This week’s image: A soggy blowout at the Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market. It really poured down during Tuesday’s market. (Photo: Irene DeClute).
CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW
A PERSONAL VIEW
Streetside patios
After last week’s report about the two tiny seating areas, one wag has mentioned that, “At last, we’ve got benches on Parliament Street!”
“Flowers - everything about them - have always fascinated me. I can never get enough of their beautiful colours, structures and perfumes. Watercolours of flowers I see in my home and garden or on my travels are my path to art therapy. I’m fairly new to this medium and found myself devoting more time to it during Covid-19 lockdown. I’m inspired every day by nature's beauty and will continue taking my camera everywhere and growing in this wonderful art of watercolours.”
She's online - on Instagram and on Facebook.
Brown-Eyed Susans.
“This was inspired by a trip to Manitoulin Island. Every day I would go for very long walks and every where I looked the gardens were filled with these sunny beauties and their brown centred buttons.”
Thursday July 1, 10 am. The Walk is honouring former students of Residential Schools and those who perished while enrolled. It starts at Toronto Council Fire (430 Dundas E at Parliament), continues to Yonge and Dundas and then reaches Toronto City Hall
F’Amelia (12 Amelia) is serving oysters and drinks from 1 pm on the patio - open until 4 pm or until they run out of oysters. Regular dining is closed for Canada Day.
Riverdale Farm (Winchester east of Sumach) is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily, including Canada Day. Underpass Park Farmers’ Market (29 Lower River Street) is open from 4 to 7:30 pm.
The CRA is looking for volunteers to join its Board of Directors. It should be a good time to do it. The COVID lockdowns reduced the CRA’s workload and its excitement but 2021 and 2022 are looking more normal and successful. The CRA has a website and a Facebook page.
Make your donation and watch it double! GTGK supports school gardens. Since the pandemic started, it’s expanded online to nine more schools in four more cities. To handle this extra work, GTGK has hired students supported by the Canada Summer Jobs program. That funding ends on July 9, just before the harvesting season and eight weeks before school starts. Two generous supporters have given $8,000 and the challenge is to match these donations and to raise $16,000. Click here to learn more and to make your gift.
Lake Shore East (east bound lanes) from Leslie to Woodbine and Lake Shore West (east bound lanes) between Windemere and Stadium Road will close to motor vehicles from 6 am on Saturday to 9 pm on Sunday to allow safe wide routes for biking. No announcement yet about Bayview from Rosedale Valley Road south to Corktown Common and Mill Street. (Photo: Robin Pueyo)
By Thursday June 30, 23,397 people had signed the petition to stop the Foundry demolition and $33,041 had been donated to the Legal Defence Fund. The links for the petition and online donations are here.
Jake will teach your kids basic techniques for better skateboarding experiences - getting comfortable on their boards, basic maneuvering, reaching for higher standards. He’s using the Underpass skateboard park and Riverdale Park East. Helmets required. $25/hour. Call him at (647) 901-9559 or email him to set the time and place for your first session. Instagram jake.z99.
Watch for the Bookworms Program for kids 3 to 12 years old. Starting Wednesday July 6 - exclusively online. It’s a free reading experience. Email for more info. The Book Bank store (350 Berkeley at Gerrard) is opening again on Tuesday July 6 for in-store visits - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 5 pm. Closed Friday to Monday.
A summer camp is planned for Parliament Square Park (Parliament at Mill) during the mornings on July 5 to 9 and July 12 to 16. Boys and girls are welcome, ages 6 to 12. $225/week or $50/day. Send an email to get more info and registration.
It’s back - check out the Live Entertainment calendar at the bottom of the page.
Farmers’ Markets schedules
The Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market (Sumach and Winchester) will be open every Tuesday from 3 to 7pm. Underpass Park Farmers’ Market (29 Lower River Street) in Corktown is open on Thursday from 4 to 7:30 pm. Check out the Facebook pages for Cabbagetown and Underpass for the latest news about 2021 vendors and events.
CBC News interviewed Lisa Zbitnew, co-owner of The Phoenix (410 Sherbourne), about her plans to reopen. Thanks to Victoria Hadden for posting this conversation. Upcoming shows for September are listed on the Phoenix website.
Rekai has proposed a long-term care facility to be built on Cherry Street and Front across from the YMCA in the West Don Lands. Plans have been submitted to the City of Toronto for a Site Plan Approval. The building will have 348 beds, a seniors’ assessment centre, a dialysis clinic and a personal support worker college program. It’s been named the Cherry Place LTC. Urban Toronto has a detailed description of the plans. (Photo: Rekai, City of Toronto submission)
Wood carvers alert
Paul has cut down the last cherry tree from his front yard. He has some beautiful burls and extra timber. He’s interested in trading these supplies for a finished bowl. If you’re a carver, send him an email.
