College. Spadina, and Sussex potentially home to three new student residences

By Annemarie Brissenden, Brian Burchell, and Neiland Brissenden

In about 500 B.C., the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus (near modern-day Kusadasi, Turkey) propounded a distinctive theory of universal flux. It is an oversimplification of his views, but he is frequently attributed with the quote “the only thing that is constant is change itself”.

In terms of the large-scale redevelopment plans on the near horizon in the greater Annex area, Heraclitus provides us with an apt descriptor. In this edition of The Annex Gleaner we aim to scope out the development sites where radical change is most likely to occur.

Think of it as the before picture. Some of these sites we have written about extensively already such as the possibility of a big-box-style store on the former Kromer Radio site on Bathurst (see “Will Wal-Mart worm onto Bathurst?” June 2013); others such as the
new high-rise student residential development at Spadina and Sussex have only recently emerged as the University of Toronto has been quietly amassing property on the west side of Spadina avenue south of Bloor Street West.

In the coming months we will aim to keep you appraised of development proposals, applications for major and minor variances to by-laws, and community consultations, and we will aim to reflect your views on the pages of this newspaper. Inevitably, the Ontario
Municipal Board (OMB) will have something to say. Hopefully they will make every effort to consider what the city has to say and what the community itself thinks will work best, and not try to impose something totally alien on our established main streets and neighbourhoods. That said, we should not be afraid of change, we should embrace it as inevitable and “constant”, join the process, and become engaged in it.

By: Beth McKay

Often it is the small touches which make the Annex the welcoming and exceptional neighbourhood that it is today; and neighbours Taya and Jamie Cook of Grace Street certainly understand the importance of inclusivity and sharing. The Cooks have recently installed a little free library in front of their home with the aim of encouraging literacy within this community. Their little free library also aims to build new relationships amongst neighbours.

In a letter to the Gleaner, the Cooks noted that the movement of installing little free libraries began in the United States and has now officially come to Canada. “We invite the community to take a book, return a book, or add a book,” the couple explained in their letter. There are a few little free libraries in the Beaches area and one in Parkdale, but the Cooks believe that their library is the first in the Annex neighbourhood. Perhaps the idea of building these libraries is not so far fetched as it is a common sight in the Annex to see boxes of books scattered on the grass outside homes, often warped and ruined due to weather. Little free libraries would extend the lives of many books while keeping the neighbourhood clean.

“We are hoping to get the word out so that people use it, and hopefully others will start popping up around the area,” explained Taya. Though the current winter weather may deter some from immediately making their own little free libraries, as well as discourage a few from making the trek to Grace Street, perhaps another way to contribute is by finding good quality books within your own home to donate to the small library when you do make a visit. “We have been pleasantly surprised by how much it is getting used. Almost every day the books change and people pick some up and drop some off so it has been a lot of fun,” said Taya.

There are many websites which define the goals of little free libraries, and some sites even contain building instructions. Please visit http://littlefreelibrary.org/ for more information. “It would be great to have more in the neighbourhood!” Taya further explained, so perhaps build one as a spring project for yourself and for the neighbourhood.

Stats Confirm slide in crime reports
By: Brian Burchell

Feeling that your neighbourhood is a little safer these days? There is empirical evidence to support that view. At a recent meeting of the Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) for 14 Division, a consultative body the police use to keep connected with local stakeholder groups such as residents’ associations and business groups, the year-to-date crime numbers were reported and discussed. The short story is that in 2013 crime is down again, and this is not just compared with last year, it’s reflective of a years-long slide in the numbers.

Here is a summary:

Offense                      2012                   2013          Change%

• Assaults                    1056                    881              -17%
• Commercial B & E   204                    185              -9%
• Residential B & E    269                     276               3%
• Robberies                 237                     226              -5%
• Theft from Auto     1096                   899             -18%
• Stolen Vehicles        137                     143                4%

Source: Detective Constable Laurie McCann, Toronto Police 14 Division

Detective Constable Laurie McCann compiles the statistics each month and is able to discern trends and help focus police resources where problem areas exist. 14 Division covers all of the Annex and Liberty areas from Spadina to the east to Dufferin in the west and from the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks at Dupont all the way south to the lake. Notably this police division includes much of Parkdale. The geographical scope of responsibility for this division is something to bear in mind when looking at the numbers.

