The obvious questionWhat's she been doing? She’s been learning about local agencies and communities and marshalling federal government help for them. She lists her work on mental health issues and her focus on housing as priorities. She’s helped Covenant House, various Indigenous groups, Black entrepreneurs and community based sports groups. The building at 293 Parliament has been included in the federal rapid housing program
This election campaign
As COVID restrictions relax, she welcomes the chance to knock on doors and to meet voters personally. She’s held an ice cream social in St James Town. Her campaign headquarters is open at 96 Gerrard. Marci can be contacted by email. Her campaign has a website and social media. Phone (647) 417-6927.
LOCAL NEWS
Great choices at the farmers’ markets
These tomatoes are from County Left at Underpass Farmers’ Market (29 Lower River). Northumberland Fields in Cabbagetown (Riverdale Park, Sumach and Winchester) has lots of yellow corn as well as the widely popular peaches and cream. The Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market (Sumach and Winchester) opens every Tuesday from 3 to 7 pm. 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.
Congrats to Hazel Medina
Hazel has won the first award from the Dr Sandy MacPherson bursary. She’s headed off to York University next year to begin her studies toward a career as a pharmacist. Her guidance counsellor at Jarvis Collegiate describes her as “optimistic, delightful, easy to get along with.” She’s received a $2500 award to use toward her first year tuition and course expenses. Sandy died last October after a brief illness. In his honour, Community Matters Toronto created this bursary and we know that he would be proud to support a young student like Hazel. Please consider your support for future awards from the fund - it’s a great way to remember Sandy. Contact CMT for details.
Congrats to the Short Film Festival
The Cabbagetown Short Film Festival has been nominated for the 2021 Heritage Toronto Award. We’ll find out the results on Monday October 18.
It’s back - The New Roots Dinners
Daniel et Daniel (248 Carlton) supports Green Thumbs, Growing Kids through its New Roots Dinner series. GTGK helps children develop their relationship with the earth through school gardens and nature programs. This year’s dinner can be enjoyed at home. Four courses feature an Ontario cheese and charcuterie platter, summer blackberry salad, rainbow trout roasted with honey and rosemary with summer vegetables and a rosemary plum trifle. A vegetarian alternative is also available. $120 each. A $50 tax receipt is given for each order. Click here for ordering and menu information.
The Cabbagetown BIA is hiring
The BIA wants an events and administrative coordinator. Young people who want a short-term job to December 17 are invited to apply. It’s specifically aimed at youth. Applicants must be unemployed, out of school and between the ages of 15 and 29. The deadline is 5 pm on Friday August 20. Check the BIA website for the job description, pay and contact details.CafeTO Artwalk
Celia Moase’s art is on display at Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton). Her images are drawn from her home on Prince Edward Island.
Christopher Dew’s new book
Christopher has published his new book, Ulysses - Coming Home. He tells the story of the greatest sled dog that the north has ever known. Kidnapped, taken to California for medical research and then sold to a dealer who collects and sells rare animals. He escapes and begins his 2500 mile trek back to his home. It’s a classic adventure told in the great Jack London tradition. Christopher is the Executive Producer of the television series The Littlest Hobo. You can buy your copy at Friesen Press and at Amazon.
Beth Kaplan’s Loose Woman
In 1979, Canadian actor Beth Kaplan agreed to live and work for four months in a community of intellectually disabled men in Provence. Her memoir Loose Woman is an intimate, sometimes hilarious tale with an unforgettable cast of characters. She describe her astonishing transformation from sexually adventurous, quasi-alcoholic actor into a resolute young woman embarking on a brand-new life. You can order your copy directly from Beth, from a local bookstore or from Amazon.
Update about COVID vaccines
In Cabbagetown, Rexall (539 Parliament) has Pfizer. They’re vaccinating children 11 and up. Shoppers Drug Mart (467 Parliament) has run out of vaccines for Thursday August 19 and expects an ample supply of Pfizer on Friday. Check other locations close to you. In Regent Park, Shoppers Drug Mart at 593 Dundas E. In St James Town, the Shoppers at 565 Sherbourne. In Corktown, the Shoppers at 351 Queen E. The stores are accepting walk-ins plus you can check the websites for Rexall and Shoppers to get times and details and to make appointments.
Fighting the tags
Congrats to the volunteers and the Cabbagetown BIA staff for your cleanups last weekend on the storefronts in our area. (Photo: Cabbagetown BIA)
Weekend cycling routes
Lake Shore East (east bound lanes) from Leslie to Woodbine and Bayview Avenue from Rosedale Valley Road south to Corktown Common are open for bike traffic from 6 am Saturday August 21 to 9 pm on Sunday August 22. (Photo: Robin Pueyo)
Foundry progress report
Keep the Foundry campaign alive and help to stop the demolition by making a donation and by signing the petition. By Wednesday August 18, 23,453 people had signed the petition to stop the Foundry demolition and $33,291 had been donated to the Legal Defence Fund.
CABBAGETOWN FESTIVAL
Updates
Normally, the Festival weekend falls after Labour Day - September 10 to 12. We know now that the street events along Parliament and Carlton will not be held this year. The big art show in Riverdale Park is still up in the air - the organizers are preparing for it but they don’t have confirmation yet from the City that they can use the park.
Cabbagetown Short Film Festival
30th anniversary online festival. This year, you can buy one Access Pass that admits you to three different programs. Each program has 6 or 7 short films. Once you open a program, you’ll have up to 72 hours to watch its films. There’ll be a total of 20 shorts from Canada, the USA, Morocco, Russia and Spain. 7 of these films are from Toronto including Cleo Brown’s award winning The Young Wife. Here’s your link to buy your Access pass.
