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Late
Summer 2004 Newsletter ~
Toronto Public Space Committee
1) MONSTER AD-BINS ~ September
Update
2) SAVE OUR TREES ~ www.saveourtrees.ca
3) RECLAIM THE STREETS!
September 17th!
4) SPACING ~ news and updates
5) NOW POLL ~ Vote Today!
6) [murmur] ~ In the Annex
7) JEFF FEST ~ Public Square
Permit Denied
8) ST. CLAIR ~ Support Designated
TTC Lanes
9) CALLING ON THE FEDS ~
With amplified response!
10) BIKE ROOTS ~ New cycling
food delivery project!
11) CALL FOR PUBLIC SPACE FILMS
12) TWO CBN EVENTS - Forum
& Party!
13) OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR VIOLENT ASSAULT
14) MEDIA DEMOCRACY DAY
~ Call for Participants!
15) PROJECT TORONTO: Art
Exhibit
16) SUPPORT the TPSC ~ We're
broke
______________________________________________________________
1) ATTACK OF THE MONSTER GARBAGE CANS! ~ September Update
On July 20th Mayor Miller and City Council voted against a staff request
to install 1,000 new recycling bins on our streets. Instead, they delayed
the process of reducing waste in Toronto by allowing a private company
(EUCAN) to install a handfull of 7 foot tall illuminated billboards attached
to garbage bins, as a pilot project. The EUCAN bins are ugly, dangerous,
intrusive and are not designed well as garbage containers.
The Eucan pilot project will take place this autumn. Stay tuned to find
out how to express your voice at City Hall.
Please visit our website for more details. www.publicspace.ca
______________________________________________________________
2) SAVE OUR TREES! Help Support the Private Tree Bylaw.
http://www.saveourtrees.ca.
Tree Advocate and Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone has proposed a by-law to
protect trees on private property from unnecessary damage or removal.
We need your help to ensure that the Private Tree Protection By-Law for
the City of Toronto is supported at the Planning and Transportation
Committee on Tuesday, September 7th.
Toronto Public Space Committee, Local Enhancement and Appreciation of
Forests (LEAF) and Toronto Environmental Alliance are leading the Save
Our Trees campaign in support of the by-law. We are asking groups and
individuals to join. Please visit www.saveourtrees.ca for information
and easy ways to contact the Planning and Transportation committee.
If you write an email or letter of support, include your full name, address
and postal code at the end.
If you have an opportunity to notify colleagues and friends who would
support this campaign, please forward the website address www.saveourtrees.ca.
For more information please contact:
Grace Ma or Wendy Strickland at LEAF: 416-413-9244 or
info@leaftoronto.org
______________________________________________________________
3) RECLAIM THE STREETS ~ TORONTO 2004
Toronto's 7th annual Reclaim the Streets will be held on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER
17th,
starting at 6PM in BELLEVUE PARK in KENSINGTON MARKET.
Mark your calendars & keep your ears to the ground for updates!
Performances by:
Maracatu Nunca Antes, The NOW Project, dj TASK and many many more....
performance art poetry music on instruments turntables & computers
fire balloons juggling puppets banners flags costumes food & many
other exciting things are in the works! join in! party with us!
Lend a hand!
We need help to distribute posters & flyers!
We need help to paint banners!
We need YOU!
We meet EVERY WEDNESDAY at 7PM in Bellevue Park.
Come to our next meeting, Wednesday September 1st.
There will be posters and flyers for pickup and distribution, as well
as lots of great people to hang out with and say hello to! After the meeting,
we will retreat to an as-yet-undisclosed location for a
very special banner-making party. Please bring your paints, your brushes,
and your sticks for banner holding!
For more info, email us at rtst@groovy.net
See you in the streets!
______________________________________________________________
4) SPACING Magazine
• Newsletter: If you want to receive Spacing-only information (exclusive
online content, Spacing events, subscription offers, calls for submissions,
etc.) you should signup for the Spacing newsletter so you're not left
out of the loop. It'll only take 10 seconds at most. Promise.
<http://www.spacing.ca/newsletter.htm>www.spacing.ca/newsletter.htm
• Word On The Street: Spacing is going to be at Word On The
Street this year! Come by and say hello on Sunday, September 26. We have
our own table and will be selling issues, subscriptions, and t-shirts.
We'll also be holding a draw for framed photographs taken by Spacing photographers.
Note: Word On The Street has moved from Queen St to Queen's Park Circle.
• Subscriptions: You can now order a Spacing issue or subscription
online using PayPal. Or you can download a PDF and send it in by mail.
www.spacing.ca/buy.htm
• Spacing.ca: Our website has articles posted that didn't appear
in the magazine. Read up on the public art installation WADE, a view from
the underground on Toronto's PATH system, and a photo essay on tile art
of the TTC. You can also check out Spacing's Escape Routes feature, and
our public space Hidden Gems. www.spacing.ca
______________________________________________________________
5) NOW MAGAZINE ~ BEST OF TORONTO
Now Magazine is having their annual "Best of Toronto" poll.
You can win a free iPod by filling in 25 categories! (Hint: Categories
include "Best Activist Organisation" [# 147] and "Best
Website" [# 82]....)
http://tinyurl.com/6llh3
(The deadline is Monday Sept 6th)
______________________________________________________________
6) [murmur] ~ In the Annex
[murmur] signs are appearing in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood! [murmur]
has been recording stories about the area – gathering tales of events
that have played out on the sidewalks, buildings and in the parks –
and put up signs in those locations with a telephone number and code.
Use a mobile phone to
hear what happened in the place you’re standing. Signs will continue
to appear over the coming weeks. If you have a story that takes place
in the Annex or Kensington Market (that project is ongoing) or know of
a story, please contact [murmur] at info@murmurtoronto.ca. Everybody’s
story is
important.