Detective Sergeant Brian Kelly advised that “although the residential break and enter (B & Es) numbers appear to be up year-to-year, this is misleading. When there is a break-in of multiple condo lockers, each locker is counted as separate incident.” In fact, residential B & Es are down as are commercial B & Es and notably assaults and robberies. Even stolen vehicles which appear to be on an upward trend represent a specific crime trend relating to a series of targeted motorcycle thefts, according to Kelly.

Superintendent Mario DiTommaso addressed the “theft from auto” numbers. Though they appear to be down, he explained that “many of these offences are committed by repeat offenders. Many commit these crimes of opportunity to feed a drug addiction.

They go through the court system and are back out in the community in a revolving door effect.” DiTommaso suggested that he felt that “often times when the judicial process is referring the convicted to a drug treatment program the sentencing is too lenient.”

On Nov. 24, 2013, officers attended 294 College St. with a search warrant which was a result of an ongoing investigation into a suspected booze can. Uniformed and plain clothes officers entered the premises and arrested several parties who worked there. Large amounts of alcohol and cash were seized and charges were laid.

Staff Sergeant James Hogan reported on numerous drug enforcement initiatives in the vicinity of Bellevue Square Park in Kensington Market.The statistics give a glimpse of a safer city and specifically our slice of it.

By: Brian Burchell

Two hundred and thirteen lost cats were rescued by the Annex Cat Rescue from the streets and back alleys in 2012 and adopted into loving local homes (statistics for 2013 are yet to be published). That’s a record year for the entirely volunteer-run organization.

Continuing this year, with the support of Global Pet Foods (171 Dupont St., at St. George) and teaming up with hockey commentator Don Cherry, the Show Us Your Heart fundraising campaign takes place Feb. 1–15 when cat lovers can visit the store and make a donation of as little as $1. The national chain has raised $570,000 since 2006 for the benefit of local animal shelters.

Few people realize the extent to which Annex Cat Rescue has aided homeless cats. Some cats are too wild to be adopted and reside in feral cat communities. Volunteers from the organization trap these cats and bring them to a vet for a check up and to be spayed or neutered, after which they are returned to their communities. In part, the fundraising efforts offset the expense of this important program.

“When you donate to Show Us Your Heart you’re supporting smaller, community-based organizations’ – the local shelters and groups that don’t receive government funding or have their own fundraising departments,” said Jim Walker, president of Global Pet Foods. “These shelters do all the work, often on their own dime and through the blood, sweat, and tears of volunteers. This is our way of giving back to them.”

“There is nothing more heartbreaking than a homeless pet wanting to be loved,” said Cherry. “Show Us Your Heart is an easy way to give back and make a real difference to pets in need.”

Keeping tabs on the urban landscape

By: Beth McKay

Bobbie Rosenfeld Park and Salmon Run Fountain

Between the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre

Time: 1:15 pm

Grade: B (Last year: B+)

Reason: Nestled in between the CN tower and the Rogers Centre, this park pays tribute to Toronto’s waterfront through artist Susan Schelle’s salmon water fountain. In spite of the nearby two iconic skyline landmarks, the park is a reminder that Toronto is so much
more than just a bustling city, as it also has a magnificent waterfront. This park is a nice break from the loud traffic and offers a serene space to relax.

What’s there: Sixty bronze salmon can be seen vaulting up over a large piece of glass, and are accompanied by 4,000 gallons of water. Adults and children alike have thrown pennies into the fountain, and there are many benches which invite walkers to sit and take a break. There is very little garbage.

Suggestions for improvement: Introducing some greenery into this park would make the area more appealing and natural looking.

