CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW: June 13

This week’s image: Parents, students and staff protest cut backs in education funding at Sprucecourt School.

CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD

REVIEW

OPEN HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Open houses happen this week on Saturday and Sunday on Metcalfe, Sword and Wellesley. Click here to read these announcements.

LOCAL NEWS

Support for public education

On Thursday June 13, a determined group of staff, parents and kids gathered in the rain in front of Sprucecourt School to protest spending cutbacks by the Ontario government. Similar protests have been happening in schools across Toronto. They’re worried about cuts to teaching staff, special needs assistants, after school programs, art and music programs and much more. A public meeting has been called for Monday June 24, 6:30 pm at Fieldstone Co-op (135 Bleecker). For more info, contact Toronto Centre Parents for Public Education - tcp4publicedu@gmail.com

CRA’s annual meeting

Cabbagetown Residents’ Association held its 2019 annual meeting in Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton) on Wednesday night. It’s a good time for residents who had a chance to gossip, enjoy sliders and nachos and a free drink. CRA’s president Marc Simmons reviewed the past year’s activities and finances. Special congrats went to Shawna Pereira and Carolyn Jarman for their dedicated organizing work for the 2019 Forsythia Festival.

Sharon Harvie’s art

Sharon is having an exhibition of her silk art at Cranberries (601 Parliament). Saturday June 15 to Sunday June 30. The opening reception takes place on Saturday June 15 from 5 to 9 pm.

Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market

The Market takes place every Tuesday in Riverdale Park West (Winchester and Sumach) from 3 to 7 pm with a great group of vendors.

Murray’s is back with its offering of fine organic foods. At this early time in the season, they’re offering heritage eggs, preserves from Mennonite kitchens, homemade sausages, rhubarb and asparagus.

This year, the Market is being organized by the Riverdale Farm Stewardship Group. Profits go to the Farm’s capital projects and its food education programs.

The Underpass Park Farmers’ Market

In Corktown - now open for the season on Thursdays from 3 to 7 pm in Underpass Park (29 Lower River Street). Activities and face painting for kids, a free yoga class with the Yoga Sanctuary from 5:30 pm and live music. Great produce and baked goods.

Movies on Carlton

Are you wondering about that big jumble of trucks and cranes at the east end of Carlton Street? It’s a film crew putting together a scene for Season 2 of The Condor.

Lookin’ good

The Cabbagetown Residents Association offered snacks and a free drink for its members at its annual meeting. These folks obviously enjoyed themselves. And, frankly, so did I. Lookin’ good.

Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum Historical Tidbit

Image: Hambourg Conservatory of Music by George Hume

By Sally Gibson

When Russian piano pedagogue Professor Michael Hambourg and his talented family immigrated to Toronto in 1910, they established a conservatory on the western fringe of Cabbagetown. Their first one was on Gloucester in 1911 and then in 1913 in a well-appointed Victorian mansion at Wellesley and Sherbourne. The Hambourg Conservatory of Music had already attracted some 500 students.

Toronto’s music community was propelled to a new, international level. Family members and their guests held numerous concerts. Individual family members performed around the world, meeting many of the era’s finest musicians whom they invited to be glamorously feted and to play in Toronto.

Even after the closing of the Conservatory in 1951, Hambourg musical influence continued, with the opening of Toronto’s first jazz club in 1958.

The Victorian mansion is long gone. But while passing by today’s St. James Town Library, pause a moment to imagine the music and glitter once associated with this location.

COMING EVENTS

Listed by starting dates

Family Yoga

The Distillery and OMT.O. present a weekly yoga series for the family through the summer. Two 40-minute outdoor classes will be held every Sunday at 11 am and noon. Kids 7 to 12 welcome. Bring your own mat. Free. Gristmill Lane, Distillery.

Summer Music Series

The Distillery is staging free outdoor concerts every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 pm with Toronto's best buskers through the summer. Trinity Stage, Distillery.

Tree for Me

Friends of Allan Gardens are holding their annual free tree giveaway in Allan Gardens (19 Horticultural Ave). It’s a first come-first served event. People who want to participate are asked to answer a short questionnaire and to be part of a tree planting demo. Saturday June 15, 10 am. Please RSVP here.

CYC Spring Market

The first-ever CYC Spring Market - from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, Saturday June 15. Amazing health, arts and food vendors. Part of the proceeds will go to the Cabbagetown Youth Centre and its youth programs. Cabbagetown Youth Centre (2 Lancaster) Free.

