 The 2019 Annual General Meeting for the SLNA
The SLNA would like to thank all delegates and community members who attended the March 27th Annual General Meeting where we elected four representatives from the community to fill the four available seats on the SLNA Board of Directors. We also welcomed and discussed issues with our political representatives - Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Tom Davidson from Councillor Joe Cressy's office and our Ward 10 MPP Suze Morrison. (Picture above courtesy of Kristine Morris, SLNA Delegate.) SLNA's newly elected directors: Toby Tennenbaum (3 year term) Donna Campbell (3 year term) Brian McElwain (3 year term) Jamie Cappelli (1 year term) Congratulations to our new directors! SLNA Annual Report This year's AGM also included a detailed overview of the work of your Association over the past year. That report can be downloaded here. Talk About the King St. Pilot The SLNA was on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee that established the King Street Pilot. Our SLNA membership supported the effort and now your feedback on the pilot is needed. A final report from the City about the King Street pilot is set to come out next week and will include an evaluation of the project's success and recommendations on how to move forward. The report will be presented to City Council's Executive Committee and the TTC Board before going to City Council for a vote. This means that the future of King Street, and the fate of the transit priority measures put in place through the King Street Pilot, will be decided over the next three weeks by City Council. Before the King Street Pilot was introduced, taking transit on the busiest surface route in the city was unpredictable. It was often faster to walk. The year-long pilot has provided faster, more reliable transit that makes the street work better for everyone. It has also boosted transit ridership by over 10,000 passengers. The King Street Pilot has been transformational for people & businesses on King Street[1]: 89% of people who take transit regularly say service is faster and more reliable 87% of people who walk regularly on King say it is more pedestrian-friendly 91% of people who cycle regularly on King say that it is more bicycle-friendly 76% of people said they’ve visited local retailers either more often or as often as they had before the pilot project We hope you will share your feedback The TTCRiders group is sponsoring a workshop on April 4th, 6 p.m., at 401 Richmond St. W., Room 372. The venue is accessible, snacks and refreshments will be provided and tokens are available. RSVP: kingstreetpilot.eventbrite.ca New Community Centre at East Bayfront The City is in the process of designing a new 25,000 sq. ft. community centre at 261 Queens Quay East to be located at the base of a mixed-use building within the future Hines/Tridel development site. Come to a community meeting to collaborate with the project team on developing th future community centre design. When: April 10, 2019 Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Place: St. Lawrence Temporary Market, 125 The Esplanade See more details on the attached Notice from the City of Toronto. April Seniors' Activities, Workshop & Concert Please download, print and share the SLNA April Seniors' Activities Calendar with your neighbours. Delegates please print and post where possible. The Creative Aging Circle in collaboration with the Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) presents a Music and Movement for Health FREE workshop for Seniors on Wednesday, April 10 from 2 - 4 pm at the Performing Arts Lodge, 110 The Esplanade. For details, download flyer. The Seniors' Committee has also arranged for reserved seating for another FREE noon time concert at Roy Thomson Hall on Wednesday, April 17. Download the Roy Thomson Hall Concert Flyer for details. St. Lawrence BIA Panc-Rake Breakfast Join the St. Lawrence Building Improvement Area (BIA), the SLNA and your neighbours in cleaning up Crombie Park on Community Clean Up Day and enjoy a FREE pancake breakfast (while supplies last) for all participants courtesy of the BIA. When: April 27, 2019, 9 AM - 12 PM Where: Crombie Park Download and share the Panc-Rake Breakfast Flyer. April 1st - 1 Front St. W. Consultation: The City of Toronto is hosting a Community Consultation Meeting for the proposed development at 1 Front St. W on Monday, April 1, 7 - 9 pm a tthe Novotel Hotel, 45 The Esplanade, Champagne West Room. Download the Consultation flyer for details. A Local Gem - East Thirty-Six Toronto Life magazine describes our neighbourhood's very own East Thirty-Six restaurant as one of the city's favourite cocktail bars "with a serious kitchen." If this sounds like your ideal location for brunch, read on. Special Promotion for SLNA Residents As one of our newest SLNA 2019 Canada Day Parade and Picnic sponsors, East Thirty-Six is pleased to offer one complimentary mimosa or caesar to patrons who mention the "SLNA Newsletter" upon arrival for the restaurant's Saturday or Sunday Brunch (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.) NOTE: the promotion is limited to 1 complimentary mimosa or caesar per person, no limit on the number of people at a table. To learn more, view the East Thirty-Six menu. East Thirty-Six is located at 36 Wellington St. East. 647-350-3636. SLNA Canada Day Sponsorship Program This year we invite local businesses to become official sponsors of the SLNAs new Canada Day Sponsorship program. The SLNA Canada Day Parade and Picnic is the SLNA's premier event of the year and includes a parade and picnic hosted on the grounds of the historic St. James Cathedral. To get more information about the sponsorship program, please click here. St. James Cathedral: Celebrating Three Years of Welcoming Refugees (From the St. James Cathedral Refugee Committee) In November 2015, a groujp of St. Lawrence community members and St. James Cathedral parishoners, gathered to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis. It has been a fruitful alliance! To date we have sponsored a Syrian family of five and a father and daughter from Iran. Through Canada's unique blended visa program, we support these newcomers financially, practically, socially, and emotionally during their first year of resettlement. As we look to sponsor a family this year, we seek volunteers and committee members from the St. Lawrence community. If you are interested, visit the St. James Cathedral website to find out how you can get involved.