Fun Fact: The Salmon Run Fountain was installed in 1991 when the park was renamed Bobbie Rosenfeld Park in honour of one of Canada’s most famous female athletes.

Olympic Park

Bremner Boulevard, near Metro Convention Centre South Building

Time: 2:00 pm

Grade: B (Last Year: A-)

Reason: This park is very loud and very exposed. There is construction happening directly across the street which makes it difficult to hear. Though the park backs onto the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, it is on a corner and therefore open to traffic noise and the hustle and bustle of Toronto life. However, it is a nice green space in a very industrialized area.

What’s there: There is a large circle of green grass surrounded by a paved path. There are well maintained hanging baskets around the perimeter of the park, and a few trees and vegetation.

Suggestions for improvement: Perhaps a fresh fence could be installed between the park and the road. Or, a tree line could act as a fence which would make the park more secluded and much less noisy.

Stanley Park

King Street, between Stafford and Walnut streets

Time: 12:00 pm

Grade: A (Last year: A)

Reason: This park is clean and well maintained. University-aged students laugh while jogging around the area which creates a welcoming and vivacious atmosphere. A baseball game was being played during my visit, and a family was attempting to have a
picnic, but the bugs were being relentless, so bring bug spray!

What’s there: A baseball diamond is located near the well used, yet well maintained playground. There is a shallow wading pool that has aesthetically pleasing safety barriers protecting it from run-away basketballs.

Suggestions for improvement: More grass and more trees which would provide privacy.

Victoria Memorial Square Park

Bathurst and Wellington streets

Time: 11:30 am

Grade: A (Last year: C)

Reason: This shaded square was once a military cemetery created in the late eighteenth century. There are hundreds of soldiers still buried in the ground and a few gravestone markers remain. The park is blanketed by shade and a sombre vibe, which makes it a great reading or contemplation destination.

What’s there: The focal point of this park is a large bust atop a monument. The bust is unnamed but appears to be of an older soldier. A wide paved walkway peacefully meanders through the park and, in some areas, is lined by lampposts. There are a number of original gravestones off to the side which have been preserved and arranged for viewing. This park is great for walking your dog, taking a nap, or playing guitar. A man was doing some tricks on his skateboard for a small gathering of his peers, but respectfully stopped performing the tricks as I walked by, which was very courteous.

Suggestions for improvement: It depends on one’s opinion of what constitutes a park. This space could easily hold a playground or swings although the introduction of these elements would hinder the reverie the park provides.

St. Andrew’s Playground

Corner of Adelaide and Brant Streets

Time: 11:15 am

Grade: B+ (Last year: N/A)

Reason: During my visit, this park had uncountable children in it belonging to many different daytime camp groups. It is a wonderfully shaded area; however, with so many people present it was hard even to walk in a straight line.

What’s there: The park is fenced, clean, and very breezy; a nice relief on a hot summer day. The playground has multiple slides and appeared to be very modern. There is a paved pavilion, and benches are scattered throughout. This would be a great park to enjoy a picnic and play a game of frisbee or tag. There is a nice large dog run in the far corner.

Suggestions for improvement: Try to avoid the area at times when so many children are there because of day camps. The park is probably very serene and enjoyable, but when it is blanketed with kids, it is not very calming. Fewer pigeons would also be a benefit.

Clarence Square

Spadina Avenue and Wellington Street

Time: 11:45 am

Grade: B (Last year: N/A)

Reason: Clarence Square is located in a tight niche. It is quite noisy on the side closest to Spadina, and there is quite a bit of litter. Yet one must applaud Toronto for preserving such a large green space in a considerably busy area.

What’s there: There is a never-ending supply of shade in this park as large trees grow abundantly throughout. Though there is litter, it is not because the city has not supplied enough garbage cans as they are all over the park, silently encouraging pedestrians to use them. Long benches can be found towards the centre of the park, and people of all ages occupy them.

Overheard: “I wish he’d just hurry up and pop the question already!” one woman exclaimed to what appeared to be her close friend.

