south edge is currently undergoing construction on its parking lot, so there is temporary noise pollution. Taddle Creek Park is a beautiful park that has been well maintained since its 2011 revitalization, making it one of the best in the neighbourhood.

Overheard: “Don’t lick the hand sanitizer off your hands!”

Did you know: Taddle Creek Park is built on the former site of Sir Frederick Banting’s house. Banting won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1923 for the isolation of insulin for the purpose of treating diabetes.

PHOTO BY EMILY REA: Philosopher’s Walk, framed by the Royal Ontario Museum and the Royal Conservatory of Music, is both park and path. It’s also a great spot for a picnic.

Philosopher’s Walk

Bloor Street and Hoskin Avenue

Time: 3:30 p.m.

Grade: A+ (last year A+)

Reason to go: Used as a thoroughfare between Hoskin Avenue and Bloor Street, Philosopher’s Walk is a very popular park favoured by locals and people who work in the area. The winding path features a wide diversity of trees and benches along its side for the length of the park, providing lots of seating. Down the hill off the path, there are areas perfect for a summer picnic or lunch break. Philosopher’s Walk is framed by the beautiful buildings of Trinity College, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, the Royal Conservatory of Music, and the Royal Ontario Museum. The serenity of the southern portion of the path is temporarily disturbed by construction of a new Faculty of Law building, but the rest of the park remains a serene spot in the middle of the bustling downtown.

Overheard: “Does anyone like vacuuming?!”

Did you know: The gates at the northern entrance of Philosopher’s Walk were originally constructed in 1901 at the corner of Bloor Street and Avenue Road and were later moved to the top of Philosopher’s Walk when Avenue Road was expanded in 1960.

PHOTO BY EMILY REA: The fenced in playground, and large number of equipment, makes Huron and Washington Park a perfect destination for families.

Huron and Washington Park

Huron Street and Washington Avenue

Time: 3:00 p.m.

Grade: A- (last year A)

Reason to go: Huron and Washington Park is a pleasant park conveniently located just south of Bloor Street near Spadina and St. George subways. The fully fenced-in playground area is large and has a wide variety of equipment, including a climbing wall and balance beam that are great for older children, as well as spring riders, a sandbox, and other equipment that is friendly to smaller children. This park is usually busy with families, children from the nearby playschool, and students from University of Toronto Schools during the day. The relatively small green space adjacent to the playground has areas shaded by large trees as well as a hill perfect for sunbathing. There are multiple picnic tables and benches available. The park does not have many plants aside from the trees, but nonetheless is a pleasant place to sit or play.

Overheard: “Can my car go down the slide?”

Did you know: The park is an equal distance (350 metres) from Spadina and St. George stations.

Blood-Bedford Parkette

248 Bloor St. W.

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Grade: B (last year B+)

Reason to go: Bloor-Bedford Parkette is a small park nestled between the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and the Faculty of Social Work on busy Bloor Street. It is most popular for office workers on their lunch break and people taking a break from walking down Bloor Street. The park is clean and features lush grass and large trees that cast shade and there are several benches that provide lots of seating. It is small and bordered by a parking lot and a busy street, affording no sense of seclusion from the bustling city. The dose of green space provided is nice to have in the middle of Bloor Street, but Bloor-Bedford Parkette is not a destination in and of itself.

Overheard: The sounds of Bloor Street traffic.

Did you know: Before the Bloor-Danforth subway opened in 1966, the Bedford Loop was located on the grounds of Bloor-Bedford Parkette. The loop provided passengers leaving St. George station easy access to eastbound and westbound streetcars.

PHOTO BY EMILY REA: Jean Sibelius Park has lots of space and many amenities, making it attractive to all ages.

Jean Sibelius Square

50 Kendal Ave.

Time: 4:00 p.m.

Grade: A+ (last year A)

Reason to go: Jean Sibelius Square is a spacious park with ample seating and green space, and a clean public washroom. The large swathes of shaded and sunny grass provide plenty of space for parkgoers to play sports or sprawl out on the ground. The playground at Jean Sibelius Square is surely one of the best in the neighbourhood, featuring a large climbing wall and web that is great for older children and a fenced-in section for younger children that includes a sand pit with a faucet. Jean Sibelius Square is an excellent, quiet park, perfect for spending a summer afternoon there.