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 The SLNA looks forward to welcoming Waterfront Toronto and Sidewalk Labs at our next Delegates and Community meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Februray 27, from 7 - 9 pm (meeting registration at 6:30 p.m.) at 115 The Esplanade (enter code 246 to gain access). Our key presenters will be discussing the proposed Quayside development and questions from our SLNA members.
To view the full agenda click here or view the calendar on the home page of this website (scroll to the bottom). In response to the recent Auditor General report on Waterfront Toronto, the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association as an association that has worked closely with Waterfront Toronto for many years and is a founding member of Waterfront for All, commends the leadership of Waterfront Toronto. The organization is aligned to the values and priorities of the SLNA and we support the recent statement and position released by Waterfront for All. See below.   NEWS RELEASE FROM SIDEWALK TORONTO:
Includes 40% below-market housing and 9,000+ construction jobs TORONTO — Sidewalk Toronto revealed today a detailed plan for a new neighbourhood at Quayside that will improve the quality of life for Torontonians. The plan combines the latest in urban design and emerging technology to achieve unprecedented affordability and economic growth. Quayside will have 40% below-market housing, create 9,000 new jobs in construction and house 3,900 jobs upon completion. The plan is based on extensive consultation with government, experts and the public. “We know how important the revitalization of Quayside is for the city and everyone who lives here. Torontonians want more affordable housing, faster ways to get around the city, safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists, a cleaner and healthier environment. That’s what we are aiming to do by creating this new neighbourhood,” said Jesse Shapins, Director of Public Realm “This draft site plan released today demonstrates what we are envisioning for Quayside and how we aim to address these critical challenges facing Toronto.” Key features of the plan include:
The Site Plan released today will be presented to the public at the 4th Public Roundtable, taking place on Saturday, December 8th. Public feedback will be incorporated into a detailed Master Innovation and Development Plan to guide future work at Quayside, which is expected to be released in early 2019. It will be reviewed by Waterfront Toronto and all three levels of government based on a stringent criteria released last week. Sidewalk Toronto Sidewalk Toronto is a project by Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs to create a new kind of mixed-use, neighbourhood on Toronto’s Waterfront, beginning with the creation of Quayside. Sidewalk Toronto will combine forward-thinking urban design and new digital technology to create people-centred neighbourhoods that achieve precedent-setting levels of sustainability, affordability, mobility, and economic opportunity. We had a packed agenda and room at our Nov. 28 SLNA Monthly meeting.
In addition to discussing our important SLNA traffic audit highlighting the most dangerous intersections in our neighbourhood (thank you SLNA Director Sabina Soromova and all volunteers) we also welcomed to our meeting one of our two new Councillors - Ward 13 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam who shared her depth of knowledge on a number of our priorities from parks to heritage preservation. We look forward to working with our Councillor who definitely has a clear and amplified voice on Toronto’s City Council.  Waterfront Toronto Presentation
At the recent November meeting of Waterfront For All, Chief Development Officer of the Waterfront Toronto organization, Meg Davis delivered a presentation that outlines the goals, objectives and projects led and implemented by the organization. Click on the link below to view the slide presentation: Realizing the Waterfront's Potential Dominion Building Redevelopment Project Earlier this fall, SLNA members were given the opportunity to share feedback on the planned redevelopment of One Front Street W. by Larco Investments Ltd. Lura Consulting with Larco, Architect Alliance and Bousfields hosted a consultation as part of the September 26th SLNA meeting. Feedback from that session has been captured in the following report prepared by Lura Consulting: One Front St. W. Redevelopment Consultation with SLNA  The next St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association Delegates and Community Meeting will happen on Wednesday, November 28, 7 p.m. at 115 The Esplanade. We are pleased to announce that one of our new councillors, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam of Ward 13 will be attending this meeting and addressing residents. We hope all designated delegates will be in attendance and we also encourage as many residents to attend as possible as the meeting is open to all in the neighbourhood. Refreshments will be Served We will be returning to our previous tradition of providing at this meeting tasty refreshments from the St. Lawrence Market to celebrate the Holiday Season. Please download the Agenda and share locally. Waterfront for All Meeting - November 21 All St. Lawrence Neighbourhood residents are invited to attend the Waterfront for all Members Meeting on Wednesday November 21st from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the very first Annual General Meeting and to get an update from Waterfront Toronto. Waterfront for All AGM*
