Councillor Joe Mihevc

January 13, 2012

Dear Neighbour,

Last week I sent out a New Year’s greeting that included a briefing on the important issues at City Hall in the next few months. It was a heavier letter, with lots of information and I am happy to hear that it was well recieved.

In this e-newsletter, I would like to focus on both the final Council meeting on the Budget and all the positive things happening in Ward 21including a series of community workshop events in February and a community meeting to discuss future improvements to Cedarvale Park.

I also want to bring to your attention that Skills for Change is offering free space for community use; Stone Soup Supper planning is heating up; two of our stellar community organizations received grants for neat projects; a local teacher was recognized; and there are so many great events to attend!

At City Hall, the public has been heard and a number of changes have been made to the Budget. I have reviewed them in the first article below. For now at least a few items have been won and we can use the momentum to continue the fight to save other important programs, including the pool programs, TTC routes and library hours. In Ward 21, the school pool at Hillcrest Community School is still on the chopping block as are TTC services and library hours at Wychwood and Forest Hill.

If you haven’t yet, you can still sign various petitions to voice your concern over the Budget cuts.

I hope you can take a bit of time to look through this e-newsletter to learn about the good work that is happening in Ward 21 and the great list of events to check out.

WHAT’S INSIDE:

1. This Week in Reveiw
2. Meetings that Matter 1: Voting on the 2012 Budget
3. Cedarvale Park & Leo Baeck Day School
   Community Visioning Meeting
4. Ward 21 February Weekly Winter Speakers’ Series
5. Transit Strategy for TO
6. Rent Rebate Information for Tenants
7. Free Space Available for Community Group Use
8. Wychwood Skating Rink to Open Soon!
9. Grants for Greening Ward 21 – Congratulations!
10. Congratulations to Local Teacher
11. Stone Soup Supper Looking for Lead Cook
12. Green Neighbours 21 Book Club
13. Yes In My Backyard Gardening Exchange

FULL DETAILS:

1. This Week in ReviewAfter months of hearing about the proposed 2012 Budget we are now in the final stages of the process.
   On Monday Jan 9^th the Budget Committee met and voted on the budget.  Yesterday, the Executive Committee met and voted on the Budget. At these meetings, various changes were made, and it is this new Budget that will go to Council on January 17, 18 and 19 for final debate and voting. There have been a few victories that we can celebrate and hope that they signal a changing tide that will lead to a positive outcome at Council next week.

   Back in the Budget

   • Funding for 58 Student Nutrition Programs;
   • Funding for programming at 12 Community Centres including Hillcrest Community School;
   • $1.9 million in the Arts and Culture portion of CPIP;
   • Funding for 2 out of 7 City/TDSB pools, not including Hillcrest Pool;
   • Funding dedicated to the TTC allowing it to save rush-hour service on 27 of its routes including: 7 Bathurst Bus and 32 Eglinton W bus;
   • The TPL was granted $3.089 million, but is still being forced to cut another $3.89 million which will mean a drastic cut in collections and the elimination of many cherished programs.

    

   Cuts that are still on the table:

   • TPL budget  cut of 5.9% in efficiencies plus another $3.89 million in cuts to hours, collections and the elimination of programming;
   • Loss of 3 City-run daycares and loss of rent subsidy to daycares meaning a higher per day cost to parents;
   • Loss of 3 homeless shelters;
   • Loss of City funding for 5 indoor pools, including the pool at Hillcrest Community School;
   • Loss of 5 wading pools and 2 outdoor pools;
   • Reduced TTC services to routes, including 4 routes in Ward 21;
   • A 17% cut to the Toronto Environment Office, eliminating energy conservation and climate change strategy implementation staff;
   • Reducing City’s tree canopy;
   • 10% cut to the Community Partnership and Investment Program, which provides invaluable grants to community groups;
   • Elimination of Christmas bureau that helps distribute gifts to needy children;
   • Increased response time for firefighters and paramedics. In 2012, planned hiring of 68 firefighters and 36 paramedics is being postponed;
   • Reducing road cleaning standards;
   • Reduction in horticultural service – annual flower bed, perennial and shrub display reduction.
2. Meetings that Matter: Voting on the 2012 BudgetIt is all systems go at City Hall as everyone prepares for the January 17, 18 and 19 Council meetings where the 2012 Budget will be voted on. Over the course of the next week, I will concentrate on building support with other Councillors to oppose many of the proposed cuts. We need to build support to show that cutting services is not the way to build a strong, vibrant, healthy City. With a higher than anticipated surplus, there is hope that many of the cuts will be prevented. As always, members of the public are welcome to attend the meetings.

   

3. Cedarvale Park & Leo Baeck Day School Community Visioning Meeting 

   The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss future park projects- both capital improvements being coordinated by the City, as well as the construction of a playground being coordinated by Leo Baeck Day School which will be occupying Arlington Middle School in September 2012.  Representatives from the Parks Department and Leo Baeck will be in attendance.Cedarvale Park received funds for upgrades and new facilities in the Parks Capital Budget to be used over three years.  This process began with our first community meeting in March 2010 and resulted most recently in the refurbishing of the Cedarvale tennis courts.  The next project will break ground in the spring to build an outdoor artificial ice rink attached to the south side of Phil White Arena.

   Please join me to hear more and share your ideas.

   Date:  Monday January 23, 2012  Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm

   Other topics will include:

   Leo Baeck Day School junior playground

   Baseball diamond upgrades

   Water-play feature

   Dog’s off-leash park improvements

   Pathway lighting and drainage improvements

   Location:  Arlington Middle School, 501 Arlington Avenue -

   Multi-purpose Room, 2nd Floor, enter via back parking lot door “B”

   For further information please contact my assistant Beth Gosnell at the community office 416-392-7460.

