Pillow talk: Thousands set to descend on Nathan Phillips Square for annual feathery faceoff

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12:44 pm

On a crisp spring afternoon, you gaze up at Toronto city hall. You take it all in — the blue sky, the sounds, even the smells of our frantic, ever-moving city. Whack. You’re struck — hard — but not hurt. Chaos erupts as thousands of Torontonians pummel each other. There’s screaming, but they’re screams of joy and delight.You’re at a giant pillow fight.

These pillow fights are organized by Newmindspace, an organization founded in 2005 by U of T students Kevin Bracken and Lori Kufner. Their first event was an Easter egg hunt out in the streets of Toronto.

“We’ve always considered ourselves to be a more playful element of the public space movement,” says Bracken. “A lot of people lend themselves to the movement by attending public consultations on things like parks and billboards, but we think of ourselves as that playful, joyful element.”

Newmindspace has organized various one-time events in Toronto and elsewhere, such as giant fights with cardboard tubes and massive games of capture the flag throughout the Financial District. But their signature event, International Pillow Fight Day, takes place on April 4.

Pillow Fight Day kicks off at 3 p.m. in Nathan Phillips Square. This year marks the event’s 10-year anniversary, and Bracken anticipates that it will be the biggest yet. More than 15,000 attendees have issued their RSVP on Facebook, and Bracken says even more are likely to show up.

“The first 15 minutes are incredibly intense,” says Bracken. “When people gain their second wind around the 30-minute mark, that’s when it’s most magical for me.”

Though Bracken and Kufner are the masterminds behind the pillow fights, they encourage others to start their own public space revolution.

“We’ve heard now of hundreds of different events around the world that emulate what we do,” says Bracken. “Toronto’s a bit of a chilly city, and there’s always a desire to embrace our public space, but not a lot of ideas of what to do with it.”

News Focus: Many Eglinton Avenue businesses in survival mode

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12:43 pm

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The $5.3 billion Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit (LRT) line is probably necessary for the overall good of the city when it is finally operational in 2020.

But as Metrolinx crawls along Eglinton Avenue, tearing up the road and closing more lanes, businesses in the area are nervous about the prospect of surviving the years-long project.

So it isn’t difficult to find a business owner along Eglinton with an opinion to share about this ongoing construction as it moves slowly but steadily toward Avenue Road from Bathurst Street.

It’s messy; noisy and disruptive to traffic; and right now, it is absolutely bad for local businesses.

“I’ve been here 46 years, and I have another year to go on my lease, and I don’t see it getting any better. There is basically no foot traffic in the area,” said Jim Tanner, owner of Angelo Rosso Custom Tailor.

Post surveyed 50 businesses in the area, ranging from salons to restaurants to clothing stores, and found that 32 per cent are already considering the need to shut down or find a new location out of fear that they won’t survive the construction period.

Another 16 per cent are unsure if they will survive the construction and are very worried — having already experienced higher than a 50 per cent drop in their revenue.

Although there are business owners who remain optimistic that they will survive, nearly all businesses said their revenues had been affected.

“I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better. It’s certainly not going to get any better. Once it’s done, it’s certainly going to be a lovely street, but I don’t know if we will make it,” Tanner said.

Over 90 per cent of businesses agreed the City of Toronto should compensate them for lost revenue that occurs during the construction period, which is only expected to get worse.

“They must give us at least a serious break on taxes because the construction is happening over such a long time. We might not even be around when it’s done,” said Barry Chaim, owner of Edo restaurant, who has been on Eglinton Avenue for nearly 28 years.

Chaim said he has watched other businesses in the area close and is very worried this could happen to him.

Some owners pointed to businesses that were forced to shut down during the long construction period on St. Clair Avenue and were never able to reopen.

“If we close down, we’re gone,” Chaim said, explaining that moving would not be an option.

“The biggest thing the city can do is give us a break on taxes because we are going to need that help to get by,” he said.

Many Eglinton business owners agreed that tax breaks could help and said they are hoping new mayor John Tory keeps good on his campaign promises to help small businesses in the area.

