May 26

CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD 

REVIEW



FEATURED ARTIST


Martha Preston

Martha’s delicate watercolours are a perfect fit for Spring.  See more of them on her page at Cabbagetown Artists. (This image:  Martha Preston, Morning Glory)


Cabbagetown Artists

This site introduces local artists to our local community.  Six artists are featured here.  They’ve been adding new images regularly.  It’s a site where you can happily browse and see works by people you know.  And you can purchase any that appeal to you. (This image: Michael Cavanaugh, Cabbagetown Variety). 


LOCAL NEWS


Doors Open Toronto

On Saturday May 28 and Sunday May 29, intriguing buildings across the GTA will be open for public tours.  Free.  Several are in our neighbourhood.  The Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E) - Saturday and Sunday.  St Peter & St Simon Church (525 Bloor E) - Saturday and Sunday.  Toronto Humane Society (11 River) - Saturday and Sunday. St Paul Basilica (83 Power) - Saturday and Sunday.  Little Trinity Church (425 King E) - Saturday and Sunday.  Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (106 Trinity) - Sunday.  Deaf Culture Centre (15 Mill St, Distillery) - Saturday and Sunday.  Details about each site are available online.


Doors Open at Waterfront Toronto

Join a virtual tour of the Port Lands Flood Protection construction site as part of Doors Open.  See how the river banks are being built.  Look behind the fences at the new bridges and Firehall 30. Live footage from on-site cameras.  Saturday May 28, 11 am.  Click here for reservations and more info.  Free.


Vote early

Four locations for advance voting have been set up across Toronto Centre.  They’re open through May 28 from 10 am to 8 pm.  Take your pick - you can vote at any one of them. St Lawrence Community Centre (230 The Esplanade), 519 Church Street, Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne) and Regent Park Community Centre (402 Shuter).  You can also vote at the Returning Office (161 Bay, 27th Floor) - check here for the time and details.  (Photo: Mathias Memmel, Twitter) 


A special election site

Toronto Centre candidates talked to Doug Fisher about their issues for this campaign.  Our local concerns need to be discussed and this page introduces the candidates and their priorities. It also has contact info for the candidates.  Click here to check it out.


233 Carlton programs

The 233 Carlton Centre will replace the services currently being offered for women at 67 Adelaide.  The City of Toronto has a website describing the facility and its services.  There’ll be space for 35 women to stay overnight. Three meals will be provided daily for them and for drop-ins who arrive during the day.  No one will line up outside for the meal services. Laundry and shower facilities will be available.  The City says, "Together with partner agencies, the Adelaide Centre currently also offers one-on-one informal and crisis counselling, enhanced case management, housing and follow-up support, a monthly legal clinic, literacy and pre-employment programs, a computer lab, mental health services, social programs, an art group, a foot clinic, a seniors' group, journaling group, workshops, cultural celebrations, referrals to ID clinics, settlement services, employment workshops and dental care."


Blair’s Run

Last September’s Blair’s Run was the most successful in its history.  Among its highlights - a $10,000 gift from Mark at St James Town Steak & Chops and $5,000 from Sinking Ship Productions.  In total, $53,015.39 was raised for the Cabbagetown Youth Centre.  Wellesley Street was the best fundraising team ($6.436) - thanks to its captain, Susan Freeborn.  Michelle Keightley  is the captain of the Alley Cats from Woodstock, Flagler, Bowman and Sackville Place.  They had the biggest team.


Cleo’s film

Cleo organized grocery deliveries for seniors and disabled people during the COVID lockdowns.  It was a welcome service.  She has, of course, stopped doing this and has returned to her professional life.  She’s now a script supervisor in film and television. She’s also a film maker and her film The Young Wife screened at the Cabbagetown Short Film Festival and is currently at The Female Eye Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox until June 10.   It’s been included in several other exciting film festivals - click here to find out about it.


Danny Marks

It’s been a while since we caught up with Danny.  He’s busy.  He’s on 91.1 FM on Saturdays from 8 pm to midnight and on Tuesdays from 11 pm to midnight.  On June 4, he’s at the Orangeville Jazz and Blues Fest and on June 5 he’s at Castros in the Beach.  He’s got a new song. Read about it and listen to it here


ActiveTO

Once again, the City of Toronto is closing nearby roads for cyclists and pedestrians. Bayview will be closed from Rosedale Valley Road to Lawren Harris Square from 7 am on Saturday May 28 to 7 pm on Sunday May 29.  From 7 am to 7 pm on Sunday May 29, Lake Shore Blvd (eastbound lanes) will be closed from Windemere to Stadium Road.  The City of Toronto has published some interesting statistics. On May 15 last year, 5,000 cyclists and 1,100 pedestrians used the Bayview ActiveTO route from Rosedale Valley to River Street.  South of River Street, 3,200 cyclists and 1,100 pedestrians used this route.  On May 16, 5,600 cyclists and 1,400 pedestrians used the north section and 3,400 cyclists and 1,100 pedestrians went south. 


