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Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested.
We always encourage people to send us comments, ideas, as well as information
about events or issues affecting our community.
For those interested in the broad issues affecting Toronto
& other cities, see the item below regarding the special "Counterspin" show
on CBC Newsworld on Wed. evening, May 30.
In this issue:
1. Rennie Park Rejuvenation Project - Silent Auction May 30
2. High Park News
3. Bloor West Eco-Village - Connecting with our Community
4. Chapters/Runnymede information
5. Ellis Park Condo - police keep order
6 City Issues:
a) Counterspin May 30
b) Sunday Edition May 27 - transcripts
1. RENNIE PARK REJUVENATION PROJECT- Silent
Auction May 30
Likely most readers now know of this project started by a group of local parents to
begin a community project to rejuvenate Rennie Park. Earlier this month, they organized a
giant community garage sale. Below is their next fundraiser -- tonight.
Wed. May 30, Silent Auction
Doors open 6:30pm
Woodhouse Underground Restaurant, 2241A Bloor
MC/Auctioneer: Author & Historiean Mike Filey
Tickets: $15 (includes Bavarian Buffet) available at Swansea Community Centre, 15
Waller Ave., or phone Tina 760-9575, or Cathy 604-8093.
Bid on spas, hotels, restaurants, travel, attractions, children's attractions,
services, household and personal items, and more.
2. HIGH PARK NEWS
The May 29 National Post carried a story about the attempts to bring back a former
resident of the Park. The article mentions a painting by a member of the Group of Seven
depicting "a sea of blue... with the odd tree and then this blue patch that stretches
forever." The blue came from wild blue lupines and a butterfly, last seen in Ontario
10 years ago. Park stewards and others are attempting to bring both back to the Park. http://www.nationalpost.com/news/national/toronto/story.html?f=/stories/20010529/576301.html
3. BLOOR WEST ECO-VILLAGE:
Connecting with our Community I hope you will be able to join us for our annual
planning session. Please pass this on to others who may be interested in participating.
BLOOR WEST ECO-VILLAGE GENERAL MEETING: CONNECTING WITH OUR
COMMUNITY
How can we help our community make more environment-friendly choices? How can we
strengthen our partnerships with other community-based groups? Join in our annual planning
session: a chance to meet like-minded individuals and explore how we can each contribute
to a healthier, greener community.
Monday, June 11, 2001, 7.15 p.m. Swansea Town Hall Harvey
Room 95 Lavinia Avenue (near Runnymede and Bloor)
Bloor West Eco-Village, c/o Swansea Town Hall, Box 107 95
Lavinia Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M6S 3H9 http://webhome.idirect.com/~jleeson/eco_village.htm
4. CHAPTERS/RUNNYMEDE
Most readers are aware that the "Runnymede Theatre" Chapters is one of 23
stores (including a total of 13 big-box outlets) Chapters/Indigo has been ordered to sell
in an attempt to restore some competition to the book industry in Canada. We contacted the
Competition Tribunal to get more details. In particular, given the speculation many in the
area have had regarding the Village Chapters, we wondered how those stores were
identified. Many felt since Chapters first made plans to open a big-box store in a
main-streat neighbourhood retail strip that it couldn't make the type of profit needed to
survive (and especially considering the expensive work that went into this location).
We were told that these 23 stores were identified through
negotiations between the Tribunal and Chapters/Indigo. They're not the 23
"worst" stores -- they need to be competitive. Although they don't have to be
sold as a package, that's "the hope". It was thought that this package would
roughly re-create an Indigo-type chain in terms of size, geographic distribution, etc.,
and it would require something of that size to create at least some competion. (Of course,
Indigo couldn't survive on its own and decided it needed to swallow its bigger
competitor). One group of potential buyers has surfaced but insisted they needed many more
outlets to compete.
The outlets do need to operate - and continue to operate as
bookstores, or else appeal to the Competition Commissioner for an exemption. (How long
will that take?)
A great deal of documentation is available at the Tribunal's
website: http://www.ct-tc.gc.ca/english/cases/ct-2001-003/trilogy.html
5. ELLIS PARK CONDO DEVELOPMENT
The appeal of the OMB decision was denied recently; however local residents are
pursuing federal and provincial environmental review. Details are available at: http://www3.sympatico.ca/2BIG.
A couple of weeks ago, Context Development opened their sales
office nearby. As a clear sign of their community outreach, no-one was allowed in without
a prior appointment. The uniformed police outside made sure.
6. CITY ISSUES
We have spent a lot of time this year discussing the health and sustainability of
Toronto and other Canadian cities, and we expect it will remain a significant issue. Much
of our focus, and much of readers' interest has been on very local issues and events
happening close to home; however the health of all our communities depend on the health of
our larger community.
We'll publish more information, issues, and relevant links in
upcoming newslettes, and will also post this on website in the very near future.
Meanwhile, a few items, beginning with an item of interest Wednesday night:
a) Counterspin - Newsworld May 30
[This item comes from the Audience Producer of the show]
This weekend, city councillors and mayors across Canada met to discuss the future
of Canadian municipalities. Constitutionally, Canada's towns and cities don't exist. The
provincial government has downloaded many services to municipalities, is it time to be
recognized in the constitution? With the increase in responsibility, city officials say
that Canadian cities are underfunded to maintain these services. In order to prosper,
should cities gain more legislative, taxing, and spending powers? Should provinces be
eliminated altogether in favour of rural/urban governments?
Specifically I'm looking for audience members and within the
audience I'm looking for a few people who would be interested in commenting, however,
participation is not obligatory and anyone interested in this topic is more than welcome
to come and observe.
The show is live at 8pm so people are requested to be at the
John Street entrance of the CBC Broadcast Centre located on 25 John street no later than
7:30pm.
Anyone interested in attending should contact me by phone or
e-mail for seat reservations.
Thanks!
Kim Gonsalves
Audience Producer CBC Newsworld, counterSpin (416) 907-5326
kimberleygonsalves@hotmail.com
b) CBC Radio One - Sunday Edition
This show we mentioned in our last brief email notice devoted almost two hours on
May 27 to Toronto issues. The first part was a documentary entitled "A Sadness around
the Eyes - Toronto in Decline"; the second a panel discussion. Both raised numerous
issues.
Transcripts are available on the CBC website: http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/thismorning/sites/news/toronto_010527/toronto_mainpage.html.
Audio is also available (Real Audio). If you want to print the transcript, make sure you
click the "printer version" icon.
For world19,
John Leeson
world19:
Supporting citizen involvement in our community and its future.
Phone: 416 766-8605
Fax: 416 766-0578
email: world19@world19.com
web: www.world19.com |