Others said they would be happy with something as simple as relaxed ticketing in the area.

Parking enforcement has often been accused of being ticket-happy along Eglinton, where so much parking has already been taken away.

A few businesses said they have been able to find new ways to accommodate their customers.

Prairie Dog shoes said they’ve upped their online store to accommodate customers not wanting to come to visit the location.

“We’re lucky because it is a destination store and we’ve found ways to make it work,” Prairie Dog general manager Nathasha Lisoos said. But even Lisoos agreed that lost revenues should be compensated for other businesses who are suffering.

SupperWorks has started bringing their pre-made meals to the customer.

“The service that we offer is that we will allow people to drive up, and we run the product out to them, so that has helped,” Margaret Warman said.

Although the city might try to make the area more livable while the construction goes on, 82 per cent don’t want to see bike lanes as part of that plan, and some even called the idea “ludicrous.”

“They would only be doing that to appease some people. I’d rather see them find parking for my customers,” said Rob Beben, owner of Eunice Denby Flowers and a Business Improvement Area (BIA) member.

“Right now people can’t even see the front of my store. They are 25 years too late with this project,” he added. “But there is nothing we can do.”

For now, construction is an unfortunate fact of life in many parts of the city, and the hope from everyone is that the result will be worth the struggle.

Until then, they will all have to do what they can to survive.

Police board: Good people who seem to be doing a lousy job

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10:57 am

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I sometimes think there can’t be a worse manager of a public service in Toronto than the Toronto Police Services Board.

The board oversees the city’s single most expensive operation, the police service, which spends almost $1 billion a year, but it seems to devote little attention to police spending.

Last November it approved the spending allocation for 2015 without seeing the detailed budget. It made its decision on the basis of a summary report from the chief, a report significantly at odds with the detailed budget that was made public three weeks later.

The budget states that each of the 17 police divisions would lose an average of 10 front line officers — a total of 172 officers — something neither the chief nor the Toronto Police Association had mentioned. I concluded that the budget was not a realistic description of expected 2015 spending and that there was never any intention of cutting so many staff. I wrote an op-ed article in mid-January on that and other discrepancies between the chief’s report and the detailed budget.

Mayor John Tory left a message on my home telephone to thank me for the article, saying the board was reviewing the detailed budget. Yet nothing more has been said about the matter. This is hardly paying attention to money issues.

Then there’s staffing. The board has been involved in negotiations for a new collective agreement with the police association since last fall. These negotiations are never easy: the association always uses tough tactics to get a contract it wants. One pressure is lost revenue: in 2014 officers gave out many fewer tickets for traffic violations, so the city received $35 million less than the $75 million it had expected. The board needs all the muscle it can muster for these negotiations.

Having Chief Blair on board for the contract negotiations seemed like a no-brainer, but the board decided (for reasons never publicly declared) that it would not extend his contract, which expires in April. He’s leaving in a few weeks, and there’s no new contract in sight. Then board seems to have forgotten a cardinal rule of management: never stab yourself in the back.

The members of the police board are all honourable people. The chair, Alok Mukherjee, was impressively active in human rights before being appointed by the provincial government a decade ago. Dr. Dhun Noria has a strong resumé as a senior member of the medical community and is a successful business person and an active citizen. Marie Moliner is a lawyer, a senior federal bureaucrat in the field of heritage, with a long list of accomplishments. For the city, Mayor John Tory and Coun. Shelley Carroll are new this year. Coun. Chin Lee served some years ago. Andy Pringle, of the financial community and president of the Shaw Festival, is city council’s citizen appointee.

All honourable people, but as a group they do not provide good oversight of this service. When it comes to policy matters, the board often operates in the dark. The police service has announced it will soon begin a pilot project with lapel cameras, but the board has not publicly reviewed the terms of reference and assessment and won’t allow the public to address these issues at a board meeting.

The Privacy Commissioner for Canada has expressed concern over the use of lapel cameras, concluding that the board “should establish written policies and procedures that clearly identify the program objectives and set out the rules governing the program.” That has not been done.