Update from Green Thumbs Growing Kids

After the two-year pause forced on everybody by COVID, GTGK is back in the school gardens with the kids.  They’ve planted seeds in Allan Gardens and Regent Park.  When they sprout, they’ll be transplanted to the schools and the kids will help.  Rebecca Davis is the Urban Agriculture specialist.  She’s selected plants that grow to a child’s eye level with fruit that’s colourful, appealing and easy to pick. When the fruit is harvested, the kids will wash it, prepare it and enjoy salads in the gardens. The school gardens are in Rose Avenue, Sprucecourt and Winchester and GTGK helps with a garden at Nelson Mandela Park. You can read all the details online here.


The Underpass Park Farmer’s Market

The Market (29 Lower River Street) opens on Thursday May 26 from 4 to 7:30 pm.  It runs every week until October.


Volunteer at the Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market

Three slots are available for volunteers - set-up from 1:30 to 3 pm, the market itself from 3 to 7 pm and take-down from 6:45 to 7:45 pm.  Check out all the details on the Market’s Facebook page. If you’re interested, email Ellie and please use the title “Cabbagetown Farmers Market Volunteer”. 


Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces

Sunday June 5 from 10 am to 3 pm with 11 gardens on the program.  Several extra events are planned. The CBC’s gardening expert Paul Zammit will be there along with master gardeners who can answer your questions.  On June 5, many local merchants will offer special discounts to tour supporters.


Tickets for the garden tour

Tickets for Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces are now on sale, $20.  They’re available online now - credit card sales.  Five local stores are also selling them - cash sales only.  Akasha Art (204D Carlton), Epicure Shop (473 Parliament), Fairway Variety (520 Parliament), Jay’s Garden Centre (360 Gerrard E) and Spruce Home Decor (455 Parliament).  Two other businesses outside the area are also selling them - Davenport Garden Centre (360 Davenport, 1465 Bayview and 903 Pape) and Sheridan Nurseries (2827 Yonge N).  


Streetscapes in Bloom

Every year, the Cabbagetown Preservation Association presents an award to a garden for its design and impact.  We can nominate any location in Cabbagetown, including our own - nominations are open now until Monday June 6.  Past winners and members of the CPA Board will visit each site four times during the gardening season.  For details about the awards and for a link to nominate your favourite, click here


Spring bird watching

Screech owl (photo:  Lawrence Bernstein). It’s been a great season for bird watching.  The screech owl was hidden on a Wellesley Street tree branch but it was discovered because some local robins were dive bombing it.


Max and Sarah have a feeder in their yard and it attracts beautiful orioles. 

 

Robin’s nest (Photo:  Peter Kent). Peter and Cilla have a robin with her nest tucked away above their front porch - the babies have hatched and are peeking out of the nest.  


Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum Historical Tidbit

By Sally Gibson.   This lovely hand-tinted stereograph card depicts Roselands, the residence of Samuel Ridout on the west side of Seaton Street just north from Queen. While the people photographed have not been identified, it appears that the elderly lady in the voluminous black dress and little white day cap may be the widow Ridout.  Her equally elderly Samuel Ridout is not in the photograph and had perhaps gone to meet his maker before the photograph was taken. He had died on June 6, 1855. The vine-laden trellises fronting the porch provide privacy, refreshing greenery, and perhaps sweet-smelling climbing roses. The seated lady in pink seems to be wearing a fashionable 1850s dress with broad sleeves, pinched waist, V-shaped bodice, and hooped skirt created by a caged crinoline. How she was able to sit down remains something of a mystery. The gentleman, by contrast, seems comfortably attired and thoughtful. Other people in the photograph include a young woman wearing an apron who might have been a maid and a solemn-looking child who is dressed as an adult, as were many children at this early date.  (Image:  Roseland stereograph ca 1860 TPL R-5796.)


