January 14

This week’s image: The government told us to stay home and so we did! Normally at 8:15 am, this is a bustling corner lined with pedestrians, groups at the bus stop and traffic backed up along Wellesley.

CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD 

REVIEW

FEATURED LOCAL ARTIST 

Atia Pokorny

Atia Pokorny has lived with her family in Cabbagetown since 1986. Art has been always a part of her life both in her work as an art conservator and in her photography practice. Her photographs are a sort of storytelling. To achieve that, she usually manipulates them further by cutting, folding,

or digital alteration. As a member of Gallery 44, she has exhibited in numerous group shows and a solo exhibition in 2016. Her work has been also juried for such fundraisers as RMG Exposed or SNAP for ACT. You can see more details about her art on her website and instagram pages.

Chimera Praha x Toronto

2019, photographic collage, 11” x 14”, inkjet print on archival paper.  

"This work is a three dimensional collage and was created for the Contact Photography Festival 2020. The exhibition has been postponed twice due to Covid 19 and is now rescheduled for May 12-23, 2021 at Gallery 1313. The work is inspired by Italo Calvino’s book Invisible Cities. I grew up in Prague and later moved to Toronto. These two cities are very unlike each other.  They create my internal dialogue about identity, culture, language, and aesthetics. My work illustrates this duality by layering imprints of both cities as they are layered in my psyche. You can hear me talk about the work in this short YouTube video."

LOCAL NEWS 

Asokan Rasiah

Asokan died last week from the effects of a COVID-19 infection.  He was 61 years old and he leaves his family and his Peartree friends.  He owned and operated Peartree Restaurant (507 Parliament) for 28 years.  His good food and his hospitality made him a popular favourite in our neighbourhood.   Emails, comments on social media and condolences have been rolling in as this news spreads.  Peter Wylie wrote about his banquets for the teams at the Cabbagetown Boxing Club and Blair’s Run.  Brenda McNee commented on his warm welcomes and his great meals.  Rick Matthews has done an obituary on behalf of the Cabbagetown BIA, noting his long career and successes.  He was a good friend of mine and I shall miss him.  My condolences to his family.  

COVID-19 outbreaks

Fudger House (439 Parliament), Rekai Sherbourne Place (345 Sherbourne) and Rekai Wellesley Place (150 Wellesley) are all long-term care centres and each has experienced a COVID-19 outbreak.  This data is current to Thursday morning, January 14. Fudger House is a city-owned facility with 250 beds. Its outbreak started in October and continued to December 26 with 13 deaths.  144 staff have been vaccinated and additional vaccinations will be available for staff who request them.  Rekai’s Sherbourne Place has 126 beds - 19 of its residents have died.  Rekai’s Wellesley Central Place has 150 beds and 10 deaths.  A comprehensive list of LTC homes is available on the Ontario government’s website.   

Chartwell’s Sumach

Unlike the long-term care homes, The Sumach (146 Sumach) is a retirement residence for independent adults.  To date, there have been no COVID-19 cases there.  The Sumach maintains a regular cleaning schedule for each apartment along with regular health monitoring and assistance for the residents.  If quarantining is needed by a resident, staff will deliver three meals daily, continue with the cleaning protocols and handle laundry. Staff are also now working on arrangements for on-site vaccinations. 

Daycare application

The application to create a daycare centre at Amelia and Sackville (459-461 Sackville) is once again in the news.  A formal decision by a three-member panel of the Toronto Local Appeal Board has been issued.  The panel approved the application subject to the same conditions that previously existed.  This case has a twisted history. The City’s Committee of Adjustment agreed with the neighbours and rejected the building owner’s application.  The owner went to the Toronto Local Appeal Board and the official there approved the application on an interim basis subject to several conditions.  Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and the City’s legal department didn’t like that decision and appealed it to a three-member review panel.  That panel has just issued its decision which once again gives the owner a green light.  All of this process is just the first step - the owner now needs a professional daycare operator and approval from the Ontario government.  

Progress report - Winchester Park skating rink

So!  It’s not cold and there’s no ice on the rink (Winchester Park, Prospect and Ontario).  But work has continued.  There’s a name - The Wink - in honour of Winchester Park and the new rink.   There’s also a Facebook page where you can check conditions, learn the latest COVID rules and register. The skate exchange is underway and there’s a skate drop-off box at St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament).  And - of course - there’s a GoFundMe fundraiser to defray rink expenses. For more info, email Trish.   

Regan’s reactions to the lockdown

Regan owns and operates The Irv (195 Carlton). As a small business and a restaurant, The Irv is subject to tough restrictions from the Ontario government. Regan has tweeted, “the only thing you will see wrong with this picture is that there (aren’t) more people in line at Costco. I may have to go to a doctor because my neck is sore from shaking my head for the last 9 months.”

Thanks from the School of Toronto Dance Theatre

Starting in November, the School ran a fundraiser to support six of its bursary and scholarship projects.  The Del Degan family matched donations received by December 31 dollar-for-dollar.  As a result, over $18,000 was raised. 

