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Late
Fall 2004 Newsletter ~
Toronto Public Space Committee
current subscribers: 1,850
1) LISTENING TO TORONTO
~ Public Forum THIS SUNDAY!
2) MONSTER GARBAGE CANS
~ Pilot project preparing for take-off
3) SPACING: ISSUE #3 ~ Work
& Play Issue - Release Party on Dec 9
4) CYCLE & RECYCLE CALENDAR 2005
~ Buy one today!
5) TV-B-GONE - Turn off
TVs, anywhere!!
6) BIKE RACKS COMING TO TTC BUSES?
~ It's about time.
7) BUY NOTHING DAY #13 ~
Friday November 26th
8) CRITICAL MASS ~ Friday
November 26th
9) SAVE A GREENSPACE ON THE DANFORTH
10) NOW MAGAZINE ~ BEST OF TORONTO
~ thank you!
11) SUPPORT the TPSC ~ We're
still broke
______________________________________________________________
1) LISTENING TO TORONTO
Have something to say about our city? Mayor David Miller and Toronto City
Council invite you to a city-wide "Listening to Toronto" session.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
1 - 5 p.m.
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
You MUST pre-register because seating is limited. Registration is on first-come,
first-served basis until all seats are taken.
To register call Access Toronto: 416-338-0338
Registration phone-lines are open weekdays, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
______________________________________________________________
2) ATTACK OF THE MONSTER GARBAGE CANS! ~ November Update
When a private company asked City Council if they could cover Toronto's
sidewalks with hundreds of new illuminated billboards standing over seven
feet tall....they said yes! Asleep at the wheel again, our Councillors
dragged our public spaces even further into the garbage dump of wall-to-wall
advertising.
The billboards, attached to garbage cans, will begin to appear this winter
as a pilot project.
If you see one (they'll be hard to miss), please notify us!
send an e-mail to: monsters@publicspace.ca
for more info, visit: www.publicspace.ca/monster.htm
We're still hoping David Miller will change his mind and sweep these billboards
away with his broom.
______________________________________________________________
3) SPACING MAGAZINE - ISSUE #3 ~ Release Party: Dec 9th
at the ElMo
The editorial team of Spacing is pleased to announce that our third issue,
the Work and Play In Public Space issue, will hit newsstands on Thursday
December 9th.
As usual, Spacing will throw a big bash to launch our new issue on Thursday
Dec. 9th, at Toronto's legendary El Mocambo. Show up anytime after 9pm.
Musical guests are Reid Jamieson and Friends, and Audible. Also performing
will be Dylan Studebaker, a punk rock street magician. We will be projecting
large images captured by Spacing photographers. You can also win a subscription
to Spacing by entering our raffle that night.
Issue 3 cover section features articles on: early morning bird rescuers;
Chinatown street vendors; the un-wired worker; street youth; street hockey;
the city as a playground; outdoor theatre; subway parties; and what it's
like to be a graffiti cop.
Release Party!
When: Thursday December 9th
Where: El Mocambo (462 Spadina Ave. and Spadina and College)
How much: $10 cover, which includes a copy of new issue
please visit: www.spacing.ca
______________________________________________________________
4) CYCLE & RECYCLE CALENDAR 2005 ~ get one!
A Network of cycling and recycling advocates (15 non-profits from US and
Canada) has published the Cycle and Recycle wall calendar, reusable in
the years 2011 and 2022, when the 2005 calendar comes around again.
The 2005 calendar is dedicated to our lost hero Tooker Gomberg, featuring
artwork by Ontario's own Anne Hansen. The calendar also has great photos,
art and information from all over the world.
check it out at: www.publicspace.ca/2005calendar.htm
The Toronto Public Space Committee is selling the calendars for $15.
Proceeds from this project go to the Toronto Public Space Committee and
the Tooker Gomberg Activist Fund.
______________________________________________________________
5) TV-B-GONE - Turn off TVs, anywhere!!
Mitch Altman thinks that televisions in public spaces are like second
hand smoke. So he's invented a keychain remote control that turns them
off!!
According to the company, the device can turn off every model of U.S.,
Asian and European television. The "TV-B-Gone" has become a
smash hit since it launched just a few weeks ago, now appearing on over
45,000 websites.
"I consider TV-B-Gone a personal safety device," Altman said
in a statement.
