DECA’s Veteran Drivers, Scene 7

Anita Schretlen was DECA’s chair for three long years. She was pushed into it. Our founding chair, Natasha Granatstein, had asked for someone to share the role with her and finally, Anita agreed to. (She’d only been on the board for a year then.)

A couple months later, Natasha abandoned ship! She was too burnt out. And Anita would soon discover why. Being DECA’s chair, when this little organization started a decade ago, involved hosting an annual all-candidates’ debate, and inviting people to your house to drink wine and dream collaboratively about the fun we could have in this neighborhood.

Suddenly, DECA had become an empire. There was the farmers’ market, the arts fair, the garage sale, pumpkin walk, winter festival, Art on the Danforth, the pop-up projects…

By the time she stepped down as chair last November, Anita was logging 15 hours a week — answering emails, reading proposals, talking to councillors and board members, interviewing prospective pop-up tenants, chairing meetings, discussing DECA’s work with university professors studying our area, giving press interviews….

No one wanted to talk over. We were all too intimidated, by both the amount of work involved, and Anita’s legacy. You cannot find a calmer captain in a hurricane. Anita is balanced, thoughtful, wise, and truly unflappable. And she is kind.

Finally, when it looked like we were going to have to rotate the chair position, month by month, Sheri stepped forward. Phew! (We divided some of the work, so she won’t burn out — hopefully.) And then, Anita agreed to take over as DECA’s treasurer.

And through all this, you might not have met Anita. She’s fairly shy, and she doesn’t talk about herself much. Only recently did I learn she grew up in Elliot Lake! So when you do see her on the street, make a point of asking her questions.

Here is the brilliant and beautiful ANITA SCHRETLEN, in her own words….

Anita Schretlen and Houman, the owner of Bella Lite (1989 Danforth Ave.)
Anita Schretlen and Houman, the owner of Bella Lite (1989 Danforth Ave.)

My name and age is…
Anita Schretlen, 43

One thing people don’t know about me is…
I’m often seen around the neighbourhood at odd hours, so I get asked a lot if DECA is my job. That would be lovely, but unfortunately not the case. I actually work from home for a small artisanal leather goods company, Rimanchik, doing anything and everything business-related. Being part of a small business, I really see firsthand the impact that individual shopping decisions have on the livelihoods of these businesses and business owners. I think it’s for this reason that much of my focus with DECA has been on supporting the small businesses in our ‘hood.

I moved to Danforth East … 

In 2009. We had been renting in the Chaplin Estates area, which was beautiful, but we were expecting our second child and needed a bigger space. We were very methodical about our house hunt, circling areas on the map that fit all our criteria — good schools, nearby daycares, proximity to the subway, etc. We actually didn’t know anything about this neighbourhood but it was one of only 2 areas in Toronto that had everything we were looking for. Once we got here, it didn’t take us long to realize what a great decision it had been, but not for the objective criteria we had been trying to measure.

The thing I love most about Danforth East is…

The great feeling of community we have. I’m not from Toronto, and never really felt at home here until we moved to this neighbourhood. It’s the most community-minded and down-to-earth place I’ve lived in in the city. I love that we are always bumping into friends on the street and the shopkeepers know us by name.

One change I’ve seen over the years….  

Our stretch of the Danforth is becoming more and more interesting every year! Even just 5 years ago, there was barely a place to stop for coffee. On mat leave, I used to walk my stroller all the way to Greektown just for some signs of life. Now, we have tons of great new shops, restaurants and bars, gyms and other services. But despite all the changes, the original character of the ‘hood still shines through, which I love.

My advice to new neighbours is… 

A great way to meet your neighbours is to join DECA! Come out to our meetings, volunteer for an event, get involved. I have met so many great people and made some really wonderful friends, all while helping to improve my own neighbourhood.

My biggest local pet peeve is…

Businesses and property owners that do not upkeep their space. It’s their private property, but it’s our public space and letting it go brings down the whole commercial stretch. The vacant property tax rebate also has a negative effect on our area, by rewarding property owners for keeping their spaces vacant, This is something we are trying to change through our pop-up shop project, but it’s a long slog.

