DECA is excited to host a candidates meeting for the upcoming federal election in the Beaches-East York riding this Monday, September 13 at 7pm. The meeting will be moderated by Lindsay (Swooping Hawk) Kretschmer, executive director of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council.
Pre-arranged questions for candidates come from the community, the DECA board, and the moderator. We extended invitations to the four candidates representing the Liberals, Conservatives (not attending), Green and NDP based on the criteria set out Federal leader debates, which is:
(i): on the date the general election is called, the party is represented in the House of Commons by a Member of Parliament who was elected as a member of that party; or (ii): the party’s candidates for the most recent general election received at that election at least 4% of the number of valid votes cast; or (iii): five days after the date the general election is called, the party receives a level of national support of at least 4%, determined by voting intention, and as measured by leading national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations’ most recently publicly-reported results.
The meeting will be in a webinar format with time for questions from the audience. Here is the invitation:
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Sep 13, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Beaches-East York Candidates Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87846271984
Or One tap mobile :
Canada: +15873281099,,87846271984# or +16473744685,,87846271984#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
Canada: +1 587 328 1099 or +1 647 374 4685 or +1 647 558 0588 or +1 778 907 2071 or +1 204 272 7920 or +1 438 809 7799
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 878 4627 1984
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kc6N1unx5X
Please note that we are awaiting consent from the candidates before we can assure a recording of this event.
Kale, tomatoes, collards and carrots so delicious you hardly notice they are so nutritious!
Last week was the first week for our new vendor, Simret, who lives in the area and grows her AMAZING veggies at a farm in Brampton — how’s that for local?
Sept. 2 is first market of the month which means 32 Spokes will be on hand to do light repairs to your bike and give you great city cycling info! Look for them by the path in the park, 3-6pm.
Our market tees were a popular item last week but we still have some left! We’ve got unisex and fitted styles in S-XXL, $25 or pair it with a DECA membership for $40 (normally $45).
We are still collecting your black plastic containers for Case Reuse. Make sure they are clean and have their matching lids, then drop them off in the DECA tent when you come for your t-shirt!
Final market news… Oy’s Joys will be away this week as it’s Olivia’s birthday. Make sure to wish her a happy belated on Sept. 9’s market! This will be the last week for the wading pool, so don’t forget your flippers!
The market runs 3-7 pm at East Lynn Park, 1949 Danforth Ave.
Coming soon to a screen in your home! We are excited to host an all-candidates meeting for the upcoming federal election in the Beaches-East York riding on Monday, September 13, 7:00-8:30. The meeting will be moderated by Lindsay (Swooping Hawk) Kretschmer, executive director of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council.
Please submit your questions in advance using this form: Questions for Candidates Questions may be themed/fused with other similar questions to allow for the most questions to be answered. All people whose questions are asked during the debate will be cited by the name submitted on the form.
The meeting will be in a webinar format. The link will be available at deca.to.
So excited that we now have East Lynn Market tees! Just like our produce, these tees are local and sweet! Artist Heather Corbin did our design, which we had screened at KT8 print shop in Scarborough. (The tee shirts themselves are from M&O knits, a vertically integrated, eco-minded company in Mexico.) Get yours while supplies last!
Tees are $25 (or $40 with a DECA membership!) with proceeds going to DECA’s work on the market and other community events. We will have them for sale in the DECA tent every week at the market, Thursdays 3-7 in East Lynn Park.
It’s been a busy summer at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market, and getting busier all the time! This week we welcome back Son-in-law Produce with their corn and potatoes, in addition to our usual great lineup of farmers and bakers.
We had a great response to our Case Reuse drop off last week and will continue it for the rest of the summer! You can drop your clean black plastic takeout containers off in the DECA tent. We are also taking crayons for recycling with our friends at Say it with Crayons!
A big thank you to all of our wonderful vendors, volunteers and customers for making Danforth East Thursdays so very fun.
Our community did it again! There was a great turnout of people enthusiastic to contribute thoughtful, local knowledge to the discussion around this significant project! At times almost 70 people were online for this event and 183 suggestions were tabled from both the discussion and emails!
The suggestions provided by the community overwhelmingly align with the vision of the Master Plan for the Danforth Garage. In the Final Report approved by Council it “envision(s) the creation of a vibrant multi-use community hub that would include multiple public uses, employment opportunities, residential uses, conservation and adaptive re-use of the heritage buildings.” The Mixed Use designation was approved at that time for the entire site to facilitate this vision.
The largest category included arts & cultural and community spaces. The opportunity now exists to remedy the significant space deficiencies in our neighbourhood, for everything from multi-use spaces to theatre spaces. It was said that evening “If you build it, they will come!”
The second largest category of suggestions received was for the construction of workplaces, both office space and studios, to support innovation hubs, local organizations, light industry, film, design and cultural work. The other great benefit provided by these uses, as was discussed, is that foot traffic all day long is needed for main street businesses to thrive.
The range of other suggestions for the multiple new buildings, the heritage Barns and public exterior spaces is wide and included food halls and markets, recreational spaces, children’s and senior’s programming, library programming and goals for the standards of implementation. Below you will find additional details on each category and the actual list will be posted on the DECA.to website.
DECA thanks everyone who participated in this pie-in-the-sky event! This important discussion is only just beginning!
31% Arts & Cultural and Community Spaces – Local spaces for theatre productions, rehearsals and community events of varying sizes are glaringly absent from the area. Groups in the area have long struggled to find appropriate venues to host activities and events! Event spaces as revenue generating opportunities was discussed for both interim and permanent use similar to sites such as the Wychwood Barns and the Brickworks. Support was also given for either a Transit Museum or the installation of a vintage streetcar on site as a way of creating awareness of the history of this location.
28% Workspaces – The suggestions for office space saw the need to house local organizations within the community and create social enterprise and co-working spaces. State of the art office space to accommodate innovation hubs and start up incubators, already decentralized throughout the GTA, can meet the new demands coming out of the pandemic experience for conditions such as links to outside space, high quality ventilation, on-line meeting facilities and can offer a cool heritage vibe to hang out in.
Studio spaces were seen to accommodate cultural production, design offices, light industry and small businesses within a robust vertical environment. A diversity of work places is key to a vibrant hub and workplaces actively support the local retail during the day.
10% Food & Garden – As the Barns provide weather protected spaces which may be multi-purpose in programming, it was proposed by many that a weekly farmer’s market be part of the mix. Establishing a permanent food hall was a suggestion offered by multiple people. An outdoor community garden and greenhouse would also provide vertical dwellers with food growing opportunities.
8% Library Programming – Suggestions to the library for maker spaces, a tool library as well as teaching spaces like a kitchen to teach food literacy, appear to be in line with the library’s progressive vision of it’s role in the community.
8% Recreational Uses – Without a Community Centre in the area, places to accommodate both active recreation like a multi-purpose gym, roller rink or skateboard park and quieter recreation like playing chess, yoga and tai chi, would meet the needs of everyone including young people and the senior population. A Children’s Discovery Centre was also suggested and have a larger draw than just the immediate area.
3% Housing – Suggestions for affordable housing on the site specifically noted the need for live work spaces for artists and seniors’ rental.
11% Miscellaneous Uses & Conditions – Under this category is located the many goals the community hopes are enmeshed into the vision of the project going forward: green best practices, Net Zero goal, public spaces (inside & outside) including washrooms, accessibility to all aspects of the project, a transit oriented site and overall a spirit of welcoming everyone in our diverse community.
The list of the specific suggestions is posted on the DECA.to website for review.
We look forward to continuing this discussion.
The two images shown were taken from the final public presentation for the Study and the link to the presentation is included below:
