The Blog

by John Michels
English | 2017 | ISBN: 0773548785

North of the heart of Ontario’s scenic Muskoka District are the Almaguin Highlands, a loosely organized collection of villages, townships, and municipalities. In the mid-1800s, the region was home to loggers and farmers, as well as seasonal residents in simple cottages and camps. Since then, the impact of economic globalization and government policies has transformed the countryside into a luxurious recreational, residential, and tourist destination.

John Michels investigates change in the Almaguin Highlands, exploring the modern faces of cottaging, tourism, agriculture, forestry, and economic development initiatives. He shows how years of neoliberal policies have displaced agriculture and logging as the principal sources of employment in northern Ontario, generating tension and unexpected alliances between tourists, residents, loggers, farmers, developers, and governmental officials over the proper uses and meanings of rural space. The repercussions of this new service-oriented countryside include increased youth outmigration, decreased full-time employment opportunities, and an ever-growing gap between the rich and the poor.

A rich and detailed study based on long-term interviews and fieldwork, Permanent Weekend critically explores the catalysts and outcomes of gentrifying rural areas.

by John Michels
English | 2017 | ISBN: 0773548785

indigo link, https://m.indigo.ca/product/Books/permanent-weekend-nature-leisure-and/9780773548794

25 St Johns Rd is sat at the end section of a continous row of 4 buildings built at the same time and with the same facade decorations. The most detailed part of the building is frieze brick just under the roofline.

3030, 3030 Dundas Street West, recives temporary liquor licence extension for the Toronto Beer Week Festival to be held from September 15-23, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.:

The revised submission included the following, points which generally affective to the community as to the size, use and protection of the site and existing church building. The sundry techinical infastructure changes to city built water and waste plant follows.

reduced the gross floor area from 9,850 m2 to 8,422 m2;
– reduced the floor space index from 2.02 to 1.74 times the area of the lot;
– increased the building height from 12.6 m to 14.6 m;
– the entire north façade and a portion of the west façade of the Sunday School
addition would be preserved;
– removal of parking proposed under the retained place of worship;
– significant changes to the proposed materials from a primarily glass addition to
one that would be primarily brick;
– the relocation of the site access from the Annette Street frontage to the High Park Avenue frontage;
– removal of the proposed pick-up drop-off area along the High Park Avenue
frontage;
– internalizing the Type G loading space and insetting the entrance to the loading
space;
– increasing the side yard setback along the south property from 6 m to 7.5 m;
– insetting a number of balconies on the proposed south and west building
elevations; and
– increasing the landsaped open space.

a. Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 260 High Park Avenue in accordance with plans and drawings dated April 20, 2017, prepared by Turner Fleischer Architects Inc., date-stamped received by the City Planning Division April 21, 2017, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services; and the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated March 2, 2017, date-stamped received by the City Planning Division March 6, 2017, in conjunction with the Heritage Impact Assessment addendum, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated April 21, 2017, date-stamped received by the City Planning Division April 21, 2017, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services; and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 4.b. below to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, including registration of such Agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

Proposed Design orig rendering, changes not applied

b. Provide a Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant, that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment for 260 High Park Avenue prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated March 2, 2017 and the Heritage Impact Assessment addendum, dated April 21, 2017, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services.

Sundry techinical infastructure changes to city built water and waste plant follows:

c. Submit to the Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services for review and acceptance a Functional Servicing Report to determine the stormwater runoff, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from this development and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development.

d. Make satisfactory arrangements with Engineering and Construction Services and enter into the appropriate agreement(s) with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support this development, according to the Functional Servicing Report accepted by the Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

e. Provide space within the development for installation of maintenance access holes and sampling ports on the private side, as close to the property line as possible, for both the storm and sanitary service connections, in accordance with the Sewers By-law Chapter 681, to the satisfaction of the Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

f. Submit for review and acceptance a Hydrogeological Report, to the satisfaction of the Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

5. City Council request the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District, to confer with the immediate neighbours of 248-260 High Park Avenue, (including properties on Annette Street, Quebec Avenue, and High Park Avenue) on the future site plan control application for this development on issues pertaining to fencing, and the appropriate treatments for the balconies to ensure privacy of residents.