My neighborhood secret is… 

A few months ago, I joined a handful of friends for dinner at Stock in Trade (1272 Danforth Ave), a butcher near Greenwood. It was an amazing night – held after hours, a table set right in the middle of the space and a delicious multi-course meal featuring their quality meats and seasonal produce.  With such an intimate setting, personable service and top-notch food prepared just for us, it really did feel like a well-kept secret. And, did I mention it is BYOB, with no corkage? I highly recommend it, the Stock in Trade Supper Club.

The place I go in DECA’s stomping grounds that you’ve likely never frequented is…

Bella Lite. Granted, it’s not every day that you need a light fixture. But when you do, Bella Lite is the place to go! Houman, the owner, is so friendly and knowledgeable and has a huge selection (don’t let the small storefront fool you, he has access to everything from the most basic fixture to the fanciest chandeliers), including the ability to custom-make items. Prices are very competitive. It’s been a while since I needed a fixture, but the last time I did, Houman and his wife even delivered it to my doorstep when they realized I was planning to walk home with it.

The thing I’ve done as a DECA board member that makes me most proud is…

I was lucky enough to chair the DECA Board for about three years. It is a truly motivated and inspirational team to be working with. During this time, we grew fairly significantly in terms of our initiatives and our reach and I am proud to have played a hand in that.

I’ve also been a founding member of our East Danforth renewal team, the group that has been working to fill empty storefronts with pop-up shops and otherwise revitalize our commercial strip. It’s been a ton of work, but it’s been very rewarding to see our vacant storefronts slowly filling up, our streetscape beginning to change and several of our participating entrepreneurs continue on as permanent businesses.

My final word….

An easy way to help revitalize our area is to commit to shopping local when you can. There are so many benefits to this simple act, from keeping dollars within our community to protecting our local character and diversity of businesses. You can read more about it here

This week at the Market – Summer safety and free massages

Thank you to guest blogger Jen Rowe for joining the market social media team and helping to keep us all updated on market happenings this week: 

Thank you to everyone who came out to last week’s Grand Opening Celebration of the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market.

We had perfect weather in an otherwise rainy week and the market was bustling! A special thank you to the volunteers and our sponsors: Toronto Kia, Toronto Honda and Plank Road Market.

You all made the event a big success and we couldn’t do it without you!

At this week’s Market, come by and say hello to the fabulous farmers who will have local produce and meat for sale and this week’s wineries, Pilliteri Estates and Château Des Charmes. While you’re exploring, we have some other great activities planned to round out your Market experience:

Children’s activity:

Beth Yarzab of Career Fit Mom  will have fitness games and drills for your little ones to participate in from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Being active with your kids is a great way to role model the “everyday fitness” lifestyle so jump on in and have fun doing obstacle courses, agility/coordination challenges and role playing activities.

Community Booth:

Toronto East General Hospital Emergency Room nurses will be on hand with information on summer safety, including:

  • Tick and Lyme Disease;
  • Bike and Helmet Safety;
  • Beat the Heat;
  • Pool Safety;
  • Car Seat Safety; and
  • List of doctors accepting new patients.

Wellness Booth:

As you may know, Elevated Health Associates recently opened their doors 1776 Danforth Ave. Toni Sharman, RMT and Osteopath will be on hand to provide information on the clinic and the services they provide along with free 10 minute chair massages.

See you Thursday!

The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7:00 p.m. between June 4 – October 15 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the East Lynn Market Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.

Community Safety Walks: June 23 & 25

Community Safety Walks

DECA and the Toronto Police Service (TPS) have been working together to plan two community safety walks along Danforth East. We’ll have representation from 55 Division (East and West walk) and 54 Division (West walk). By walking through the community, you’ll have the opportunity to voice your concerns, as well as hear advice from the TPS representatives on how to make our community safer.

Suggestions, please!

Please send us your suggestions for topics the TPS should cover on these walks. Leave a comment on this post, on our Facebook page, Twitter (#DECASafety), or send us an email at safety@deca.to (and BTW, did you notice our brand new and much, much shorter website address? DECA.to).

Walk Details

Meet up at the north end of East Lynn park beside the park sign. Feel free to join either walk (or both). We’ll do our best to do some live tweeting of the walks too, for those who can’t make it.

