Park Lawn Parents & Community residents: help stop hazardous changes to our park & children's playground

Park Lawn Parents & Community residents:
help stop hazardous changes to our park & children's playground

As parents and local residents, we were excited knowing that this summer would finally bring the new, widened pedestrian pathway to the green space behind Park Lawn JMS. We have been eagerly awaiting demolition of the old path and construction of the new pathway complete with lighting, seating areas, and trees lining both sides.

On June 9, a school parent and revitalization committee member contacted City of Toronto staff for an update. We were shocked to learn that without consultation of any kind, the City had made sweeping changes to the agreed-upon plan.

To accommodate the baseball users during the summer months, the City has decided to scrap all the trees on the north side of the path and replace them with a 250 foot long, 5 foot high, black chain link fence. This fence extends almost the entire length of the playground. There will also be a 13 foot high foul pole and a 12 foot wide limestone warning track that is 250 feet long. 

These changes are unacceptable and the fence, in particular, poses huge safety hazards to our children:

• Because of its location, it will be tempting for children to use it as a climbing wall

• It completely reduces visibility to teachers on duty supervising students

• It essentially divides the playground in two

• Not only will it have an impact on our daily school activities but also school sports teams, full school events and community events (such as cross country, spring fair, track and field, play day)

How you can help: 

• Sign this online petition to MPP/Councillor Milczyn, council members of the Etobicoke York Community Council, and Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/482/848/847/stop-a-high-chain-link-fence-from-being-installed-along-park-lawn-parks-pedestrian-path/

• Tell friends and community residents 

City staff and the Councillor had booked a meeting to address community concerns over these changes. We were notified that the meeting was cancelled and that this new plan will be implemented once the school year is over.

These changes will irreparably damage our schoolyard and park.  

Thanks for your support, please let us know if you have any questions.

Tanis Michelsen bretan@rogers.com and Andrea Hynes ukaliki@gmail.com

SAC Co-Chairs

Notice of a Public Meeting for the Humbertown Redevelopment - May 14th at 3:00pm.

Date: May 14, 2013
Time: 3:00pm or as soon as possible thereafter
Place: Church on the Queensway 1536 The Queensway (across from IKEA)

This application proposes to amend the Etobicoke Zoning Code, as amended, to permit a mixed-use development comprised of 5 (five) buildings and 28 townhouse units along Lambeth Rd.
Three of these buildings will be residential ranging in heigh from 8-12 storeys with commercial/office on the ground and second floors.
Two of the buildings are stand-alone two-storey commercial building with offices and/or commercial above.

A total of 604 residential units and approximately 53,060 m squared of residential gross floor area and approximately 21, 837 m squared of non-residential gross floor area is proposed.

Detailed information regarding the proposal including background information and material, can be obtained by contacting Michael Hynes, Senior Planner at 416-394-8228 or mhynes@toronto.ca.

You are invited to attend the public meeting to make your views known regarding the proposal. 


If you wish to submit written comments, please forward them to the City Clerk, attention: Rosemary MacKenzie, Administrator, Etobicoke York Community Council, , at the address set out in this
notice or by Fax: 416-394-5600 or by e-mail to etcc@toronto.ca.
Etobicoke York Community Council will review the proposal.and any other material placed before
it, in order to make recommendations on the application. These recommendations will then be forwarded to Toronto Citv Council for its consideration.

Second Humbertown Redevelopment Meeting - Post from Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby

Thursday October 18th, 2012
Martingrove Collegiate Institute, 50 Winterton Drive
Open House: 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Community Meeting: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
This is the second meeting on this matter. It is primarily intended for those who could not attend the first meeting or were turned away at due to the overwhelming turnout.  The auditorium holds approximately 750 people.

I appreciate the massive concern and interest in this matter, but I ask that in fairness we give priority to those who could not attend the first meeting so they can listen to the presentation and ask questions.  The developer has not changed the application since the September 11th meeting and will have the same presentation.

If you cannot make this meeting, you can also attend Community Council in the New Year where you will have an opportunity to express your opinion and concerns.  The date of that will be publicized in the near future.