Suggestions for improvement: Perhaps the city could hire someone to help better maintain this park. It has so much potential, but because of its hectic location, it is subject to lots of garbage which limits its usage. I do not recommend having a picnic on the grass in this park!

Roundhouse Park

Corner of Lower Simcoe Street and Bremner Boulevard, near the Gardiner Expressway

Time: 2:15 pm

Grade: A (Last year: N/A)

Reason: This is such a fantastic area. Though Roundhouse Park is right across the street from Olympic Park, this green area trumps its neighbour on so many levels, particularly in the noise department. It is above street level which decreases car noise and is extremely spacious.

What’s there: Roundhouse Park was created in 1997 and is home to a live steam miniature railway. There is also a fully operational 120-foot-long locomotive turntable, and a collection of full-sized railroad equipment. Old railroad tracks lead through the park, which are remnants of Toronto’s early industrialization. Trees surround the
perimeter creating a sound barrier, and there are a few benches as well. There is a nice paved walkway throughout.

Suggestion for improvement: More people! This park is a great place to learn about Toronto’s history, but it is also quiet enough to read or even take a nap.

Isabella Valancy Crawford Park

The corner of Front and John streets

Time: 12:55 pm

Grade: C (Last year: N/A)

Reason: It is a far stretch to call this small slab of concrete a park. In its defence, it is a nice oasis away from busy Front Street, but there are so many businessmen and businesswomen rushing to meetings or grabbing lunch at the hotdog vendor, that it is far from relaxing.

What’s there: There is a large concrete staircase leading up to different buildings as this park is nestled between two office buildings. Seating consists of concrete sidings that double as planters. There are gardens of ivy at the base of a few young trees which appear to be growing out of the concrete. The park does have a nice entrance as it is directly below the CN tower.

Suggestions for improvement: There is not much to do with this small amount of space. It might be nice to remove some of the concrete and plant grass; however, it would likely be trampled by the busy foot traffic. Perhaps some benches.

Osler Playground

Argyle Street, just west of Ossington Avenue

Time: 3:30 pm

Grade: A (Last year: A-)

Reason: This playground is nicely fenced in, so if your kids or dogs make a run for it, they will not get to the street! The park is a child’s playground dream.

What’s there: There is a large playground set complete with swings and a teeter-totter, and even a wading pool; so bring your bathing suit! Shade blankets some areas due to mature trees and there are benches so parents can watch their kids play.

Suggestions for improvement: Not much has changed since last summer, as this park still needs better bike parking. Bikes have been locked to the fence which is noticeably an inconvenience as people’s bikes are tangled together.

Overheard: “Weeeeeeeeeee” a young boy squealed as he played on the teeter-totter.

Trinity Bellwoods Park

West of Ossington, between Dundas and Queen streets

Time: 5:15 pm

Grade: A (Last year: A+)

Reason: This park promises hours of endless fun, and you can literally get lost in its tall trees, rolling hills, and shaded grass.

What’s there: Trinity Bellwoods, if you haven’t already heard, is the envy of all other parks in the area. There is a beach volleyball court, outdoor hockey rinks, a playground, greenhouses, an off-leash dog park, a fire pit, and so much more. Oh, and did I mention countless trails? There is also plenty of shade to rest and read, or sunny patches to work on your tan.

Interesting fact: This park has been in the media lately due to excessive noise and the distribution of police tickets in response to drunken behaviour. Though it is common for people to bring a bottle of wine to a picnic in the park, currently the police presence has been stronger and you may get a ticket for having a casual alcoholic beverage.

Suggestions for improvement: A tree line on Crawford Street would help to buffer the late-night noise.

George Ben Park

Ossington Avenue, just north of Dundas Street West

Time: 4:00 pm

Grade: C (Last year: C-)

Reason: This park is located directly beside St. Luke’s elementary school and because of its small size, it looks as though it is the school’s personal playground. Though it is an open area, it is not as aesthetically pleasing as most parks in the area.

