This week’s image: The Farmers Market is coming back to Riverdale Park on Tuesday from 3 to 7 pm.
CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD
REVIEW
Featured local artists
July’s featured artist is David Brandy, an award-winning contemporary fine art photographer. He lives in Cabbagetown near Riverdale Park West. Click on the image in the right hand column to reach his website.
He has a “booth” at the 2020 virtual version Toronto Outdoor Art Show - the show continues to Sunday July 12. Go online to see his work there.
LOCAL NEWS
Cabbagetown Farmers Market
The Market returns to Riverdale Park on Tuesday July 14, 3 to 7 pm. Extra steps will be taken to ensure everyone’s safety including a one-way flow from the main entrance. Riverdale Park West, Winchester and Sumach.
Underpass Park Farmers Market
The Corktown market opens on Thursday July 9 from 4 to 7:30 pm. It operates weekly every Thursday afternoon. Underpass Park, 29 Lower River Street.
Taste of Regent Park
Starting this week, Taste of Regent Park (40 Oak Street) will offer a free take-away meal once a week. Wednesdays from 6 to 7 pm. The August meals will be coordinated with the Regent Park Film Festival.
Under the Stars
These annual outdoor movie nights in Regent Park are moving to a new virtual platform. Details coming soon.
Face mask fundraiser
Townes and her mom Jen have been making beautiful face masks. People who bought them raved about their quality and nifty designs. Together with the Cabbagetown South Residents Association, they’ve donated $500 from their proceeds to Council Fire (Dundas and Parliament) and $500 to the Yonge Street Mission (Gerrard and Berkeley). Townes and Jen are taking a break - we’ll let you know when they start selling again. Congrats everyone for a great project!
Photo radar is here
Photo: Kamil Karamali, Global News
Photo radar cameras have been installed at two Cabbagetown locations - Prospect Street between Rose and Ontario and Spruce between Gifford and Nasmith. They’re intended to protect local school zones. Until now, there’s been a trial period with warnings being issued to drivers but the machines will now automatically issue a ticket.
A reminder - parking permits
The City’s parking enforcement officers have been kept away during the COVID lockdown but on August 14, they’ll be unleashed again to patrol our streets and nab the ne’er-do-wells who don’t have a parking permit. Get your application into the City between July 2 to August 3. You’ll find the links and instructions online here.
Shuter Street reconstruction
Shuter Street between Bond and River will be rebuilt over the summer. Construction has started and the finish date is targeted for October. The work will be done in three phases - River to Sackville, Sackville to Sherbourne and Sherbourne to Bond. The Cabbagetown South Residents Association has a good summary on its website.
Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum Historical Tidbit
Image: Friendly polar bears , 1926 City of Toronto Archives 1266-7756
by Sally Gibson
On July 7, 1936, Toronto’s all-time record heat wave swept in from the west. The proverbial egg was fried on a sidewalk. Pop bottles exploded. Pavements buckled and heaved. Reservoirs dropped. Temperatures rose, ultimately to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).
With no residential air conditioning, residents slept on lawns, in parks and especially along the waterfront. Some 40,000 were estimated to have headed for the Lake. Fruit even cooked on the tree and the vine. People collapsed from heat stroke and many died. In one dreadful 5-hour period on July 10, 22 residents died, including baby Thomas Morton of 396 Parliament Street, and 94-year old Reuben Lester of 240 Parliament Street.
Humans were not the only ones to suffer. Horses – in an age still reliant on equine power – dropped. And over in Riverdale Zoo, lions with their bushy manes were feeling the heat more than the polar bears, according to zookeepers. “We just keep [the lions] out of the sun and give them lots of water.” As for the polar bears, with their tiny pool, they were too hot to
fight. Usually, they went in for a dip one at a time to avoid conflict. With the mercury at 105 degrees, they plunged in at the same time and simply ignored each other.
