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ON THE COVER: While the students are away, the fox will play (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER: While the students are away, the fox will play (Jan. 2021)

In a particularly Canadian version of Fox News, this furry friend boldly struts around the partially shuttered University of Toronto campus. Pat Mullen, who works at University College, snapped this shot as the fox approached as if to question his reason for being at work. PAT MULLEN/GLEANER NEWS

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OBITUARY: Bossons focused on city’s liveability (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · 1 Comment

Former ARA Chair, Metro and City Councillor Ila Bossons passes at 83

By Nicole Stoffman

When big decisions hang in the balance at city hall, councillors often form predictable coalitions along the political spectrum. Ila Bossons was one councillor who bucked that trend. “The middle way is the best way,” the independent candidate declared in 1988, during her successful campaign to become Metro Councillor for the new ward of Midtown, which included the Annex. 

COURTESY JOHN BOSSONS

This philosophy characterized her four terms as a Metro and city councillor from 1988-2000, during which she took strong positions on divisive issues from panhandling to property tax increases. More than once, she was one of a small minority of councillors who voted against what she called “glory projects” like the National Trade Centre and Toronto’s two Olympic bids. She argued money would be better spent on fixing roads and investing in housing, schools and hospitals.

Ila Bossons died of a stroke on November 30, at the age of 83.  Born in 1937 in Freiburg, Germany, she met her husband, John, while they were both at the University of Pittsburg where she was studying languages and sociology. They moved to Toronto in 1966, where John became a professor in the Economics department at the University of Toronto. 

Bossons was Chair of the Annex Resident’s Association from 1984-87, while a resident of Elgin Avenue. 

“That was how she got into politics, through becoming concerned about what was happening in the Annex as a result of development pressures,” explained John Bossons.

Ila Bossons did not answer to interest groups in her pursuit of enhancing Toronto’s liveability. As one of only three councillors who voted against the building of the National Trade Centre she noted, “I didn’t feel the pressure of the unions, but obviously others did.” 

On the issue of turning Toronto’s sewage into fertilizer, she challenged environmentalists who were concerned about its toxicity, arguing that it would have been tested before being used. “We’re really trying to do something that’s environmentally safe, and all we get is hysteria,” Bossons said at the time.

“Her philosophy was to take the best from both sides, and not get deflected by ideology,” explained John Bossons, her husband of 56 years. “That was her basic attitude toward problems.” 

The fight against market value reassessment (MVA) in the early 90s was a big problem Bossons faced in her political career. The majority of homeowners in the Yorkville and Annex neighbourhoods she represented as councillor for Midtown would have seen their property taxes go up, some by as much as 45%. The provincial legislation proposed that property values, not updated since the 50s, be assessed at 1988 levels. Bossons’ vigorous campaign against MVA out of concern for its impact on seniors and small businesses helped to get it introduced more gradually.  

In response to the proliferation of aggressive panhandling and “squeegee kids” in the late 90s, Bossons proposed a by-law, modelled after one in Vancouver, that would ban approaching a stopped car to panhandle, or any panhandling near a bank branch, subway, ATM machine, or liquor store. The Toronto Star named it “Bossons’ Bylaw,” and called it mean-spirited and unconstitutional. Emotional letters poured in on both sides, with some thanking Bossons for “reclaiming the streets for all of us.” Though defeated at the city level, The Safe Streets Act was passed by the Province the following year. It was much narrower in scope than “Bossons’ Bylaw,” banning only aggressive panhandling. Belonging to what she called the “middle portion of council,” may have given Bossons the freedom to take on this contentious issue. 

Ila Bossons’ interests lay in city-wide issues. As Chair of the Metro Works Committee, Bossons backed practical solutions to waste disposal, arguing that central composting and incineration were strategies that could be used responsibly in Toronto as they are used in Western Europe, the U.S. and the U.K. 