WHERE: Lucie and Thornton Blackburn Conference Centre George Brown College Residence Cooperage St (Front St. E & Cherry, 504 Streetcar), Toronto, ON M5A 1H7 Map WHEN: Wednesday, November 21, 7-9 pm Special Guest – Waterfront Toronto Update and Guest Presentation
RSVP NOW to Suzanne Kavanagh: suzkav123@gmail.com Agenda to follow Invitation to Local Film Premier Message from Local Cultural Organization Jamii: Jamii is very excited to announce the Film Premiere of At Heart, Citizens of The Esplanade, a docu-film made by over 150 Esplanadians. It was a beautiful 9-month journey with the community and we are grateful that you were part of it! You shared your stories, you contributed ideas, you joined the production team, you were in front of the camera, you participated in finding a title, and you gave feedback on the editing process. Every single one of your contributions helped make this film the film it has become. At Heart, Citizens of The Esplanade shines a spotlight on our beloved neighbourhood. We hope you will like it and will be as proud as we are of the end result of this creative process. Most importantly, because this is a film you had a part in making, we really want you to see it! Join us for the premiere of At Heart, Citizens of The Esplanade, on Monday, November 26th at 6pm at the Berkeley Street Theatre. Capacity is limited to 120 people, so please book ASAP your free tickets HERE. Venue is accessible. The evening will start at 6pm. Following the film will be a Q&A with film directors Ayelen Liberona and Joseph Jonhson-Camí, and a screening of the "Behind-the-Scenes" video. We are very much looking forward to seeing you on the 26th! Isorine and the Jamii Team www.JamiiEsplanade.org Storytelling Workshop - November 23 The Creative Aging Circle presents a free seniors workshop on "Storytelling" led by award winning Storyteller, Dan Yashinsky. The presentation will happen on Friday, November 23, at 2:00 p.m. in the OWN co-op, 115 The Esplanade. For more details, please download this flyer. The next St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association Delegates and Community Meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 26, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (meeting registration begins at 6:30 p.m.).
Please note that the location for this meeting will be the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts - 1 Front St. East - in the O'Keefe Lounge (please enter from Yonge St.). To download the meeting agenda for this meeting please click here.  A Wonderful Summer Weekend is Here! There are so many interesting activities happening in our neighbourhood this weekend and below are a few highlights to help you plan ahead:
Feast of St. Lawrence Day 1 - Fine Dining Celebration The Feast of St. Lawrence begins in spectacular fashion on Friday, August 10th with an exclusive, al fresco fine dining event for charity. Two hundred and fifty guests will be seated at two continuous tables on Front Street (between Scott and Church Street) and served a sumptuous 5-course dinner prepared by chefs from some of the top restaurants in the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood including Biff's BIstro, Farmr, ARDO, The Hot House Restaurant, Omni KIng Edward Hotel, Pearl Diver, The Sultan's Tent and George Brown College. Wine pairings from Prince Edward County vineyards and Creemore Springs beer will be served with the dinner and CC Lounge will present a special Whisky tasting bar. The 18-piece JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band will provide added ambiance in the beautifully illuminated Berczy Park lounge area. The event begins with an hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer reception at 6:00 p.m. and ends at 11:00 p.m. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Second Harvest. Tickets are $200 and on sale now. To learn more and purchase tickets visit: https://feastofstlawrence.ca/ Day 2 - A Fun Day for the Whole Family Join us on Saturday, August 11th for our Market Street Celebration. We celebrate the world famous St. Lawrence Market and Market Street with outdoor food stalls and seating areas, farm fresh produce, live music at the Audi FEAST Stage, a pig roast from the Farmer’s Market, kids entertainment, games and activities at the FEAST for Kids sponsored by TD Bank Group, and much more! The event runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free. Feast of St. Lawrence Saturday Entertainment Schedule: AUDI Feast Stage 10am – Great Canadian Fiddle Show 12pm – Envirodrum 2pm – Jordan John 4pm – Sol de Cuba – Salsa lesson by Soul2Sole before the band at 3:40pm! FEAST for Kids, sponsored by TD Bank Group Pirate Life Crew (Market St. & Esplanade) Photos and Face Painting 10a.m – 5p.m. Shows: 11:30p.m., 1:30p.m. & 3:30pm Balloonist Debbie Stevens 10a.m. – 5p.m. Puppet Making w/ Young People’s Theatre (South Market St.) 10a.m. – 2p.m. Cupcake Decorating (Lower Market Street Stage) 