COMING EVENTS
Yoga in Riverdale Park West
Jeanette teaches yoga in Cabbagetown with daily classes on Zoom - Monday to Friday 3 times a day (at 8 am, 10 am and 5 pm). She’s also now offering level 1 vinyasa yoga classes in Riverdale Park West, Sunday at 9 am. Some yoga experience would be helpful. Only 9 spaces are available as per the current covid allowance so reservations are necessary. Go to her website for info about her Zoom and her park classes. $15 - payment at the class. Of course, the class is weather permitting.
Tai Chi in Wellesley Park
Michael White and his friends have returned to Wellesley Park (east end of Wellesley Street) for their weekly gentle Tai Chi classes. The members respect social distancing. It’s a small group in the summer, usually less than ten people. Monday at 10 am and Thursday at 10 and 11 am. Interested Cabbagetowners are welcome to join - just show up or call Michael White at (416) 926-9553 for more information.
Streetscapes in Bloom
These eight gardens are nominees for the 2020 Streetscapes in Bloom awards. Keep an eye on them through the summer - 30 Amelia, 88 Amelia, 338 Berkeley, 379 Berkeley, 418 Ontario, 456 Sumach, 7 Winchester and 86 Winchester. To learn more, go to the CPA’s website.
IN THE MEDIA
Park space
Photo: Peter Turek, CBC
Inequities exist in available park space throughout the city. The St James Town Neighbourhood has the least space per capita. The census statistics for that area are revealing - 90% are apartment dwellers, 40% live in poverty and over half are immigrants. The CBC has analyzed park data, including St James Town - click here to read the story.
Paintbox pivots from a restaurant to a grocery store
Photo: Rene Johnston, Toronto Star
Paintbox (555 Dundas E) has long had a mandate to serve the local community, to train local residents and to pay decent wages - all while also earning a profit. When the COVID lockdowns happened, the restaurant was in peril. In April, it joined with Nibbly, a grocery startup and they filled the shelves in the restaurant with food. This partnership is described in Karon Liu’s Toronto Star article - click here to read it.
Thanks to Monica Kuhn for forwarding this link.
Best wishes to Sarah MacLachlan
Photo: Neil Rimmer, Globe & Mail
Sarah finished her accomplished career as president and publisher at House of Anansi and Groundwood Books at the end of June. She talked to Simon Houpt about her departure, her future and the future of the book business. Read the Globe & Mail’s article here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Egg cartons
Evonne is collecting unsoiled, used egg cartons. There’s a shortage of these containers currently and she’s helping a local farm. Drop off your used cartons on her front porch at 68 Salisbury.
KIDS STUFF
Kumon Math & Reading Centre
Kumon (543 Parliament) has reopened its in-class sessions. Save $50 on your registration fees. Now that school is finished, it’s a good time to catch up on math and English skills. Kumon is ensuring that your kids are safe and studying in a healthy atmosphere. For more info, call (416) 939-2300 or email.
The Children’s Book Bank
The Book Bank (350 Berkeley) has started its normal operations. Open Tuesday (10 am to 2 pm), Wednesday (noon to 4 pm) and Thursday (2 to 6 pm). Please wear a mask inside the store. Email the store to take part in the summer reading program.
Summer Camps
The City of Toronto has announced that its summer camp program will open in July. For more info and links, go to the City’s website.
BUSINESS NEWS
Spruce has reopened
Kim announced that Spruce (455 Parliament) will now be open from Wednesday to Sunday for private appointments and for walk-ins. Curbside pickup and free delivery service are still available. Store hours: Wednesday to Friday from noon to 6 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and Sunday noon to 5 pm. 3 customers at a time, masks are mandatory and hand sanitizer is available.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Distillery patios
The Distillery has expanded to include 12 patios, 250 tables and seating for 1000 people - all while practicing safe distancing. These are licensed spaces. Madrina is serving Spanish street food. El Catrin has Mexican. Cluny, Pure Spirits, Mill Street and Boku have patio spaces with their specialties on offer.. Coffee shops and bakeries have set up tables as well.
