Blog

We are so excited to kick off our DECA Zero workshops tonight with Spencer from Cyclepath getting our bikes ready for city cycling!

Register here!

To get Spencer warmed up and ready for our questions, we’ve asked him a few about himself, home-school-style:

1. History:How long have you worked at Cyclepath/worked with bikes? How long has Cyclepath been in the community?

I started working at The Cyclepath in June of 2020, right in the thick of it. It was a steep learning curve for me with the bike sales world, and I brought a lot to the table for my bosses. I rebuilt their entire website, restructured their online presence, and breathed new life into the efficiency of their e-commerce in a time where it was so crucial. I am now the go-to guy for their online stuff, which is why I answer about 95% of the shop’s emails. The Cyclepath Danforth opened in 1988 during a huge franchising push by the brand. The franchise has since disbanded and many of the shops that were once Cyclepaths now use other names, like Sweet Pete’s. The Cyclepath Danforth has been owned by Christina and Carlos since the beginning, and many of the original mechanics still work in the basement today!

2. Geography:What’s your favourite place to ride in Toronto? What other east-end businesses do you recommend?

I love riding bikes by any means necessary, however I pride myself in being primarily a mountain biker. I have been riding Specialized bicycles, our flagship brand at the shop, since I was about 4, and used to race on a national level. The Don Valley is a hard place to beat when it comes to enjoying the Toronto cycling scene. There are so many hidden gems right at my doorstep, and every time I ride I discover something new. We love all of our neighbours on the Danforth! While we have been here for quite a while and have seen businesses come and go, our close bond with Tidal Fitness, Legacy Indoor Cycling, and my love for PomaRosa’s hot chocolates make them our choices for favourite businesses. 

3. English:What are your go-to websites/channels/books for bikes and bike maintenance?

When it comes to bike maintenance, there’s nobody I trust more than the guys downstairs at our shop to know what needs to be done. I’ve been working on bikes for a while, but our mechanics combine for roughly 150 years of experience with bicycles of all kinds. When it comes to DIY work, I usually turn to Worldwide Cyclery, GMBN, and PinkBike, to lead me in the right direction. When it comes to helpful tips and tricks, our website’s resources tab has all the need-to-knows on biking in the city.

This Thursday, April 8: BICYCLE READINESS WITH THE CYCLEPATH

Get ready to cycle! Learn essentials like rules of the road, how to safely lock up your bike, and how to fix a flat from Spencer at The Cyclepath. REGISTER HERE on Eventbrite for the 8 pm workshop. Zoom link provided with registration.

This workshop is the first in our Deca Zero Waste Workshops. Read all about them at www.deca.to!

April is Earth Month, and in this year that has drawn us together so powerfully while keeping us physically apart, we are feeling the need now more than ever to honour this planet and our place on it. The DECA Green committee is bringing you a month of “Couchside Climate Action” — small ways you can make a big difference without leaving your home/neighbourhood. Follow us on Instagram for our suggestions (and enjoy beautiful graphics from Corbin Creative!) No Instagram? No problem — we will send out a weekly summary here on our blog, so just make sure you subscribe!

“DECA ZERO” Workshops: Thursdays in April, 8-9 pm via Zoom

DECA Green has partnered with the Danforth Mosaic BIA to bring you four workshops in the month of April. Each session will feature a presentation from our local experts, followed by a Q&A. Register on Eventbrite, using the link in each workshop description below.

April 8: Bicycle Readiness with The Cyclepath

Get ready to cycle! Learn essentials like rules of the road, how to safely lock up your bike, and how to fix a flat from experts at The Cyclepath. REGISTER HERE

April 15: Stocks and Soups to Reduce Food Waste with Dickie’s Cooking School

Don’t toss those veggie scraps! Learn to make delicious, flavourful vegetable stock from vegetables peels, leaves and even eggshells! All you need is a cutting board, a medium pot, carrots, celery and herbs. REGISTER HERE

April 22: Sustainable Living and Gardening with The Re Place

Learn how to reduce your waste AND how to start your garden on this Earth Day workshop.  REGISTER HERE

April 29: Mend your Clothes to Reduce Textile Waste with FabricSpark

Don’t replace…repair. We have creative ways to upcycle your clothes. Join Shirley to learn how to make repairs to well loved clothes. She will focus on items such as leggings and pant knees. Bring your questions.

If you are willing to try during the demonstration; thread, needles, scissors, embroidery thread, fabric for patches, pins. There will be a discussion on many ways to embellish repairs. REGISTER HERE

The mission of the Danforth East Community Association (DECA) is to build a stronger, more vibrant, safe and walkable community while also empowering neighbourhood residents through community involvement.By belonging to DECA, I help support the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market held each week in the summer, as well as annual events such as the Arts Fair, Pumpkin Parade and Festival of Lights. 

My membership fees fund important initiatives like the DECA Young Leaders Scholarship, DECA Pride, and the new DECA Discussions series, which provides opportunities for our community to discuss and address important social issues.

DECA strives to ensure that community members are aware of information and events affecting our neighbourhood, such as the recent Danforth Study.  My membership fees also help amplify DECA’s voice at City Hall and ensure that DECA’s representations are viewed as credible and seriously considered by elected officials when making decisions. 

I belong to DECA because I want to live in an inclusive, respectful, safe, and diverse community.

Membership Fee

All DECA membership fees help support DECA’s events and operations.  DECA is an incorporated, not-for-profit community organization.

DECA’s membership is a pay-what-you-can fee. We recommend a $20 donation for families but welcome everyone who works or lives in our community and wants to support DECA’s efforts to build a strong, vibrant and safe neighbourhood to join.  

Questions about membership can be directed to info@deca.to.

DECA’s Annual General Meeting is Monday, February 22. All details are on www.deca.to