Blog – Page 160 – Danforth East Community Association

Twelve Toronto schools locked their doors for an hour and a half Thursday afternoon as police searched nearby for a suspected gunman in the Kingston Rd. and Woodbine Ave. area.

Classes at Notre Dame Catholic High School, St. Denis Catholic School, St. John Catholic School, Courcelette Public School, Adam Beck Public School, Monarch Park Collegiate Institute, Glen Ames Sr. Public School, Williamson Rd. Jr. Public School, Kew Beach Jr. Public School, Bowmore Rd. School, Balmy Beach Community School and Norway Jr. Public School were still in session but administrators locked the doors, starting around 1 p.m., as a precaution.

“There’s nothing parents need to be concerned about,” said Toronto District School Board spokesman Ryan Bird. “It’s just a ‘hold and secure,’ given the situation police are investigating.”

Bird insisted that schools were not in lockdown as classes were still in session.

Officers set up a perimeter near in the upper Beach area, but Sgt. Darryl Lindquist said the suspect slipped outside the police perimeter around 2:20 p.m. Police ended their active chase of the suspect shortly after.

The “hold and secure” status was lifted for all schools around 2:30 p.m.

Const. Tony Vella said police are looking for 18-year-old Nicholas Dillion-Jack in connection with a stabbing on Augusta Ave. in May. He is also wanted for firearms related charges.

“He is considered armed and dangerous,” said Vella.

Dillion-Jack is described as black, about 5-foot-5 and weighing about 140 lbs.

“Police were here for the purpose of apprehending him,” said Vella. “They saw him, they lost him.”

One suspect was briefly arrested and questioned around 1:50 p.m. but was released shortly afterward.

TTC buses were diverted around the scene. The 502 downtowner shuttle buses took temporary routes eastbound via Woodbine Ave., Gerrard St. E. and Main St.

With files from Liam Casey

June 7, 2012

First Farmers’ Market Tonight!

Are you going to the East Lynn Farmers’ Market this today? Who else will be at the market this today?

Farmers!!! Some of our favorites from previous years plus some exciting new additions will be offering their goods this year. You can find berries, eggs, dairy products, honey, organic meats, potatoes, corn, and so much more. I even hear there will be fresh coffee for sale.

Who else will be there you ask? The good people from 32 Spokes will be at the market this week offering bicycle tune ups as well. In fact, they’ll be there the first Thursday of each month. So if your uni-, bi- or tricycle is in need of some love bring it by the market this week for some TLC.

And if you want to take in more of the creativity of the community, reps from Art of the Danforth will be on hand to tell you more about what you can take in the final days of the event.

Stay tuned for more info about next weeks official grand opening and 5th anniversary celebration of the East Lynn Farmers’ Market.

June 6, 2012

Gledhill Family Fest

Gledhill school’s family fest is taking place Friday, June 8, between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. in the school yard. There will be bouncy castles, BBQ, pony rides and petting zoo, carnival games, crafts, face painting, a speed chess tournament, and much, much more!

gledhillposter

June 2, 2012

NOT The Final Weekend

It’s not the final weekend of the Art of the Danforth. Who told you it was the final weekend? Oh me? I was totally, wholly, completely, utterly wrong. Next weekend is the final weekend.

Update – the twitter-inspired mural has been postponed to next weekend because of the weather-next weekend being the final weekend.

That is all.

June 2, 2012

Art of the Danforth

Saturday June 2
11 am -5 pm: Longest Freestanding Sculpture at Coxwell Parkette @ Coxwell & Danforth. Play with the world’s largest tinker-toy set! WEATHER PERMITTING.

1 pm, 2:30 pm & 5 pm: VSVSVS – The Free School @ 1238 Danforth Ave ( Cosmic Janitorial). Drop in on these free classes on the most profoundly ordinary subjects: At 1 PM, Anthony Cooper tells us: When is a Cup Not a Cup? How to Turn a Styrofoam Cup Inside Out: A Meditation on Time and the Ability to Focus your Energy Positively and Prosperously. At 2:30 PM, Laura Simon shows us: How to draw Hank Hill. At 5 PM, David Hanes explains: How to Rock Short Shorts Plus Post-Internet Theory.