WANT ONE? GET IT HERE: www.tvbgone.com/home.php
______________________________________________________________
6) BIKE RACKS COMING TO TTC BUSES? ~ It's about time.
From Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists (ARC):
TTC Commissioners have voted to request a report for implementing a pilot
project for bike racks on buses that will be received at their February
meeting.
Cyclists are great at complaining. Celebrating improvements are also important.
Let's flood the TTC with praise. (www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/contact.htm)
And it's time to turn the pressure up on GO Transit. Bike racks on buses
were on ARC's wish list in our 2004 'Bicycling in Toronto' report card
and in 2002 ARC lobbied GO Transit to get bike racks on buses and brought
the issue to the attention of Toronto City Council who passed a motion
calling for more bike-friendly policies at GO Transit.
ARC report card:
www.respect.to/library/ARC_ReportCard_2004.pdf
City Council motion:
www.respect.to/pipermail/arcannounce/2002/000137.html
______________________________________________________________
7) BUY NOTHING DAY ~ Friday November 26th
It's "Buy Nothing Day" again! This is the thirteenth annual
un-celebration of consumer culture.
Plug in: www.adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/
______________________________________________________________
8) CRITICAL MASS ~ Friday November 26th
What better way to celebrate Buy Nothing Day! Laugh at the gridlocked
gas-guzzlers as you and hundreds of cyclists ring your bells and pass
them all, waving....
Last Friday of each month: 6pm sharp, Yonge & Temperance (btwn richmond
+ adelaide)
"We're not blocking traffic, we ARE traffic".
______________________________________________________________
9) DOES THE DANFORTH NEED MORE PARKING? ~ (no. there's
a subway under it)
Live on the Danforth? You can help a local group protect a little greenspace:
The Logan Green Field is at 921 Logan Avenue, north of the Danforth, on
the east side of the street. A plan has been brought forward to create
a 14 space parking lot and "parkette" in this space. (both built
by the Toronto Parking Authority). Twice before, in 1997 & 2000, a
parking lot was proposed, residents were surveyed and the plan was soundly
defeated by ballot. This time, Case Ootes, the current Ward 29 Councillor,
supports the plan and rejects the idea of a vote. He says that this plan
is a compromise between merchant need for more parking and resident need
for more green space.
The Logan Green Field Working Group are working to stop this parking lot.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 27: There is going to be a parade & community action
starting at 11:00 a.m. in the Green Field. (Rain or shine) Bring kids,
dogs, musical instruments (well, not the piano) and your good spirits.
Contact is Janet Muise at 416-463-3878 for more info.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 30: Case Ootes is holding a meeting at 7:30 at the Estonian
Hall (958 Broadview, at Browning). Meet us at the Logan Green Field at
6:45 if you would like to join us in a community walking bus to the meeting.
If you believe in a healthy city/community/neighbourhood, this is your
chance to voice your opinion to our elected representative.
"We know how busy everyone is but you must help if you believe the
field is worth saving. It's our neighbourhood and our voice needs to be
heard!"
For more info please contact:
ourgreenfield@hotmail.com
______________________________________________________________
10) NOW MAGAZINE ~ BEST OF TORONTO
"Best Group Dedicated to Pumping Shared Conciousness and the Public
Good"
Toronto Public Space Committee!
"In a city of mega money and marauding development, these frenetic
grassrootsers are to be found wherever there's a chance to redo the landscape
in ways that prompt human connection. Spacers head out into the night
to plant seeds and seedlings in our commons, paint abandoned bikes, protect
the rights of the people's press (posterers) and campaign against neuron-blitzing
billboards. In their downtime, they try to sell residents on de-fencing,
the better to hang with our neighbours. Pick up their Spacing magazine
and give your besieged inner citizen an inspiring jolt."
Thanks NOW. We like you too.
______________________________________________________________
11) SUPPORT the TORONTO PUBLIC SPACE COMMITTEE
The Toronto Public Space Committee relies 100% on community donations.
Please make a financial contribution today towards our campaigns so we
can continue with this newsletter, run our campaigns and provide an alternative
voice inside City Hall. Thank You!
publicspace.ca/donate
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Toronto Public Space Committee
~ Reclaiming the Streets ~
253 College Street, Box 372
Toronto, ON M5T 1R5
contact@publicspace.ca
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