What’s there: There is a pathway through the park which connects Ossington to Roxton, and it is accentuated by a few benches which have seen better days. There is a field that could be used for soccer or a game of tag, and there is also a baseball diamond.

Suggestions for improvement: This area has the ingredients to become a great park, it just currently lacks charisma. With a few trees, a garden, and maybe a couple of new updates to the benches and baseball diamond, this could be an inviting space. It needs more people!

Linear Park North and South

Blue Jays Way and Spadina Avenue

Time: 10:00 am

Grade: C+ (Last year: D+)

Reason: Train tracks run parallel to this odd but amusing park, which demonstrates that it was once a functional place that has fallen into a bit of disarray. There is very little green space, and people seem to flock to it.

What’s there: The first item to catch my eye was the monument commemorating Chinese railroad workers. To take in this monument while watching trains chug along was somewhat of a fascinating moment. There are two large rocks at the entrance to Blue Jays Way that add landscaping to a somewhat drab area. Though this park may not have the colourful qualities of others, it holds railroad history and naturally displays it in a grey, concrete, and industrialized way.

Suggestions for improvement: More people. Also, the park would benefit from greenery simply to please the eye, and also to give visitors a place to sit down and rest.

Consensus emerges for a better Ontario Police Complaints System
By: Brian Burchell

“More transparency, timeliness, independence, and accountability are what’s needed,” says Dr. Alok Mukherjee, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board; these are just some of the recommendations that have emerged from a report on the Future Directions for
the Ontario Police Complaints System. “Our current system is too aloof and makes no effort to be proactive,” said Mukherjee at a day-long expert panel discussion hosted by Scadding Court Community Centre (SCCC) in September.

Also on the panel were Barbara Hall, chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Professor Jennifer L. Schulenburg, a crime specialist from the University of Waterloo, and Tam Gossen, vice-president of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations.
The panel was convened to discuss the recommendations that emerged from a forum co-chaired by SCCC in November of 2012, where one hundred and fifty delegates from sixty organizations and nine police services from across Ontario discussed the current
state of the police complaints system. Kevin Lee, the executive director of SCCC, introduced the panel and reminded the panelists and the approximately fifty attendees that SCCC has been a leader in seeking to create a better police complaints system and that “any successful complaints process must be more than just punishing misdeeds and weeding out bad apples, it must be more proactive”.

The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) is distinct from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The SIU conducts an independent investigation where a person is injured or killed while in police custody or while interacting with police. The OIPRD, according to the Police Services Act as amended in 2009, “provides an objective impartial office to receive, manage, and oversee the investigation of public complaints against Ontario police.”

Gossen commented that the forum was happening just blocks from a fatal shooting in July of a teen on a TTC streetcar by police a few weeks before, and said that any meaningful review “must address issues of race in policing, unnecessary use of lethal force, and improved training in crisis intervention starting at police college”. Hall commented that she sees this process as a confirmation that there is “a palpable shift away from complaints-driven systems towards trying to address all prohibited forms of discrimination from policing”, and cautioned against seeing more training as a panacea;
“culture trumps training,” she said.

Schulenburg reported that in her research she spent fifteen hundred hours travelling in patrol cars and that she was surprised to see first-hand “that fifty per cent of calls were not at all black and white, many complicated situations present themselves at once, and making the ‘right’ decision is not always obvious”.

Recommendations from the forum were numerous. They addressed the legal structure of the OIPRD and a need to increase outreach initiatives, especially with regard to awareness of multiple languages and cultures, and vulnerable and marginalized populations, and the need to amend their Rules of Procedure and the Police Services Act to allow for advocating use of the OIPRD in media outlets (this is presently prohibited). Changes were also proposed to the procedures of the OIPRD to allow complainants to understand what to expect. People with complaints about the police can bring those complaints to the police themselves, where they are investigated by the
Professional Standards branch of the police force in question, or to the OIPRD. The forum recommended reducing the number of police-managed investigations but not necessarily with a view to adding to OIPRD investigations. It was advocated that there should be increased opportunities for certified mediators to play a role to bring complaint matters to a more expeditious resolution.