51 Division Open House

Saturday June 15, 11 am to 3 pm, 51 Division (51 Parliament). There’ll be family games, a DJ, a bbq and station tours on the program. Register your bike, meet the ETF officers, see the horses and the K9 unit. Everyone’s welcome, free.

Growing up green - family drop-in

Friends of Allan Gardens offer a family day with gardening, composting, arts and crafts and scavenger hunts. Suitable for kids 2 to 10. It’s held on the third Saturday of each month. The next one is Saturday June 15 from 1 to 3 pm in the Conservatory (19 Horticultural Ave, Allan Gardens). Drop-in, donations welcome.

Step classes

Brenda’s step classes at the CYC (2 Lancaster) will finish the season next week. Her Sunday class happens at 11 am and then her Wednesday class is at 9:15 am. The Wednesday class will be followed by a party at Eric and Clarinda’s house.

Grow Wild

Lorraine Johnson will give an illustrated talk about growing native plants in your garden. She’s a recognized North American expert and an author of ten books on environmental issues, urban agriculture and native plants. Wednesday June 19, 7 pm, Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory (19 Horticultural Ave). Suggested donations - $5 to $10.

Port Lands Flood Protection

Waterfront Toronto has put together a display in Toronto City Hall (100 Queen West) showing the new designs for the parks, river, roads and bridges being built in the Port Lands. 8 am to 9:30 pm, Wednesday June 19 and Thursday June 20.

A public meeting is also scheduled for Thursday June 20 at City Hall. Members of the design team will give a talk and answer your questions. A drop-in tour happens from 5 pm and the presentation happens at 6 pm.

Distillery’s Big Draw - rescheduled dates

Join the Big Draw from noon to 6 pm on Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23. It’s open to amateur and professional artists in drawing, sketching, painting, sculpting and writing. Bring your own materials. A free lunch is available for everyone who signs up. It’s free.

Save the date - register now

Beth Kaplan’s annual garden workshop is a popular sell-out. It’s a one-day writing adventure. offering inspiration, structure and support for writers with lots of experience and those who have none. Spend the day and enjoy positive feedback, bushy perennials and lunch! Beth is a writer-teacher with experience at Ryerson and U of T and several books to her credit. Sunday July 21, 10 am to 5 pm, in Beth’s secret garden, $165. Contact her at beth@bethkaplan.ca

IN THE MEDIA

Court action over 650 Parliament

Photo: Wellesley Parliament Square

Tenants at 650 Parliament have recently learned that their possessions have been boxed up without their consent. Property managers say that the work was done by professionals and that this procedure will speed up repairs. Tenants are taking management to court to determine whether their property can be moved out of each unit into temporary storage in the parking garage. CityNews did a video report on June 11 about the issue.

Photographic documentary of Regent Park

Photo: Jesse Colin Jackson

Toronto Life has profiled the work of Jesse Colin Jackson. He’s been documenting the transformation of Regent Park over the past decade, specifically the demolition of 14 Blevins Place. Click here to read the story.

Red Embers in Allan Gardens

Photo: Lisa Rochon, NOW Magazine

Red Embers honours the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the strength of community resilience. This monumental art by Indigenous women artists will be displayed in Allan Gardens from June to October 4.

NOW Magazine’s Kelly Boutsalis wrote about them this week - click here for the story. For more info about the banners, click here.

KIDS’ STUFF

Citadel dance program

A weekly series of classes from September through May run by a professional dance company in professional dance studios. The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance (304 Parliament). Kids with extensive training as well as ones with no training are all welcome. Regent Park kids are eligible for a full scholarship. For a full list of programs and registration, click here.

Summer camps at Buds & Blossoms

Buds & Blossoms (517 Parliament) offers creativity-based camps with lots of outdoor exploration and play time for kids ages 4 to 8. A specialized Art camp will be available during the final week of August for children ages 9 to 13.

A few spots are still open for the Preschool Summer Camp - a great opportunity to get your little one prepared for Kindergarten.

For more info and registration, click here.

Summer camp at CNH

Summer time fun at Camp CNH! Children age 5 to13 get active in this eight-week summer camp program. Tuesday July 2 to Friday August 23.

CNH Camp includes field trips, sports, arts, crafts, drama, dance, music, swimming and so much more! It’s a great place for kids to make new friends, get active and have fun in the sun.

There’s also a leader-in-training program for youth age 13 and up to gain skills in community development and learn how to be young leaders in their neighbourhoods.

