This week’s image: the Distillery is getting busy again.
CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW
FEATURED LOCAL ARTIST
Martha Preston
“Flowers - everything about them - have always fascinated me. I can never get enough of their beautiful colours, structures and perfumes.”
Martha is online - check out her Instagram and Facebook pages.
Morning Glory
“Growing in my garden I would watch these beauties open up every morning and I could see how the morning light fell into the hollow of the flowers. The light creates an illuminating pink that makes them appear transparent.”
LOCAL NEWS
Renaming the streets
City Council appears ready to rename Dundas Street. Some local streets will soon come under scrutiny as well - they’re included on a list that’s been drawn up by City of Toronto staff for further study and public input. Jarvis, for example, is named for William Jarvis who owned six slaves. Wellesley Avenue, Wellesley Place and Wellesley Street commemorate the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley who opposed giving the vote to Jewish men. (Photo: Giordano Ciampini/The Canadian Press)
Thanks, Nick
Nick Rondinelli at Heart2Heart (216 Carlton) is providing free training and equipment to front-line workers dealing with opioid poisoning. Over the past month, he’s trained 65 workers and another 50 are lined up. His training combines first aid response, basic life support, naloxone administration and protective equipment like a Bag-Valve Mask. He also gives out a free backpack with full PPE (gown, gloves, eye protection, N95 mask), Bag-Valve Mask (BVM) with HEPA filter and a one-way valve pocket mask. It’s his way to respond to the incredibly difficult opioid crisis facing our community. Thanks, Nick. You can see more details on his Facebook page.
Sand wasps in Wellesley Park
The Parks department has posted a sign about sand wasps living in sandy playgrounds. It’s a useful and reassuring comment. These wasps rarely sting humans and they eat nuisance insects like house flies, mosquitos and deer flies. At this time of year, females are capturing their prey and bringing it to their larvae in the nest. Watch for them in playgrounds and on ball fields. If their populations grow too thick, the Parks staff will bring in an exterminator and will post the parks.
Loud fence on Carlton
Orange ribbons are tied along a front fence on a house on Carlton west of Parliament. It’s a home for Indigenous people. The ribbons declare this as a “loud fence” in tribute to the children who died in residential schools. Thanks to Annie Massey for posting this info.
Under the Stars
This popular outdoor film festival will go online during the summer. Every Wednesday evening from August 4 to 25. Four movies are scheduled, sponsored by the Regent Park Film Festival. The movies are free and tickets are required. Check out the details online. Watch for the movie announcements later in July.
Taste of Regent Park
The Taste of Regent Park is also returning, this time with free take-out meals available every Wednesday from 6 to 7 pm until August 25. During August, they’ll be coordinated with the movie programs at Under the Stars. Donations are welcome. 40 Oak Street.
This week at the Farmers’ Markets
The Cabbagetown market recovered nicely from last week’s stormy weather (Riverdale Park, Winchester and Sumach). Fresh produce is now abundant. Caledon’s Kooner Farm had cucumbers, zucchini, radishes, potatoes, lettuce and young onions. The strawberry season is almost finished. In Corktown, the Underpass Park Farmers’ Market is booming. Fifth Town Artisan Cheese goes to both markets and they reported that Underpass (29 Lower River Street) is bringing in lots of people from the surrounding condos.
Pop-up vaccination clinic
A pop-up clinic happens on Saturday July 10 at the Regent Park Community Centre (402 Shuter) from 7 am to 8 pm. First and second doses are available - it’s a walk in event. No appointments needed.
Parliament Street Library
The Library (269 Gerrard E) is open six days a week - Monday to Friday, 9 am to 8:30 pm and Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, closed Sunday. Limited to 25% capacity. Please wear your mask and use the hand sanitizer. You can browse and borrow items, work read or study (limited seating), reserve and use a computer, print, photocopy and scan your material, place a hold and return your books. There’s more, especially for kids. Check the Library website for details.
Weekend cycling routes
The bike lanes return to River and Bayview south to Corktown and north to Rosedale Valley Road on the weekend. Lake Shore East (east bound lanes) from Leslie to Woodbine. 6 am on Saturday to 9 pm on Sunday. (Photo: Robin Pueyo)
Foundry progress report
By Thursday June 30, 23,398 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.
Lookin’ good
Clare, Wendy and Virginia were snapped by Louise at the weekly Quarantini. Rick organizes these drink-a-thons every Friday at 6 pm in front of his house. Everyone’s double-vaxxed. He’s drawn people from Spruce, Sword and other neighbouring streets and he’s created a friendly community there despite the lockdown restrictions. Congrats Rick! (Photo: Louise Koepfler).
Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum Historical TidbitBy Sally Gibson. Victorian Cabbagetown was awash in tea. British, Irish, other nationalities were devoted to their daily “cuppas.” So local grocery stores, like Uncle John Vernon’s Cabbagetown Store at Parliament and St David’s streets, hauled in mighty lead-lined tea chests from China and other exotic locations. Grocers took delight in making their own blends. “Our Uncle John prided himself on the taste with which he blended his teas,” nephew John V McAree recalled in his book about the store. And for many years, his personal blend sold very well until locally blended tea was superseded by the new thing in the 1890s: pre-packaged tea. It was less bulky. There was no loss in weighing. No waste. Swiftly handled. And hermetically sealed with no loss in taste. It was a great boon to many but not poor Uncle John, who never took to the innovation. Customers in the early days particularly liked Ram Lal from India and Mazawattee from Ceylon. The Mazawattee brand image is quite odd to modern eyes: a grey-haired granny and a young girl labelled “Old Folks At Home.” The ad, like the tea, hit the spot and drove up cash registers in old Cabbagetown. (Image: Mazawattee Tea Tin 1890s). For more Cabbagetown history, photos and videos visit the CPM Facebook page.
KIDS NEWS
Jake’s skateboarding clinic
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.
Children’s Book Bank
The Bookworms Program for kids 3 to 12 years old has started online. It’s a free reading experience. Email for more info. The Book Bank store (350 Berkeley at Gerrard) is open again for in-store visits on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 5 pm. Closed Friday to Monday.
COMING EVENTS
Farmers’ Markets schedules
The Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market (Sumach and Winchester) opens 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.
IN THE MEDIA
Every Child Matters Walk
The Walk last Thursday was held to honour former students of Residential Schools and those who perished while enrolled. It started at Toronto Council Fire (430 Dundas E at Parliament), continued to Yonge and Dundas and then reached Toronto City Hall. Erin Leblanc and Ashleigh-Rae Thomas describe Toronto’s march and the other events across Canada in their Toronto Star story. There’s more local content and photos on the blog Biking in a Big City. (Photos: Biking in a Big City).
Support for The Hub
The Hub will be a centre for Indigenous health, housing, employment and cultural services at Cherry and Front Streets. Paul Waldie has written a story in the Globe & Mail about the gift 0f $530,000 from Barry and Laurie Green. Click here to read it.
YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS
Apartment for rent
Available September 1. Spacious one-bedroom Cabbagetown basement apartment, fully furnished. Private entrance through gorgeous garden, high-ceilinged living room with dining space and kitchen, dressing room, bathroom with big shower, full-sized washer/dryer, bedroom. Use of part of garden. Startlingly tranquil, ideal location. $1700 a month including utilities and high-speed wifi. Quiet reliable person with references. Prefer long term but short term also possible, one month minimum. Email Beth for more info.
BUSINESS NEWS
Hair salons, barbershops and nail spas
They’ve reopened. These businesses have really suffered - they’ve been locked down longer than most others. So drop in at Star Nails (442 Parliament), one of our longstanding regulars. They’ll welcome you from 10 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 7 pm Saturday and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday.
Outdoor fitness and yoga with Parliament Street Fitness
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). Manissa is holding Learn to Run classes in Riverdale Park (Winchester and Sumach) 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.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Cocktail Night at Fusilli
Wednesday July 14 from 7 pm. Enjoy three courses - mixed crostini, flank steak with arugola and Parmigiano and passion fruit tartufo. Each course is paired with a special cocktail. Call for reservations, seating is limited - (416) 214-5148. 531 Queen E
DOVA at the Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market
DOVA (229 Carlton) is one of the Market vendors. Don’t miss its booth. Tiramisu is available there in conveniently sized containers good for two people - only $10. Heavenly stuff.
Breakfast from Noushe
Granola from Noushe (200 Carlton) - healthy and delicious. Drop in to their new food shop and check out their pre-packages meal.
Cyril’s soup
Cyril is making a summer minestra. Just add the pasta of your choice and you’ll have a minestrone. As usual, it’ll be loaded with vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery and more), legumes (kidneys, cannellini and chickpeas) and herbs (basil, oregano). His juice is strawberry, apple and ginger lemonade. Soup - one to 9 cups at $3/cup, 10 or more cups at $2.50/cup. Juice - 2 cups for $9. Email him to order.
EVENTS, CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS
THURSDAY JULY 8 TO SUNDAY JULY 18
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, the prices are listed.
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). Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
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)
MONDAY JULY 12
Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia, hosted by Josh Fishbane. (221 Carlton)
TUESDAY JULY 13
Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market
3 to 7 pm, Riverdale Park West (Winchester & Sumach)
Outdoor HIIT training 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 14
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.
Slo Flo yoga with Robin
9:30 am. Zoom. Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
Cocktail night at Fusilli (531 Queen East)
7 pm, (416) 214-5148 for reservations, $75
THURSDAY JULY 15
Underpass Park Farmers’ Market
4 to 7:30 pm (29 Lower River Street)
Outdoor HIIT training with Adem
7:15 am, Sprucecourt School (70 Spruce). Offered by Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
Horseshoe Chill-o-rama: Jim Cuddy Band - concert
7 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $117 to $467 (per vehicle)
FRIDAY JULY 16
Horseshoe Chill-o-rama: Stars - concert
7 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $117 to $409 (per vehicle)
SATURDAY JULY 17
Horseshoe Chill-o-rama: Skydiggers & the Sadies- concert
6 pm. CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St). $117 to $467 (per vehicle)
SUNDAY JULY 18
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.
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.