All fifty-seven recommendations have been submitted to the Attorney General’s office for consideration of changes to the legislation and the adjoining regulations. The Toronto
Police Services Board will also consider the recommendations at its November meeting.

A full text of the proposal is available at: http://www.scaddingcourt.org/pdflibrary/2013police-forum-report.pdf

 Those of us who live in the city all know the aggravation that can come with unreliable public transit and gridlock.  Being squeezed into an overflowing subway. Watching packed streetcars pass you by as you wait in the cold, already late for work. Sitting in a car in traffic and fighting that temptation to scream.  The reality, for far too many, of not having a fast and reliable source of public transit within walking distance of your home or work.

 Let’s face it, while we may like public transit, at times it can be tough. Commuters are increasingly frustrated and business leaders are feeling the negative impact on productivity and competitiveness.

Part of this frustration arises from the fact that travel time directly affects our quality of life. Take for example, commute times. Last year the average commute time in the GTA was over 80 minutes.  Think about how much more time you could spend with your family, enjoy your hobbies, or lead a healthy and active life if it was reduced.

But transit impacts more than just the quality of our lives, it hits us in our pocket books. Gridlock in the GTA last year cost our economy $6 billion. And that’s to say nothing of the negative impacts on our long-term economic prospects.

So, what’s to be done? How can we get our city and country moving again?  In the last year individuals, businesses, civic organizations, and governments have taken the issue on.  Organizations and alliances like the Toronto Region Board of Trade and CivicAction have convened some of the best and brightest to work on solutions. Local campaigns, like our own I HEART Public Transit initiative of the Trinity-Spadina NDP, have sought to build awareness and advocate for change.  Individuals from across our city have spent their evenings in consultations hosted by the City of Toronto and Metrolinx.

This is a good development. There is now an urgent discussion taking place about how to pay for existing and new transit and how to cut commute times. At the municipal and provincial level, debates about the best form of dedicated, transparent, progressive, and fair revenue sources are being held. The search for that elusive consensus on transit funding is on.

All of us who engaged in these discussions know a few simple truths: If we don’t invest in and fix our existing transit infrastructure, gridlock will get worse and commute times will increase.  Our ridership is growing. Simply put, more people are using public transit and more cars are on the roads. And, if we don’t invest in building the next generation of transit, everyone in our city will be worse off.

However, in all of these discussions, one important piece of the puzzle has been missing: the federal government. For years the federal government has been missing in action on public transit.

A couple of simple facts help to make this clear.  Fact–Canada is the only G8 nation without a national transit strategy. Fact – nationally, our public transit system faces an $18 billion gap in the next five years without any commitment from the federal government to fix it. Fact – the economic benefits directly resulting from public transit in Canada are over $10 billion annually.

This needs to change.

Across Canada cities are struggling. They receive only eight cents of every tax dollar and their property taxes have to pay for a wide range of local services, from parks to police to libraries. Recent promised improvements with the gas tax transfer to cities have been an important step, but our cities remain cash-strapped. On transit, they can’t manage alone.

What Canadian cities need is permanent, long-term, and predictable investments in transit. Building and operating transit can’t be done overnight. It requires vision and planning. And it certainly can’t be effectively funded with one-time commitments from the federal government.

On the very weekend we sat down to write this op-ed the news arrived that the federal government would provide $660 million for a subway in Scarborough. Let’s be clear, we need the federal government at the table and the news that they would be funding transit is a step in the right direction. But, they can and must do better.

Municipal and provincial officials in Toronto and across Canada are looking to improve transit and we can’t do that with just ad hoc and one-off commitments from the federal government. We need long-term and predictable funding to make transit investments work.

For years, Torontonians and residents of cities across Canada have needed to get to work and school faster. They’ve been let down. But the recent focus and attention on transit should give us all hope. The time is coming for discussions to make way for action. It’s time to get Canadians moving again.

– Olivia Chow is the member of parliament for Trinity-Spadina, the NDP transport and infrastructure spokesperson, and the vice-chair of parliament’s transport committee.

