There is much to celebrate, and we hope to see you Sunday at Ramsden Park!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sincerely, your ABCRA Board of Directors<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.S. Read more about ABCRA\u2019s history<\/a>, and learn about \u201cthe park that built a community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q <\/strong>How long have you lived here and what\u2019s your favourite thing about our neighbourhood?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A <\/strong>I moved to this area in the 1980s to give my daughters the opportunity to live in a vibrant and diverse city and community, and it\u2019s been great. I love being able to walk to all the shops and services I use daily, and I enjoy the cultural venues like the ROM. It\u2019s a wonderful neighbourhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q <\/strong>Why did you join the ABCRA board?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A <\/strong>I have a background as a municipal councillor, I know about community planning, and I\u2019m a committed environmentalist. With all the changes taking place in our neighbourhood, I wanted to contribute my experience to what ABCRA is trying to achieve. We\u2019re influencing responsible development decisions that matter and that have an impact today and for generations to come. That\u2019s very gratifying for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q <\/strong>What challenges do we face?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A <\/strong>This neighbourhood is surrounded or crossed by five arterial roads, so we need to find better ways to make our streets safer for everyone, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. Also, our tree canopy that is so integral to the character of our neighbourhood is in decline. We need trees for shade in the summer, to clean our air, and, especially in the downtown, just to enjoy. To address these challenges, ABCRA is constantly advocating for improvements to our public realm, be it the widening of sidewalks along Avenue Road, creating new green spaces in our neighbourhood or encouraging tree-planting in front of new developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q<\/strong>: Any thoughts on ABCRA\u2019s 65 years of community engagement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A <\/strong>So much has been accomplished by our hard-working and committed volunteers, but it\u2019s often frustrating work when we\u2019re faced with developers focused on maximizing profits and city staff who are resource constrained. We have wins and we have losses, but there is no doubt in my mind that we have prevented some of what we see at Yonge and Eglinton from being the future of Yorkville and have thus contributed to the livability of our neighbourhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q <\/strong>Anything else our readers might like to know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A <\/strong>I want to encourage everyone to vote in the mayoral election and to get involved where they can. Democracy can be hard work, but it\u2019s worth it. Writing letters and making calls to politicians to tell them that we expect better so we can build a great city for all is more important than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please lend your time and skills and get involved with ABCRA and our community initiatives so that we can amplify the power of our collective voice. In the words of Dr. Seuss\u2019s Lorax, \u201cUnless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It\u2019s not.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve seen neon-vested teams walking the streets of Yorkville recently and wondered who they are, they\u2019re part of Community One Response, a pilot program implemented by the Bloor-Yorkville BIA to address community safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Team members are trained in de-escalating situations that can arise with homeless people who may be in crisis. Everyone, including the homeless, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. However, it is often a challenge to know what to do when erratic and irrational behaviour makes it difficult to engage appropriately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For these situations, staff at the Church of the Redeemer\u2019s Common Table drop-in program recommend contacting the outreach team at Streets to Home<\/a> by calling 416-397-5182. Or you can contact The Common Table Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 416-807-3084. Read more about The Common Table Drop-In Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of increased overall levels of crime in our neighbourhood that include break-ins, car thefts, vandalism, and verbal and physical assaults, ABCRA, together with the BIA and the Greater Yorkville Resident\u2019s Association (GYRA), has asked 53 Division to create a permanent Crisis Response Unit with dedicated officers available for our community. We will keep you posted on further developments regarding this request.<\/p>\n\n\n On June 21, ABCRA board members attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Jesse Ketchum Public School to celebrate the $1.5 million refurbishment of the school\u2019s gym and cafeteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ABCRA worked closely with developers Minto Communities and Kingsett to secure the funding for the much-needed upgrade. A new running track on the school playing field is next on the agenda. Several classes of students joined in the celebration, cheering for the new gym and the track to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s that time of year again that jazz lovers from all over look forward to. For the past six years, the Toronto International Jazz Festival has been headquartered in the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood and this year is taking place June 23\u2013July 2. Now in its 37th year, the jazz festival has been a favourite summertime event since 1987 and has contributed over $580 million to the GTA economy. ABCRA is a proud sponsor, and we have made a $25,000 donation in support of the festival\u2019s emerging artists program through our Yorkville Community Cultural Fund. For full program details including free and ticketed events, please visit www.torontojazz.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n We are also excited to share that Nightwood Theatre and Tapestry Opera will soon be making their new home at 877 Yonge Street. Supported by Section 37 Community Benefits Charges funds, both organizations will be converting a previous meeting space in the former Fellowship Towers into a new theatre.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGet to Know Us: Spotlight on ABC Board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Member Mary-Helen Spence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Enhancing Community Safety<\/h2>\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nInvesting in Our Schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Toronto International Jazz Festival\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nEnriching Our Cultural Programming<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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