Blair’s Run
Once again, it’s a virtual event - September 10 to 19. The Cabbagetown Youth Centre is now part of Toronto Kiwanis Boys & Girls Club. The building is being renovated - it’s extensive and expensive. Proceeds from Blair’s Run will ease the burden. Brenda McNee urges us ”to support these efforts through Blair’s Run so that we can go home again! And so the wonderful community programs offered at the CYC can resume and new ones can grow!” Form your street team and register here.
KIDS STUFF
Store hours at the Book Bank
The Children’s Book Bank (350 Berkeley) will be closed on Sundays and Mondays in September. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are reserved for community drop-ins from 10 am to 6 pm. Fridays are school drop-in days from 10 am to 3 pm. Saturdays are community drop-in days from 10 am to 3 pm.
Lego books for the Children’s Book Bank
Donations are being accepted on Saturday August 21 between 11 am and 2:30 pm. Lego books are really popular - if you have any to spare, please include them in your donation. And if you have any extra Lego, include it as well. 350 Berkeley.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Furnished apartment to rent
Spacious one-bedroom basement apartment in Cabbagetown, steps from streetcar and Parliament St. yet startlingly tranquil. Private entrance through a beautiful garden, high-ceilinged living-room with dining space and kitchen, dressing-room, bathroom with huge shower, full-sized washer/dryer, bedroom. Fully furnished. $1700 a month, including utilities and high-speed wifi. Someone quiet and reliable with references, please; prefer longterm but short-term also possible, two month minimum. Available November 1, possibly a bit earlier. Email for info.
IN THE MEDIA
Bike lane on Bloor Street
The Toronto Star’s fixer, Jack Lakey, wrote about the closure of a bike lane on Bloor just west of Parliament. It’s shut to facilitate work being done on Tridel’s new towers at that corner. The response from the City’s Traffic officials reads like a formula from a PR textbook. (Photo: Jack Lakey, Toronto Star)
BUSINESS NEWS
Seasonal Clearance at Kendall & Co
Save up to 50% on select furniture, rugs, art, home accessories and gifts. While quantities last. Check out Kendall’s sale now on their website. Take advantage as they make room for new arrivals and renovate to launch a new and improved customer experience in August. Email for an appointment for in-store shopping of their furniture, rugs, wallpaper, drapery, blinds and reupholstery - noon to 5 pm Monday to Saturday. 514 Parliament St. (416) 363-9914
COMING EVENTS
Learn about future Regent Park development
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and Tridel along with Toronto Community Housing are holding three meet ’n greet sessions. The focus is on Phases 4 and 5 in Regent Park (the yellow and red areas on the map). Thursday August 19 (Athletics Field, Sumach and Shuter), Tuesday August 24 (Big Park, Sackville and Dundas) and Thursday August 26 (Athletics Field, Sumach and Shuter) - each session runs from 5 to 8 pm.
Under the Stars
This week’s movie is the season’s finale. Wednesday August 25 at 7 pm. The film is the documentary Subjects of Desire. This is an online event. The pre-show starts at 6 pm. This week, watch short films from Sketch Working Arts’ Tiny Adaptations and Toronto Ward Museum’s Block by Block. Free. Register here.
Taste of Regent Park
On Wednesday August 25, it’s butter chicken night by the Regent Park Catering Collective. Last Wednesday’s dinner included a takeaway dinner from Mya Bay (Parliament and Carlton) and mango coconut tapioca pudding courtesy of FreshCo. 40 Oak Street.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Have they left off anything here?
Join the Irv’s annual lobster fest. Check out these lobster cheese fries with russet fries, lobster claw meat, mornay sauce, lemon zest, feta cheese and chives. There’s more on the menu - lobster tacos, lobster mac ’n cheese, lobster rolls, surf ’n turf burger and a surf ’n turf main. August 16 to 22, 195 Carlton.
Cyril’s soup
Cyril is making green gazpacho - a classic in southern Spain. It’s freezable, dairy free and gluten free. Ingredients include cucumbers, green peppers, green apples, onions and garlic. For extra flavours, he’s adding green onions, jalapenos, celery and lime, mint and cilantro. His juice has raspberries and apples. Soup - one to 9 cups at $3/cup, 10 or more cups at $2.50/cup. Juice - 2 cups for $9. Email him to place your order.
EVENTS, CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS
THURSDAY AUGUST 19 TO SUNDAY AUGUST 29
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, the prices are listed.
THURSDAY AUGUST 19
Underpass Park Farmers’ Market
4 to 7:30 pm, 29 Lower River Street
Outdoor HIIT classes with Adem
7:15 am, Sprucecourt School (70 Spruce). Parliament Street Fitness. Members are free, non-members welcome, $15 or ten-pack at $125.
FRIDAY AUGUST 20
Drive ’N Queens
8:30 pm, CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St), $162 to $326 (per vehicle).
SATURDAY AUGUST 21
Mini Pop Kids
Noon, CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St), $121 to $175 (per vehicle).
SUNDAY AUGUST 22
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.
MONDAY AUGUST 23
Trivia at Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia, hosted by Josh Fishbane. (221 Carlton)
TUESDAY AUGUST 24
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.
Trivia at Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia, hosted by Josh Fishbane. (221 Carlton)
Reel Asian Film Festival: Paper Tigers
7:30 pm, CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St), free
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25
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.
Under The Stars
Online movie night. Subjects of Desire at 7 pm. Pre-show activities at 6 pm. Free. Register for the online event - RegentParkFilmFestival.com
THURSDAY AUGUST 26
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.
FRIDAY AUGUST 27
Skratch Bastid & Friends
7 pm, CityView Drive-In (20 Poulson St), $63 to $64
SUNDAY AUGUST 29
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.