-Joe Cressy is the president of the Trinity-Spadina federal NDP and one of the co-founders of the I HEART Public Transit campaign.

Photo By Brian Burchell/Gleaner News, Files courtesy of Gus “Rory” Sinclair 

Bloor Borden Market vendor Amanda Van Hart sells her produce at the end of a long growing season. The Van Hart family farm, located in the Holland marsh was started just after the Second World War by the Van Hart’s who emigrated from Holland. Amanda’s father Ron tends their farm while Amanda sets up her stall at farmer’s markets seven days a week across Ontario. The produce is all organic and more info can be had at:
http://www.vanhartsallorganic.ca/ourstory.html The market held each Wednesday in the Green P parking lot is now closed for the season.

Photo By Brian Burchell/Gleaner News

An estimated seven-hundred and fifty carved and lit pumpkins lined Harbord street just after dusk on November 1. The 6^th Annual Harbord Street Pumpkin Festival saw local residents bring their Halloween craftsmanship to display for all to see on tables provided by the Harbord Street BusinessImprovement are, a key sponsor of the event which is organized by volunteers of the Harbord Village Residents Association.

Adam Vaughan Vows to “Destroy” OMB

BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS [Read more →]

 In our blind bid to recycle we seem to have forgotten the first two “Rs”

By Terri Chu

The city has put up nice new garbage bins along the major streets around the Annex recently. There are separate compartments for trash and recycling.  Toronto is ahead of most major North American cities when it comes to recycling, but I fear there’s a lack of understanding about just how effective it is.  There are some people who would never leave home without a water bottle or travel mug while others gladly buy single-use bottles and throw away coffee cups.  In my hometown (London, Ontario), I met a woman complaining about city council’s bid to ban water bottles in city hall boldly announcing “I recycle, there is no environmental impact!”

At the time, I was helping a friend run (successfully in the end) for city council so I quietly facepalmed rather than take her on.  Had I known how handily my friend would have beaten his opponent, I may have tried harder to clarify the situation.

If you take the subway, you may have noticed plastic recycling ads encouraging you to put plastics into the blue bin.  They’re all full of guilt-free love reminding us that trivial acts can contribute to saving polar bears. They’re also lying. If you take a closer look at the fine print, you will notice that the ads are sponsored by the plastic industry lobby group. I realized that the misconceptions surrounding recycling were wide-spread when armchair environmentalists on Twitter starting decrying the fact that their cities didn’t accept Styrofoam recycling for takeout containers.  Exactly what they thought recycling companies can do with it remains a mystery to me.

There is no such thing as plastic recycling. There is, however, such a thing as plastic downcycling.  By law, food containers must be virgin plastic – presenting the first challenge to true REcycling.  The next challenge comes from the properties of the plastic itself. Coke tried to reuse the scrap plastic bits from its manufacturing process (pre-consumer) and even then could not get the clarity they needed in the bottles.  The most important drawback to consider, however, is the toxicity involved in the plastic recycling process.  Even if we managed to turn every Coke bottle into a designer fleece top to be discarded by the trendy fashionistas in four months, we would still have to deal with the fact that the effluence is going back into our drinking water supply which will eventually come back into our bodies.  My view of plastic recycling is that it is great propaganda cleverly designed to make people feel good about continuing to consume products to drive up GDP.  It’s highly polluting and you are much better off skipping the bottled water and hitting a fountain.

Glass and metal recycling is a much better process (assuming the material doesn’t end up in the landfill because of overcapacity at the processing plants), but both still take a lot of energy.  Our best bet is to reduce and reuse.  We seem to have forgotten the first 2 Rs in our bid to get everyone to recycle (and keep consuming).  If you can, shop at farmers’ markets where the farmer takes back and reuses the jars.  Shops such as Grassroots on Bloor (near Brunswick) will sell soap, shampoo, etc. by weight. You bring in an empty container, they’ll weigh it, you get what you want, they’ll weigh it again on the way out, and you pay for what you need with minimal waste.