COMING EVENTS


Garage sale for the Ukraine

Katherine Ashenburg is having a four-star garage sale at 401 Carlton (across from Riverdale Park) from 10 am on Saturday May 28.  Antiques, near-antiques, conversation pieces, some small furniture and much more. Excellent prices.  If it rains, the sale will happen on Sunday.


Bike Tune-up

Charlie’s Freewheels and Gateway Bike Hub are holding a tune-up day in Regent Park.  Free air, oil, minor adjustments and advice.  Saturday May 28, 10 am to 5 pm.  Regent Park Athletic Grounds (Sumach and Shuter).  


Enoch Turner Schoolhouse

Annual meeting and special lecture. The guest speaker is historian Mark McGowan talking about the 1847 Irish Famine and the great migration to Toronto.  Tuesday May 31.  Annual meeting at 6 pm and lecture at 6:30 pm. 106 Trinity.


Sprucecourt School picnic and concert

Wednesday June 1.  This year’s concert will be held outdoors.  Families are invited to bring a blanket and a picnic dinner to enjoy from 5 to 6 pm.   The concert will take place from 6 to 7 pm. Kindergarten to Grade 6 classes will perform. 70 Spruce Street.


IN OUR SHOPS


Epicure is back

Patty has reopened her popular Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) after the fire that happened several weeks ago in the back behind the store. The fire itself did no damage.  Smoke came into the shop and everything had to be sanitized or restocked.  She’s happy to report that she’s open again - everyone is now welcome to come inside and shop for sandwiches, fresh products, coffee and pastries. It’s good news.


THEATRE & DANCE NEWS


Verge

The Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (509 Parliament) is staging Verge at 8 pm on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28.  The program features world premiere works by Deborah Lundmark Jennifer Archibald and Charlotte Boye-Christensen and favourites Reset by Roderick George and Arena by Colin Connor.  Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay W).  For more info and tickets, click here.


Where the Blood Mixes

A coproduction between Native Earth and Soulpepper.  Winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama in 2009.  “Where the Blood Mixes takes us to the place where the rivers meet, to the heart of a family. After decades apart, Christine returns to her First Nations community to reconnect with her father. Her return provokes his memories of the Residential School system and together they must confront that legacy. With beautiful heart and great humour, this is a celebration of resilience and the healing power of stories.”  On stage now to June 26.  50 Tank House Lane.    For more info and tickets, click here.


RESTAURANT NEWS


Clay Day at The Irv

Clay is the chef at The Irv (195 Carlton).  A short while ago, he and his father were walking home from a concert when Clay was attacked on the street.  Stab wounds clipped his heart and his abdomen.  He’s facing a long recovery.  The Irv is hosting a Clay Day on Sunday May 29 - half of the revenue from sales that day will go to Clay to help him pay his bills. Thanks also to the Maple Leafs who arranged for an autographed Auston Matthews jersey - it’ll be one of the raffle prizes given away on Sunday.  If you can’t get to The Irv, you can contact Regan at the Irv and he’ll put you in touch with Clay.


Patio pups at the Dominion

Both patios at the Dominion on Queen (500 Queen E) are dog friendly.  Bring your pooch along while you enjoy a drink and a bite.


Karaoke at Alice’s Place

Alice’s Place (554 Parliament) is home to Cabbagetown karaoke every Friday night.  From 9 pm.


Beer & cheese luncheon

The Aviary (484 Front E) and Longslice Brewery have teamed up to present a guided beer and cheese tasting with Bocage Cheese. Four cheeses will be paired with a flight of Longslice Brewery beers. After that, enjoy The Aviary’s  smash burger topped with raclette from Bocage and served with a side and a Longslice Brewery pint.  1 pm, Saturday May 28, $60.  Tickets are available at Eventrite.


Cyril’s soup

Cyril is back after his brief break last weekend.  He’s making a vegan split pea soup - it’ll be thick, courtesy of falling apart split peas and will also feature carrots, potatoes, herbs, and spices, including smoked paprika - 3 to 9 cups for $3/each and 10 or more cups for $2.50/each.  His juice is pineapple, lime, orange and mango - 2 cups for $9. Send him an email to place your order.

May 19

 CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD 

REVIEW



A PERSONAL VIEW


Parking woes

Last week, I wrote about contractors and delivery people who just park everywhere and take over the street regardless of other people.  Steve emailed me to express his frustration about the indifference he received when he called the City’s 311 number about a big pile of gravel dumped on the street.  So, he suggests that we have a contest to show the worst parking offences.  Send in your photos.  We’ll figure out how to judge them, how to pick a winner and what prizes we’ll offer. Maybe we’ll have a special category for a photo of a Parking Control Officer who blocks the street. Get out your phones, everybody - this could be the start of something big! Send them here.  


