The City is holding a Virtual Community Consultation meeting for this development application.  The meeting will be on-line and by phone. For many Parkdalians, this is a new way to participate in a development application presented to local residents.

The proposal 1521 Queen St. W. is to allow a new 8-storey mixed-use building with commercial/retail on the ground floor and 78 dwelling units on the upper floors, 72 bike parking spaces, and 3 car-share spaces. More details on the application can be found here: https://aic.to/1521QueenStW and review Support Documentation. The property is currently a 2-storey mixed-use building.

To participate in the virtual meeting on the day of the event go to http://www.toronto.ca/cpconsultations for details. You can call Councillor Gord Perks of for information at 416-392-7012.

BSAR Development, the developer was responsible for the unlawful evictions of 27 community members at this site in 2015 (click HERE for more info). This developer reached a court settlement of $29,500.

The CNE at Home virtual fair is being launched with a special live broadcast streamed on the CNE website here:  https://theex.com/main/entertainment/cne-at-home/special-events/opening-ceremonies along with media coverage, taking place today, Friday at 10 AM.

The SummerWorks festival is happening.  Colourful messages by artist Mark Reinhart written in duct tape adorn the sides of public and private buildings throughout our neighbourhood of Parkdale and along Queen West. Created in collaboration with organizations and residents in the Parkdale community, these temporary public art installations help people remember, be seen, and communicate their fears, wonderings, anxieties, and hopes in a COVID-19 reality.

Installations will be added continuously throughout the month of August. Follow the progress of this project using the MAP found HERE,  on their Instagram stories, or by safely exploring the Parkdale and Queen West neighbourhood. You can also follow the project on Instagram – and add your own photos – at #HealthAndSafetyNotes

Community partners: Antikka, Artery, BAND (Black Artists’ Network in Dialogue), Gallery 1313, Kate Duncan, Andrew Kerr, PARC (Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre), STEPS, The Theatre Centre, Toronto Media Arts Centre (TMAC), Workman Arts, Women in Paint

We are at a critical point for the future of Ontario Place. The Ford government has instituted a bit of a pause in its plans to develop the precious lakeside park and heritage site. It’s asked the three finalists to rework their proposals and has reached out to the Mayor of Toronto, promising that the City of Toronto will have a major say in what happens to Ontario Place.

Make sure Premier Ford, Minister MacLeod and Mayor Tory hear your voice. Send them a letter, your own or the one available below, demanding an open and transparent consultation process for the future of Ontario Place.

One of the lessons we have all learned from the Covid-19 pandemic is the importance of open public space where people can gather safely. It is clear that Toronto does not have enough park space, especially in the downtown, and cannot afford to lose any of what it now has to a private developer.

Now, more than ever, we need both the City and the province to consult with the public, open and transparently, about what they would like to see at a revitalized Ontario Place. The public owns the 155-acre site, and we should have a say in its future additions to the site.

• Ontario Place must be for ALL and kept publicly accessible.
• Before any changes, there must be a thoughtful, comprehensive public review, with a full and robust public consultation.
• Public interest, not commercial interest must drive the new vision

WRITE A LETTER

Turn Your Street Into a Playground This Fall – deadline July 1
With so many playgrounds still closed due to COVID-19, children need a place to play outside now more than ever. Consider signing up for Street PLAY, a city program that allows residents to shut down their streets for certain hours, allowing children to play safely and freely right outside their homes. (It has been a popular initiative in Seaton Village: read about the benefits at the Street PLAY site here.)

It’s FREE, but you must act fast: Apply by Wednesday, July 1 to temporarily close off your street to traffic this fall from September 1 through October 31. Learn more here and apply for your permit here.

Parkdale Neighbours – it saddens us to have to draw attention to this incident of racism in our community. Amico’s Pizza is a neighbourhood establishment and they must know we will not overlook or condone their harmful silence, nor the alleged wrongful dismissal of Tyler Daniel. We urge them to take further action to make amends for the damages done and assure the community that customers and employees will be treated with respect. We don’t want to see harmful retaliation against the establishment, we would like to express solidarity in how Parkdale can move forward with meaningful change. Concerned residents can offer support by donating to the Black Legal Action Centre – https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/chefboytd/
https://www.instagram.com/amicospizzato/

Parkdale–High Park MP Arif Virani invites you to join him TONIGHT at 7 p.m. for a Facebook Live discussion on Anti-Black Racism – He will be joined by an incredible panel of guests including:

• Shawn Richard, Past President of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and lawyer and partner at Lenkinski, Carr & Richard LLP
• Debbie King, member of the Queen Victoria Public School (QVPS) Black Student Success Committee and athlete/writer/connector
• Alexa Gilmour, Reverend at the Windermere United Church and interfaith advocate

You can follow Arif on his Facebook Page HERE.