City of Toronto skating rinks 

Riverdale Park East, Regent Park and Sherbourne Common are open from 10 am to 10 pm daily. During the COVID restrictions, outdoor rinks are still open with a 25-person limit. Change rooms and lockers are closed. You can make a reservation and confirm that the rinks are open at the City’s website. (Photo: Waterfront Toronto)  

COMING EVENTS

COVID-19 testing

Get tested in Regent Park - Fred Victor (40 Oak Street),  Wednesdays January 20 and January 27, 1:30 to 4:30 pm.  Drop-in, no appointment needed. Bring your OHIP card if available. 

Shift 2021

Presented by the students at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre (80 Winchester).  It’s an online event featuring ten dance films by second and third year students in the Professional Training Program.  Friday January 15, 7 pm.  Click here to register.  

Does Liberal Education Matter in the 21st Century

The final session in the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse talks.  Panelists include Lorna Marsden, Paul Gooch, Ian Milligan and Qiang Zha.  January 19, 7 pm.  Register here to connect online.   

The First Parliament Site project

This site at Parliament and Front is historically significant.  The City of Toronto has owned the property since 2012 and its project is studying ways to develop the site.  On January 21, this online presentation will discuss the Master Plan.  Click here to register.   

FOR YOUR KIDS

Children’s Book Bank

The Book Worm program and the Walk-up Window have both started.  For Bookworms, there’s a chance to read books, share reviews and win prizes.  It started on Monday January 11 and it’s free.  The Walk-up Window is open on Wednesdays from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm.  There’s more info on the Book Bank’s Facebook page.  350 Berkeley at Gerrard.  

Speech arts and drama

The Cabbagetown Community Arts Centre (422 Parliament) has started new online programs for kids 5 to 8 and for kids 9+.  Individual lessons for 5 to 8 year-olds offer basic drama and storytelling skills - parental involvement required.  For kids 9+, acting, public speaking, storytelling and mime.  Group lessons for kids 9+ focus on creating character, working with text, teamwork and building a theatre vocabulary.  For details, go to the website or email the CCAC.   

BUSINESS NEWS

Your opinion matters

The Cabbagetown BIA commissioned decorations in four store windows along the street during the Christmas season.  They called it “Deck the Holidays”.  They now want your reactions.  There’s a short survey online - click here to register your opinions.   

A reminder from Cycle Solutions

There’s been a big increase in cycling over the past nine months as COVID shutdowns took effect.  Sales at Cycle Solutions (444 Parliament) really jumped as a result.  Kale’s inventory was wiped out last summer and he’s now putting together his orders to his suppliers for the 2021 season.  He wants to alert everyone interested in buying a new bike to contact him now.  If you wait until the Spring, his suppliers may not be able to meet your needs.  

RESTAURANT NEWS

Go to the restaurants’ websites and Facebook pages for the menus from your favourite places - click here for the contact list.    

Stout’s Friday night special

Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton) now has a regular Friday night special.  This week’s dinner for two is a Jamaican jerk bone-in pork chop with guava coulis, candied yams, broccolini and caesar salad.  Serves two, $70.  Order your favourite craft beer or add a bottle of Laurent Miquel red wine - email Erin to place your order.  

St Jamestown Steak & Chops

Yummy meatloaf - comfort food for the lockdown.  Call Mark at (416) 925-7665 or email him.  516 Parliament.

A girl’s gotta have it

Chocolate, of course.  Spruce (455 Parliament) has Compartes bars - Coney Island Caramelized Waffle Cone, Cookies & Cream, California Dark Chocolate Pretzels, Donuts & Coffee and Salted Pistachio. All available for pick-up or delivery.  Call Kim at (647) 748-4060 or email her.   

Pizza and a calzone

Every Wednesday, you can order any F’Amelia pizza plus a calzone for only $25.  Add on a bottle of red wine for an extra $20.  To order yours, email info@famelia.com or call (416) 323-0666, 12 Amelia. 

DOVA

Sicilian focaccia.  Pre-order on Thursday for delivery or pickup from Thursday to Sunday.  (416) 901-3501 and email info@dovarestaurant.com.  229 Carlton

Cyril’s soups 

This week’s soup is sweet potato with ginger and lime,  3 to 9 cups at $3/cup and 10+ cups at $2.50 per cup.  His juice is apple with cucumber and grape juice - 2 cups at $9.  His prices are the same but he’s offering a more flexible system for his quantities.  He’s offering soup containers in 2 cup, 3 cup and 4 cup sizes (minimum 3 cups).  You can also place bulk orders for freezing, banquets and special orders (minimum 10 cups) and save 50 cents per cup.  His soup deliveries are happening again. To order, email Cyril.

CONTACT INFO 

COVID regulations for retail stores 

There’s a business directory on the Cabbagetown BIA website with the COVID details listed beside each store’s info. 

Food services 

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.