Public Commons

• The City's list of "stakeholders" who were contacted to give their opinions about the Recreation Service Plan in May and June, 2011 (and the Parks Plan in September 2011).

Part of Community Advisory Stakeholders Lists

Upper Village BIA

info@uppervillagetoronto.ca
Steven L. Petroff, Chair

http://www.uppervillagetoronto.ca/

Toronto has over 40 BIA's, and www.UpperVillageToronto.ca is the interactive site for the Upper Village community located around Eglinton Ave. West, between Bathurst St. and Allen Rd. in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Merchants are welcome to bring their ideas and questions to future Board Meetings, which are held 4-5 times per year. The Next Board Meeting: Spring 2011 - Date and Venue TBA

• Nicole MacNicol Parkette is located on Elm Ridge Drive, just north of the Upper Village BIA.

Vasantham - A Tamil Seniors Wellness Centre

333 Sherbourne Street
Toronto, ON M5A 2S5
(416) 324-4185
Vasantham@sherbourne.on.ca

http://www.vasanthamontario.org/index.html

Vasantham is an offshoot of the Ethno racial Seniors Project which was sponsored by the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry of the University of Toronto, the Departments of Psychiatry of Mount Sinai Hospital and St.Michael’s / Wellesley Central Hospital. The Project was funded by Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health. The goal of the project was to examine and address barriers impeding access to Health affecting Tamil and Chinese Seniors.

In 1999, Vasantham - A Tamil Seniors Wellness Centre was established with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. A need-based evolution, to put it in a nutshell.

• Vasantham Wellness Centre is located on the eastern edge of Allan Gardens

Villa Colombo Homes For The Aged

40 Playfair Ave, Toronto, M6B 2P9
416-789-2113
Admissions Office
Cinzia Scacchi
416-789-2011
http://www.villacharities.com/main.asp?View=Colombo

Villa Colombo provides residential long-term care and community services to seniors in a culturally sensitive environment that honours the Italian heritage. Since its opening, Villa Colombo has remained a unique and special long-term care facility with a tradition of excellence and quality care.

Today, the care and community service inspired by a group of dedicated volunteers continues. 391 residents call Villa Colombo home. They, and thousands of others, benefit from community services such as: Meals on Wheels, the Alzheimer Day Program, Supportive Housing and more.

• This facility is located 190 meters away from Glen Long Park.

Village of Islington BIA

P.O. Box 234, Station D, Dundas St West,
Etobicoke, ON M9A 4X2
Linda Pedersen, Marketing and Public Relations Manager
416-767-7985
finda35@sympatico.ca

http://www.villageofislington.com/

Established by former City of Etobicoke By-Law 30-1986, the Village of Islington Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a non-profit association and an agency and commission of the City of Toronto.    The BIA has a mandate to beautify and promote the Islington business area. It represents all business and commercial property.

“Paint the Street!” Festival

Must-see murals beckoned from the four corners of the village, but all of the entertainment for this year's festival was concentrated in Michael Power Park, which turned out to be an amazing venue for a community celebration.   Musical entertainment featured a Fife and Drum Parade by Montgomery’s Inn, the Toronto All Star Big Band

• Hampshire Heights park runs through the Village of Islington BIA.

West Acres Seniors

65 Hinton Rd M9W 6Z8
Freda Tucciarona
416 394-8680
ftuccia@toronto.ca

http://www.toronto.ca/parks/prd/facilities/complex/396/index.htm

This seniors' centre offers registered and drop in programs. There are regular special events and activities throughout the year including dinners and dances.

http://peel.cioc.ca/record/CWL0132

Seniors club offers: social activities, educational and support services for 55+. The club runs regular activities on a weekly basis Including bingo, bridge, choir, crafts, cribbage, darts, euchre, ballroom line dancing, round and square dancing, computer lessons, shuffleboard and table tennis. Special events, seniors' clubs and weekly programs take place at the centre throughout the year.

• West Acres Seniors is operated by the City of Toronto

West Park Health Centre-Recreation Department

82 Buttonwood Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M6M 2J5
feedback@westpark.org
(416) 243-3600
http://www.westpark.org/index.html

Located on a picturesque piece of land on the banks of the Humber River in West Toronto, West Park Healthcare Centre has been helping patients live the fullest lives possible since 1904. Founded as a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients, West Park has expanded on its role as a leader in tuberculosis care to develop services for other respiratory illnesses and complex conditions.