“Ila Bossons was at the vanguard of the waste diversion and recycling movement in the 1990s,” recalled Mike Chopowick, CEO of the Ontario Waste Management Association. “Her efforts helped set the stage for the progress we’ve achieved since then. As of today, the City of Toronto now collects approximately 160,000 tonnes of organic food waste a year and processes the large majority of it within city limits. Councillor Bossons’ leadership and dedication to waste management issues will no doubt be a lasting legacy.”

Councillor Bossons was an activist who fought to ensure that Toronto’s boom was thoughtfully managed. “She was certainly a consensus builder,” recalls Chopowick. “And just very genuinely caring for her city and its citizens.” 

Ila Bossons cycled to work every day, foregoing the chauffeured vehicles available to Metro councillors. An early advocate of bike lanes, she was instrumental in having the first ones installed along the Bloor Street Viaduct. “Let me tell you, it was the difference between terror and safety,” said neighbour Eric Jackson.

She had a lifelong interest in nature, and served on the Toronto Conservation Authority Board for 14 years, from 1989-2003. 

“One of Ila’s passions during her 10+ years on TRCA’s watershed advisory boards was advocating for sustainable and responsible use of our water resources, in both our urban and rural communities,” recalled Ms. Jennifer Innis, TRCA Board Chair. 

Ila Bossons leaves her husband, John, son Miles, and brother Walter Haeberle. A celebration of life will follow in late spring.

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NEWS: Carrying on a legacy (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on NEWS: Carrying on a legacy (Jan. 2021)

Bringing chess to life after Chess Institute of Canada founder’s passing

Every June, when the Bloor Annex BIA closed the street for a festival, the Chess Institute would set-up their giant chess board with life-sized pieces. It was a very popular feature for attendees. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS

By Tanya Ielyseieva

2020 was a good year for chess: the player base at chess.com increased by 66%, and one of the most popular TV series of the year was about a young woman stealthily moving players on a checkered board. Too bad Ted Winick didn’t see it. The chess enthusiast and co-founder of the Chess Institute of Canada, located at 459A Bloor Street W., believed that the game offered a chance to learn critically important life lessons and that kids of all backgrounds should get a chance to play.

“Learning how to be patient. Learning how to take responsibility for your actions, learning to think before you act, these are the things Ted believed you could learn from chess,” says Keith Denning, an instructor at the Institute. “In the early days, he even had a school janitor come up to him one time and say, ‘Hey, you’re that chess guy, right? I have to thank you because since the chess program has started the lunchroom is much cleaner.’”

Winick founded the Chess Institute and the Spirit of Math with the support of his wife, Heidi. He died in May 2019, and she died in August, 2020. Both institutions stay true to the values and standards Winick instilled in them.

“Ted was a real force of nature,” says Denning. “At the age of 70, even when he was in the hospital, he had more energy than most people half his age who were perfectly healthy. He was just continually working on things. And it’s certainly been difficult without him. Of course, everybody is determined to live up to his vision for the organization and bring it forward.” 

Denning adds that COVID-19 has added to the challenge.

“I’ve been teaching online since March and it’s been difficult for the kids, however, they are handling it very well. Occasionally someone will say something like, ‘Don’t you wish that COVID had never happened?’ Of course, that’s true. But I always see smiling, happy, engaged kids who seem to be able to deal with what is getting thrown at them,” says Denning. “I would like to think, at least in part, it has to do with the sorts of values that we’re encouraging through chess.”

Currently, both the Chess Institute and the Annex Chess Club offer online chess classes, workshops, tournaments, and camps. The Annex Chess Club meets every Monday evening online. The chess classes are mainly focused on students between kindergarten and Grade 8. However, the Annex Chess Club also offers online courses for adults.

“That’s been fantastic, in a lot of ways. Ted’s dream was that it would be the Chess Institute of Canada. And we’ve been making moves that way over the last couple of years. We have had programs outside of Toronto. But now we have students all across the country. We run regular chess tournaments for kids that attract kids from as far away as Prince Rupert, Halifax, and all points in between. 