This week at Peartree
This week’s specials at Peartree (507 Parliament) include chicken caesar salad, fish and chips and beef and vegetable stir fry. Wash down your dinner with Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay or Shiraz for $5.50/glass or with Waterloo Dark, Mill Street Organic, Spearhead Hawaiian, Steamwhistle pilsner and Alexander Keith IPA at $5/pint. Free delivery on orders over $30 - call (416) 962-8190. For menu details, go to the website.
Patio hours
For contact details, websites and more info, go to our Contacts Page. Click here.
Alice’s Place (554 Parliament). Open from 3 pm.
Cluny (35 Tank House Lane, Distillery). Tuesday & Wednesday 4 to 10 pm, Thursday to Saturday noon to 10 pm and Sunday noon to 9 pm.
Dominion Pub & Kitchen (500 Queen E). The patio opens at 11:30 am during the week and at 10:30 am on Saturday and Sunday.
El Catrin (18 Tank House Lane). Noon to 10 pm daily.
F’Amelia (12 Amelia). Online orders start at 2 pm. Patio open every day from 5 to 10 pm.
Fusilli (531 Queen E). Open for 2 to 4 people in each party. 5:30 to 10 pm.
House on Parliament (454 Parliament). Street and rooftop patios open at 11:30 am.
The Irv (195 Carlton). Open from Monday to Saturday at noon and Sunday brunch from 10 am to 2 pm.
Keating Channel Pub (2 Villers). 11 am to 10 pm daily.
Madrina (2 Trinity, Distillery). Wednesday & Thursday 4 to 10 pm, Friday & Saturday noon to 10 pm and Sunday noon to 9 pm
Mill Street (21 Tank House Lane). Patio is open from 11 am to midnight daily.
Peartree (507 Parliament). The back patio is open daily from 11 am to 11 pm.
Pure Spritis (17 Tank House Lane, Distillery). Wednesday to Saturday noon to 10 pm and Sunday noon to 9 pm.
Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton). 11:30 am to 10 pm daily. Sunday brunch until 2 pm.
The Tilted Dog (424 Parliament). The patio opens every day through the week at 3 pm and on the weekends at 1 pm.
Vicino Italian Kitchen (148 Sumach). Open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 8 pm.
Cyril’s soups and juices
For Saturday, Cyril is making a Soupe au Pistou with chunky summer vegetables, root vegetables, beans, pasta and pesto to celebrate the flavours of Provence ($9 for 3 cups and $12 for 4 cups). His juice will be berries and citrus ($9 for 2 cups). Tuesday is Bastille Day and he’s doing a green gazpacho to honour it - green apples, cucumbers, green onions, green peppers, celery, herbs, jalapenos, lemons or limes and an optional portion of bread ($9 for 3 cups and $12 for 4 cups).He makes two soups every week - on Tuesday and Saturday. He informs people about his menus in advance by email. He usually prepares a regular version and vegan one. Email him to get all the details about each day’s menus as well.
CONTACT INFO
A comprehensive listing of our local food services is now available in our new Cabbagetown Directory.
The list includes bakeries, coffee shops, delis, restaurants and pubs. Each entry gives the name, address, phone number and a link to a Facebook page or website.
Click here to find your favourite.
JULY THEATRE & DANCE PRODUCTIONS
Listed by starting dates.
Our theatres are now closed following directives from the City’s Public Health staff - Aki Studio, Alumni Theatre, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Canadian Stage, Citadel, School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Soulpepper, Toronto Dance Theatre.
CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS
THURSDAY JULY 9 TO SUNDAY JULY 19
Our restaurants and pubs are opening partially with service available on outdoor patios as well as takeout and delivery services. Entertainment and special events have been cancelled until the COVID-19 shutdowns are over.
