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about events or issues affecting our community.
A Happy New Year to all our readers -- and a Merry Christmas
to those celebrating today and tomorrow.
Many of the notes in this newsletter came from the High Park
Citizens' Advisory Group.
In this issue:
1. Public meeting on the future of High Park Zoo
2. High Park Winter walking tours
3. High Park volunteers sought
4. Traffic issues
5. Local restaurant notes
6. Globe article on Swansea
7. Tenant website
8. Reminder - electricity deregulation/Green Power workshop
1. FUTURE OF HIGH PARK ZOO - Public meeting Tuesday, January 8
The following note has also been distributed door-to-door in the area. We're not
sure of what possibilities might be considered for this and the other 2 zoos. Last year,
in the early stages of the "great budget crisis" (part 1 -- stay tuned for this
year's), there was talk of possibly closing these zoos, and transferring the animals to
the Toronto Zoo. However, at this point, we believe the possibility being considered is
for the Toronto Zoo to take over administration and management of these zoos.
From: City of Toronto Toronto Zoo
The City of Toronto requires your input regarding animal operations proposals for
High Park Zoo, Riverdale Farm and Far Enough Farm
Councillor George Mammoliti, Chair of the Toronto Zoo will be
chairing a panel that will include: Councillor Pam McConnell (Ward 28), Councillor David
Miller (Ward 13) and staff from The Toronto Zoo and the City of Toronto Economic
Development Culture & Tourism Department Parks & Recreation Division.
Meeting sites & dates:
- High Park Zoo January 8, 2002, 7:00 p.m
Grenadier Café & Tea House (Parkside Drive in High Park)
- Far Enough Farm January 9, 2002 - 7:00 p.m. (Ferry leaves from Bay Street Docks)
Meeting 7:30 p.m. at the Rectory Café on Wards Island
- Riverdale Farm January 10, 2002, 7:00 p.m.
Riverdale Farm, 201 Winchester Street (at Sumach)
See an article in the Jan. 7th Globe & Mail regarding this.
2. HIGH PARK WINTER WALKING TOURS
The HPCAC has recently released the schedule of walking tours of High Park.
Beginning this Sunday (Jan. 13), they occur every other Sunday, and last 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
A $2 donation is requested to help support this and other volunteer programs. They
normally begin at 1:15pm. See the world19 website for details and a full schedule --- www.world19.com or http://webhome.idirect.com/~jleeson/high_park_tours.htm.
3. HIGH PARK VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT
a) The High Park Nature Centre is gearing up for another successful season. New
volunteers are welcome to join the steering committee or to help with specific projects,
such as developing habitat displays. Contact: "Kathleen Keefe" kathleen@bruinbooks.com
b) The High Park Citizens' Advisory Committee is seeking a
volunteer to serve as assistant treasurer. Position involves basic bookkeeping; computer
data entry skills would be an asset. Light volume of transactions in most months, somewhat
busier in the spring/summer. The volunteer would also be welcome to participate in general
HPCAC discussions, etc. Contact: "Ron Allan" ronsallan@rogers.com
4. TRAFFIC ISSUES
Always a concern for residents, businesses and visitors. We received a note today
from Helen Armstrong, one of our readers, "who would like to get a group together
that wants to discuss traffic calming from a broad perspective, not just speed bumps. I
would encourage people to email me at helena@web.ca"
5. LOCAL RESTAURANT NOTES
a) Top Ten list.
The Dec. 27 issue of NOW magazine contained a number of "best of 2002"
lists. The list of best restaurants reviewed this year contained three neighbourhood
eating spots:
#2 - Silver Spoon, on Roncesvalles
#6 - Lemon Meringue in Bloor West Village
#10 - Caramba! in the Junction (Pacific & Dundas) http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2001-12-27/goods_foodfeature.html
b) Comings and Goings
Coming: The former Mad Apples location will be re-opening as the "Rebel Chop
House". They now have one other location -- on Yonge, near the Rosedale subway stop.
A source in the food business told us that they not only have good food, but an excellent
selection of microbrewery products.
Going: We've heard (but not confirmed), that Future Bakery
won't be renewing their lease on their BWV spot.
6. GLOBE ARTICLE ON SWANSEA
The Globe & Mail is carrying a series of articles on Toronto-area communities.
The Dec. 26 issue reported on Swansea, in a story entitled "How to survive
amalgamation with character".
The story discusses how the community has survived -- and
strengthened -- despite two amalgamations, and other challenges. It quotes former resident
David Crombie, "a community is not a given.. You have to go out and work for it.
People have to want it to survive."
We've reprinted the article on our website. Follow the link
from www.community.world19.com
7 . TENANT INFORMATION
We're happy to help publicize activities, websites, etc. of readers -- and others
in the area. The most recent issue of "Sympatico Netlife" magazine contained an
article on their "top 200 websites" of 2001, and included at least one organized
by a world19 reader -- Bob Levitt's excellent resources for tenants: http://www.geocities.com/torontotenants.
Quoting from the article, "he decided to make his resources and experiences available
online to other aparment dwellers. Check out the Ontario tenants' rights section (links to
other provinces are also available), and health issues such as toxic mould and aparment
security features. The Web site also offers a nationwide list of average rent and vacancy
rates."
If you have websites, events or other information that may be
of interest, please send them to us.
8. REMINDER
A reminder of the timely Bloor West Eco-Village workshop to be held January 14 at
Swansea Town Hall regarding electricity market deregulation and Green Power. See www.bwev.world19.com for details.
For world19,
John Leeson
world19:
Supporting citizen involvement in our community and its future.
Phone: 416 766-8605
email: world19@world19.com
web: www.world19.com |