We continue to make it clear to First Capital Realty that this community will not accept the proposed density and height and ask them to work with the neighbourhood before proceeding further in their application.  The Working Group and the Humber Valley Village Residents Association have done an excellent job in making the community aware of our concerns. I am extremely grateful for their hard work and dedication in this effort.  If you would like a sign to express your opposition to the project, please visit: http://www.savehumbertown.com/

At the May 15th Community Council meeting I moved the following motions on the proposed development and expect staff to uphold these points before writing their final report:

• The director of community planning include in his review of First Capital Realty's application a thorough examination of the contextual surroundings of Humbertown Shopping Centre, considering all potential impacts on the community, as well as the need to preserve the unique character and long-term stability of the residential communities that surround the site;

• Planning staff consider potential alternative development concepts that arise out of the working group discussions, and that may provide a more compatible relationship between the development and the surrounding communities in terms of height, density, land-use mix, traffic impact and overall urban design;

• Council direct a qualified consultant to be retained by the city in order to provide an independent peer review of the retail market analysis/ market impact assessment report which was provided on behalf of the proponent;

• The city reaffirm its support and further clarify the mandate of the working group to include the active participation of the appointed city planners, the city, the proponent, and the designated residents associations with the intent that issues and concerns arising from the application may be discussed and resolved while the city's review is ongoing.

The project remains too big, too dense, and too tall for this community.  I will continue to oppose this plan at Community Council and City Council and appreciate your support for my position.

I'm looking forward to seeing you on October 18th.    

Directions to Martingrove Collegiate are found here: http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&gl=ca&daddr=50+Winterton+Drive,+Toronto,+ON&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=0,43.673395,-79.561329&cid=0,0,9273034168815457797&hq=martingrove+collegiate+institute&hnear=0x89d4cb90d7c63ba5:0x323555502ab4c477,Toronto,+ON&sa=X&ei=iB5GUOa5FMm46wGq1oDgDA&sqi=2&ved=0CHQQ9Rc 

The school lot holds 170 cars with three handicap spaces.  Additional parking for 145 cars can be found on the north side of Eglinton Avenue and east side of Martingrove Road.  

Yours truly,


Gloria Lindsay Luby,
Toronto City Councillor
Etobicoke Centre – Ward 4.

Humbertown Plaza Redevelopment Plan

For information regarding the Humbertown redevelopment plan by First Capital Realty, please visit the following sites:

• http://www.firstcapitalrealty.ca/PropertyDetails.aspx?id=138
• https://sites.google.com/site/humbervalleyvilliage/announcements/untitledpost
• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/05/15/toronto-humbertown-plaza-plans.html
• https://twitter.com/#!/search/?q=%23humbertown&src=typd

If you have any other interesting information, post in the comments.

Memo from City of Toronto: New Draft City-wide Zoning By-law

The report at the link provided summarizes the concerns raised by the appellants and summarizes, chapter by chapter, the changes made to the new draft in comparison to the previous Zoning by-Law. The report also makes recommendations with respect to the consultation and reporting schedule for the consideration of the new draft of the Zoning By-law.

Many of the concerns expressed by the appellants of By-law 1156-210 related to transition from the old to the new zoning regime with respect to the treatment of "pipeline" development applications, the recognition of minor variance and by-law permissions, and the treatment of existing buildings. 

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-48010.pdf

Library Closures: Action Needed!

Dear members of ABAC
Library and Archives Canada has now had no budget for the ten months, and been under a self imposed moratorium or has been reviewing its acquisitions policies since 2009, and more cuts are coming!
In the past few weeks this issue has been covered by CBC, CTV, The Globe and Mail and the National Post.  The issue is building momentum, but we need to keep pushing!
If your interested in helping save Library and Archives Canada, please visit the website www.savelibraryarchives.ca
On this website you can send an email to your member of parliament, download emails you can forward to customers, print off posters, and become more informed.
If you'd be willing to hand out bookmarks, or know of other stores who would be willing, please contact me directly.
Thank you,
Liam McGahern
President - ABAC