The properties on the south side of Dundas St. W. just west of Scarlett Rd, which have been proposed for a number of condo developments, now have a approval for a 12 story condo project. the project as all development projectscare tequired to do , will contribute funds for comunity improvement. This projrct will provide 525.000 dollars.

Text from the adopted finial report EY23.2 June 13th 2017, Final Report – 3775-4005 Dundas Street West and 2-6 Humber Hill Avenue

…the owner shall pay to the City the sum of $525,000 to be allocated as follows:

Condo project area highlighted in orange

i. $325,000 towards capital improvements to Lambton Park, Florence Gell Park and/or Magwood Park, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Ward Councillor;

ii. $100,000 towards capital improvements to Lambton House to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor;

iii. $50,000 towards capital improvements to the Jane/Dundas Toronto Public Library Branch to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Librarian, in consultation with the Ward Councillor; and

iv. $50,000 to Toronto Community Housing Corporation to be used towards capital improvements at Dundas Gooch or Cooper Mills Townhomes to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor.

subject matter rather dark sci fi

all text now magazine

The 8,000-square-foot Drake Commissary, opening Monday, June 12 in the Junction Triangle, encompasses a swank teal-accented dining room packed with custom work from local artists, lounges decked out in vintage furniture, a café and bar area, a marble takeout counter and a food shop stocked with house-made goodies.

Oh yeah, and there’s a massive kitchen packed with state-of-the-art gear that will soon channel food to all of the Drake’s properties – which was, chef Ted Corrado notes, the reason this grand project was conceived in the first place.

“When [Drake chief development officer] Bill Simpson interviewed at Drake One Fifty to take this job, he was telling me about all the new projects coming online, and as I processed it, I was like, ‘You’re gonna need a commissary kitchen.’ He was like ‘Sure, sign the papers, let’s go.’ And here we are, five years later – we’ve got a proper kitchen to do all the things I dreamed of doing.”

Fullarticle here

The facing of the 1912 Knesseth Israel Synagogue on Maria Street.

The UK’s newspaper The Guardian is stating that…

Canada’s PM is a counterfeit progressive who champions war-planes, pipelines and privatization – look across the pond for economic and environmental justice.

highlight text from the article, the guardian uk, Martin Lukacs

Out of breath? He has also broken an electoral reform promise, initiated a privatization scheme that is a massive corporate handout, left un-repealed a Tory political spy bill, launched air strikes in Iraq and Syria despite pledging a withdrawal, and inked the largest-ever weapons deal with the brutal, misogynistic Saudi Arabian regime.

full article here

…with the growing international press interest in Mr Trudeau’s substantive actions, a subject not really addressed in Canadian newspapers, the blog thought it would highlight the interest. Although for a liberal and socialist leaning blog it is abit diif.

The James Cooper House on
James Cooper Party Room and the the James Cooper Gym

James Cooper Mansion , Toronto, Ontario c.1882, a 950 ton beauty, moved by

Laurie McCulloch Building Moving in 2010 

43 Junction Rd, off Keele St, just north of Dundas St. West.

The Parkdale Community Economic Development (PCED) and Atkinson Foundation are organizing the first in a series of lectures – On Community Benefits.

Development 101 – Come learn about the development and planning process in Parkdale and how to gain greater community control.

THE PANEL
Benjamin Hoff – Urban Strategies
Clara Stewart-Robertson – Jane-Finch Community Centre
Claire Heese-Boutin – Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust
Moderated by Emily Paradis U- niversity of Toronto

Date: Tuesday, June 20th
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Place: 201 Cowan Ave. – St. Marks Church

Community Benefits 101 – Come learn about using Community Benefit Agreements as tools for gaining greater community control over development.

THE PANEL
Rosemarie Powell – Toronto Community Benefit Network
Mariam Paul – East Scarborough Storefront
Michelle Francis – Community Action Planning Group
Moderated by Jenn Miller – Atkinson Foundation

Date: Thursday, June 29th
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Place: 1303 Queen St W. – Parkdale Library (basement)

INCREDIBLE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT LINE UP ANNOUNCED FOR THE JUNCTION SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL, SATURDAY JUNE 24TH EVENT
Each year The Junction neighbourhood holds a Solstice Festival to welcome summer with fun, food, music, and entertainment. Dundas Street West, at Keele, from Quebec to Indian Grove, will be hosting a street party on Saturday June 24 from noon to midnight. Organizers have released programing details this week, featuring the best of local and national talent.

