Archive for May, 2016

Longest day of the year to celebrate the Junction Community, its talents, tastes and urban flairToronto, Ontario (For immediate release) May 27th, 2016

The Junction BIA is proud to present The Junction Summer Solstice Festival on Saturday, June 18th from noon-midnight. Celebrate the longest day of the year and the first festival of the summer season here in the eclectic neighbourhood known as the Junction.

Learn all about the neighbourhood by enjoying a full day of activities and events promoting the very best the Junction has to offer. Join in on the fun with fantastic summer themed entertainment, sunny energy and a shopping experience like no other in the City of Toronto. Whether you like the arts, design, DIY culture, great food, street culture, green living or a unique urban experience, the Junction Summer Solstice Festival will satisfy your every whim.

With over 80 local businesses participating, the Junction Summer Solstice Festival offers exclusive sales and promotions, live music, art installations, urban culture, craft and design workshops, and featured menus. Participate in health activities, interactive performances and demos while enjoying captivating shows by roaming artists, buskers and cirque performers.

Love food? With over 30 restaurants and cafes offering exclusive Summer Solstice menus, you’ll be sure to satisfy your sweet tooth, cravings and inner foodie. But don’t just indulge; meet the Junction’s top health and well-being practitioners for some great practical advice on how to lead a healthier life. Furthermore, in support of Toronto Bike Month we have a bike clinic running the day of the festival and loads of bike parking. We strongly encourage everyone to Bike or TTC to the Junction Summer Solstice Festival this year.

The Junction Summer Solstice is an event showcasing our neighbourhood’s passion for maximizing urban and public space. From noon to midnight enjoy a variety of family friendly shows, and workshops while meandering down our ‘Laneway Crawl’ being brought to you by The Laneway Project ‘ Enjoy some curbside cuisine at our ‘pop up parking spot patios’ and taste the best our community has to offer. Stick around and take part in the ‘Junction Jubilee’ (from the creator of the Junction Flea), enjoy live music or experience our bustling nightlife which includes a late night projection show.

On June 18th – noon to midnight – experience the magical allure of West Toronto’s local treasure, the Junction!

When: June 18th, 2016 from Noon to Midnight

Where: 80 + participating venues throughout the Junction Neighbourhood

www.thejunctionsummersolstice.com

The Organic Garage foodmarket is wildly interesting in all the Junction areas. 

Currently the second story is being constructed on the originial processing plant on the suite. The processing plant building, used for decades by the mill, is the basis for the entire development. 

PHOTO: Government of Northwest Territories

Building up infrastructure in Canada’s North is seen as a priority for increasing the region’s economic output. Crews are currently working toward completion of one such project connecting Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk in the Arctic. PHOTO: Government of Northwest Territories
Canadian Ptess article in Canadian Manufacturing magazine.

Stretching from Labrador to the Arctic, $100B ‘Northern Corridor’ would cut cost of goods and solve perennial infrastructure problems, report says

Full story here

click for larger image

Galleria Mall design article in the Toronto Star, click here 

Residential and retail development to replace 1970s mall in the Junction.

Garden condo, Italy

The Junction needs more residents, the area has streetscape, parks and a retail strip that can cater to a lot more people that they do now. Yet the development of condos is slow, just too slow. Junction Triangle condo builds are moving ahead a good pace,  bring more people into the area, which in turn benefits everyone.

Just look how much good fortune and activity the large Henizman Place project has brought to the community. 

There are good locations on Vine Ave, along Dundas St. W. Straight though to Runnymede Rd. Also the surrounding lands of the old milling area on and off Junction Rd.
 

The proposed Homeless shelter at Runnymede and St Clair W. will certainly increase the local homeless population, with travel though the Junction Dundas strip  increasing also, as many people will be moving between the social agencies in the Bloor and Dundas St W. Area, and the shelter. 

So I thought it would reasonable to get a post written by a homeless person. 

This blog post has been written by a current homeless person in the city, who had been living in the shelter system for 3 years, he is also a Cambridge UK. university educated.

Most shelters require their residents to be out of the building during the day from 8.00am to 5.30pm. This is to give their staff an opportunity to clean the premises.
This is not so much a problem in the summer where those who are not working (most) make their way to the parks, beaches and other open spaces.

In the winter it is much more difficult to find places to keep warm. Shopping malls
Government offices, Tim Hortons. There is a great shortage of this sort of accommodation, for both hot and cold weather.
There is a large differences  between shelters in how they interact with their residents.
The  Good Shepherd Shelter on Queen St. E offers  Breakfast between  7.00 to 8.00 am, at which time all residents are required to leave for the day.
Residents have to be back by 5.30pm. Those who do not turn up have their bed re-allocated. A snack is provided is at 7.00pm.
This is more of a snack than a meal although those on the DARE (Drug & Alcohol Rehabiitation) get a full meal at 8.00pm. (Blog author differs in opinion to the time of the Dare programs meals, I think 4pm)

All residents must in their beds are at 11.00pm unless an extention has been granted by their case worker, allowing a late return to the shelter.

A common main meal of the day served at the Good Shepherd Shelter on Queen St East. 2pm to 4pm.

Stay lengths at The Good Shepherd Shelter are generally kept to two weeks, extensions can and are allowed for people who are using The Good Shepherd Shelter housing service to help them find permanent housing.
GATEWAY a Salvation Army shelter offers 90 bed for residents, Breakfast is served at 7.00. Residents are expected to be out of the dorms by 7.45am although use of the dining room is permitted throughout the day. 

