Blog – Page 182 – Danforth East Community Association

June 5, 2011

DECA’s Bike Tune-Up Day and More

DECA Learns is alive and well and bringing you a terrific event this Saturday at Main and Danforth.

Free (or nearly free) Bike Clinic

Have your bike fixed and learn how to fix your bike at the DECA Bike Tune Up Day! Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Main Square near the corner of Main and Danforth. There will be half a dozen tents, each with a bicycle repair station and someone to help.

This event is pay what you can. And free is just fine. If you happen to have any old bikes or parts that you don’t need, bring those along too. Our fabulous team including Ray and Jamie would love to have them.

DECA Gem – Legacy Cycling

Speaking of cycling. If you’re into the kind of bicycles that don’t move, you may want to stop in and talk to Andy at Legacy Cycling (1506 Danforth at Coxwell). I (Natasha) have been taking Andy’s boot camps and spinning (stationary bikes) classes for about six months. Andy is the owner and he’s terrific, but there are a number of other great instructors teaching spinning, boot camps, yoga and personal training.

Andy worked as a trainer and instructor for years at Goodlife and decided in 2009 to open up his own studio here in Danforth East. He said he looked at a few different locations, but really liked this neighbourhood and loves being beside Cyclepath.

How is Legacy different from other fitness studios? “We know all of our members by name,” says Andy. “We keep in touch weekly and we customize all of our packages and workouts to our members. We also want to see results so we discount our members for the weight that they have lost.” I would have to agree that it does feel a bit like getting a personal trainer for the price of a group class.

After two years in the neighbourhood, Andy says he’s come to love the family community in the Danforth East area. “Many of the residents come here because they love to support local businesses,” he says, “but also because they are prepared to work hard.”

Legacy offers personal training in studio or in your home, boot camp classes with weights, Birkram hot yoga including prenatal options, morning, evening and weekend spinning.

There is a deal right now; you can buy 6 months of unlimited spin for $400 + HST or a summer pass which includes any 12 classes for $150. Psst… If you decide to do a weekend morning boot camp and stay for the spin class, he’ll only charge you for one class. You can also just drop in any time and pay per class. These offers are available until the end of June. What I like about buying the passes is that you’re not paying when you’re not using the class.

If you’ve been looking for something local that will kick your butt and get you looking and feeling better, check out Legacy. And if you’re worried that you’re not fit enough, not hip enough, not dressed in the coolest clothes enough, I can tell you there are all kinds of people there with all kinds of fitness levels. And clearly if I go there, you don’t have to be hip, cool or trendy.

Danforth Mosaic Business Improvement Association (BIA)

A few people have been asking why DECA hasn’t planted the flowers in the flower boxes along the Danforth this year. While I would love it if DECA had the kind of money that is required for that, alas we run on volunteers and good thoughts. It is, however, the BIA that is responsible for such things. Earlier this year, they had opted not to do the flowers this year and have apparently changed their collective mind because the flowers started going in this weekend. Yay!

For the record, DECA had formally asked the BIA to reconsider its earlier decision. We said that the flowers are very important to the residents and that we believe they are an important tool to draw people to the Danforth. We had even suggested that we do some ‘guerilla gardening’ in the some of the planters, but we were delighted that it didn’t come to that and that the flowers have returned.

The BIA is also hosting a family fun fest this weekend including entertainment and activities on Saturday, June 11th at East Lynn Park. There will be free activities for all ages, carriage rides on Saturday and Sunday, a sidewalk sale all weekend and prizes.

Town Hall on City Services

The City of Toronto is reviewing its services over the next few months to determine which services will continue, which will be privatized or contracted out and how the city will pay for the services it offers. It is also developing a new plan for recreation services.

Councillor Janet Davis is hosting a town hall meeting this Wednesday, June 8th at 7 p.m. at East York Civic Centre (850 Coxwell) to give you the chance to have your say. If you can’t make the meeting you can also contribute your thoughts online at www.torontservicereview.ca or here to do the survey on recreation and parks services.

June 1, 2011

East Lynn Farmers’ Market Opens June 2nd! 3 – 7 p.m

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Thursday is market day!

We have some new farmers and new items at the market this year including: eggs, flowers, organic vegetables, chicken and beef and maybe rabbit…you’ll have to come to find out.

There will be the ever-popular face painting tent and kids’ events every week at 4.30 p.m. Melissa — one of our new Farmerlicious Femmes — is organizing a crafts table for kids every other week starting next week. Look for the flyer with details.

New this year – there will be food – not just to take home -but to eat on the spot. Local restaurants will be there every Thursday – starting with Cozy Cafe and Columbo’s Pizza. So come, shop, see your neighbours and then settle down for a picnic dinner!

While this week is the first market, our grand opening celebration is next week, June 9. There will be clowns, music, a ribbon cutting (4:30 p.m.) and the unveiling of some new festival games, made by the fabulous local designer and DECA member, Jon Isaac.

See you all there.

May 27, 2011

DECA Gem – Amathyst Spa

Susan S. is great for sending over little tidbits here and there. She recently sent over a profile of Amethyst Spa (on the north side of Danforth, west of Coxwell) as a DECA Gem. Today, as luck would have it, Amethyst is offering a fabulous Groupon. So act now, there are only a few hours left.

