NEIGHBOURHOOD EVENTS & NEWS
TD Jazz Festival
Four local venues have been hosting Jazz Festival events
and they’re busy again this weekend in its closing days.
Dominion on Queen
(500 Queen E) is really busy. Thursday’s
two shows run from 6:30 pm to midnight.
Friday schedule features Tin Men & Telephone from 9 pm. Saturday’s closing night has four different
performances from 4 pm to 3 am. Various
cover charges apply. You can see the
details in our Club Listings below and at the Dominion’s website.
Paintbox Bistro
(555 Dundas E) offers performances over three nights. On each night, you can combine a prix fixe
dinner with the performance or pay a lower cover charge for the performance
alone. The Christian Li group appears on
Thursday, DRU is there on Friday and Barbra Lica on Saturday. Read the details in our Club Listings below
and at the Paintbox website.
The Pure Spirits
patio in the Distillery has shows at 6 pm on Thursday and Friday, at noon,
3 pm and 6 pm on Saturday and at noon and 3 pm on Sunday. Free admission. Danny Marks is the final act on Sunday at 3
pm. For performances and details, click
here.
The Trinity Stage
in the Distillery has shows from Friday through Monday. On Friday at 6 pm, on Saturday at 2 and 7 pm,
on Sunday at noon and 3 pm and on Monday at noon and 3 pm. Free admission. For performances and details, click
here.
Bell box murals –
final reminder
Friday June 28 at 5 pm is the deadline for artists’
application to paint a mural on a Bell box.
Boxes are located in Cabbagetown, St James Town, Regent Park and St Lawrence.
Project organizers are hoping for a
strong response from local artists.
Those selected will be paid $400 and will receive a quantity of red,
yellow, blue, black and white Benjamin Moore outdoor latex paints. Artists are free to use their own oil and acrylic
paints as well. You can get a copy of the PDF application form at margaretandchris@communitymatterstoronto.org
Send your email to Michael Cavanaugh at bellboxmurals@gmail.com by 5:00 pm Friday, June 28.
Corktown Commons
opens on Friday
The new park opens officially on Friday June 28. It`s the biggest park in the area and will be
the hub of the new community being built in the West Donlands. Parking and vehicle access are not
available. You can enter the park from
Bayview at Lower River Street or from the Don Valley Trail. Waterfront Toronto has a great description of
the park and its facilities on its website.
Inside Story
Regent Park Film Festival and the Toronto Black Film festival are presenting their season`s first outdoor screening. Saturday June 29 at 9 pm in the MDC Partners Courtyard on the south side of The Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E). It`s a film from South Africa about the impact of HIV and AIDS on a rising young soccer star. Free admission.
Save this
date: Riverdale Farm Mid-Summer Mixer
Riverdale Farm (201
Winchester at Sumach) is Toronto’s “Oasis in the City”. It`s hosting a
‘Mid-Summer Mixer’ on Thursday, July 18 from 5:30 to 9:30 pm.
Amy Millan, Canadian
indie rock singer, guitarist and former Cabbagetown resident will be featured. There`ll
be a cash bar and you`ll be able to buy food as well.
Tickets ($30 for an
adult and $5 for a child – kids under 3 years are free!) go on sale on July 2 at Ticketbud.com.
Proceeds will support the fundraising goal of
$25,000 to enhance visitors` experience at the Farm. A tax receipt for ticket purchases will also
be issued.
For more information on
the Mid-Summer Mixer fundraising event or to volunteer at the event, please
email riverdalefarmevents@gmail.com.
REGENT PARK
Recent proposals to amend the plans for future
development in Regent Park produced some concerns for local residents. Toronto Community Housing and The Daniel’s
Corporation have asked for increased densities, more residential units, three
new high-rise towers, changes to the park system, demolition of a heritage
building and construction of a parking garage.
Residents at the June consultation meeting expressed
concern about the proposed building heights (particularly about the big tower
on Parliament Street). These concerns
have been taken seriously by Councillor McConnell, the City’s staff and the
developers. The ideas put forward by
TCHC and Daniels have not been automatically approved. At this time, community reactions and
alternative proposals are being studied and when they are changed to reflect
new input, they will be shown to the community again.
Several issues
came forward
Meeting notices to
the community. People felt that they were not adequately informed about the
public meeting. On the other hand, planners recognize that the scale of these
changes affects the whole area. For the June meeting, almost 7000 notices were
distributed in Corktown, Cabbagetown South and southern Don Vale. In addition, an email blast was sent to people
who had contacted the Planning Department.
In recognition of the scale of these changes, similar notices will be
sent in the future.
The proposal for a
large Parliament Street tower. This
was the most contentious issue at the residents`meeting. At 120 metres, the tower would be 38 to 40
storeys high. In comparison, the
existing Paintbox building is 24 storeys.