The police service decided to encrypt police radios. Until now, police radios were accessible to anyone with a scanner and used by the media to attend incidents and report on what happened, as we know from the shooting of Sammy Yatim on a streetcar.

The media is now shut out. Police promise to report on incidents, but it would be folly to think they will report on cases where officers make mistakes or overreact and shoot someone.

The board has refused requests to schedule this on a public agenda so that people can ask that Toronto police follow the Regina example and give the media the codes to break into the encryption. Why ensure less transparency?

The picture is clear: the board may just be the worst public manager of the city’s business.

Post City Magazines’ columnist John Sewell is a former mayor of Toronto and the author of a number of urban planning books, including The Shape of the Suburbs.

Work Out with Monika: Surf's up

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10:04 am

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Monika Schnarre, is no stranger to fitness. She is a supermodel after all. So she’s dishing out the inside scoop on the city’s newest fitness trends. This month, she heads to Yonge and Eglinton to hit the waves at Surfset Toronto to find out if this surfboard workout really does whip you into shape.

Have you been surfing before?
Yes, I tried surfing while living in Australia (filming The Beastmaster). Unfortunately, I was not very successful. At six-foot-two, I am vertically challenged as far as balance is concerned.

How did it feel stepping onto the surfboard?
The surfboard rests on a contraption that simulates surf in the ocean. It looks much easier than it actually is! Stepping onto the board feels exactly like trying to stand on a real board in the ocean. Just try not to quiver back and forth at first — it’s impossible! However, eventually you find your sea legs.

How was the workout flow?
We started with slow movements to get the muscles moving and the joints ready. We then worked in intervals of high and low intensity, always incorporating core flexion and full-body work. After the workout we did a cool down, starting with slower movements to ease the heart rate and moving into deep stretching and calmed breathing.

Which part was most difficult?
Completing your workout while at the same time maintaining balance. Imagine doing your entire gym routine on a board in the ocean.

What did you enjoy the most?
The challenge was the best part. I consider myself athletic, but this was really out of my comfort zone. I looked very uncool during most of the exercises … but that was OK! It was fun to try something new and get out of the gym. Keeping your workouts fresh and new is essential to enhancing your fitness level.

Where did you feel the burn?
Your core or abs are engaged throughout the entire workout, and that’s good because that’s where this post-baby body needs it the most! I also felt the burn in my quads as you are constantly trying to maintain balance.

Was your instructor helpful?
She was engaging, knowledgeable and supportive. She helped me achieve the correct positions without making me feel silly or awkward.

Were you on the surfboard for the entire workout?
We used a combination of on- and off-board movements, but we generally incorporated the board to provide the added challenge of instability in roughly 95 per cent of the movements. They also incorporate resistance ropes and dumbbells in Build and Blend classes and sometimes in Burn classes for an added challenge.

Was this like any other workout you’ve tried before?
It was unlike any workout I’ve done before. I have been paddle boarding at the cottage, but this was nothing at all like that except for the board.

Monika Schnarre is a model, actor, entrepreneur and television personality. She has appeared in over 50 television shows and films and on over 100 magazine covers.

Uptown Dinesafe infractions from March

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11:04 am

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Marcello’s Market & Deli
Located at 4100 Yonge St., this establishment received a conditional pass following a Feb. 27 inspection. Of eight infractions observed, four were considered significant, three minor in severity and one was a municipal code infraction that resulted in a ticket issued. It passed a March 3 reinspection.

Manchu Wok
Located at 2300 Yonge St., this establishment received a conditional pass following a March 3 inspection. Of three infractions observed, one was considered significant (operator fail to provide adequate pest control) and two minor in severity. It passed a March 5 reinspection.

Refuel Juice & Salad Bar
Located at 1633 Bayview Ave., this establishment received a conditional pass following a March 6 inspection. With one infraction observed (operator fail to provide separate handwashing sinks), an order for reinspection was issued.

Aji Sai Sushi
Located at 813 Yonge St., this establishment received a conditional pass following a March 9 inspection. Of six infractions observed, two were crucial (with one resulting in a ticket issued due to inadequate pest control), two significant and two minor in severity. It passed a March 11 reinspection.