1 & 4 pm: Art Amble. Meet at LucSculpture School & Studios, 663 Greenwood

All day: Brian Rideout – Twitter Mural @ 1417 Danforth Ave (Top Notch Pizza Shop)
For the last three weeks, you’ve had a chance to determine the contents of a mural, by tweeting your ideas to http://twitter.com/#!/rideoutmural . Now come see Brian Rideout contend with what he has unleashed.

*****

Sunday June 3
10 am – 4 pm: Parking Lot Art Fair at Green P Lot, corner of Danforth & Parkmount.

1 pm: Danforth Bike Line. Bring your bike and take part in creating ephemeral bike lanes. Meet at SW corner of Greenwood & Danforth (The Beer Store).

1 pm – 3 pm: Traffic Jam at Coxwell TTC Station. Let your imagination loose on Dan’s 1 km long paper highway. Participants can enter the station for free (for sole purpose of taking part in the event).

1 & 4 pm: Art Amble. Meet at LucSculpture School & Studios, 663 Greenwood.

3 pm – 4 pm: Storytelling in front of “Integration” at 2013 Danforth. Listen to some of the stories behind this mythological mural.

12 pm, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm: VSVSVS – The Free School @ 1238 Danforth Ave ( Cosmic Janitorial). More free pedagogical goodness from the crew at VSVSVS. At noon, Jemma shows us: How to Correctly and Quickly Identify Paper Sizes and English Accents (Extra Bonus: Cockney Rhyming Slang). At 1:30 pm, Stephen McLeod lays out the fundamental principles of: Cool Sound: Sound Walk: A Lesson in Cool Sounds. At 3:30 pm, James Gardner gives a colloquium on: How to Open Beer Bottle With Style, Grace, and Determination: How to Use a Bottle Cap as a Weapon (BONUS Lesson: Gum Wrapper Parachutes).

5:30 – 8:30 pm: Texture Detectives (Show Opening) by Allie Phips @ 1238 Danforth Ave. An installation created with texture rubbings done by children from It’s Playtime Daycare. Come by and check out the what this neighborhood feels like under a sheet of paper.

WANT TO HELP?

We’re looking for a few good volunteers in our final week to help in various positions. If you’re interested, please contact Daniel at volunteer@artofthedanforth.com

May 30, 2012

Spot the Difference

O.k. we’re going to play a game here. If you’re reading this on some teeny mobile device, you might want to check it out on something bigger. Ready?

1. Spot the difference in these two photos.

If you said anything about flowers, trees, greenery of any kind, give yourself one point.

2. Spot the difference in these two photos.

If you said, one is a much-vandalized wall at Main St. and Stephenson and one is a brand new beautiful mural depicting that corner from years gone by, give yourself 5 points.

3. Last one. Spot the difference.

If you said the picture on the left is Ashbridge’s Bay beach and the picture on the right is the fabulous East Lynn Farmers’ Market, give yourself 10 points and go buy DECA board member, Tak Bui’s, new book, Spot The Difference, in which these two puzzle pictures appear along with many others.

Tak is actually responsible for all of the above achievements. With some help from DECA, he successfully lobbied the City to improve the landscaping at Main and Stephenson. Working with a few young artists, Tak painted the fantastic new mural at the same spot to try and deter vandals (it was tagged the first day, but Tak has since fixed it). He’s also been creating three community gardens in the same area that have fostered community involvement and made that space less inviting for criminals and more inviting for other community members. In his free time, he lead a team of DECA board members to create some fabulous DECA t-shirts (available at the farmers’ market) and paint an incredible whale mural on the wading pool at Stephenson Park playground.

Now count up your points. You win!