Various officials at the City refer to One Cole, a lower building, as a
preferable model.
14 Blevins is a
listed heritage site. The developers
have asked that it be demolished. Pam
McConnell wants to avoid using it again for social housing rentals. Many current building tenants do not want to
be moved out and then moved back in to the same address. There are serious concerns about the
potential for its re-use. Despite all of
these pressures, the heritage designation is a serious issue that will not be
waived lightly and no decision has yet been reached.
New retail facades
along Parliament Street. Parliament
Street may be redeveloped into large walls (like the Paintbox) rather than more
inviting retail storefronts. In the
past, there were assurances that retail facades would connect directly to the
sidewalk. This style can be adapted to fit either small business or larger
tenants. This assurance is no longer the
case. The design of future retail is not
settled.
Low-rise
townhouses. These are mandated as replacements for TCHC units that are now
located in old low-rise buildings. The new townhouses have created a street
level neighbourliness and intimacy but they restrict the density and height
options open to the developers.
Ramifications for
future development north of Gerrard.
Concern has previously been raised that high rise buildings in Regent
Park could be precedents for more high rise along Parliament north of
Gerrard. This does not appear to be a
worry.
Future information
If you want to be added to the list for future email
blasts, send a message to Angela Stea, the City planner, at astea@toronto.ca
RESTAURANT NEWS
The HOP patio is
open
The roof patio at the House on Parliament (424
Parliament) has opened. It’s a lovely
space lined with wood panels and open to the sky. Initial reactions from customers on Wednesday
night were very enthusiastic. It’s been
a long road for Beau and Tanya. They
first applied to the City of Toronto over eighteen months ago and their efforts
were tangled in bureaucracy right up to the pre-opening days earlier this
week. It’s been worthwhile – the end
result is charming and very comfortable.
Special reviews for Pride
Four Cabbagetown restaurants are recommended by Where Magazine as alternative eateries during Pride weekend. Avoid the lineups and the crush by dropping in to F’Amelia (12 Amelia) “one of Toronto’s best Italian menus”, Kingyo (51B Winchester) “the ramen is outstanding and the rock-seared beef is ethereal”, Omi (243 Carlton) “the creative sashimi and sushi dishes here are great”, and Retsina (209 Gerrard E) “some of the most flavourful Greek dishes outside Greektown.” For the full review, click here.
Congrats to The
Flying Beaver
Doug O’Neil in his Travel Talks blog in Canadian Living
has written about his choices for the ten best visitors’ experiences in Toronto
including Edgewalk at the CN Tower, Mountain Equipment Co-op and afternoon tea
at the Windsor Arms. The Flying Beaver
is his pick for Toronto’s best raucous entertainment. “This Cabbagetown hangout can be wonderfully
rowdy in a good way. It’s a comfortably
mixed crowd of gay and straight. Expect
the likes of stand-up-cum-torch-song-singer Lea DeLaria, funny guy Gavin
Crawford, sassy Carla Collins and plenty of local musicians and artists such as
Micah Barnes and others.” Click here for the full review.
NEWS FROM OUR STORES
New in July from Sundara YogaAt Sundara Yoga (492 Parliament at Aberdeen), Anastasia Watson is the new teacher for Tuesday`s 5:30 Vinyasa class. Thursday`s 5:30 Vinyasa class also has a new teacher, David Gluck. Click here to learn more about Anastasia and David.
On Thursday nights at 7 pm, there's a new class called Deep Dive Sessions with David Gluck. This class will open with some physical work to prepare the body to sit still. A meditation method will be presented and then you'll sit in meditation for 30 minutes to practice what you`ve learned. Deep Dive Sessions will teach you to observe deeper layers of consciousness. Self study becomes the framework for personal and spiritual growth. Beginners to advanced practitioners are welcome.
CLUBS & PUBS EVENTS
THURSDAY JUNE 27 TO SUNDAY JULY 7
Contact info
Alice’s Place, 554
Parliament St, (647) 931-9088
Ben Wicks, 424 Parliament
St, (416) 961-9425, www.benwickspub.com
Cafune, 194A Carlton
Street, (647)748-7884, Facebook and http://cafune.ca/
Dominion on Queen, 500
Queen St E, (416) 368-6893, www.dominiononqueen.com
Flying Beaver, 488
Parliament St, (647) 347-6567, www.pubaret.com
Paint Box Bistro, 555
Dundas St E, (647) 748-0555, www.paintboxbistro.ca
Stout Irish Pub, 221 Carlton
St, (647) 344-7676, www.stoutirishpub.ca
Winchester Kitchen &
Bar, 51A Winchester St, (416) 323-0051, www.winchesterkitchen.com
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, we’ve listed the prices. Otherwise, the event is free.