BUSINESS NEWS
Cycle Solutions
Kale says that he could sell at least one thousand bikes right now - if he had the inventory. Supply shortages are still plaguing Cycle Solutions (444 Parliament) and every other bike store. Check with him to see about the bikes that he’s still got in stock. His staff are still doing lots of repairs and servicing calls - please go to the website and book an appointment.
A bike repair pop-up shop is open in the Distillery beside Balzac Coffee. Services include free tire inflation and bike safety checks. There’s a special offer - save $20 - on a basic bike tune-up. Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm. Check out the website for more services.
PSF (488 Parliament) now offers outdoor HIIT classes with Warren at 6 pm on Tuesdays and with Adem at 7:15 am on Thursdays - both at Sprucecourt School (70 Spruce). In Riverdale Park (Winchester and Sumach), Manissa is holding Learn to Run classes on Wednesdays at 7 am focusing on techniques, strategy and healthy habits. Two yoga sessions are planned - Slo-Flo yoga with Robin is online on Wednesdays at 9:30 am and Yoga Flow with Alex is in Riverdale Park on Saturdays at 10:30 am. In case of bad weather, the outdoor classes will happen online. Classes are free for current members. Non-members welcome, prices vary. For more info, check out the PSF online calendar.
Wow - so this is what it’s like!
This week, I ate my first patio lunch in months. At the House on Parliament (454 Parliament). Streetcars were clanging past. Colourful local characters wandered by. The staff knew exactly what to do. We gossiped with other diners and with each other. We even managed to finish just before the rain pelted down. The photo shows what it's normally like. Lunch was terrific - I loved every minute of it! (Photo: blogTO.)
Noushe (200 Carlton) is a Persian inspired kitchen that combines traditional recipies with a modern culinary twist. The results are spectacular. Noushe has opened a beautiful food shop at Ontario and Carlton. The Cabbagetown BIA wrote a great review - “Inside you’ll find an array of delicious pre-packaged, chef-prepared meals that are ready to be heated and served, including vegan and gluten-free options. So whether you’re in the mood for pomegranate meatballs (Kofteh Anar), spinach yoghurt dip (Borani-e Spinach) or a slice of moist orange chocolate loaf, they’ve got everything you need for a delicious and easy-to-prepare meal. They’ve also got great grab-and-go picnic (and) lunch items!” Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6 pm. (416) 466-9596. Check out their offerings online.
Ron and Babs went to LJS Khasos (507 Parliament) and sat in the back patio - one of their favourite spots. For dinner, they had a Caesar salad, pasta with fungi, a sandwich and two glasses of wine. And french fries - which they describe as “the best we’ve had in Cabbagetown”. $68 plus tip and tax. They really are pleased with their meal. blogTO has also done an introductory article about the restaurant. (Photo: blogTO)
THURSDAY JULY 1 TO SUNDAY JULY 11
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, the prices are listed.
CANADA DAY THURSDAY JULY 1
Oysters and drinks on the patio
1 to 4 pm. At F’Amelia (12 Amelia). Regular dining is closed.
Underpass Park Farmers’ Market
4 to 7:30 pm, 29 Lower River Street
Summer House Party Tailgate - concert
4 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $35 (per vehicle)
Outdoor HIIT classes with Adem
6 pm, Sprucecourt School (70 Spruce). Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
SATURDAY JULY 3
Yoga Flow with Alex
10:30 am. Riverdale Park (Winchester & Sumach). Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
The Big Wreck - concert.
7 for 9 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $127 to 297 (per vehicle).
MONDAY JULY 5
Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia, hosted by Josh Fishbane. (221 Carlton)
TUESDAY JULY 6
Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market
3 to 7 pm, Riverdale Park West (Winchester & Sumach)
Outdoor HIIT classes with Warren
6 pm, Sprucecourt School (70 Spruce). Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia, hosted by Josh Fishbane. (221 Carlton)
WEDNESDAY JULY 7
Learn to Run classes with Manissa
7 am. Riverdale Park (Winchester and Sumach). Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome for 8-week package at $50.
THURSDAY JULY 8
Underpass Park Farmers’ Market
4 to 7:30 pm (29 Lower River Street)
Outdoor HIIT classes with Adem
6 pm, Sprucecourt School (70 Spruce). Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
The Reklaws - concert
8 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $185 to $320 (per vehicle)
FRIDAY JULY 9
Classic Albums Live: The Dark Side of the Moon - concert
8 pm - CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $185 to $320 (per vehicle)
SATURDAY JULY 10
Yoga Flow with Alex
10:30 am. Riverdale Park (Winchester & Sumach). Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
Drive ’N Queens series
8 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $232 to $279 (per vehicle)
CONTACT 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.