FEATURED ARTIST


Jack Grunsky

Jack is the artist who inspired all of our artists’  Features back in January 2020.  This is his first image.  Watch for Jack’s new page coming soon to Cabbagetown Artists.


Cabbagetown Artists

This site introduces local artists to our local community.  There are currently five artists featured here.  More are coming soon.  In addition, these artists have been adding new images regularly.  It’s a site where you can happily browse and see works by people you know.  And you can purchase any that appeal to you. (This image: Eric Morse, Night Rain). 


LOCAL NEWS


Jess Goddard, Progressive Conservative Candidate

Ms Goddard was invited to sit down with Doug Fisher and chat about the current election.  She declined the invitation. You can reach her at the following links - Phone (647) 609 5976, EmailFacebookTwitterInstagram.  Her campaign office is located at 654 Yonge St


A special election site

Toronto Centre candidates talked to Doug Fisher about their issues for this campaign.  The theme of these conversations was simple - we can read the big province-wide issues in the big Toronto media but our local concerns also need to be discussed.  This page covers those interviews.  It also has contact info for the candidates.  Click here to check it out.


233 Carlton operations

When the work is finished at the women’s drop-in centre (233 Carlton) in November 2023, several agencies will be involved in its 24-hour drop-in program:  Fred Victor will be the centre’s operator. Dixon Hall and Yonge Street Mission will participate along with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the University Health Network, Regent Park Community Health Centre and Street Haven.  The 233 Carlton centre will replace the services currently being offering for women at 67 Adelaide.  The City of Toronto has a website describing the facility and its services.


Volunteer at the Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market

Three slots are available - set-up from 1:30 to 3 pm, the market itself from 3 to 7 pm and take-down from 6:45 to 7:45 pm.  Check out all the details on the Market’s Facebook page. If you’re interested, email Ellie and please use the title “Cabbagetown Farmers Market Volunteer”.


Thanks to the volunteers

The Forsythia Festival needed over 100 volunteers to run so smoothly.  Katie Tozer who organized it notes that many of the volunteers were teens from the neighbourhood.  They did a great job. And they receive a credit at school for their efforts.  Katie hopes that parents will send their teens along again next year when the program will expand and they’ll help with more fun activities.  Good work, everyone. 


Supporters of the 2022 Forsythia Festival

Many thanks to the businesses and individuals who contributed so generously to the Forsythia Festival.  Fourteen gold sponsors gave over $500 - they were listed here last week.  Nine more contributors are listed in the Silver group ($200 to $499): Daniel et Daniel (248 Carlton), Evelyn Sommers, Psychiatrist, Fair Trade Jewellery (576 Parliament), Home Life/Realty One (501 Parliament), Little House Cannabis (307 Wellesley), Salt & Tobacco (521 Parliament), Sam Richardson, The Great Mallard (503 Parliament) and DOVA (229 Carlton).  Six donors are in the Bronze ($50 to $199):  Absolute Bakery (589 Parliament), Carlton Dry Cleaners (252 Carlton), Fairway Market (520 Parliament), Labour of Love (223 Carlton), Spruce (455 Parliament) and Velvet Lane Cakes (194A Carlton). 


Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces

The tour takes place on Sunday June 5 from 10 am to 3 pm with 11 gardens on the program.  Several extra events are planned. The CBC’s gardening expert Paul Zammit will be there along with master gardeners who can answer your questions.  On June 5, many local merchants will offer special discounts to tour supporters.


Tickets for the garden tour

Tickets are now on sale, $20.  They’re available online now - credit card sales.  Five local stores are selling them - cash sales only.  Akasha Art (204D Carlton), Epicure Shop (473 Parliament), Fairway Variety (520 Parliament), Jay’s Garden Centre (360 Gerrard E) and Spruce Home Decor (455 Parliament).  Two other businesses outside the area are also selling them - Davenport Garden Centre (360 Davenport, 1465 Bayview and 903 Pape) and Sheridan Nurseries (2827 Yonge N).   


Streetscapes in Bloom

Every year, the Cabbagetown Preservation Association presents an award to a garden for its design and impact.  We can nominate any location in Cabbagetown, including our own - nominations are open now until Monday June 6.  Past winners and members of the CPA Board will visit each site four times during the gardening season.  For details about the awards and for a link to nominate your favourite, click here.