Overheard: “I hope I don’t fall!”

Did you know: Every winter community members make an ice rink on the field in the park.

Albany Parkette/Seaton Park

Albany Avenue, north of Bloor Street West

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Grade: B (last year B)

Reason to go: Despite its proximity to both Bloor Street and Bathurst Station, this parkette provides a good quiet getaway. There is an ample amount of seating to just sit, relax, and admire the beautiful graffiti mural. Flowers, grass, and foliage are kept in good condition and placed strategically to cover potential blemishes like the nearby subway grating. Many people end up using this park as a shortcut to the street from the subway but find themselves stopping to relax. Despite there being two light fixtures and plenty of garbage bins this park is not ideal for visiting any time aside from midday due to its location.

Overheard: “You’ve got to swish your hips!”

Did you know: The nearby graffiti mural bears the logo for Sonic Boom Records, which has moved to Spadina Avenue.

Ed and Anne Mirvish Parkette

In front of Bathurst subway station

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Grade: D+ (Last year C)

Reason to go: This small space of green in front of Bathurst station does not have much going for it. There is a single bench at the far south of the park. The grass is thick, uneven, and cluttered with dandelions and weeds. Some flowers are clearly dying and there is a small dead tree taking up space in the middle of the area. Its location is another downside as the constant hum of streetcars and oncoming Bathurst Street traffic stop this park from being even a good place to relax. On the day of this review cigarette butts were strewn all about the park bench. The one saving grace is that it is otherwise pretty to look at and breaks up monotonous concrete.

Overheard: A car honking at another commuter trying to turn left at Bloor and Bathurst streets.

Did you know: The park’s single bench is dedicated to Leonard and Gwendolyn Johnston, owners of an influential Black-culture bookstore in Seaton Village.

PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO: A rotting tangerine tied to a fence post is the most depressing aspect of Aura Lee/Robert Street Park. This odd feature reflects how deep the park has fallen into disrepair in recent years.

Aura Lee Playground/Robert Street Park

Robert Street and Sussex Avenue

Time: 1:30 p.m.

Grade: F (last year F)

Reason to go: Fans of urban decay can rejoice knowing this park exists. The tennis courts are the only accessible parts as the rest is completely padlocked shut. Old equipment is strewn about, ground is sinking, and buildings are clearly in disrepair. At the time of this review, the ice rink was being used as storage space for broken sidewalk garbage disposals. Grass on the field is well maintained despite the fact that it’s completely inaccessible and there are clothes thrown about it. There is a new code blue emergency pole in case you decide to go to the park in a crisis. The most entertaining part was a rotting tangerine hanging from a shoelace tied to a fence.

Overheard: The quiet sound of despair that hangs over this park.

Did you know: This park is owned by the University of Toronto with the southern part being on loan to the city.

PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO: Though not very accessible for people living with disabilities, Hillcrest Park is a great place to relax, bring your children, or get in some physical activity.

Hillcrest Park

950 Davenport Rd.

Time: 1 p.m.

Grade: A (last year A+)

Reason to go: Hillcrest Park has everything. There are basketball and tennis courts, an off-leash dog park, plenty of playground equipment for the kids, a surprisingly clean washroom, and lots of seating. All of these amenities, as well as the grass and trees, are in great condition. The playground has a good number of swings sets, slides, and climbing activities as well as a wading pool that is open during the summer. This park is well populated for good reasons. The downside here is accessibility: it is located on a fairly steep hill making it difficult to get to for people with disabilities, especially those in wheelchairs. Despite that Hillcrest Park remains a must-go park this year.

Overheard: “Ball! Sorry, about that, man,” as a basketball comes flying towards the benches.

Did you know: Since the park is located on such a steep hill it gives a beautiful view of the Toronto skyline and Lake Ontario.

PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO: Nestled in a thriving neighbourhood, Margaret Fairley Park has a popular wading pool feature with a small labyrinth mural.

Margaret Fairley Park

100 Brunswick Ave.

Time: 2 p.m.

Grade: A (last year A)

Reason to go: This is one of the best parks for families with children. There are a large number of toys and play-sets around here for kids to use. Picnic benches and log benches bring in just enough seating for everyone. The neighbourhood gives an ideal atmosphere and quick access to a nearby convenience store. Although the grass here is thin in places, the trees and other foliage are in great condition. This park may prove small at peak hours, as even with only a few families there, at the time of this review, children did not have a lot of space to run amok.

Overheard: “Konichiwa. Bye-bye park!”

Did you know: The stone plate in the middle of the park is dedicated to namesake Margaret Fairley, a political activist.

PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO: Euclid Park, littered with garbage and emitting a sickening smell, has very little to offer but a dirt path.

Euclid Parkette

711 Euclid Ave.

Time: 12:20 p.m.

Grade: D- (last year D-)

Reason to go: This small parkette is cursed by both its location and its lack of upkeep. Its location, behind a KFC and dumpsters, should make the sickening smell of garbage mixed with fried chicken enough to keep most people from visiting. Though bins are readily available there were half-empty smoothies, plastic bags filled with broken metal, and plenty of cigarette butts out on the ground at the time of this review. Most of the space here is a dirt path with only small pieces of unkempt grass and flower beds to break it up. The three benches provide more than enough seating but they are all in differing states of disrepair. If a bad look and even worse smell aren’t deal-breakers then there is enough shade here to keep comfortable for a little while.

Overheard: A group of nearby bicycle police asking a young man about the neighbourhood.

Did you know: Euclid Park is in the middle of Koreatown, and plenty of great Korean restaurants are just a short walk away.

Matt Cohen Park

­Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street West

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Grade: C (last year C+)

Reason to go: This park is located on the busy intersection of Bloor Street and Spadina Avenue, adjacent to the University of Toronto Schools, and is tiny, covering only the southeast corner. There are benches and large domino-shaped rocks that serve as seating. Students often use the park to eat a quick lunch or settle down to work. Aside from the seating there is very little else to Matt Cohen Park. Noise from the cars in the streets was overwhelming and makes the space more of a convenience for locals than a destination.

Overheard: “Let’s get Pizza Pizza.”

Did you know: Metal leaves adorn the subway grating in the park as part of the park’s theme of nature and city living.

Christie Pits Park

750 Bloor St. W.

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Grade: B+ (Last year A)

Reason to go: Christie Pits has something for everyone. There are basketball courts, baseball fields, soccer fields, a covered patio, an ice rink, and new lookouts. The park also has a water park that has a large water slide, a pool, and water attractions for kids to play in. The area is currently undergoing construction, which makes many of the facilities inaccessible, and the noise from the machines occasionally ruins the park’s normally great atmosphere.

Overheard: “This is such a great park! And they have a kiddy pool!”

Did you know: Christie Pits Park was a dumping ground for trash during the 2009 garbage strikes.

Sgt. Ryan Russell Parkette

250 Avenue Rd.

Grade: D+ (last year C)

Time: 1:15 p.m.

Reason to go: Though there is a playground and a few benches around the area there isn’t very much to this parkette. The grass is thick and full of weeds. Cigarette butts, abandoned construction signs, and other trash littered the ground. This parkette is in desperate need of upkeep, which it had not received at the time of this review. Nearby traffic and the occasionally passing train make the noise level around the area nearly unbearable.

Overheard: Two minutes of oncoming freight train horns.

Did you know: Formerly known as the Dupont Parkette, the parkette is dedicated to Sgt. Ryan Russell who was tragically run down in the winter of 2011.

Sally Bird Park

194 Brunswick Ave.

Grade: B (last year B)

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Reason to go: Sally Bird Park is a well-secluded area with a fair amount of shade. There is quite a bit of seating around the park to sit back and relax. The pathway is easy to access and provides a good get-away in a quiet neighbourhood. Workout equipment is available though and well used. On the day of this review there were lots of weeds in the gardens but they weren’t intrusive.