I think Ted would be pleased with what we’ve managed to do in a very difficult, weird time,” Denning said.

To honour Ted Winick’s legacy, the Chess Institute of Canada is planning to hold annual chess tournaments in his name once in-person gatherings are possible again.

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DEVELOPINGS: Developments at your doorstep (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on DEVELOPINGS: Developments at your doorstep (Jan. 2021)

New builds abound around the Annex

The construction of new residential towers has continued unabated in the Annex despite the pandemic. The Gleaner  is distributed to homes between College Street, Dupont Street, Avenue Road and Christie Street. Fourteen development sites, at various stages of completion, currently exist within these boundaries. With one confirmed exception – Mirvish Village – these are each condominium developments with high price tags. In the next one to three years the population of the Annex will increase considerably. Here is what to expect.

By Mary An, with files from Kyrsten Mieras and Tanya Ielyseieva. 

Photos by Brian Burchell

Please click here to view a pdf file: AGleanerJan2021DevelopingsBDownload

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NEWS: Estonian Centre gets green light (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · 1 Comment

New building plan clears hurdles at Committee of Adjustment

View, looking East from Madison Avenue, of the soon to be constructed Estonian Cultural Centre. The proposal has widespread support from the residents’ association and the city alike. COURTESY ALAR KONGATS

Residents and shoppers alike were surprised to see the Green P parking lot on Madison Avenue close in early January. The city had been leasing the space for Green P but that lease was not renewed by the property owners who also own the adjacent 11 Madison Ave. The owners plan to begin construction soon on the International Estonian Centre, a cultural and community space. In July of 2016, the Gleaner did a feature on that pending development. We include it again here as a reminder.

Site on Madison Avenue to be converted from Green P parking lot to the Estonian Cultural Centre. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS

BY JUAN ROMERO 

The Committee of Adjustment at the City of Toronto and the Annex Residents’ Association (ARA) have approved the latest changes proposed for the New Estonian Cultural Centre. The new centre, to be located in the Annex, will replace the current building, located on Broadview Avenue.

The Estonian Centre’s project committee had submitted eight minor changes to the design of the building. These changes, which included adjustments to the building’s height and parking, were well received by neighbours.

“In the latest proposal we liked the design and we were in favour of the changes. We think it will be really beneficial for the Estonian community,” says Sandra Shaul, the chair and director of the ARA.

The three-storey building will be located on Madison Avenue, where the Green P parking is located, which is very close to the Estonian Tartu College.

The new centre will be used by the Estonian Credit Union, the Estonian Choir, and Estonian schools and it will be occasionally rented out to third parties as well. Public events such as Estonian events and celebrations will also take place there.

Despite wide approval for the development of the centre, the Estonian Vice-Consul in Toronto, Tom Heinsoo, says the community is divided on the project.

“Some people in the community thought it would be better to spend the money on the existing house on Broadview and renovate the current building,” says Heinsoo, who adds that he is in favour of the creation of a new centre. “I do think the majority of people realize that it wouldn’t be financially logical to renovate the old building since it would cost a small fortune to bring it up to modern standards.”

According to the Estonian Centre’s due diligence report, the Madison Avenue project is set to cost approximately $25 million.

Construction is scheduled to begin in January [2021].

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CHATTER: A new green space within the Annex (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on CHATTER: A new green space within the Annex (Jan. 2021)

As part of the 5-km long Green Line project, a new park is propose at Dupont Street and Davenport Avenue. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS

A new park is coming to Macpherson Avenue as a part of the city’s Green Line project. Macpherson Avenue Park will be located at Macpherson Avenue and Davenport Road, down the street from Jay Macpherson Parkette. This park is a part of a bigger project proposed by the city called the Green Line project which, according to the city, would “transform a currently in-use electric transmission corridor into a five km-long connected park and open space.” This new park will be the first of three new parks to be initiated for their Green Line project. 