THURSDAY JUNE 27
Cafune
6:30 pm, Henry Matulis with Maestro Francois Comeau (piano).
Dominion on Queen - Toronto Jazz Festival
6:30 to 9:30 pm, All Sax quartet
10 pm to 12:30 am, Djabe
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Katie & Jane Ford in The Return of Haha & Lala, $10/advance & $15/door
Paintbox Bistro - Toronto Jazz Festival
8 pm, The Christian Li group, dinner & performance $45, performance only $15
FRIDAY JUNE 28
Dominion on Queen - Toronto Jazz Festival
9 pm, Tin Men & Telephone
Flying Beaver
7 pm, Liz Tansey sings with Ted Quinlan on guitar, $15/advance & $20/door
9 pm, Sharron Matthews Live from the Vault with Jason Chesworth, $20/advance & $25/door
Paint Box Bistro - Toronto Jazz Festival
8 pm, soul night with DRU,
dinner & performance $35, performance only $10
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
10 pm, Brent Randall opens
for the Greatest Hits, $5
SATURDAY JUNE 29
Dominion on Queen - Toronto Jazz Festival
4 to 7 pm, Beverley Taft’s
Bossa Nova Project
9 pm to midnight,
Wintergarten Orchestra
12:30 to 1:30 am, The
Firecrackers Burlesque
1:30 to 3 am, Ronnie
Hayward’s 3rd annual after hours birthday jam
Flying Beaver
9 pm, Jeannie Wyse with
Ryan Kelly & Dale Miller in Dudettes: Pride Edition, $15/advance & $20/door
Paint Box Bistro - Toronto Jazz Festival8 pm, Barbra Lica sings, $50 dinner and concert, $20 concert only.
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
10 pm, The Roncy Boys
SUNDAY JUNE 30
Alice’s Place
4 pm, Karaoke
Dominion on Queen
11 am to 3 pm, Rockabilly Brunch with the Cosmotones
Flying Beaver
Happy Pride Day – food and beverages all day long.
Stout Irish Pub
5:30 pm, Strategy Boardgaming Night by the Toronto Area Boardgaming Society
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
7 pm, James Allen Magic
9 pm, Beau’s presents Open Mic with Porter
MONDAY JULY 1
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
9 pm Win-Prov10 pm, Industry Night
TUESDAY JULY 2
Dominion on Queen
7 pm, Corktown Residents & Business Ass’n meeting
8:30 to 11:30 pm, Hot Club of Corktown Django Jam, pwyc
Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Nerd Night pub quiz
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
10 pm, Epic movie Tuesday
WEDNESDAY JULY 3
Alice’s Place
9 pm, Karaoke
Cafune
7:30 pm, Literary reading nights featuring Brazilian literature in English and local writers.
Dominion on Queen
8 pm, Corktown Ukelele Jam theme night, $5
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
7:30 pm, Smart Ass Trivia
10 pm, Karaoke at the Winch with Jason Rolland
THURSDAY JULY 4
Cafune
6:30 pm, Henry Matulis (guitar) and Kyla Charter (vocals) with Chris Adrianse (bass) - Brazilian jazz
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Jamieson Eakins “Songs from the Earth”, $10/advance & $15/door.
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
10 pm, Jeff Barnes & Noah Zacharin
FRIDAY JULY 5
Dominion on Queen
9 pm, Toronto to Havana Live afro-Cuban jazz $10
Flying Beaver
7 pm, Joanne Brooks sings with Jack Vandermeer on guitar & Terry Lewis on bass, $10/advance & $15/door.
9 pm, Michelle Lecce on piano, backup vocals by Jeff Currie & Phil Ciglen on guitar, $10/advance & $15/door.
Paintbox Bistro
8 pm, Robi Botos (jazz piano). Three course dinner & performance $45, performance only $15
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
Funkbucket
SATURDAY JULY 6
Dominion on Queen
4:30 to 7:30 pm, Ronnie
Hayward matinee, pwyc
9 pm, Sugar Brown Blues
featuring Barath Rajakumar, $10
Flying Beaver
7 pm, one of Canada’s funniest
comics Carla Collins, $20/advance & $25/door
9 pm, Gavin Crawford’s
Wild West screening party, no cover
Winchester Kitchen & BarKilowatt
SUNDAY JULY 7
Alice’s Place
4 pm, Karaoke
Dominion on Queen
11 am to 3 pm, Toronto’s
only rockabilly brunch with the Cosmotones, no cover
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, one of Canada’s
funniest comics Carla Collins, $20/advance & $25/door.
Winchester Kitchen & Bar
9 pm, Beau’s presents Open
Mic with Porter