Lunch is served from 12.00 to 1.00pm and dinner is served 4.30 to 5.30pm. Three nights a week drop in diners are allowed to have dinner.
Those looking for a bed have leave their names with a desk during the day and when the 10.00pm bed-check shows vacancies these spaces are filled.
Lights are out at 10.00pm which is also bed check time

Tomorrow on the blog 

15 things you should know about homeless shelter residents, now that one is coming to the Junction.

click image. to read article

Click the image above to see the feature.

Or click below

https://nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/neighbourhood-focus-the-junction/

Photo *1 

Your blog author is enlightened and hopefull of an impactful and immediate, it’s got to be done today attitude to come out of this event. As a person who has spoken with the society and ARCH on this issue many times, I know action is needed urgently. As a person who has recognized developmental and intellectual genetic disabilities, who only accepted the disabilities a year ago this June 5, I have learnt there are many issues to be addressed.  Oh, I do have decades of lived experience as a disabled person, I just refused to accept it nor did I realize it was genetic until 2013.
If you have anyone in your life, someone who you contemplate –  even a teeny tiny bit, or know has a developmental and intellectual disabilities, attending this panel discussion is a good idea. If you cannot attend the program is also available as a live webcast. On the day and time of the event this blogs top post will have a link  to the live webcast.

A Junction connection?  there are many people from the Junction involved in seeking developmental and intellectual disability help. You may have also guessed this is an issue of prime importance to me. This author has spoken and worked with a number of younger men, who when teenagers hung out in Vine Parkette.
Now a required heed statement, 

If you feel you yourself,  or a loved one, or someone you know is struggling or being hurt or in any way marginalized with a diagnosed, (respectfully referred to as “recognized”) or not diagnosed developmental and intellectual disabilitity, encourage them to seek help, with a positive, and caring approach. Most, if not all need some assistance, and you will be saving him or her, much pain, suffering, confusion and bringing them relief, though actioned caring. Oh, and it is normal to become frustrated with a loved one and or friend with a disability.
*1)  sign on the roof of the society building in the photo above, does not exist, put it there for some fun. 

All text below, ARCH Disability Law Centre & the Law Society of Upper Canada jointly.
Celebrating Action: 

Developmental Services and Legal Rights
ARCH Disability Law Centre & the Law Society of Upper Canada for an event about,

This event will highlight the history of  disabilities and discuss present day concerns. 

Community leaders will highlight current advocacy efforts and how this work should inform law and policy.
May 31, 2016

Panel Discussions: 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. *, Reception: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St. W., 
Please enter through east-side doors facing Nathan Phillips Square.

This public event is free, but space is limited. For additional information and to register, 

please visit: www.lawsocietygazette.ca/event/access-awareness-2016
equityevents@lsuc.on.ca | 416-947-3413 | 1-800-668-7380, ext. 3413
The panel discussions are eligible for up to 1.5 Substantive Hours of CPD for lawyers.

All text the group.
SRC Family Fundraiser and Hoop-a-thon
Sunday, June 12, 2016

1:30pm 5:30pm

Vine Avenue Playground

200 Vine Avenue Toronto, ON, M6P 1V9 Canada 

JOIN OUR HOOP-A-THON TEAM

On Sunday, June 12 from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm, Safe Rail Communities will be holding a Family Fundraiser at Vine Ave. Playground in the Junction (Toronto). For more details, please click here
You can sign up to join our Hoop-a-thon team by sending us an email here requesting to join the team, and by sharing this link Donate to the SRC Hoop-a-thon Team to collect sponsorships. Anyone can be part of our team to raise funds to support our work in advocating for greater transparency and safeguards with respect to the transportation by rail of dangerous goods.
If you don’t have a hoop, you can borrow one of ours. We will have various hoop sizes, and will be offering free hooping lessons.
Bring a picnic blanket and grab a bite to eat from our BBQ. 
Check out the silent auction items generously donated by local businesses, while kids can participate in a number of activities.
Together with your help we can support our community and stand up for safe, transparent, and regulated rail.
For more information about us, please visit us at www.saferail.ca

Safe Rail Communities Team.

October 14

Safe Rail Communities Fundraiser featuring Pocket Concerts

June 12

Join Our Hoop-a-thon Team

Need a light? There are 35 too many at Weston Rd. and Dennis Ave.

A $250,000 public art project meant to resemble an “illuminated grove” turns out to be more puzzling than enlightening.
JACK LAKEY / TORONTO STAR

Ten utility poles  Weston Rd. and Dennis Ave., with 36 street lights attached to them. 

Work name. 

 “Nyctophilia,” which means to have a love of the night.

This $250,000 public art project has been made possible through a combination of: a $193,000 Sector 37 private sector contribution 

The West-End YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) Festival at the Gladstone Hotel is an event for people and groups involved – or looking to become involved – in grassroots, locally driven community development in West-End Toronto. It’s a social space for people and groups to gather, exchange ideas, and establish connections to effect change and strengthen their networks.
Typically a citywide event, for this edition of the festival, the Gladstone Hotel has teamed up with Shape My City to create a local version in West-End Toronto. They are bringing together a range of socially-engaged local organizations to foster a neighbourhood network committed to affecting positive change and building community. 
The West-End YIMBY is a place to learn about the organizations building community in our neighbourhood, and find out how you can get involved. Come find out what your neighbourhood is up to!

Date: Sunday, May 22nd

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Place: 1214 Queen St. W. – Gladstone Hotel

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