Whoa - wonky recipes

The Cabbagetown Preservation Association has just published its Spring newsletter.  Among the thoughtful articles is a page-long description by Tory Gzebb of cooking techniques for roasted raccoons and squirrels.  The writer claims that Elizabeth Simcoe along with French chef Pierre Blot (in his 1866 celebrity cookbook) and an unnamed American soldier all recommended raccoon as a tasty delicacy. (Photo: live science)


COMING EVENTS


Bike Tune-ups

Charlie’s Freewheels and Gateway Bike Hub are holding a tune-up day in Regent Park.  Free air, oil, minor adjustments and advice.  Saturday May 28, 10 am to 5 pm.  Regent Park Athletic Grounds (Sumach and Shuter).  


Paint night at the Sumach

Wednesday May 25, 5 pm, everyone welcome. It’s an evening full of fun with step-by-step guides by an experienced artist - Tanya Zbili is an acrylic painter who has lead Paint Nights across Canada for the past six years.  Supplies and refreshments are provided. Please RSVP through the event link - scroll down to th May 25 entry.  Sponsored by the Sumach (146 Sumach).


Save the date - Cabbagetown Preservation Association

The CPA will host its annual meeting at 7 pm on Thursday May 26. It’ll be a Zoom event.  The guest speaker will be Adam Bunch, author of Toronto Book of the Dead.  The Zoom link is here. The meeting ID: 849 1105 1226 and the passcode: 214066.


Doors Open Toronto

On Saturday May 28 and Sunday May 29, intriguing buildings across the GTA will be open for public tours.  Free.  Several are in our neighbourhood.  St Peter & St Simon Church (525 Bloor E) - Saturday and Sunday.  The Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E) - Saturday and Sunday.  Toronto Humane Society (11 River)  - Saturday and Sunday. St Paul Basilica (83 Power) - Saturday and Sunday.  Little Trinity Church (425 King E) - Saturday and Sunday.  Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (106 Trinity) - Sunday.  Deaf Culture Centre (15 Mill St, Distillery) - Saturday and Sunday.  Details about each site are available online.


Enoch Turner Schoolhouse

Annual meeting and special lecture. The guest speaker is historian Mark McGowan talking about the 1847 Irish Famine and the great migration to Toronto.  Tuesday May 31.  Annual meeting at 6 pm and lecture at 6:30 pm.


THEATRE & DANCE NEWS


Is God Is

Presented by Canadian Stage at the Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley).  On stage to May 22. Tickets and info are available online.  


Lesson in Forgetting

Presented by Pleiades Theatre in the Young Centre (50 Tank House Lane). Can love alone suffice when everything else is lost.  Onstage to May 22.


Verge

The Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (509 Parliament) is staging Verge at 8 pm on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28.  The program features world premiere works by Deborah Lundmark Jennifer Archibald and Charlotte Boye-Christensen and favourites Reset by Roderick George and Arena by Colin Connor.  Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay W).  For more info and tickets, click here.


Where the Blood Mixes

A co-production between Native Earth and Soulpepper.  Winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama in 2009.  “Where the Blood Mixes takes us to the place where the rivers meet, to the heart of a family. After decades apart, Christine returns to her First Nations community to reconnect with her father. Her return provokes his memories of the Residential School system and together they must confront that legacy. With beautiful heart and great humour, this is a celebration of resilience and the healing power of stories.”  May 26 to June 26.  50 Tank House Lane. For more info and tickets, click here.


RESTAURANT NEWS


Clay Day at The Irv

Clay is the chef at The Irv (195 Carlton).  A short while ago, he and his father were walking home from a concert when Clay was attacked on the street.  Stab wounds clipped his heart and his abdomen.  He’s facing a long recovery.  The Irv is hosting a Clay Day on Sunday May 29 - half of the revenue from sales that day will go to Clay to help him pay his bills. If you can’t get to The Irv, you can contact Regan at The Irv and he’ll put you in touch with Clay. 


Good news for ice cream addicts

Lansdowne Cone (555 Dundas E) is reopening for the summer on Friday May 20.  Go to the serving window just east of the former Paintbox.  Open Monday to Thursday from 3 to 10 m.  Friday from 3 to 11 pm. Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 11 pm.  They even have a website and a Facebook page.


Coming soon

A taco restaurant is taking over the former Butter Chicken Factory site on the south side of Prospect and Parliament.  No news yet about who, what or when.


Cyril’s soup

This weekend is the long May holiday, so Cyril is enjoying a break.  He’ll be back next week.