IL FAUT SAUVER BIBLIOTHÈQUE ET ARCHIVES CANADA!!
Les Membres ALAC durent souffrir d’un moratoire de 10 mois de la part de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada; cette institution nationale affirmait que, par la suite, les acquisitions reprendraient, laissant même comprendre qu’une amélioration nous avantagerait. Nous avons maintenant compris qu’il s’agissait d’affirmations fallacieuses car, depuis la levée du moratoire, les acquisitions sont demeurées nulles ou presque.
Il faut donc agir et appuyer la campagne lancée par l’Association Canadienne des Professeures et Professeurs d’Université visant à sauver Bibliothèque et Archives Canada. Il est extrêmement important de consulter le site webwww.sauvonsbiblioarchives.ca , de bien absorber le contenu et d’engager le combat contre la dissolution du mandat de BAC.
Dans ce but il serait très utile d’utiliser le marque-page suivant sur vos sites web, vos Courriels avec la clientèle ou les demandeurs d’informations, placer ce marque-page au dos de vos catalogues, les imprimer et les remettre en boutique si possible.
De plus, vous pourrez aider la campagne en communiquant le lienwww.sauvonsbiblioarchives.ca à vos élus provinciaux, fédéraux et même municipaux. Nous ne pouvons laisser quelques dirigeants de BAC ridiculiser ainsi les canadiennes et canadiens en détruisant littéralement la collection nationale, mémoire collective dont le but est de conserver précieusement l’histoire de ce pays, depuis les fondateurs jusqu’aux jours actuels.

Resources for Heritage Homes

Goldstone Studios
Repaired and restored vintage light fixtures, and offered for sale, using antique fabrics, trim,beads etc.
Floor lamps, chandeliers, table lamps etc available.
Tin Ceilings made from original dies, in many finshes also! 
Always looking for fine old fabrics and notions: 
Click here to see website link: www.goldstonestudios.ca

The Door Store
Archiectural Antiques Est. 1972
www.thedoorstore.ca

Village Hideaway Antiques: 3451 Lakeshore Boulevard West at 31st. Street. M5V 2X5
Judy Shirley: 416-255-0900. Call before coming please.
Buys and Sells Quality Furnishings.

Attard Construction: 905-824-6300
Working quality Construction in Etobicoke for over 20 years.
see www.attard.net

Restoration Stained and Leaded Glass: exquisite restoration of old leaded windows.
416-766-6045
417 Jane Street. M6S 3Z6

Charles Sammut Ltd. - custom made windows, shutters and doors to match the ones in your home.
416-653-7066 www.csammutltd.com
515 Rogers Road, M6M 1B4 

Etobicoke Humane Society

“To protect, care for and advance the welfare of animals”.

Affiliate of Ontario SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
www.etobicokehumanesociety.com

The Etobicoke Humane Society – serving the Etobicoke community since 1987, remains an all-volunteer, registered charity, and an independent affiliate of the Ontario SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). 

EHS never euthanizes any animal due to lack of space, taking in only those animals for which we have shelter or foster home space. Nor do we allow any animal in our program to be used for research purposes.  

We are not part of the Toronto Humane Society, nor are we affiliated with Toronto Animal Services, nor do we receive any funds from the City of Toronto or the Toronto Humane Society orthe OSPCA. 

We operate entirely from donations and our own fund-raising efforts.

Through dedication from our supporters, tireless efforts on behalf of our volunteers, and cautious stewardship of our funds, we staff an office and cat adoption shelter 5 days per week, and although not open to the public on the weekends, volunteers are at the centre throughout the weekend to feed, clean and provide companionship to the animals in our care.  

Our dog adoption program continues to operate through home based fostering and adoption, and an excellent networking program.