Six weeks are held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School and the last two are at CNH (349 Ontario). Apply to Franclyn Clement at fclement@tngcs.org

Summer dance camp

The School of Toronto Dance (80 Winchester). For ages 5 to 11 - a week of movement, creation, and fun. The Summer Dance Camp invites kids to explore their imaginations through creative movement and physical play, with vibrant live music by some of the city’s most gifted accompanists.

Monday July 15 to Friday July 19, 9 am to 4 pm, 80 Winchester. $295. After-camp care is available to 5 pm ($50) or to 6 pm ($100). For details and registration online, click here.

Summer Arts 2019 at CCDT

July 29 – August 2. Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (509 Parliament). This week-long program offers full or half day sessions for 5 to 8-year-olds and half-day sessions for 4-year olds. Both groups experience Creative Movement, Music Making and Visual Arts in the morning. Full-day students then enjoy creative story time labs and Musical Theatre in the afternoon. Summer Arts encourages children's' natural joy in movement and imaginative play. The youngest are introduced to elementary technique and the more advanced refine their skills and expressive qualities. For more info, fees and registration, click here.

BUSINESS NEWS

For your Dad(s) this weekend

Kendall & Co (514 Parliament) has cards and gifts for Father’s Day. Like these locally made sport-themed pillows that are sure to turn him into a softie!

Store hours: Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm, Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm, Sunday from noon to 5 pm. https://www.instagram.com/kendallandco

Leslieville Flea

The Flea returns on Saturday June 15 from 11 am to 6 pm. Vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, crafts, fine foods and more. Lots of bargains and rare finds. Free - outdoors in the Distillery.

Love from Double Take

Double Take Thrift Store (301 Gerrard E) is celebrating its 20th anniversary. For three days, there’ll be special themes and gifts. On Thursday June 20, it’s Love of Fashion with $10 gift certificates to the first 50 customers. On Friday June 21, it’s Love of Community - customers shopping from 10 am to 4 pm will be entered into a raffle for a gift basket worth over $100. Saturday June 22 is Love of Donors day with free snacks available between 11 am and 1 pm.

Eric likes Unistar

Eric Morse recommends the services that Jeff Lee provides at Unistar (226 Carlton). He rebuilds industrial work stations for home and small office use. Eric fell in love with a 12-core Xeon processor, 500GB SSD, tons of peripheral capacity - he says, “This tank could have survived D-Day”, “it screams!”

St James Town online store

The online ordering service is available now at St James Town Steak & Chops (516 Parliament). Place your order now for your next-day delivery. Add the secret code “CHOP5OFF” at your checkout and save $5. Click here to visit the site.

RESTAURANT NEWS

Gin sampling

Get over to the House on Parliament (454 Parliament) on Thursday night June 13 for a tasting of Tanquery Gins. 6 to 7 pm. Stick around afterward for the Raptors.

Bounce by the lake

Keating Channel Pub (2 Villiers), 4 to 11 pm, Saturday June 15. The pub’s favourite party of the year. DJs Mes, Hatiras, LeBaron James and Mike Gleeson. $25 cover.

Father’s Day

Dominion Pub & Kitchen (500 Queen E) - the ultimate burger experience. Prizes, 99 cent wings.

Psychic brunch at Cranberries

Drop in on Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm for the psychic brunch. $45. Enjoy two insightful 15-minute readings and get a $5 coupon to use toward your Cranberries brunch. 601 Parliament.

Congrats Super Bargain

Photo: Natalia Manzocco, NOW Magazine

NOW Magazine has reviewed our newest bar, Super Bargain (441 Parliament). NOW says it’s “a chill cocktail spot with wallet-friendly drinks, saucy wallpaper, and a Cheezies-centric snack menu.” Click here to read the story.

Burn your bill

There’s one (and maybe two) more Raptors games. After each game, Dominion (500 Queen E) will make one customer very happy. Your bill will go up in smoke.

Cyril’s soup

Saturday’s soup is chilli. There’ll be two versions - vegan/vegetarian with raisins and cashews or a meat-eaters with beef. Each version has beans, veggies, spices, cocoa and coffee. Both are $12.

Order deadline is 7 pm on Friday. He delivers his soups in Cabbagetown. He’s accepting payments by e-transfers and cash. Email him at abeautifulbowl@gmail.com

JUNE & JULY

THEATRE & DANCE PRODUCTIONS

Listed by starting dates.

August: Osage County

Soulpepper (50 Tank House Lane)

On stage to Sunday June 30