10a.m. – 2p.m Bex in Motion Hula Hoop Show & Interactive Fun (Market St. & Esplanade) 11:00a.m., 1:00p.m. & 3:00p.m. STREET PERFORMERS Chef on Stilts Darren Bedford (North Market St.) 10a.m. – 4p.m. Illusionist Robert Testa 10:30am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm Wild Man Jazz Band (North Market St.) 11a.m., 1p.m. & 3p.m. Aaron Paris the Hip Hop Violinist (North Market St.) 5 p.m. Santerias Duo (North Market St.) 6 p.m. Music In the Distillery District - August 12 Some of the best Canadian artists play at the Distillery District's Trinity Square stage (enter at 55 Mill St.). Here's the schedule for Sunday, August 12: 2 p.m. Darling Cora - darlingcoramusic.com/ Darling Cora is an indie-folk singer-songwriter whose music blends and bends genres to create songs that touch the head and heart. With a supple voice brimming with soul and grace, thoughtful lyrics, and a unique guitar playing style, her songs capture emotional truths. Both raw and refined, the songs aim to prompt listeners into feeling and experiencing the beauty and range of the human condition. She's also known for her open, and sometimes mischievous, stage banter. 4 p.m. Steven Taetzwww.steventaetz.com/ Steven Taetz has performed in Carnegie Hall(NYC), Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End (NYC), Hotel Cafe (LA), Blue Room (Korea), Capital Pride (Wash DC), Ironwood (Calgary), House of Jazz (Montreal), and in Toronto’s Rogers Stadium, The Rex, The Jazz Bistro, Hugh’s Room, and many more. He has released music internationally, charted for radio play and sales, and released his first studio album with collaborations from JUNO-winning artists from across Canada. Following a holiday EP in 2017, he is developing his sophomore album for release in 2018 with noted award-winning collaborators, and North American touring dates to be announced. His work has received rave reviews from industry taste-makers. Shakespeare in the Park... Our Berczy Park On Sunday, August 12th, Dauntless Theatre Productions is back in Berczy with a new Shakespearean comedy. Take centre stage in this immersive* theatrical experience that is unique in the downtown core. *This performance requires you to move throughout the park. Performances August 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 1pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 1pm. Organized by the St. Lawrence Marketing BIA. This is a FREE event.  The recent decision by the Ford government to amalgamate ward boundaries and cut the size of Toronto's City Council by almost half in the middle of the CURRENT municipal election season is a strike against the voice and fair representation of Toronto residents. This is especially detrimental to those living in downtown Toronto's core neighbourhoods - neighbourhoods like ours.
As we looked for candidates to speak out on this issue, the first candidate noted was Ward 21 Candidate and former SLNA President, Suzanne Kavanagh. Please see her news release below. TORONTO, JULY 27, 2018 - Suzanne Kavanagh Campaign for Ward 21 Denounces Ford’s Council Cuts, Plans Legal Challenge Current Ward 21 candidate Suzanne Kavanagh opposes Ford’s plan to cut Toronto Council in half and is planning recourse. “After Weeks of Upheaval in Toronto, Ford is Kicking Us While We’re Down” Kavanagh condemned Doug Ford’s plan to cut the number of Toronto city councillors in half, forcing ward boundaries to conform to provincial ridings. “I am deeply concerned about Doug Ford’s plan to scrap half of our city council offices – this will destabilize our government in the midst of a crisis year in the city,” she said. “It’s just a really, really terrible idea - we’ll need to triple the number of city constituent staff. That doesn’t sound like saving $25 million, it sounds like politicking.” The changes will profoundly undermine the democratic process, Kavanagh said. “Reducing the number of council seats is an anti-democratic move. We already have problems with under-representation in this city and backlogs of work to be done at Councillor’s offices.” People have been commenting on Twitter that this is an underhanded way to bring Provincial and Federal political parties into City Hall. Kavanagh continued, “Doug Ford is playing political games, and there will be negative consequences for millions of people.” Kavanagh plans to fight this brazen decision. “Ford’s actions are frankly, petty.” she said, adding “After an incredibly difficult year in the city’s history, Doug Ford is kicking us while we’re down. It isn’t right.”She continued “I am standing up for Ward 21 and now for Toronto - we all deserve better.” Kavanagh also hinted at the possibility of an impending court battle with the Ford Government on behalf of Toronto candidates “There are surely grounds for a strong and coordinated legal challenge against Doug Ford and his plan to infiltrate city politics from the Premier’s office. I’ll be approaching other candidates across Toronto who have been running campaigns since May to coordinate our legal recourse.” For more information about the Suzanne Kavanagh campaign, visit suzannekavanagh.ca For interviews or additional information, contact Campaign Manager Aaron Binder at aaron@suzannekavanagh.ca. |
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