Don’t buy into the propaganda. Recycling will not cure our environmental woes and, in many ways, it only makes them worse (because people lose the guilt and end up using more).  It is not guilt-free.  Any type of single-use container is highly environmentally damaging.  We need to bring back the 3 Rs and emphasize REDUCE and REUSE.  Recycling should be the last resort, not the first.

Unique Parent-Child Cafe’ Provides a Safe Harbour

Photo By Brian Burchell/Gleaner News

An inside view of a space welcome to child and parent alike, a very well executed renovation of the site of the former Toronto Women’s Bookstore.

By Erika Murray

As a new mother in 2002, Nathalie Robertson initially struggled to forge a social network amongst other moms. While she was commuting from Toronto to New York for work, Robertson found Moomah, a parent-child oriented café in New York. The atmosphere of Moomah left a distinct impression on her, and eleven years later she has set up RedFish BlueFish Creative Café, her own parent-child café that focuses primarily on fostering community between parents. “Nobody really tells you this, but when you don’t have that kind of community as a new parent, it can be very isolating,” says Robertson. “The CBC recently did a study on how women in urban centres are more likely to suffer from post-partum depression, and a contributing factor to that is poor social support from other parents.” After Robertson joined a moms’ group and realized how absolutely necessary this kind of support was, she remembered Moomah. “When we saw how much better parenting can be when in a community, that’s when we really thought ‘Let’s do this,’ says Robertson. “The main goal is to create an outlet for parents to get out of the house, have coffee, and talk to other parents.”

While the target consumers of RedFish BlueFish Creative Café are parents and their children, Robertson wants to emphasize that it is not an establishment exclusively for families. RedFish BlueFish is meant to be a neutral, non-threatening space where adults can come without children and still feel comfortable. The first floor is a kid-friendly café area with tables and chairs for family seating and an arts and crafts table for children, which leads to an outdoor backyard patio with a small garden and a fence overlooking Knox Presbyterian Church. “This main floor is meant to be an area where the friend of a new parent can come and feel comfortable and is oriented towards to the entire community to feel free to come inside and have a coffee. The second floor is more like kids-a-palooza, as it is where the children’s programming will take place,” Robertson says. Located on the outskirts of University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, RedFish BlueFish Creative Café receives a considerable amount of traffic from students in search of caffeine and free Wi-Fi.

RedFish BlueFish Creative Café opened on June 11, 2013, and Robertson says that the community response so far has been amazing and that “even already have regular customers who have made us a part of their routines.” Thus far, there has been no grand opening of any kind, but there is hope to have some celebration in September, after they have established themselves and received more feedback from customers. As it is still in the preliminary stages, the first year for RedFish BlueFish is going to be an experimental period. “We really want to hear from people about things they’d like to see or do here,” says Robertson. The café’s current hours, 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. during the weekdays, and 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM during the weekends, are subject to possible change as management observes the needs of customers. An after-school club is in the works, and Robertson is currently reaching out to moms’ groups as well as to homeschooling parents who may want to explore the environment of RedFish BlueFish.

“Kerry Clare’s essay ‘Love is a Letdown’, on how becoming a mother for the first time is a storm, is required reading for all baristas hired as it is crucial to understanding and empathizing with parents as customers,” says Robertson, adding, “A safe harbour in that storm is totally what we want this place to be.” The baristas are all students who have received thorough reference checks and often have had some form of experience working with children beforehand. A lunch menu has recently become available through Foodbenders, a vendor that works with nutritionists to create nutritionally balanced lunches for kids. Currently all the baked goods in RedFish BlueFish are coming from the bakery Desmond and Beatrice, and hopefully by September, individually pre-packaged gluten-free and allergy-friendly baked goods will be integrated into the menu for children with diet restrictions.

The café’s website RedFishBlueFishcafe.com is not yet in place, but they can currently be found on Facebook, and they are located at 73 Harbord W. in the location that was formerly the Toronto Women’s Bookstore.