All information is from the DineSafe website, City of Toronto Public Health’s Food Premises Inspection and Disclosure System.

Post Interview: The man who could save the CBC

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2:44 pm

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We all know the sordid history of CBC Radio’s now-infamous show Q. At one time, with now disgraced host Jian Ghomeshi at the helm, it was thought to be a big part of the public broadcaster’s future. Then it happened, and the CBC has been scrambling to right the gigantic ship. Instead of just ditching the show and starting fresh, there was a long line of guest hosts. One such guest host was hip-hop musician Shad, and last month, the London, Ont., native signed on as permanent host of Q. We talked to the affable artist about the pressure that will come from being asked to basically save the day for the CBC.

This show is under the microscope and is coming out of a bleak period. What is job number one for you to help usher in a new era?
What I have to offer, really, is my energy. I’m coming in completely green, completely optimistic. And, really, the team has been amazing at least since I came in as guest host. They are really passionate and full of bright ideas. I think the cloud is starting to dissipate without me doing anything, to be honest with you.

Why did they hire you?
It’s a unique job. I don’t think about who is better than someone else. It’s just the right fit for a very unique thing. My experience and everything I’ve lived up to this point kinda fits. It’s pretty broad culturally, as far as working in arts and culture, and a pretty broad education and the curiosity I’ve been able to cultivate over the years. The sum of all that happened to fit pretty well.

Do you think it helped that you were from “away” — not just with roots in Kenya, but being raised in London and just away from the Toronto media craziness of late?
Yeah, for sure, I think, just a bit of a broad experience. I’ve been living in Vancouver the last few years, too, grew up in London, like you said, and even touring across the country multiple times. I’ve seen a lot of different places and met a lot of different people. So I do think that will be helpful to not be too Toronto-centric.

There was some controversy when you were guest hosting over your use of slang. What did you think of that criticism and also how that might be an indication of the unique challenges of this position?
It was funny the way I experienced that. Music obviously prepares you for that, but I experienced it in a different way. My analogy to that is like a sports fan, turning on the game and yelling at the TV. It’s part of watching the game, and sometimes it’s completely out of proportion. But it’s because they care and want to be part of the fun and part of the conversation. I didn’t expect that with radio, that was a surprise. But, yeah, that doesn’t bother me. I don’t mind being that guy.

What do you have to get better at?
Everything. I’ve only been doing this for five days, so there is ample room for improvement.

Coming back to Ontario from the West Coast, are you ready to handle the winter weather again?
Oh man, Vancouver made me soft man, real soft. Yeah, that’s gonna be a real thing, but there’s an MEC around the corner, so I’m just going to give them my Visa and say, “Please don’t take advantage, but I’m scared.”

Food Profile: Alvin Leung, the new heart of Chinatown

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2:31 pm

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Last winter, Toronto was plastered with giant posters advertising MasterChef’s Canadian spinoff. Two of the three faces were all too familiar to locals: Michael Bonacini and Claudio Aprile. The two have both shaped Hogtown’s dining scene. The third MasterChef Canada judge was unknown to most: a blue-haired chef sporting a look of mild disdain named Alvin Leung.

It’s Leung’s contemptuous stare that the first crop of Canadian MasterChef hopefuls had to contend with whenever their dishes failed to meet his exacting standards. MasterChef Canada challenges amateur chefs through cooking competitions that test contestants’ creativity, ability and their mettle under pressure. With $100,000 on the line, the stakes are high, and Leung stokes the already smouldering reality TV powder keg.

Unless you treat the Michelin Guide as scripture, you’ll be forgiven for not knowing who Leung is. He’s made a bigger splash worldwide than at home: a three Michelin–starred chef with two very successful restaurants in Hong Kong and London. But in the early aughts he was an acoustics engineer with a fondness for throwing elaborate dinner parties.

“I have had a passion for cooking since I was 11. But at that time, coming from a family full of engineers, it was difficult to imagine pursuing my passion as a career,” says Leung.