Overheard: “Yeah hey man, what’s up?”

Did you know: Last year, Sally Bird was one of the meeting points for performances of The Postman, the popular site-specific theatre production about Canada’s first Black postman.

READ MORE:

Grading our Greenspace (2015)

Concerns raised about lack of consultation for Central Tech space

PHOTO COURTESY RON BERNASCH/JSW+ ASSOCIATES: The landscape architect overseeing the enhancements said the aim is to emulate a university campus.

By Geremy Bordonaro

Improvements to the Lennox Street expanse between Central Technical School and its art centre are well underway, but residents attending a May 5 information meeting questioned whether the design reflected the best use of the land.

When the refurbished landscaping — now in progress — is done in late summer or early fall, the area will feature more walkways and spaces for students to gather, broken up by portions of foliage.

“What we’re really trying to provide is a campus feel, like if you went to U of T or Ryerson,” said Ron Bernasch, the landscape architect serving as the primary consultant on the improvements. “That’s really unique for a high school.”

A land survey revealed that the soil contained ash and cinder, so the initial designs had to be revised to salvage as many trees as possible, something that required adding more paving.

“Just providing that physical barrier allowed us to save as many trees as we could,” explained Bernasch. “The second part is that we tried to find an area in the middle of that central area where we could plant many trees. In order to do that we had to remove a metre of soil.”

Many residents at the information meeting, however, suggested that too many trees were removed in favour of the pavement, and that key community locations were being removed in favour of stage and “art” areas. They also suggested that the community wasn’t consulted enough and that their needs for a space to use after students were gone were largely being ignored.

“They brought forward these plans for that greenspace and it was a surprise to us that they were as far advanced as they were,” said Sue Dexter of the Harbord Village Residents’ Association. “The initial reaction [for us], it was kind of puzzling.”

[pullquote]“What we’re really trying to provide is a campus feel, like if you went to U of T or Ryerson”—Ron Bernasch, landscape architect[/pullquote]

She’s skeptical about the hard surface that Bernasch has argued will help save trees, and believes more can be done to help involve the community in the process and get the most out of the new space.

“We have to learn how we can engage with one another,” she said. “Bit by bit we will. We’ve gone from total isolation to baby steps of positive cooperation.”

Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Trinity-Spadina) reiterated the importance of keeping both the community and school setting in mind when redesigning the campus. She did not say how much it would cost to rehabilitate the area, nor where the funds would come from.

“[Spaces like this] really are a vital part of how our school community functions, how students use it and benefit from it,” said the trustee at the meeting. “It’s such an important place where community comes together and uses it just as much and cares just as much about it.”

Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) agreed.

“We have to balance two different interests that should come together,” said the councillor. “This has to serve students during the day. It has to serve them well. In the context of the community, in the context of an efficient greenspace, I’m also always trying to see how we can maximize the amount of greenspace. So how do we balance both?”

Bernasch, though, said that despite the large amount of negative feedback, the plan still has merit.

“There’s always going to be pushback,” he said. “Members of the community may not agree, but I think this is going to be a great resource for the community.”

Indeed, the plan has been tweaked in response to several rounds of feedback.

“We’re encouraged by the changes in the plans,” Dexter said. “If there were less hard surface it would be even better.”

Calls to Central Technical School, as well as follow-up attempts to contact Ausma Malik, went unreturned.