“I’ve been going there for facials for a couple years now. Never knew she was there if it weren’t for a trusted friend. She’s had this location for over 10 years (but has also practised in the States and Europe too) and she lives in the neighbourhood. She is a miracle worker, who takes her gifts very seriously. She uses only top spa cosmetic brands (ie Dermatelogica) and really treats every body like a queen and a friend. She greats you warmly with pristine slippers, robes,etc… literally bundles you up like a baby and spends at least an hour and a half gently but thoroughly cleaning, exfoliating and hydrating your face, and in my case, decollete. At the end she gives a strong arm, neck and shoulder massage that turns you too a pool of jelly (my favourite part). I’ve sent my 18 year old son to her for an acne breakout. Even my husband has had a few man facials with Yvonne (went kicking and screaming, but came home looking young, rested and clean as a whistle!) She also does waxing, full body exfoliation, massage and nails etc… ( as a certified podologist, she cured my friends’ serious toenail condition!).

I was in for a facial to-day and she gave me a tour of her newly expanded service of a combo T-zone vibration machine, full table massager, infrared sauna, and la piece de resistance, a new room which is a halotherapy salt cave. These are well known in Europe for treatment of overall health (respitory conditions, fatigue, immune system, and skin issues). The room is literally 360 degrees of this specific salt, and does in fact feel like being in a salt cave. (There was a story on this treatment on CNN last week). I haven’t tried these new services, meant to be used in tandem, but I think it would be fun to come with a couple of friends and make a spa morning of it (you are served beverages and there is a relaxing lounge with fireplace involved and robes etc…). Just wanted you and everyone else to know about my decadent pleasures on the Danny.”

May 27, 2011

Short and Long

O.k. I’ve got a long list of items and an awareness of short attention spans so I’m going to try to make these as short and sweet as a melty mint.

The final deadline to apply to be a vendor in the hugely popular and incredibly cool Danforth East Arts Fair is June 15th so act now to avoid disappointment!

Speaking of art and how freakin’ cool we are…The Art of the Danforth crew is well into organizing for spring 2012 and they need some volunteers…some now and some next May. Right now Cindy needs a couple people to do 2-4 hours of internet research and/or 2-4 hours of walking the street to introduce ourselves to new stores. In May 2012, they’re wondering if there are any adventurous souls/families who live close to Danforth who would offer up their front yards for art installations. They would love to be able to offer curators a private residence as a potential installation site – dunno if they’d use it, but it potentially could be interesting. If you are interested in either or both or none of those things, but want to talk to Cindy, contact her at info(at)eastdanforthcreative

Tomorrow is DECA’s Container Gardening Workshop from 2-4 p.m. Don’t miss it. Don’t forget. And don’t give me some lame excuse about your in-laws dropping over unexpectedly. We’re also planning another full season of DECA Learns from canning to bicycles with some gardening thrown in for good measure. More on that in a future post.

Beatty Buddies daycare is a delightful little place in the basement of Earl Beatty Public School north of Danforth, east of Coxwell. Earl Beatty is slated for full day kindergarten in 2012 and that is just one of the reasons why the daycare has formed a strategic planning committee. The first thing it’s doing is a survey of you – the community. So whether your kids are in university or in utero, please take a few moments to fill out the short survey.

Yes, the photo above is of a new place on the Danforth, east of Woodbine.

Yes, Target has announced one of its first Toronto stores will open at Shoppers World at Danforth and Victoria Park.

Yes, Goodlife is once again offering free memberships to teenagers for the summer.

Notes from the Community Police Liaison Committee

You can register your bike for free with 55 Division so in case it gets stolen, you could possibly, maybe, have a chance at, perhaps getting it back?
Bugaboo baby strollers are magnets for thieves and are being stolen all the time. Lock them up.
Graffiti cleaners are heading out June 15 and 16 to remove graffiti in alleys, garages, mailboxes etc. Contact Community Centre 55 at 416-691-1113 to suggest your unwanted graffiti location and they’ll try to send over a clean team

Rock On

Because your kids are lovin’ the rock and roll, you need to mark Wednesday, June 29th on your calendar and make your way to St. Brigid’s school yard for the Last Day Music Festival. This year, featuring the pop sensation that is sweeping the pre-teen scene (seriously) Done With Dolls. Also Chasing Sam, Colour Connection, Sugar Rush, Checkmate Sergei, Running From Jane, Marissa Dattoli and not just another cliche. What are you going to do on the last day of school that’s cooler than that. More details coming soon.

Thanks for sticking with me for the whole post. Last but not least, DECA’s terrific Parks Team has scoured the neighbourhood for all things recreational and not so recreational and has come back with an amenities list that will amaze you. The schools, the churches, the swimming pools, the services, the classes. It’s fabulous. Behind every one of those links was someone who walked the streets, make the notes, found the links and posted it. Thanks to the Parks Team for a great piece of work. Enjoy.

May 23, 2011

Environment Days!

This Thursday, May 26th is Councillor Mary Margaret McMahon’s Environment Day. She’s promised to make it the best one in the city. That seems a tall order for an event that is punctuated by a huge pile of reformulated poop, but if anyone can make poop fun it’s her. There will be music (Lost Boys), refreshments, environment groups, games and other fun. Bring your old batteries and other such toxins. It’s at Ted Reeve Arena (Gerrard and Main) from 4-8 p.m.

If want to actually compare the environment days, you could check out Councillor Janet Davis’ Environment Day on Saturday, June 4th at Stan Wadlow Clubhouse (373 Cedarvale). Councillor Davis also plans to have local entertainment and will accept your batteries and old electronics as well.

To find out exactly what you can drop off at the environment days or what you can pick up (composters, rain barrels etc), check out this link as well as the dates of other environment days around the city.

Don’t forget DECA’s container gardening workshop next Saturday at Kimbourne United Church. Contact Melissa at decagardens(at)gmail.com to register or learn more.