As the city explains it, the Green Line project will be a “linear park system in an active hydro-electric corridor that will connect neighbourhoods and expand the broader open space network in midtown and west Toronto.” 

The city held a virtual public meeting in November for Macpherson Avenue park where they were able to work with citizens and gain their input on this project. Macpherson Avenue Park has been proposed to have adult exercise equipment, an Indigenous garden with diverse plants along with Indigenous place-keeping markers within a sculpture and markings on the pavement for historical design. They are also implementing enough open space to ensure the park would have “outdoor classroom flexibility.” 

Macpherson Avenue Park will be the first new park to be implemented within this project. Currently, the city is still designing the concept of the park, and plans to start construction in the spring of 2022. 

—Mary An/Gleaner News

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CHATTER: Huron St. Playground going leash-free (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on CHATTER: Huron St. Playground going leash-free (Jan. 2021)

300 square metres of off-leash freedom is being implemented on the West side of the park. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS

The Annex has just three designated off-leash dog park areas: Bickford Park, Ramsden Park, and Vermont Square Park. A 2018 motion to add a fourth off-leash area (OLA) in the neighbourhood is now underway at Huron Street Playground. Located just northwest of Bloor Street West and St. George Street, the park currently has a few playground structures including a rope climber, a sandbox, a swing set, and a small rock-climbing structure. 

According to Jaclyn Carlisle, Senior Communications Coordinator with the City of Toronto, they plan to add a new fence, accessible benches, artificial turf along with mulch surfacing around the trees, and a water fountain with a dog bowl. The OLA will take up 300 square metres of the park on its west side, and will be open throughout regular park hours.

Generally, all owners and dogs are welcomed at any OLA, but there are different amenities in the OLAs labelled by the city; commercial dog-walker areas, specific fenced areas, and small dog areas. 

Ramsden Park will be an example of a small dog area for dogs under 20 pounds. There will also be a general fenced area for dogs to run around in. The OLA addition to Huron Street Playground will have a commercial dog walker area, meaning professional dog walkers will be welcome at this OLA. More information on what type of amenities are included in any OLA is on the City of Toronto website. Walkers and owners can also get fined $365 if dogs are unleashed outside of OLAs. 

According to the city’s website, the project’s current state is within the design development stage, and they plan to start construction on the park in the summer of 2021. 

—Mary An/Gleaner News

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EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice (Jan. 2021)

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EDITORIAL: Ford’s half measures (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Ford’s half measures (Jan. 2021)

New projections warn that the new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus could result in Ontario seeing 40,000 new infections per day in February. Meanwhile, the province has announced a state of emergency allowing the government, with the support of cabinet, to introduce new public health orders more quickly. This could be a good thing, depending on how the powers are used. It’s hard to be hopeful, though, when the province is led by a premier who seems so determined to deliver mixed messages and sweeping regulations riddled with enormous loopholes.

On Tuesday, January 12, Premier Ford announced stay-at-home orders to take effect two days later, at which point, Ford said, police would begin to hand out tickets to anyone who leaves home for anything beyond the “essentials.” Apparently, this was news to the police. Spokespeople for the police said simply that if they encountered a large group gathering in public they would break it up, or if they received a complaint about an adamant anti-masker in a grocery store, they would attend to it. 

“A person taking their dog on a nightly stroll is not going to have to worry about a police officer pulling them over,” said Joe Couto, who represents the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. “We have to use common sense.”

Mayor John Tory called for rule-makers to be clear and consistent in their messaging. Premier Ford did not seem to agree, replying that, “if you feel your trip is not essential, it probably isn’t.”

There are definitely a few details that warrant some scrutiny and clarification. In his announcement, Premier Ford said that all construction must cease unless it is deemed essential. One might consider hospital expansion or the repair of a collapsed sewer or old bridge to be considered essential. However, instead of a short list, there is a very long list of construction projects deemed essential. In a nutshell, they include just about anything that is already underway. In other words, construction is considered essential, and will not be stopped. 