READ MORE ABOUT CENTRAL TECH FIELD:

NEWS: Central Tech field renewal back on track (May 2016)

LETTERS: HVRA still on board for CTS plan (March 2016)

EDITORIAL: Ship to wreck (February 2016)

Construction halted at Central Tech: Student athletes launch online petition by Marielle Torrefranca (February 2016)

Agreement reached for Central Tech field (April 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

To dome or not to dome, that is the question (February 2015) by Terri Chu

Editorial: Mobs don’t rule, nor do pawns (February 2015)

Dome plan inches closer (February 2015) by Brian Burchell

School board appeals ruling and loses, again (October 2014) by Brian Burchell

Editorial: A strategy run amok (September 2014)

Dome plan quashed by courts (September 2014) by Brian Burchell

Raucous meeting on CTS field (April 2014) by Annemarie Brissenden

READ MORE ABOUT CENTRAL TECH:

Central Tech alumni return to mark school’s centennial (November 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

Central Tech celebrates 100 years (July 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

Aircraft program grounded in 2004 (July 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

Community meeting scheduled for June 13

PHOTO COURTESY WESTBANK PROJECTS CORP./Henriquez Partners Architects: A new on-site park is part of Westbank’s revised rezoning application. Still at the conceptual stage, it will include a dog run, water feature, and urban agriculture.

By Annemarie Brissenden

A new on-site park with dog run, increased heritage conservation, and a refined built form that includes reduced streetwall heights and densities marks the major features of Westbank Projects Corp.’s revised zoning application, which the company submitted to City Planning last month. Westbank has embarked on an ambitious redevelopment of the parcel of land including Honest Ed’s and Mirvish Village that is bounded by Bloor, Bathurst, Lennox, and Markham streets.

The components of the original application’s vision, however, remain constant. Mirvish Village will still be 100 per cent rental housing, incorporate a vibrant public realm with market and micro-retail spaces, include a daycare, promote transportation alternatives, and be built to be as environmentally sustainable as possible.

[pullquote]“We have worked hard to revise the application to address the concerns that have been raised”—Peter Venetas, project manager[/pullquote]

“We have worked hard to revise the application to address the concerns that have been raised while keeping the overall vision for the project intact,” said Peter Venetas, project manager.

He explained that the revisions reflect feedback from almost a year of community consultation meetings, design charrettes, discussion group meetings, and comments from city staff.

“We flagged three areas to be addressed in a resubmission: parks, heritage, and built form,” said City of Toronto planner Graig Uens, who acknowledged that “Westbank has taken those into consideration in its revised proposal”, but reserved comment until he has had time to study the submission in detail.

At the heart of the revised application is the inclusion of on-site parkland located on the west side of Markham Street facing the Mirvish Village Market.

Venetas believes the park “will help with providing much needed parkland and transition to the stable neighbourhood, providing a buffer”.

The on-site daycare has been relocated to the ground floor, and part of the park includes space for the facility’s outdoor play area. Although still in the conceptual stage, the park will be an extensive addition to the public realm that includes a dog run, a water feature, and space for urban agriculture.

COURTESY WESTBANK PROJECTS CORP./Henriquez Partners Architects: The proposed park will wrap around the retained heritage houses.

“The extent of the park will weave into the adjoining spaces, extend behind the heritage houses, and will be carried into the lanes by the expression of the continuous ground plane treatment,” reads the application.

Heritage conservation is another hallmark of the revised proposal.

In a nod to a Toronto City Council decision to list 35 properties in the Bloor-Bathurst streets area (27 of which are on the project site) on the heritage list, Westbank has proposed to increase the number of retained properties from 15 to 21.

In order to accommodate the addition of a park and increased heritage conservation, Westbank has retained and shifted 610 Markham St. south and completely eliminated one mid-rise building, resulting in the removal of between 50,000 to 70,000 square feet of density. That also means the number of rental units has been reduced from 1,017 to 946. Honest Ed’s Alley will also be retained in its original configuration.

Although the height of a mid-block tower on Bathurst Street has been increased from 25 storeys to 29 storeys plus a mezzanine, heights along the streetwalls generally have been lowered.

“The key thing with heights is the ability to transition to the surrounding neighbourhood, which is lot-size dependent,” explained Venetas. “We are trying to create a more compatible streetwall along Lennox Street, so the tallest building on Lennox Street is six storeys.”

He added that the revised application also breaks the property up into four elements to create more porosity throughout the development as a whole.

Preserving and enhancing the public realm through on-site park land dedication, unified streetscaping, and front yard setbacks on Markham Street are part of the draft public realm policies of the Bathurst Bloor Four Corners Study, the latest version of which is set to be considered at community council on June 14.