Toronto, ON – June 12, 2017 – Organizers have published the stage schedules for The Junction’s Summer Solstice Festival 2017 and announced today that this year’s event line up includes Sam Cash, TiKA, Freeman Dre & The Kitchen Party, Dirty Church, and more. This free street festival has multiple stages featuring a wide variety of music and entertainment.

TUN_hires1_VanessaHeins.jpg
TUNS, comprised of Chris Murphy (Sloan) Matt Murphy (Super Friendz, Flashing Lights), and Mike O’Neill (Inbreds), will be headlining this year’s Junction Summer Solstice Festival. This is an exciting new band of equals, of collaborators, of experienced veterans who sound as exuberant as ever. It’s like a music geek’s version of fantasy baseball.
Photo Credit: V. Heins
TUNS, the Canadian supergroup, with Chris Murphy from Sloan, Matt Murphy of The Super Friendz, and The Inbreds’ Mike O’Neill, will end out the evening on Saturday June 24th with their 10:30pm set on the main stage. The band’s self-titled debut album was released at the end of last summer. “This might be a group that is a merger of members from old favourites, but their sound is new and really stands out on its own! We can’t wait to have them here,” explains Robyn York, Junction BIA Coordinator, who helped to curate the music selection this year. “We are incredibly lucky to have record label Royal Mountain Records residing just west of the Junction and so many talented artists on their roster, including TUNS.”

“This is an eclectic neighbourhood and we wanted an interesting range of musicians playing to reflect that,” says York, as she explains the selection process. “We had a great collection of people helping to choose the music this year. A lot of our local business owners are very tuned into the local music scene. The bands were evaluated independently by each member of the selection committee before meeting as a group to put together the final line up.” This approach brought a wider breadth of talent. Emily Raquel, who played to packed crowds last year will be returning to the The Indie Stage and festival goers will also get a chance to hear from Moscow Apartment, a young duo just breaking into the Toronto music scene earlier this year. “It really is an incredible line up of music this year with indie, surf rock, garage, rap, soul, folk, cajun, and more – There is something for everyone!”

It isn’t just the music selection that has grown from the success of previous years, other areas of the festival are seeing an increase in programming as well, “Brant Matthews is a family favourite,” says Christine Sweeton, Executive Director for The Junction BIA, referencing well known performer, Fireguy. “Discussing the festival this year with Brant, he expressed interest in doing a group Fire Show, with multiple stunt performers. I thought it sounded like a great idea.” The children’s’ programming was organized so as to bring together the best selection of buskers to gather for the group show at the end of the day.

The Junction’s Summer Solstice Festival has been a long standing tradition on the west-side of Toronto, offering crowds of all ages a full day of music, art, outdoor patios, leisurely shopping, and entertaining programs. An early focus on healthy living activities and events has expanded to include live music, artists, premier dining options, and children’s programming. This year’s street party will also feature food and drink specials, sidewalk sales, along with classes and workshops at local businesses.

MEYN_JSS_2016044.jpg
Rebecca Zelewicz, Toronto hula hooper known as Bex in Motion, performs with fire at The Junction Summer Solstice 2016. Bex will return to the festival this year, with solo shows and as part of the large group Fire Extravaganza. Visit the Keele/Dundas West area on Saturday June 24, 2017 from Noon to Midnight.
Photo Credit: K. Meyn

Please go to www.thejunctionsummersolstice.com or read below for the full list of artists scheduled to perform:

Astrosurf
Bex in Motion
Bon Fer
Bueller
Chris Westfall
Darren Bedford
Dirty Church
DJ Diabloavacado
DRUMHAND
Emily Raquel
Enviodrum
Fireguy
Freeman Dre & the Kitchen Party
Good Conduct
Good Enough LIVE Karaoke
Hercinia Arts Collective
Hip Kik
Jeffery Straker
Kiwi Jr.
Left By Snakes
Moscow Apartment
Party Arty
Sam Cash
TiKA
TUNS
Young Renegade