West Park Quality Improvement Plan 2011-12: Our Quality Improvement Plan, or QIP, is one tool that we are using to help us document and review our current performance in a variety of areas. With this plan, we will be able to very clearly see our targeted areas for improvement and chart our progress.

Follow the link below to download pdfs with more info on this plan. http://www.westpark.org/about/facts.html

West Rouge C.C.

270 Rouge Hills Dr M1C 2Z1
416 396-4147
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/prd/facilities/complex/584/index.htm

West Rouge CC has a long history in East Scarborough. The building was the clubhouse for a former golf course. Now being apart of the City of Toronto, WRCC is prime site for rental use of the Ballroom which is used for wedding receptions, pre-teen dances, special events and for recreation programming. WRCC has many Pre School programs that run out of the Tots Room that gets many compliments from visitiors. Also, many community groups call WRCC home, such as West Rouge Sport and Recreation Association, West Rouge Community Association and the Dukes of Harmony to name a few.

• West Rouge C.C. is located on the boarder of West Rouge Park.

West Toronto Parks & Forestry Advisory Committee

• No information could be found on this Advisory Committee.

Weston Village B.I.A.

4 John St. Weston, ON., M9N 1J3
s416 249 0691
http://westonvillagebia.com/

The Weston Village BIA, established in 1979 is one of the oldest BIA's in Toronto.  Situated in the North-West end of Toronto, close to the Humber River with its extensive bike trail and walking path, the village has a rich history  historical buildings including the beautiful Weston Library.

Weston Village has a diverse mix of cultures and consists of an eclectic mix of over 260 businesses, including retail stores, restaurants representing a variety of cultural cuisines and professional offices. http://westonvillagebia.com/2008/04/about-weston-village-bia.html

In addition to its normal Business Improvement Area activities, the WVBIA runs three community events during the calendar season including:

• the Weston Farmers' Market Opening, held the first Saturday in June;
• “Art in the Park” held mid-August in Little Avenue Memorial Park; and
• the Weston Santa Claus Parade held end of November.

Willowridge Information and Recreation Centre

44 Willowridge Rd, Etobicoke M9R 3Z1, ON
(416) 241-5259
http://www.manta.com/ic/mt63j99/ca/willowridge-neighbourhood-information-recreation-centre-inc

Willowridge Neighbourhood Information & Recreation Centre Inc is a private company categorized under Recreation Center and located in Etobicoke, ON, Canada

• The recreation centre is located on the border of Willowridge Martin Grove.

Withrow Park Downtown Soccer Toronto

914-230 King Street East, Toronto, ON, M5A 1K5
info@downtownsoccertoronto.org
Commissioner, Tedd Konya commissioner@downtownsoccertoronto.org
http://www.downtownsoccertoronto.org/about.php

Downtown Soccer Toronto is Toronto's first official gay & lesbian summer co-ed recreational soccer league, aimed at providing an athletic and socially safe atmosphere for everyone to enjoy playing soccer. In the 2010 season, Downtown Soccer Toronto games are being held at Withrow Park, 1 block south of Danforth Ave., between Logan and Carlaw. http://www.downtownsoccertoronto.org/about-fields.php?PHPSESSID=xjltfyko

Withrow Park Looking Pretty Rough? Here's what we have been doing about it!

Because DST plays on Sundays throughout the summer, alternative fields are not available within city limits. Sundays in the summer are prime permitting times for fields in the city. We are lucky to have Withrow Park, and it has became evident that we should concentrate on partnering with the City to get Withrow repaired after an exhaustive search for alternatives.

In October, 2010, we approached Paula Fletcher's office, City Councilor for the ward that Withrow Park is in, asking what can be done to improve the soccer pitch to make it safer. In December, 2010, we met with the City Partnership office to discuss what alternatives there are to repairing the field. The message was loud and clear: there is no money for repairs at the city level. However, further discussions with Parks Department uncovered a possible $5,000 towards improvements.

We entered talks with the Head of the Parks Department, the Area Supervisor, and Partnership Office to discuss raising funds to help reach the goal of $60,000 to re-sod the soccer pitch at Withrow Park. The Parks Area Supervisor increased their commitment to $20,000 towards improvements.

We spoke with the contractor doing the repairs to discuss a lower price or a change in the amount of work to be done. The price was lowered from $60,000 to $30,000; however, this was for levelling and re-sodding, without "crowning" for drainage. We now felt we had a goal of approx. $30,000.