No retail business or food establishment within this newspaper’s distribution is impacted by the announcement. Retail remains open for curbside pick-up and restaurants for take-out. One might wonder if this is not a contradiction. If a citizen can only leave home for, “essentials” are we considering the goods sold at a store like EB Games essential? Faced with this logic problem the government announced (the day after Ford’s presser) that anything that is open for curbside pick-up is deemed essential. In other words, all shopping is essential. Big box stores remain open but must now close at 8pm. Ford tried to announce a 50% capacity limit in those venues but was forced to admit that this rule was already in effect. 

“I will come down on them like a 800-lb guerrilla if they exceed store limits,” he boasted. Walmart is surely shaking with fear at this statement. 

The only good thing the province has done right here is keeping schools closed a little longer. The health minister announced, as if it was a revelation, that this may have the net effect of keeping more people home as they need to care for their children.

Vaccine rollout in Ontario, a provincial responsibility, has been inconsistent at best. Many long-term care homes with outbreaks are yet to see a single vaccine, while hospital workers seeing no patients and working from home have had open access. Angry at any criticism, Ford has tried to blame the federal government for supply issues, but according to the feds the delivery to the provinces is right on schedule and Canada has more in the pipeline per capita than any country in the world. 

Ford recently announced that Prime Minister Trudeau has agreed to send the military to help get outbreaks in long-term care homes under control. Unsurprisingly, he’s got no clear answer to what the military will do. Like every other measure this premier takes, we’re seeing too little and too late. With a crisis of this magnitude, Ontario needs real leadership, and Premier Ford keeps proving that’s something he does not have the chops to deliver. 

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FORUM: Vigilance is key, though the vaccine is here (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · 1 Comment

Many reasons for optimism for the year ahead

By Mike Layton

As we enter the new year, I know the majority of us are still having to make big sacrifices to keep each other safe and healthy, but I also believe there is positive change in the air and I am hopeful for the coming year.

There is hopeful news that vaccine rollouts across our country and world will continue to develop. We should celebrate this much needed light at the end of the tunnel, while still remaining vigilant in our efforts to slow the spread. This month, our Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, put forward additional public health requirements to protect workplaces in Toronto, which could work to curb the recent high numbers of community transmission.

The requirements (as of January 7, and I state this because the instructions seem to consistently shift as needed) say that if two or more people in a workplace test positive for COVID-19 — within a 14-day interval that can be directly attributed to their workplace — they are required to contact Toronto Public Health immediately. Once they report the cases, employers are required to follow specific instructions given to them from Toronto Public Health. The information collected will then be available to the public through the City of Toronto COVID-19 dashboard. It is important to note that the information will only be posted publicly if the workplace is substantially large enough to ensure that employees’ names and identities will remain private.

The experience of the past year has also undeniably demonstrated what our collective priorities should be. Working towards a Toronto where everyone who chooses to make this city their home can thrive must be at the core of our collective policy making. 

For me, 2021 brings with it a renewed sense of optimism. For one, council has finally started vital conversations about systemic anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and I am looking forward to seeing these conversations turn into more representative social supports and services. This much needed change in the public discourse has been driven by many of you and I am grateful for your continued advocacy.

Locally, the year ahead will bring with it several developments on issues that I have spent years of my time on council advocating for, including the solidifying of plans to bring 100% affordable rental housing to 25 Bellevue Avenue. I will continue to work on a green and just recovery from the pandemic that is guided by the C40 Cities’ COVID-19 Recovery Task Force’s Statement of Principles. The development of A Different Booklist Cultural Centre will also continue. The proposed centre will celebrate the decades-long history of African Canadian and Caribbean Canadian community and heritage on Bathurst Street at Bloor. I will also work on the continuation of the expansion of our cycling network, which will mirror major transit routes on Bloor and University in Ward 11.