In 2003 he left engineering, at age 42, to pursue his long-sublimated culinary passions. Sans professional kitchen training, Leung took over a friend’s unlicensed speakeasy in Hong Kong, originally called Bo, quickly earning him the nickname God Chef. As a pious Christian, it didn’t appeal to Leung, so he christened himself Demon Chef, a reference to classic Greek “dæmons.” At Bo Innovation, Leung’s style of cooking was like nothing Hong Kong had ever seen. The self-taught chef prepared what he called “X-treme Chinese,” which is, essentially, a style of cooking that blends molecular gastronomy (à la elBulli) with fusion — although Leung abhors this reductionist explanation.

Leung explains: “The ‘X’ stands for modern, exciting and pushing to the limit, as in X-sport, X-factor. X also represents experience, which I wish to take my clients through in a new innovative interpretation of Chinese cuisine.”

Perhaps the most shocking of Leung’s X-treme Chinese creations is Sex on the Beach — although the divisive plate has nothing to do with the cocktail. “I was looking at some of my fellow chefs’ creations and saw a trend in creating scenic plates with names like Road Kill and Ash Tray,” Leung says. Chef challenged himself to plate the most outrageous scene imaginable. The latex-free dish features a faux-prophylactic made from konjac (a root veg) and kappa; — it’s even filled with a dollop of white mixture originally made from honey and Yunnan ham. The edible rubber is plated on a pile of “sand” (powdered shiitake mushrooms), mimicking a discarded condom.

X-treme Chinese was so well received that two years after he took over Bo Innovation Leung went on the straight and narrow and moved his restaurant to Wan Chai, Hong Kong’s original nightlife district.

After opening Bo London in 2012, the cyan-coiffed chef has teamed up with MasterChef Canada, Season 1 winner, Eric Chong, to open his first Canadian restaurant, R&D. Although both Bos serve up very similar avant-garde fare, R&D will stray from the mould.

“I will be exposing customers to some of my X-treme Chinese at R&D, but you won’t quite get the full monty of it just yet. I will just tickle your taste buds with a hint of it first,” says Leung.

It’s not that the Demon Chef doesn’t think Canadians are ready for X-treme Chinese, but this is a collaborative effort.

“R&D will have about half of my DNA since Eric is involved in the creation process, too,” explains Leung, who aims to open the restaurant in the heart of Chinatown this month.

After the first MasterChef Canada season wrapped up, Leung flew Chong to Singapore for help with a pop-up before asking his soon-to-be protege if he’d like to open a restaurant together.

“It took me by surprise, but how could I say no,” says Chong.

Over the past six months the duo has travelled to the likes of Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou and Hong Kong seeking inspiration. Menu picks will include modern dim sum, such as Little Dragon Buns with spicy Szechuan lamb alongside sharing plates like General Sanders’ Chicken with kung pao sauce and HK egg waffles. As for more X-treme dishes, Leung promises a “special creation” for R&D.

“We do have so much in common, both being engineers, Chinese, growing up in Canada and having parents that disapproved of becoming a chef,” says Chong. “It feels like he is creating a path for me to follow.”

If you thought R&D is a coy reference to Leung and Chong’s engineering origins (research and development), you’d be wrong. It’s an acronym for Rebel and Demon.

“I was once a rebel before I became the demon,” says Leung, evidently seeing a lot of his young rebellious self in Chong. The duo’s engineering background will affect the food. “We are more methodical in our approach and know how to express our ideas in a logical and analytical method. The science background helps in inventing our menu,” says Leung.

Leung and Chong are kindred spirits brought together by a reality TV show. Hopefully, their culinary marriage will outlast any nuptials manufactured on The Bachelor.

MasterChef Canada, Season 2 airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on CTV.

Kitchen Confidential: Anthony Rose’s $45 caviar bagel vs. Rose Reisman's waffle sandwich with smoked salmon

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3:08 pm

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Chef Rose has to be one of the most creative restaurateurs in our great city. Owner of Rose and Sons, Big Crow and Fat Pasha, he now has Schmaltz Appetizing, a Jewish deli that puts a modern spin on traditional items. Anthony doesn’t have the word “healthy” or “light” in his vocabulary, but oh, is his food ever finger-licking good! His $45 bagel (yes, that’s right!) has 50 grams of American sturgeon caviar with sliced eggs and cream cheese on a Kiva’s bagel (I went with an everything bagel). You’re downing around 40 per cent of your daily calories, 50 per cent of your fat and 80 per cent of your sodium. With this price tag, I’m certain you won’t be indulging too often!