We then approached other leagues using Withrow Park. Pink Turf stepped up and commited to raise money with a goal of $5,000. DST and perhaps Pink Turf would donate $5,000 each and with the commitment of $20,000 from the city, we had close to the $30,000.

The city then informed us that the price had been moved back up to $60,000, citing that the field would have to be done to City specifications (this mainly had to do with drainage concerns). We went in search of donations to raise the extra $30,000. We have approached and, in some cases, formally applied for grants from BMO, Trillium Foundation, Manulife, Maple Leaf Sports, and the Jay's Care Foundation.

There was a meeting with "Friends of Withrow Park" in May. The Area Parks Supervisor told the attendees that funds were slated to re-sod the soccer pitch on September 15th, 2011, and that alternate fields will be found for the soccer leagues while the work was being done. It was also suggested that the funds may all come from the city, and contributions may not be needed. The DST executive has set aside $5,000 as a possible contribution to this effort.

Yonge Lawrence Village BIA

Yonge Lawrence Village BIA
3374b Yonge Street ­ Suite 1, Toronto, ON, M4N 2M7
(416) 657-4313
Treasurer: Matthew Cole, Chair: Bev Don
http://www.yongelawrencevillage-bia.com/

The Yonge Lawrence Village merchants and business professionals association began in 1978. Effective March 12, 2001, with the approval of the Ontario Municipal Board, order #0394, Yonge Lawrence Village was granted Business Improvement Area (BIA) status under bylaw #554-2000. The BIA is located primarily along both east and west sides of Yonge Street from Yonge Lawrence Toyota, just south of Lawrence Avenue, north to Donwoods Drive.

Streetscape and Beautification

Completed in 2005, this five-year program has improved the look of the Village. Seasonal banners, floral hanging baskets, custom street signs, improved pedestrian lighting, and more benches and trees in the Village have helped transform the neighbourhood into an appealing, attractive shopping, dining and business district. In 2009, BIA members will also qualify for the City of Toronto’s commercial façade improvement program that provides funding for commercial building redesigns, renovations and restorations.

Marketing and Promotion

Promoting Yonge Lawrence Village as one of Toronto’s best neighbourhoods for shopping, dining and business services is the top priority for the BIA. The Village Day Festival, the Village Art Walk and the Cavalcade of Lights Festival are events that the BIA has invested in to help attract more customers to the Village.

Village Day Festival

To support Village Day, the BIA plans and coordinates marketing and promotions including: subway car and station posters; radio advertising spots; advertising and area promotions in local newspapers; window posters; business directories; and event brochures. In total, Village Day 2009 advertising reached over 700,000 people directly and over 1 million people indirectly. In addition, the BIA also distributed press releases and event listings to major media outlets in the Toronto area. *York Mills Park is located on the northern border of Yonge Lawence Village BIA.

York - Fairbank Centre For Seniors

2213 Dufferin St, York, ON M6E3S2
(416) 651-8300
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/prd/facilities/complex/482/index.htm

Located in the Dufferin & Eglinton Ave. West area, Fairbank M.C.C. is a multi-level facility that offers a wide variety of programs ranging from arts, dance, music, fitness and sports. The Centre is also home to the York-Fairbank Centre for Seniors which provides recreation and social programs geared to area older adults (membership required separate from the City). Fairbank takes great pride in being able to serve the community by offering programs that cater to participants of all ages from preschool, children, youth, adults and older adults.

• The Centre for Senoirs is located on the western border of Fairbanks Memorial Park.

York Eglinton BIA

Nick , Board Chair
nalampi@yorkbia.com
416-789-1835
http://www.yorkbia.com/

The York-Eglinton BIA is situated in the heart of the city along Eglinton Avenue West between Marlee Avenue and Dufferin Street, and along the north side of Dufferin to Whitmore Avenue. Often referred to as the commercial backbone of the city, the York-Eglinton BIA is easily accessible by transit and Highway 401 from the W. R. Allen Expressway.

Originally stzarted in 1981, the York-Eglinton BIA was reformed in 1999 by a small group of business owners to re-establish a voice for the business community in partnership with the City of Toronto.

Upon the success of revitalization the group looked to regain the business owners and landlords’ confidence and support by improving the area for the residence and shoppers. This began a new value program to upkeep the look and image of individual stores and the surrounding area. The goal was to create a greater pride toward the York-Eglinton BIA.

The York-Eglinton BIA has gone through some growing pains and in 2007, its western boundaries were realigned to focus on a more condensed grouping of businesses. This remodel has allowed the BIA to create strong community ties and build a stronger community image.