It remains critical that we follow the advice of Toronto Public Health. Our Medical Officer of Health has noted that we still have many months of this pandemic ahead of us, regardless of the plans to distribute vaccines. It is also extremely important that we get our information from reliable, informed sources and stay home when we can. I continue to have full confidence in TPH to learn, adapt, and evolve as new information becomes available to guide our response and keep residents of  Toronto safe.

As always, my staff and I are here to assist in any way we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact my office by emailing Councillor_Layton@toronto.ca or calling 416-392-4009 to let us know your questions and concerns.

Mike Layton is the city councillor for Ward 11, University—Rosedale.

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FORUM: St. George Community Living was a preventable tragedy (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · 1 Comment

For-proft LTC home in University-Rosedale has Ontario’s largest COVID-19 outbreak

By Jessica Bell

St. George Community Living, which is located  in my riding of University-Rosedale, now has the largest COVID-19 outbreak in Ontario. As of January 5, 84 residents and 51 staff have COVID-19, and 6 residents have died. The staff and residents need help now, and we, as a society, need to change the laws of our province to stop these preventable tragedies from happening again.

Let me tell you about St. George. I have visited the Community Living centre during better times. The residents are a mix of seniors and younger people with big challenges. The staff are dedicated and caring. The building is also old, and many residents live four to a room. St. George is managed by Sienna, one of Ontario’s largest for-profit long term care home chains.

Sienna management has made assurances that the outbreak at St. George is being managed sufficiently, but the staff I have spoken to tell a different story. They complain of chronic staffing shortages that have existed for years. They talk of having staff ratios so low during the pandemic that sometimes just one person is responsible for 30 to 49 people at night. They talk of nurses having to do a deep cleaning of the home themselves because there are not enough professional cleaners to do the job. They talk about being angry and scared.

Staff reports about conditions at the home are corroborated by a review of government inspections of St. George, which show recent incidents of preventable death and neglect.

These workers have asked for anonymity because they fear they’ll be persecuted at work if they speak out. I believe them. It is shocking to me that the Ontario government can praise essential healthcare workers with one breath, yet fail to pass laws to provide them with protections and proper pay. This is especially important now because many residents living in homes under outbreak are isolated, with family members being unable to visit — and complain. We have asked for whistleblower protection for frontline workers, but the government rejected our demand. 

What can be done? In the short term, residents and staff at St. George need priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine, and that is happening, albeit not as fast as it should be.

St. George staff and residents also urgently need more staff, including clinical staff. It is good to hear that the University Hospital Network has now temporarily taken over the facility and is directing hospital staff to work at the home. 

The problem, however, is that these exhausted staff are coming from hospitals that are facing staff shortages of their own. Hospitals are also providing these resources from their own budgets, and despite assurances from the government that they will be reimbursed for their costs, the money has not yet arrived.

It is also Sienna’s responsibility to immediately recruit and pay (decently) enough staff to work at the home to provide safe and high-quality care. 

COVID-19 has shown that the Ontario long term care home system must be fundamentally transformed. There needs to be a guarantee of four hours of staff care a day for each person – which the government recently agreed to after years of advocacy from us, families and staff. Staff, especially personal support workers, should be paid properly. The government needs to build more homes. There should be tougher regulation on homes, and the laws should be enforced.

The pandemic has also demonstrated that a for-profit long term care system just doesn’t work. It doesn’t work because it means management has to reconcile daily with the impossible question of how much money can they siphon from staff and the care of vulnerable people in order to give to owners, who already have enough.

Take the case of Sienna. Sienna was the subject of a recent Star investigation revealing the company gave out $43 million in dividends to shareholders during the first wave of COVID-19, despite receiving $53 million in provincial government funding to help them manage their homes during the crisis. That’s immoral, yet it’s legal.

When profit is redirected back into care, safety and quality of life improves. The facts speak for themselves. A report by CBC’s marketplace revealed that the death rate from COVID-19 in for-profit homes is 5.8 per 100 residents, far exceeding the death rate in municipally run homes (1.8 per 100 residents) and non-profit homes (2.8 per 100 residents). Sienna is one of the industry’s worst, with a COVID-19 death rate of 6.5 per 100 residents. These numbers represent people whose deaths could have been prevented. 