Venetas characterizes the application as being “informed” by the draft study, while Uens said that “it’s tough to determine [at this point] whether it complies with the more technical parts of the Four Corners Study, but it is something we are going to consider”.

Uens added that he anticipates the city will have written comments on the revised application back to Westbank within six weeks.

The city’s planning department will hold a community consultation meeting on Westbank’s revised zoning application on June 13 at the Bickford Centre from 6 to 9 p.m. The project model is also regularly on view at Markham House (610 Markham St.), where Westbank representatives are prepared to answer any questions regarding the future of Mirvish Village.

READ MORE:

 DEVELOPINGS: Annual review reflects tension between community activism and OMB (March 2016)

Westbank towers over 4 Corners (January 2016)

City hosts first Mirvish Village community consultation (November 2015)

Residents’ associations share concerns for Mirvish Village (October 2015)

Westbank submits application (August 2015)

BABIA endorses Westbank proposal (July 2015)

How do you make it real? (April 2015)

New facility to include childcare spaces

By Annemarie Brissenden

Local Catholic elementary school students will soon have a new school with a view.

The Ontario government has announced that it will spend $9.4 million on a new school to be built where St. Raymond Catholic School currently sits on Barton Avenue, overlooking Christie Pits. The new school — which hasn’t yet been christened with a name — is consolidating St. Raymond’s and St. Bruno Catholic School, both of which are under capacity. The facility will also include a daycare on site, adding 49 childcare spaces to the neighbourhood.

“This is a huge win for the school,” said Philippe Jargaille, chair of the St. Raymond’s parents’ council. He explained that the St. Raymond’s and St. Bruno’s school communities have undergone a three-year accommodation review process during which both schools were evaluated, enrolment examined, and the physical state of the facilities considered.

“The Ministry of Education wants to spend more money in the classroom, and less on bricks and mortar,” said Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) trustee Jo-Ann Davis (Ward 9, St. Paul’s, Toronto-Centre, Trinity-Spadina). “It was cheaper to build a new school than to repair St. Raymond’s.”

[pullquote]“This is a huge win for the school”—Philippe Jargaille, chair, St. Raymond’s parents’ council[/pullquote]

The Ministry of Education uses a facility condition index (FCI) to assess the condition of a building that states the cost of repairs as a ratio of its replacement value. An FCI of less than 10 is deemed good, while buildings with an FCI of 65 or higher are deemed critical. Although St. Bruno’s has a reasonable FCI of 23.17, St. Raymond’s — at 66.51 — has one of the top FCI’s in the TCDSB.

“The review process is a little stressful at the parents’ end,” said Jargaille, “but the board said that if we amalgamated the two schools and increased the population, we’d have a better chance for money for a new school.”

After three years of uncertainty, it’s clear that parents are welcoming the future. St. Peter’s Church on Bathurst Street serves the St. Raymond’s school community, and its pastor, Rev. Michael McGourty, suggested that “speculation that the school would close contributed to low enrolment.”

Davis acknowledged that accommodation reviews “are hard to go through. People have a lot of connection to their school, and there are cases where parents went to the school as well as the children.”

“Trustee Davis is very mindful that the school board has to manage [its] assets more efficiently,” said Han Dong (MPP, Trinity-Spadina), whose office made the announcement.

Plans for the new school have yet to be drawn up, but it will accommodate up to 350 students in addition to the 49 childcare spots, and Jargaille said that he hopes it will make use of the prime location over-looking Christie Pits.

“The access to the park provides incredible opportunities,” agreed Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina). “It’s an incredible asset; the board is right in suggesting they should invest in it.”

Layton added that he believes that St. Bruno’s should be retained and transformed into some sort of community hub.

“It doesn’t make much sense for any level of government to sell off land like that,” said Layton. “We have to hang onto our [community] assets, because having to buy them back is very expensive. If we can adaptively re-use the site, we should do so.”

