world19News #91 - September 12, 2001 |
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world19News This e-mail is going to people on the mailing list for world19. If you don't want to receive further notices, please reply to this e-mail with "remove" in the subject. Let us know if you prefer to receive this in "plain text" format. Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested. In this issue: What makes a liveable city? How can we get the City services we need without high property taxes? What City services are important to our quality of life in Toronto? Which levels of government are responsible for the things that affect our everyday lives? How do other cities get money to run their services? How can Toronto get the money it needs without increasing property taxes every year? Remember this year's City budget process? Well, next year it could be even more brutal! Please join us and bring your ideas for action for a liveable city. Thursday September 13, 2001
2. STREET NEWS - A death in the Village Bill passed away on Sep. 7 after a recent stroke; he has left behind a disabled wife. A notice has been posted in front of the bank by John Wylie (aka "the poet", who is often on the street giving out his poems). He has more information, and also a condolence book for Bill's wife. If anyone else on our list has any more news or comment, please pass it on. A number of years ago, Village artist Sonia Day did a painting of Bill. This was done during the time that the Bank of Montreal had an ad campaign, which -- incongruously to many -- played over a classic Bob Dylan song. Sonia's painting placed Bill in front of the Bank of Montreal building rather than his usual "TD" home, and entitled the painting, "The times they are a-changing". Of course that was at a time when the sight of street people selling "homeless" newspapers in front of banks was somewhat new, and that title still had relevance. Now, for more and more people, "the times, they just get worse". A sign of the times now? When I was reading an earlier notice in front of his bank informing us of his stroke, a woman reading it said, "Probably another money scam..."
3. BWV ENVIRONMENT - Request for Information
& Comments Hello, I am interested in learning about the community of Bloor West Village and I was wondering if I could receive the newsletter. I am currently enrolled as a fourth year design student in an Honours Bachelor of Design Program between York University and Sheridan College. I am enrolled in a class where the project is to create a "conceptual virtual environment where the life of Bloor West Village is the center of concern". I am working with four other group members to create this environment over the course of 12 weeks...which is not that much time. We need to focus on user activity--what human activities are important to these residents and merchants of this area. I was wondering if there are any meetings that might be happening involving this type of thing, or in conjunction with the Business Improvement Area that you would know about, or any other suggestions that you may have to help us on our way. Thank you for your time and any suggestions or comments that you may have. Sincerely,
4. URBAN ISSUES FORUM - a world19 view This meeting did not alleviate that skepticism. Although this was the first public meeting of the task force, it seems to us it was poorly publicized, poorly attended, and poorly reported on. As we mentioned in our last newsletter, it was held on the same night of another public meeting on an issue of great public interest (the Ellis Park development), and one which was chaired by Ward 13 Councillor Miller. Ward 14 Councillor Korwin-Kuczynski was also absent, as was MPP Kennedy. There was no media advance notice, and no street posters visible. It seems most of the publicity consisted of mailings sent out by the participating MP's, and as a result only about 30-40 people attended. As the first public stage of what should be an important federal initiative, we remain unimpressed, but still somewhat hopeful. However, the Task Force has already precluded both constitutional and financial re-arrangments as components of its recommendations. In her introductory remarks, Task Force Chair Judy Sgro invoked Jane Jacobs to justify the limitation. However, in the same article cited by Ms Sgro, co-authors Jacobs and Alan Broadbent wrote, [financial re-arrangement] is the principal change that MUST be made: to provide cities with revenues whose sources cannot be arbitrarily withdrawn ... so that the cities can handle all the responsibilities their citizens expect them to handle." [Globe & Mail, p. A13, Aug. 8] We were informed that there will be more public forums in Toronto in October, and they plan on holding a special meeting with City Councillors as well. We will have more comments on the Task Force, its official questionnaire, its website in an upcoming newsletter. Here is the official press release announcing the Task Force: http://www.liberal.ca/lpc/news.asp?language=eng&origin=search&contentID=229&pageview=
5. DEVELOPMENTS HERE & THERE Various local developments of interest: a) Ellis Park/Bloor
b) Quebec Avenue
c) Kennedy/Palisades
6. JUNCTION ARTS FESTIVAL - Sep 14-16 We will have more comments on communities & festivals --including those in BWV -- in an upcoming issue. In the meantime, note that the annual Ukrainian Festival will happen in BWV on Sep. 21 & 22. See http://ukrainianfestival.org/. 7. NEIGHBOURHOOD LANDFILLS.. Bloor West Eco-Village Presents a Free Workshop LANDFILLS IN SWANSEA: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Richard Anderson, Ph.D. Environmental Historian Tuesday, September 25, 2001, 7.30 p.m. Swansea Town Hall -
Gemmel Room 95 Lavinia Avenue (near Runnymede and Bloor) Many readers are aware of the concern over the playing fields at Rennie Park behind Swansea Public School. They have recently been declared safe. Long-time readers may remember our newsletter carried an article on this issue (sent to us by a reader) 2 years ago. The same reader sent us an update recently, and we will send that along soon (and post to our website). 8. WORLD19 Our website and newsletters have pretty much been on summer vacation recently; now that fall is here, we are looking for ideas & suggestions on how these can be more interesting or relevant to readers and othes in the community. We have hopes that a small voice like these newsletters & website can help promote some different views of our community, and encourage broad perspectives of "community". Our website (so far) has had few updates since June, but we will soon begin updating & revising it. We welcome comments, ideas -- and written submissions to our newsletter or website. For world19, world19: |