Everything bagel with caviar and sliced eggs

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1 bagel (298.9 g)
Calories 741
Total Fat 29.6 g (46%)
Sodium 1871 mg (78%)
Carbohydrates 79.5 g (27%)
Protein 38.9 g

ROSE’S HEALTHY TAKE:

Waffle sandwich with smoked salmon

For an at-home option, try my waffle sandwich with smoked salmon, avocado and cheese.

Serves 2 • Prep time 15 min • Cooking time 6 to 8 min

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup lower fat milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
2 romaine lettuce leaves
4 thin slices tomato
8 thin slices cucumber
2 oz smoked salmon
1⁄4 cup avocado, diced
1⁄4 cup red onion, diced
1 oz crumbled goat cheese or light cream cheese, softened
1 1⁄2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tbsp capers (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

2. In another bowl combine milk, oil and egg. Add to flour mixture just until blended.

3. Preheat a 4” waffle iron and lightly coat with cooking spray. Spoon one half cup of the batter over the pan, covering it completely. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat with remaining batter. Makes 4 waffles.

4. Divide lettuce leaves, tomato, cucumber, salmon, avocado and red onion over top of two of the waffles. Combine the goat cheese, mayonnaise and capers if using. Divide goat cheese mixture over top salmon and vegetable filling. Top each with the two remaining waffles to make two sandwiches.

Nutritional analysis (per sandwich): Calories 510, Protein 22 g, Carbohydrates 64 g, Fibre 3 g, Total fat 18 g, Saturated fat 5 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Sodium 870 mg

Post City Magazines’ culinary columnist, Rose Reisman. is a TV and radio personality, a health and wellness expert and the author of 18 cookbooks. Visit Rose at www.rosereisman.com.

Music: Unlikely collaboration creates pure magic

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1:47 pm

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As far as unlikely musical collaborations go, Andy Kim and Kevin Drew’s isn’t that big of a stretch. They both croon from the heart about love and relationships and craft delicate pop gems. It just happens that there’s a few decades between them. But, as their new album, It’s Decided, indicates, together they’ve found a special kind of musical chemistry that just doesn’t come around very often. And the magic shines through.

Kim, a pop star in the late ’60s and early ’70s behind hit songs such as “Rock Me, Gently,” first met Drew, of Broken Social Scene fame, when he performed at one of Kim’s annual holiday concerts in Toronto.

Apparently, something clicked. Meeting with them at the Rivoli during a day of promotions for their new album finds a pair as thick as thieves.

“It’s about relationships,” says Kim. “This album, really, was made because we wanted to hang together.”

As someone who wrote songs in the famed Brill Building in the ’60s, where the production engineers wore a suit and tie and singers rarely knew the musicians backing up their tracks, the entire process was a welcomed change for Kim.

“I’ve never even been in a band,” says Kim, of why making this album changed his life.

“Every time I made a record, not so much strangers, but these musicians would come and play and be gone. I’m not hanging out with anybody, so this was a brand new experience. It allowed me to create within a family.

Before Kim came along, Drew says he was in a slump, worn out by the pressures that came with years of directing the massive, organic movement that is Broken Social Scene. And suddenly here’s this guy and he just wants to work with Drew.

“People ask me why I would work with Andy. It’s because he saw the creative constipation that I had at the end of my 10-year career with just so many people, so much responsibility,” Drew says. “And he just went, no — cut through everything — and said, ‘That’s that. Let’s go do that. And I said, ‘Oh you want me, well all right, what are you doing tomorrow?’ ”

The pair worked on songs for the new album along with Drew’s regular writing partner Ohad Benchetrit before heading into the studio with Dave Hamelin (the Stills) at the controls and a steady stream of guest artists eager to work on the unique project. The album was released Feb. 24 on the Arts & Crafts label, and the pair will be playing the Field Trip music festival in June.