Our Annual York-Eglinton International Street Festival brings over 5,000 visitors to our BIA and features entertainment for the whole family, activities for the kids, sidewalk sales, vendors, buskers, magicians and much more.

York Mills Valley Ratepayers Association

Christine Acconcia, President and Chair, Environment & Beautification cacconcia@hoggshollow.net

Louise Sugar, Vice President, Chair, Park Development louise@hoggshollow.net

http://hoggshollow.net/history.html

The village of York Mills developed in this area around three mill sites on the Don River. These mills attracted farmers from outlying districts who travelled to York Mills to have their grain ground and their wood cut. Farmers were happy to have any inferior quality grain used to make whiskey at the local distillery adjacent to the grist mill. York Mills grew steadily because it was so well situated on the main trading route between York (Toronto) and settled areas north to Lake Simcoe. Much of the area was too swampy for farming. The Village however developed because the Don River was natural site for industry. By 1856 when J and W Hogg advertised land for sale in a sub-division called "Hogg's Hollow", it was a prosperous community.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoggs_Hollow

Hoggs Hollow is one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the Don River Valley and centred on the intersection of York Mills Road/Wilson Avenue.

Hogg’s Hollow is located in the Don valley, just north of Teddington Park. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hogg%27s_Hollow_map.PNG

York Quay Neighbourhood Association

55 Harbour Square # 2011, Toronto ON M5J 2L1, Canada info@yqna.ca Co-Chairs: Ulla Colgrass - 416 867-6200, Allan Rivers - 416 368-2923, Bob Rasmusen, James Russell 416-575-4894

http://yqna.ca/

YQNA was formed in 2004 by a group of residents who wanted a say in our burgeoning neighbourhood. We formed a board, and residents have already made significant progress. Our ten committees are working closely with city councillors, planners, developers, businesses, Harbourfront Centre, TWRC, the police at 52 Division, the Marine Police and other neighbourhood associations. YQNA is officially recognized at City Hall and receives all relevant information from City Council.

News from YQNA's Planning and Development Committee: Our city planner Al Rezoski has been working diligently on improving the pedestrian crossings along York Street. He understands that we take our life in our hands crossing the many lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard, and has worked to tame it by eliminating some turn lanes and imposing a speed limit.

Al allowed us to post his plans (http://yqna.ca/documents/york-street-promenade.pdf).. You will see the narrower intersections with much better pedestrian crossings. Rows of trees and boxes with greenery will be planted to remove the desolate current look, and large stripes will be painted for the crossings. Al would like to change the character of Lake Shore to be more like other city streets. That would be a welcome change.

York Street Promenade-Update City councillors in our Community Council recently voted in favour of a more attractive and pedestrian-friendly York Street. Some of the dangerous turn lanes at Lake Shore Boulevard will be eliminated to create wide and straight crossings. Have a look at these drawings from our city planners (http://yqna.ca/documents/york-street-promenade.pdf). York Street will be the home for thousands of people when all the super-tall condo towers are completed.

York West Active Living Centre

1901 Weston Road, Ontario M9N 3P5 (N/E corner of Weston Road @ Lawrence Avenue West) info@yorkwestactivelivingcentre.ca
(416)245-4395
Suzanne Teixeira, Programs and Services suzanne@yorkwestactivelivingcentre.ca
(416)245-4395 x222

Martina Sousa Manager, Activation Co-ordinator martina@yorkwestactivelivingcentre.ca
(416)245-4395 x235

http://www.yorkwestactivelivingcentre.ca/

Our purpose is to provide a non-profit older adult centre offering a wide range of social service, fitness, educational, recreation and leisure activities to persons 55 years of age and older and residing in the City of Toronto.

York West Senior Citizens Centre was established in 1981 in response to the growing recreation and social needs of a rapidly increasing seniors population in the Weston area. Our wide range of activities provide something of interest for everyone.

The Centre is a member based organization with leadership provided by a Board of Directors, all of whom are members. The Centre employs qualified program instructors and other support staff. There is a high level of volunteer involvement that aids the Centre in accomplishing its aims. Ongoing community partnerships with local business, service clubs and associations, churches, schools and other agencies that provide care and services to seniors, keep us informed of the changes that affect our members and the surrounding community.

• West York Active Living Centre is located 650 meters away from Lion’s Park.

York West Senior Citizens Centre

– Repeat (see York West Active Living Centre)