Although Davis stresses that St. Bruno’s is not going anywhere for a while (it will be home to the consolidated school while the new facility is built on the St. Raymond’s site), she wants to “hold on to community assets, including schools, because once something is gone, it’s gone.

“I’ll be meeting with potential community partners to see if we can co-locate.”

Dong would also like “to see St. Bruno’s remain as a community hub. It should stay in the community and serve the community; it’s not going to be condos.”

“It’s quite clear to me: there is tremendous growth with all neighbourhoods in the community,” said Layton. “People are having kids in the neighbourhood, and want to raise children in Toronto. It’s exciting, but we want to make sure we have the core services to meet needs.”

Davis, who characterized the number of families moving back into the city as a mini baby boom, pointed out that “there is not enough public space in Toronto, so the city is looking at school boards to solve planning problems”.

She said she wants to ensure that students have a good learning environment, while balancing the need for a community hub.

“I am very much looking forward to the new school,” said Dong. “It’s going to give the neighbourhood a new life.”

Newcomer Kitchen a welcome taste of home

By Geremy Bordonaro

Imagine that you have been stuck in a hotel room. You were thrown from the comforts of your own home and now find yourself in an unfamiliar land. Nothing looks the same. No one speaks the same language. All you have is you and your family crammed into a small hotel room without utilities.

This was reality for many Syrian refugees once they arrived in Canada, while waiting for clearance to get to their sponsors.

PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO: In the first Annex Newcomer Kitchen event, Syrian women make maqlooba with fattoush in Butler’s Pantry. Organizers hope the initiative will spread to other parts of the city.

For Len Senater, owner of Depanneur on College Street, this simply would not do. So he launched Newcomer Kitchen, a deceptively simple plan that helps the city’s newest citizens cook a good meal for their families, but also gives pointers to those interested in a career as a restaurateur.

“We were hearing more and more about the families stuck in the hotels. It became clear that those families had no access to kitchens at all to cook for themselves or their families,” said Senater. “I have this large kitchen and I have a venue…that is not being used during the day. Why not invite these families to come so that they can cook food for themselves and for their family.”

Senater hasn’t gone without some help in his mission. Len recruited a friend, Atique Azad, owner of Butler’s Pantry in Mirvish Village.

“[Azad] has been a friend and a mentor to my project for many years. He has much more experience in the restaurant business than I do. I knew that he and his wife spoke some Arabic and were interested in some humanitarian issues,” Senater said, adding that Azad volunteered immediately upon hearing of the initiative. Newcomer Kitchen also gained traction on social media, finding sponsors, and attracted the involvement of the Arab Community Centre.

Senater explained that Newcomer Kitchen gives people who have lost so much the opportunity to regain the most basic of home comforts.

“I met one woman who was an X-ray technician back at home,” said Cara Benjamin-Pace, a Newcomer Kitchen assistant. “She hadn’t cooked in a long time but when she picked up an onion and a knife, it came back to her instantly. She was back home.”

As others mingled preparing maqlooba with fattoush, it became clear that, for them, there was more to cooking than just the nourishment.

“It’s about the act of cooking, the act of feeding, and it’s clear to me when inviting these people here that cooking is not a solitary activity in Syrian culture,” Senater said. “It’s a community building activity, something done together with friends and family.”

It’s also a reminder of normalcy, of skills that haven’t been lost.

“Imagine that there’s one thing that you’re really good at, that people are relying on you to do, and you don’t have a chance to do that one thing,” he said. “When somebody comes and gives you a chance to do it, that’s got to feel good.”

Though most refugees are now on their way out of the hotels, the Depanneur will still continue to host Newcomer Kitchen, and Senater hopes the program will inspire other kitchens, whether they’re commercial or residential, to launch similar initiatives for refugees.

“[Longevity] is a driving force,” said Azad. “For a project like this, it’s important to keep the future of it in mind.”

READ MORE:

NEWS: A warm welcome for new arrivals (January 2016)

EDITORIAL (DECEMBER 2015): Embrace Refugees

NEWS: Groups raise funds for refugees (December 2015)

NEWS: Churches raise funds for refugees (November 2015)