·         West Walk: Tuesday June 23rd 7:00-8:30ish, East Lynn to Monarch park

·         East Walk: Thursday June 25th 7:00-8:30ish, East Lynn to Main

 

Gledhill Family Fun Fest, New Biz & New Roof

 

Gledhill Family Fest – Friday, June 19th family-fest-2015-poster

The city has come alive this spring. The flowers bloom, the farmers market open and there is an abundance of bouncy castles festivities. The Gledhill Jr. Public School Family Fest one such festivity. Family Fest takes place on June 19th from 3:30-7:30 p.m.  We hear they’re still looking for volunteers too.  Check out the volunteer sign up if you have some time to contribute.

Elevated Health Associates joins Danforth East048

 

The scary-monsters-makeup-creatures have moved out and an RMT moved in! Welcome to the neighbourhood Elevated Health Associates Inc. (1776 Danforth Ave). And they’re offering an opening discount to all new clients who book any of their services, including osteophay, RMT, thai massage, reflexology and reiki before July 31st.  You also have a chance to meet Toni at the wellness booth at the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market next week.

New Roof for St. Brigid’s Church

photo

St. Brigid’s Church (300 Wolverleigh Blvd) recently started work to replace it’s slate roof. The project is expected to take until late October and has an approximate 1.6M price tag.  To find out more or if you’re interested in donating to the cause, check out their Facebook page.

So many events! Mark your calendars 

**Don’t forget the BIG Danforth East Garage Sale this Saturday!!**
    

Click here to register your sale – it’s never too late! 

While you’re out shopping, swing by 93 Moberly – read on to learn why. 

June 13 – Face 2 Face a Games Grand Opening Party (2077a Danforth, above Pizza Pizza)

“We’re inviting you to our Grand Opening! But wait, we’ve been open for nine months? Well we’ve been so busy meeting all of you that we haven’t been able to have a party.
What better time than Summer to have a big celebration? Join us on Saturday June 13th for our Grand Opening: a day of gaming, delicious food, and relaxation. We’ve got a ton of activities planned!
In addition to the scheduled events we invite you to play any game we have or bring a game from home and drop in at any time.”

11am Exploding Kittens, Love Letter, and Dixit 

12pm Family Games, Hanabi, and Tsuro

12pm Netrunner Table

1pm Machikoro, Smash up, King of new york 
2pm Pandemic, Forbidden Island, Castle Panic

2pm Armada Demo

3pm X-wing Demo

3pm Dead of Winter, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Resistance

4pm Splendor Tournament: Entry Fee $5.00, Format: Double Elimination, Prizes: Based on Attendance
4pm Party Games, Snake oil

10pm Closing

Psst – the cafe at Face 2 Face is a true neighbourhood treasure. Fresh, delicious food, home made iced tea and lemonade – worth checking out!

——

 June 15 – Adopt a Street Tree Launch (this project comes west to Woodbine)

 
June 25 (Thursday) 9th Annual Last Day Music Festival  (fundraiser)

St Brigid’s School Yard

6:30-9:00pm | 7 live bands | Ice Cream & Food Truck

Proceeds help parents with kids at Sick Kids heart wing. And promotes live music from local talent!

 

Escape to the Circus: Grand Opening of the Farmers’ Market

If you didn’t make it out to the farmers market last week, don’t worry.  It was pretty special, but this week it’s time to officially celebrate!

The Grand Opening Celebration of the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market is set for this Thursday, June 11th. Weather forecast… awesome!  Sunny and 24C.

elfm_juneposter_revised_web

Bring your picnic blankets and take in the melodies from Lisa Olafson of the Dirty Dishes.  She’ll be performing along side Sing Along Tim. Houla hoopers, stiltwalkers and balloon artisits will also making appearances.

Wellness Booth

Laura Belus & Nana Jokura of Accept Wellness will be offering free 10 minute consults on how you can improve your health with naturopathic medicine. Laura Belus is a naturopathic graduate with a special interest in heart health. The Accept Wellness Naturopathic Community Clinic offers compassionate rates & high quality care so that you can feel your best and get the most out of life.

 

 

We’d like to send out a huge thank you to some local business who stepped up to sponsor this event.

Toronto_KIA_Logo Toronto Honda Logo Plank Road Market Logo FINAL

The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7:00 p.m. between June 4 – October 15 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the East Lynn Market Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.