“When I listen to the album today, I am so thrilled it has my name on it,” says Kim.

“It was a lot of time and effort and creative intelligence put into this, and you mix it in with the spirituality. I just hear it all when I’m listening.”

Rejuvenating T.O.’s urban forest

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1:05 pm

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As we leave behind another bitterly cold winter, new buds on the trees are some of the first signs of spring. This year, like last year, we’ll see fewer of those cheerful green shoots because there are fewer trees. The ice storm of 2013 devastated Toronto’s landscape with 20 per cent of the tree canopy lost, and it continues to face threats from the emerald ash borer. Doing nothing is not an option!

I invite residents of our neighbourhood to join me in restoring the tree canopy by planting a new tree in both your front yard and backyard.

The City of Toronto will gift a tree for the city-owned portion of your front lawn. Just contact 311 with your request, and it will be done in autumn 2015! Go to www.toronto.ca/trees/tree_planting to see the species of tree that are available and for more details on the program.

Ward 21 is also partnering with the non-profit LEAF (Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests) to help you with the costs of planting in your backyard. You may purchase trees for your backyard for $165 to $235 each, including site consultation, delivery and planting. Contact LEAF at 416-413-9244 or info@yourleaf.org.

By planting a tree, you will enhance the value of your property as well as your quality of life! In its lifespan, each tree generates $30,000 in oxygen, cleans up $60,000 worth of air pollution and recycles $35,000 worth of water. They also help lower heart rates and reduce stress levels.

Please join us in rejuvenating an urban forest that everyone will enjoy for generations to come!

Connecting with community

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12:47 pm

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My commitment is to serve my residents with a strong, dedicated voice and ensure Ward 5 remains sustainable while embracing growth and stability.

As an effective councillor, my job is to engage the constructive and proactive participation of residents, listen to theirs voice and act only in their best interests for the greater public good.

Richmond Hill is in transition with residents undergoing provincially mandated intensification pressures as per Ontario’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. With condominium buildings rising on both sides of Yonge Street, our main north-south roadway, traffic patterns and the fabric of our internal neighbourhoods are directly affected. By working proactively together, we can design and build our town so that we are able to grow with it as it grows. I am establishing two important resident outreach initiatives, the Ward 5 civic engagement committee and regular ward-wide meetings, to further my mandate to effectively engage Ward 5 residents.

The committee will assess the needs of Ward 5, enhance residents’ influence in far-reaching decisions (39 residents have signed up) and meet quarterly. The meetings will feature guest speakers, who will highlight Ward 5 and Richmond Hill matters, followed by an open Q & A forum. Richmond Hill’s Department of Community Services staff will be present at the June 2015 meeting, serving the needs of all residents, from road operations and maintenance to our recreational and park services enjoyed by all.

Together we will make Ward 5 our place to live, learn, work and play!

City needs a new heritage class?

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12:47 pm

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The recent demolition of Stollerys at 1 Bloor St. W. is only the latest example of Toronto’s inability to preserve its architectural heritage. If we don’t act soon to strengthen preservation policies, we are in danger of losing many more significant buildings, including several in our midtown community.

That’s why I moved a motion — entitled Catching Up with the Past: Improving the City’s Heritage Preservation Framework — to ask Toronto’s planning staff to create a new heritage classification category that is more proactive.

Currently, Toronto's heritage inventory only includes those properties that have been officially listed or designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. To gain heritage status, a property must go through a lengthy process including a full evaluation and completed staff research report, followed by consideration by both community council and city council. This process can routinely take up to eight months or more.

Although staff is performing their due diligence to determine whether or not a building is worth preserving, there is no protection from demolition.

My motion asks staff to look at adding a new category of “identified” properties. If implemented, this new category will allow the city to protect properties that have been put forward by local residents as being architecturally or historically significant but not yet evaluated, to ensure that no historic building already brought to the attention of city staff can be demolished without consideration.

This additional protection must be put in place as soon as possible.