   

    

4. Ward 21 February Weekly Winter Speakers’ SeriesIf anything, this past year was an education on the important role the City plays in our day-to-day lives. As core services are threatened, we all realize how deeply we depend on them. In light of the struggles at City Hall, I want to engage with you in discussions on how to build the City we want to live in.  I will be hosting a Weekly Winter Speakers’ Series on Wednesday evenings for the month of February. Topics to be covered include: Mobility, Urban Agriculture, Civic Engagement and Environment.
   Stay tuned for more information.

   

5. Transit Strategy for TOBased on the success of #CodeBlueTO that helped to keep the Port Lands plan on track, a campaign has been launched called #CodeRedTO to call for a rational, affordable, and achievable rapid transit strategy for Toronto . Stay tuned for more information: http://coderedto.com/

   

6. Rent Rebate Information for TenantsI am pleased to inform you that some multi-residential buildings in our community have had their property tax decreased by more than 2.4% which will result in a minor rent reduction for 2012.  Notices from the City of Toronto have been mailed out to those that will receive a rent reduction.  It is very important to note that you do not have to ask your landlord for any permission or apply to receive this reduction.  The letter will outline how to calculate your new rent.  For a list of Ward 21 buildings that will have their rents reduced in 2012 can be found here. For more information, please follow this link: toronto.ca/housing/rent-lower.htm

   

7. Free Space Available for Community Group UseSkills For Change, an immigrant and employment services organization located at 791 St. Clair W. has made a very kind offer to the community. They are offering space, free of charge for community group use and special classes. The space can hold up to 50 people and would be available evenings and weekends. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Jalileh Helalat at 416-658-3101 x226
8. Wychwood Skating Rink to Open Soon – Cold  Weather and Volunteers Needed ! Local volunteers are hard at work preparing for another season of skating on an outdoor rink and anticipate they will be fully operational within the coming weeks – if the cold weather cools!

   For more information on how to volunteer to assist with these efforts, please contact peter.mackendrick@c3group.com.

   

   (photo credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, f1231_it0448)

9. Stone Soup Supper Looking for Lead CookDo you love cooking? Do you love community? Can you cook for a crowd? If so, WBCA wants you!

   The Wychwood Barns Community Association (WBCA) is looking for a volunteer to be the kitchen lead for this year’s Stone Soup Supper.

   The role requires someone who is familiar with preparing food in large quantities, for 250 people or more. You would be responsible for creating the shopping list and leading the kitchen in the preparation of the soup. The time commitment would be around 8 hours on the day of the event and possibly a cumulative 6 to 8 hours over the days leading up to the event. A Food Handler`s certificate is not necessary, but kitchen experience is.

   WBCA is also looking for other volunteers to help out at the event. Highschool school students are welcome and encouraged to volunteer (hours would count towards their community service requirements).

   The event will take place on February 26th from 2-5pm. If you are interested in being the Lead Cook or helping out in other ways at this fun community event, please contact Ruth Butler at volunteerwbca@gmail.com.

   

10. Grants for Greening Ward 21 - Congratulations!I am very pleased to announce that two of Ward 21′s community organizations have been awarded grants from the Live Green Toronto Community Investment Fund.

    Not Far from the Tree has been awarded funds for their project The Fruitful Forest: developing a fruit tree care program for Toronto. The objective is to train 10-15 apprentices in proper organic fruit tree care methods including pruning, soil amelioration, organic pest control and adjustments for urban stresses.

    The Wychwood Barns Community Association has been awarded funds for their Restoration of the Gardens Surrounding the Community Gallery at the Artscape Wychwood Barns.  The project includes the reconstruction of small-scale urban gardens appropriate to historical properties in Toronto at the Artscape Wychwood Barns. The gardens will comprise three styles typical of the WWI-era: the Victory Garden, the Formal Flower Garden, and the Cottage Garden.

    Both these projects will, in an engaging and creative way, help green Ward 21! Congratulations!

    

11. Congratulations to Local TeacherHillcrest Community School teacher Simon Ives, as part of the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence, has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement.  It is wonderful that we have such excellent teachers in our community’s public schools.
12. Green Neighbours 21 Book ClubThe New Year brings some important changes for Green Neighbours. Judy Vellend, GN21′s founder and hard-working Coordinator, has stepped down after nearly five years of dedicated service and a reorganized Steering Committee has begun exploring some new ideas. One of these, a GN book club, is the focus of this month’s meeting. Several members have expressed interest in creating a forum to think about the “bigger picture” as we seek better ways of responding locally to a deepening global crisis.

    Is a book club the best way to do this? Or would  a more thematically-focused reading/discussion group be better? What should be read? How often should the meetings be?

    If you want to participate, GN21 will be holding a meeting on Monday, January 16, 7:00-9:00 pm at Michael and All Angels Church (southeast corner of St. Clair and Wychwood, enter off Wychwood, through wooden gate, top floor)

    All are welcome to attend.

    

13. Yes In My Backyard Gardening ExchangeYes in My Backyard is an increasingly popular program run by The Stop Community Food Centre that links eager gardeners without a garden to non-gardeners who have space for one. If you have space to share, or if you are looking for space to grow some veggies there will be an information meeting on February 7^th, 2012. For more information please visit: thestop.org/yes-in-my-back-yard or contact Liz Curran at 416-651-7867 ext. 27 or liz@thestop.org.

    

Should you have any questions about the events listed here or wish to share events of your own, do not hesitate to contact my office at 416-392-0208 or email councillor_mihevc@toronto.ca.

Sincerely,

Councillor Joe Mihevc

Ward 21, St. Paul’s West