Dog Days

Last week’s corn fest and picnic at the East Lynn market was a great party that many of didn’t make it out to because of the heat.   Those who were there kept their toes in the wading pool and had a great time with the bands who braved the heat to play.  This week:

Kraft Korner

The korner will be set and ready to go with a slightly more mature craft especially for those budding fashionistas.  It’s a sea-tastic DIY gold shell necklace a la Marc Jacobs.  This craft has limited participants so please pre-register at decacrafts@gmail.com.  Materials will be supplied, but feel free to bring anything else you would like to add or replace to make your piece an original.  That’s a 3:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon at East Lynn Park. 

 

Children’s Yoga with Svetlana

Svetlana Vlasic is well known to moms with babies in the Danforth East neighbourhood as a fixture in the Main Square Community Centre teaching “Mom and Tot” yoga classes.  She and her husband Slobodan teach many classes in community centres in the east end and from their home, to all ages and all levels of yogis and yoginis!  Svetlana will be at the market to give a free class for kids from 4:30 til 5:00 this Thursday.  If your kids are anything like my kids, they could probably use some zen.

Trees!

Aside from last night, we haven’t received much rain in July.  Just a reminder to give those trees on your boulevard a little drink – especially the younger ones.

Garbage!

Starting September 6, 2011, garbage day will change from Tuesdays to Fridays for residences between Coxwell and Victoria Park, from Danforth north to Massey Creek.

Beautifying Bioswale

Bioswale: Noun – landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water. It’s a swaled drainage course with gently sloped sides (less than six per cent) and filled with vegetation, compost and/or stones. The water’s flow path, along with the wide and shallow ditch, is designed to maximize the time water spends in the swale, helping trap pollutants and silt.

I asked Mary-Margaret McMahon to write a little post about the bioswale project that she’s been working on with co-DECA-ite Lillian Salmon.  This pilot project is going in at Danforth and Cedarvale.

I was sick of the top of Cedarvale south looking ugly.  Our awesome pharmacist at ERA pharmacy has a lovely tree and we have planted some native species under it – especially sage.

Across the road is Joe’s Automotive and there are some hideous cement poles.  So Lillian and I met with Robert Mays from Public Realm at the City of Toronto (which includes the Clean and Beautiful program) and proposed a few bioswale ideas.  Robert thought this one was the most viable and our proposal passed with flying colours. Each city ward can receive $80,000 per year for Clean and Beautiful projects.

We are planning for two trees on either side, asphalt removal, native plants and shrubs, beautification and storm water management (we need to be concerned with the latter because we have combine sewers).

The City of Toronto is paying the bill.  Construction will start late summer.  The community will maintain it.  We want some rain barrels to harvest the rainwater from the buildings for irrigation.

I contacted neighbourhood dynamo Sara Heinonen – she and her husband own Zone 6 landscaping.  Sara and her teenaged nephew from Amroth Ave. offered to help with the design – he did the sketch.

It was easy.

Beautification + Greenery + Storm Water Management + Community Engagement + Youth empowerment + Uplifting Neighbours’ Spirits + No Cost + Expediency & Efficiency = WIN WIN WIN!

Who Brings You The Funnest People In Town?

This week at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market, our 4:30 fun includes Trevor Rogers, the coolest unicycler you’ve never met.  Trevor learned to ride a unicycle in St. John’s Newfoundland after he saw someone riding off-road in the York Regional Forest.  Amazed, he tried it and discovered an incredible passion.  Trevor says the focus and physical stamina required for uber-unicycling sends him into a state of bliss.  What can he do on a unicycle? Get around the city, wrestle, throw knives and snowballs, sword fight, knit, spin fire, play a flute, race streetcars, juggle and rollerblade while unicycling and juggling.

Trevor lives at Pape and Cosburn and is a handyman/house painter.  He also teaches people, by donation, to rollerblade, unicycle, juggle and many other things that help create fitness and mind and body spirit.  But the most important thing that you should know about Trevor Rogers is that he absolutely loves coconut cream pie.

Not Far From The Tree

We’ve talked about this group before in these pages, but t’is the season to mention it again suggests Kim from the East York Rotary Club. Not Far From The Tree will pick your fruit tree and divide the bounty between you the tree owner, the volunteer pickers and community groups who can make use of the fruit.  It’s genius.  This year they’re also tapping city maple trees for syrup.  Double genius.

Have I Got a Great Story For You

Canada Day at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market pictures courtesy of Melissa Peretti

This Week At The Market – Storyteller, Dan Yashinsky – 4:30 p.m.