Programs Summary: Cat and Dog Fostering and Adoption (including related vet care) / Cruelty Investigation / Humane Education (see more info below*) / Wildlife Rescue and Referral / Fund-Raising / Volunteer Coordination / Membership / Newsletter 

*A Note about Humane Education: The Public Relations and Education Committee coordinates the Humane Education program for schools, daycare centres, summer camps, civic groups and the general public. Experts throughout the world haverecognized and written about the link between Animal abuse and other forms of violence, and the importance of reaching youth at an early age to instill in them a strong concept of what it means to be Humane, with an eye on preventing future violence in all forms.  Our Education program is provided through two primary methods: 1) Humane Education Workshops – which include Therapy Dogs - in schools, daycare centers, at Girl Guide and Scout meetings and through any other youth-oriented venues that request our programs. Groups receiving Humane Ed workshops include at-risk youth and physically or mentally challenged youth; 2) General Public Education information/activities are delivered through Public Education/Public Relations booths and visits/workshops – almost all of which include Therapy Dogs – at malls, theatres, retail stores appropriate public community events, seniors centres, businesses, libraries, etc..  All booths include Therapy Dog visits, and important free literature on a variety of subjects, including Bite Prevention, Violence Prevention, Pet Selection and Pet Care, Being a Good Wildlife Neighbour, etc., as well as sample Humane Education curriculum and materials.

1500 Royal York Rd., Suite E, Etobicoke, Ontario M9P 3B6

Office/Shelter Phone: 416-249-6100; Registered Charity: #131167629RR0001

Etobicoke Humane Society Halloween 2010 Update

“To protect, care for and advance the welfare of animals”.

Affiliate of Ontario SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
www.etobicokehumanesociety.com

NO SCAREDY CATS , PLEASE! 
Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
Maria Barnes, Public Relations & Education Coordinator
Etobicoke Humane Society
Halloween can be a fun-filled time for children and adults, too.  But it can be a scary time for our pets.   The Etobicoke Humane Society asks you to please remember these pet safety tips when the hobgoblins gather this year:
1. No tricks and no treats for pets:  Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats.  Tin foil and cellophane wrappers can be dangerous or deadly if swallowed. If you think your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the nearest emergency vet clinic. Keep related phone numbers handy for fast reference.
2. Some Hazards in Plants: Halloween traditions such as pumpkins and decorative corn are generally non-toxic, but they can cause gastrointestinal upset if pets ingest them.  Larger ingested pieces can even cause intestinal blockage.
3. Electrical Hazards: Don’t let pets chew wires and cords. Keep them safely out of reach of your pets. If you pet chews electrical cords or wires, he could experience damage to his mouth due to shards of glass or plastic, or even experience a life-threatening electrical shock.
4. Candle Cautions:  Use extreme caution with candles, even when placed inside pumpkins. Pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and cause a fire. Kittens and puppies are at even greater risk of getting burned or singed by lit candles.
5. Don’t mess-up with dress-up: Please don't use costumes on your dog or cat unless you’re absolutely sure they REALLY enjoy it. Costumes can cause stress for many animals, and many costumes are flammable, which adds additional hazards. Masks are best left for people.
6. Safe costumes only: If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume is NOT FLAMMABLE, and isn’t too tight or too loose (extra material can get your pet caught in something). . A costume or mask should not hinder your pet’s movement, hearing, vision or ability to breathe. Watch out for easily chewed pieces of costume that could cause choking. This protects your pet from injury and helps prevent irrtiabitiy; an irritable pet can be a snappy pet. Masks are best left off your pet.
7. Provide a quiet haven: Most dogs and cats should be kept in a separate, quiet room during the busiest trick –or-treat hours. All the noise and dangers can be very stressful for pets. Only the most social pets should be exposed to the Halloween hauntings.
8. Watch those doors: When opening your door for trick-or-treaters, make sure your pet doesn’t run outside. Besides the risk of being lost, there are many accounts of Halloween hooligans who have teased, chased, injured, stolen and even killed pets.
9. IDs:.* Be certain that your pet has current, proper identification; i.e., microchip and/or collar and tag, just in case your pet escapes during the Halloween festivities.

1500 Royal York Rd., Suite E, Etobicoke, Ontario M9P 3B6

Office/Shelter Phone: 416-249-6100; Registered Charity: #131167629RR0001