Tragedies allow us to reflect and learn. They are an opportunity for societies to evolve for the better, to right wrongs. In a caring and democratic city like ours, vulnerable people should be treated with compassion, love and dignity, not left alone in neglect. I am fighting for them, and I know that many of you share this fundamental value. We are better than this. Please reach out to my office if you want to get updates or get involved in improving the state of long term care. It’s going to take all of us. 

Jessica Bell is MPP for University—Rosedale.

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ARTS: Online culture is real – dive in (Jan. 2021)

January 27th, 2021 · Comments Off on ARTS: Online culture is real – dive in (Jan. 2021)

Digitally speaking it’s wide open to explore

By Meribeth Deen 

Is 2021 everything you’d hoped it would be? Sure, you would crave a face to face conversation with a perfect stranger, but your pyjama pants are basically glued to your body at this point and who can keep up with what you’re allowed to do vs. what you’re not allowed to do and the whole world has found its way to your laptop screen.  Seriously though, push yourself. Get out for a walk and expose and inhale the smell of the streetscape; and don’t you dare forget to exercise your urban right to arts and culture. It’s still out there, and the Bloor St. Culture Corridor has still got you covered, and the artists and culture makers of the world still need your support.

First stop: the Bata Shoe Museum website to download their “Colour the BSM,” colouring book, the essential companion to your online life. It features beautiful shoes from ancient to contemporary times, and if you print it out, you can get creative and colourful, beyond the laptop. You might even create a sheet gorgeous enough to warrant pinning up on your refrigerator!

Next: consider the brain-stretching benefits of learning a language. These include: mental flexibility, multitasking, listening skills and problem-solving. You are in Toronto so you don’t have to go too far out of your way to hear any language spoken in the world today, and there is tons of teaching happening online (including classes offered by The Japan Foundation and Alliance Francaise). But wait a second, have you ever considered learning any of the languages Indigenous to this part of the world? On Facebook, the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto offers Indigenous Language Word of the Day videos geared toward young children. 

While you’re there,  check out the centre’s robust schedule of online programming which includes; arts and craft workshops, health and wellness workshops, educational workshops on critical information including best practices for inviting indigenous speakers to your events, Awareness 101, and Transformation.

Your next stop might just be the ROM’s website, where you will find an interesting read and video under the heading, “Turning a Page in History.” This is the story of the museum’s “Tree Cookie,” a 2.3 metre cross section of a 500 year old Douglas Fir Tree with a timeline marking historical events on it. One of those events happens to have occurred in 1492, and to be described as a discovery. Learning how the museum addressed this historical inaccuracy without defacing the work is like tagging along on a journey where we see the embrace of a previously suppressed worldview. It’s also a wonderful break from the news cycle, and while you are “visiting” the museum, you may decide to stick around the site for a while, browse the museums’ collections, or take your kid on a virtual field trip.

Another solid destination is the Miles Nadal JCC. It’s not actually open, of course, but the good people at the community centre will keep you fit virtually, keep you learning virtually, and even get you learning an instrument virtually (similar brain benefits as learning a language, by the way). If listening’s more your thing, they’ve got some great options for that as well. Their guided listening series, Now Hear This, will bring you deep into the sound of klezmer and Yiddish music. On Tuesday evenings, starting on January 18, the director of the MNJCC Klezmer Ensemble and the Artistic Director of the Ashkenaz Festival, Eric Stein, will lead you through his treasure trove of old, new, famous and obscure recordings. Really, this sounds like a great way to spend a Tuesday evening.

There’s more, so much more on offer, and as much as we all want to be unshackled from this pandemic, maybe this is an opportunity to get to know our artists and cultural institutions in a whole new way. Their resilience and creativity is more accessible than ever, and now is the time to pour your appreciation into them to keep them creating.

Stay safe and warm, Annex neighbours.

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