Dan Yashinsky has been telling stories since 1977 in Canada and around the world.  In 1999 he received the first Jane Jacobs Prize for his work with storytelling in the community.  Dan created a curriculum program called The Telling Bee, produced a Toronto-wide story creation project called Future Folklore and conceived a project encouraging children to tell their own stories.  He is the author of Suddenly They Heard Footsteps – Storytelling for the Twenty-First Century.  DECA Vice-Chair, Catherine Porter, says “He is really really cool.  Like Robert Munsch cool.  People should bring their kids to hear him.”

St. Brigid’s Trees Need Your Help!

You may know that the St.Brigid’s Catholic School Eco-Club planted a whack of trees last year to improve their school yard and the earth.  This summer they’re looking for  people to help with the watering of those trees.  They need at least ten more people (especially in August) to meet on Tuesdays and Friday mornings at 8 (or 7) a.m. and spend about twenty minutes watering the trees.  If you can help, please contact the eco team at janglen@rogers.com.

Wednesday Update

This week at the market…

In addition to the tasty delights of farm fresh meat, produce and honey (as if that weren’t enough)…

  • Sell out sale – we’re selling off the last of the Klean Kanteens from $5 – $10 and the Simply in Season cookbook $15.
  • Soap-making by Simply By Amanda – local artisan and soap-maker.

Tree Trauma

Speaking of East Lynn Park, you may have noticed that a couple of trees in the park were damaged this winter.  Two Ash trees were vandalized and burned  by people who set the sledding-safety haystacks on fire.  One of those trees is going to be removed and the other will be pruned.  It’s too bad to lose a big beautiful tree in our local park and serves as a reminder that we should all be vigilant about calling the police when we see people in the park doing naughty things.

Tree Tour

Speaking of trees, 13 folks joined in on the LEAF tree tour last week – taking notes and photos and learning more about the trees in our neighbourhood.  A few of them signed up to join DECA Woods – the team of DECA members who are working with U of T to survey our neighbourhood tree canopy and determine how best to keep it strong and healthy.  Want to know more?  Contact Mary-Margaret at spargy@rogers.com

DECA Bikes

Along with some of our DECA Bikers, Gledhill Public School is organizing a bike rally for its students on June 16th and 17th.  Students will take part in a ‘fun-packed’ morning of bike safety and maneuvering exercises as well as signalling, stopping, turning and other safe-biking skills.  Why am I telling you this?  Because if you would like to arrange such a bike rally at your school, DECA Bikes would like to help.

Contact Jamie at jamiethiers@gmail.com, Mary-Margaret at spargy@rogers.com or talk to them at the DECA Bikes booth at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market.  Don’t forget to bring your bike to the market for tune-up help and any matter of biking advice. (Oh and Mary-Margaret wants you to know that you can now get CAA service for your bike.)

DECA Bikes works with a few other east-end bike groups to advocate for biking and tonight (June 9th) that group of East End Cyclists is meeting at the East York Civic Centre at 7 p.m.   Want to know more or get involved?  Go forth to East York Civic Centre and prosper.

Earl Haig Family Resource Centre – Best Ever Garage Sale

This Saturday (June 12th) you’ll want to make your way to the GEHA (Greater Earl Haig Area) for the garage sales supporting the Family Resource Centre at Earl Haig School.

The centre is a drop-in for all families with young children and is a great place for parents and caregivers to go with young children to sing, do activities, visit with other adults and play.  Families on neighbouring streets are raising money to keep the centre open for another year.

The garage sales on Currie, Earl Haig Ave and Hillingdon will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be followed by a kids’ bike parade at noon.  For more, contact Natlie at nhc@sfu.ca

Sports For Kids

First – I notice that Goodlife Fitness is offering free summer memberships for teens 14-17 for July and August during the day.  There is a Goodlife at Coxwell and Gerrard.  There is bike parking inside the club and a bus stop outside the front doors.

Second – If you miss out on the registration (tomorrow) for the City of Toronto summer programs, there is always Jack of Sports – now offering swim and summer camp programs at Monarch Park indoor pool.

Last Day Music Fest

Save the date – Friday, June 25th is the Last Day Music Festival.  This, rock and roll show will take place in the St. Brigid’s school yard (Glebeholme and Woodmount) from 7 – 10 p.m.  And get this?  The bands are seriously good bands – all made up of kids.  Want to see some great music performed by some young people with talent?  The whole thing will be hosted by 102 The Edge’s – Darrin.  Funds raised will go to support outreach projects at St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.