______________________________________________________________
7) JEFF-FEST ~ Permit denied for Albert Campbell Square
in Scarborough.
Jeff-fest, is a family oriented festival that is being planned for Saturday
September 4th to celebrate the life of Jeffrey Reodica, the 17 year old
Filipino youth who was shot to death by an undercover Toronto police officer
on May 21st, 2004.
The Justice for Jeffrey Campaign applied for permits for the event with
the help of Toronto Community Services and the Toronto Youth Cabinet.
On August 26th they learned that their permit for use of the public space
in front of the Scarborough municipal buildings had been denied because
of objections raised by Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker. The festival
organizers have been told that youth events are not allowed in the square
any more because of past problems.
Jeffrey's family and community have been trying to find out why their
son - an outgoing school and church club member, loving uncle and friend,
and a boy with no history with the police or gangs - was shot three times
in the back by a plainclothes police officer, who many eye witnesses say
did not identify himself to them.
Jeffrey's story disappeared from the news very quickly. He was portrayed
as a knife-wielding gang member in media reports. This is untrue, and
it seems clearer and clearer that this was a uncalled for shooting of
an innocent person who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
See www.reodica.com/jeff/index.shtml
for more information about Jeffrey and this case.
The Campaign is appealing the decision to deny the permit. Please take
a few moments today or tomorrow to write to Mayor Miller, Councillor De
Baeremaeker to demand that Jeff's family and community be supported in
their efforts to celebrate Jeffrey's life. Contact information is provided
below. What happened to Jeffrey should not be swept under the rug. His
family and community deserve answers and support.
GLENN DE BAEREMAEKER (Councillor Ward 38)
416-392-0204 Phone
416-392-7428 Fax
councillor_debaeremaeker@toronto.ca
MAYOR DAVID MILLER
416-397-CITY (ph)
416-696-3687 (fax)
mayor_miller@toronto.ca
______________________________________________________________
8) ST. CLAIR STREETCAR ~ Support the plan for designated
lanes!
On September 13th, committees of Toronto City Council will vote on the
proposal to create a "right-of-way" for the St. Clair streetcar.
City Council will vote on the proposal at the end of September. The decision
made at these meetings will affect how both the St. Clair area and all
of Toronto develops in the next few decades.
TPSC supports the right-of-way plan because we believe it will have a
positive impact on smog reduction, cyclist safety, better transit service
and a more vibrant community.
SCRIPT is a local community group in the St. Clair area that is advocating
for the right-of-way. Get involved now by visiting the SCRIPT website
for the petition and information about how to have your voice heard at
the September 13 Committee Meetings.
www.publicspace.ca/stclair
SCRIPT is the St. Clair Right-of-way Initiative for Public Transit
info@script2004.ca • 416-535-1617
______________________________________________________________
9) CALLING ON THE FEDS ~ With amplified response!
Thursday, September 2nd, 12:30pm
In the two months since the federal election, we have not heard or seen
any action towards building or funding affordable social housing, nor
has anything been said or done about any housing supports. So, as a follow
up to the Vote for Housing Fax-a-thon, we are going to call each party
and see what they plan to do about the housing crisis - we can't
let them ignore the fact that thousands of people across the country Voted
for Housing.
A sound system will be set up for all to hear the government's response.
Nathan Phillips Square
12:30pm Community Meal
1:00pm Phoning the Federal Government
info: Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC)
Phone: 416-599-8372 • tdrc@tdrc.net • www.tdrc.net
______________________________________________________________
10 ) BIKE ROOTS ~ New cycling food delivery project!
Bike Roots is an exciting new project designed to empower youth to serve
low income, low mobility people with home food delivery by bicycle.
Youth volunteers will cycle around Toronto delivering healthy food carried
on the back of a cargo trailer to low income, low mobility individuals
and families. Volunteers, aged 16-25, will receive training
in bicycle safety and repair; food security; business management; and
working with the elderly.
The Bike Roots project aims to improve the state of the environment and
reduce environmental health risks by empowering youth to use and promote
alternative transportation and local, sustainable, fresh
organic food.
Bike Roots is still in its pilot phase and has much room for growth. We
are currently in the process of recruiting our first volunteers (the deadline
for application is Thurs. Sept. 2). We are also just planning
the delivery routes. If you have any suggestions of organizations, groups,
or individuals that could use a cycling food delivery service, please
let us know! We would also welcome your questions and feedback.
Please contact Katie at bikeroots@greenestcity.org
or call (416) 392-1669.
Bike Roots is a partnership project between Greenest City, Scadding
Court Community Centre, FoodShare, Woodgreen Community Services, and
the Community Bicycle Network.
______________________________________________________________
11) CALL FOR PUBLIC SPACE FILMS
Spacing magazine would like to throw a few events featuring films focused
on public space issues (transit, parks, homelessness, walking, ad encroachment,
culture jamming, etc). We are looking for old and new flicks, local and
out-of-town films (short, long, funny, documentary, arty...). Please forward
us any films you may have seen or know of, or if you have made such a
film yourself.
info@spacing.ca
______________________________________________________________
12) TWO CBN EVENTS ~ Forum & Party!
SPEAKER SERIES: Eric Britton ~ September 21
Eric Britton - "Sustainable Transportation's Dirty Secret"
European Visionary, Leader and Charismatic Speaker
Eric's bio/website: ericbritton.org/htdocs/eb_index.htm
The Community Bicycle Network presents dynamic forums to
present fresh ideas and current issues. Free and Fun
6pm presentation followed by a question/answer/discussion
with the audience at 7pm.
AND.....
CBN ANNUAL MEMBERS EVENT: October 14
A full-on blast of entertainment to celebrate the cycling community in
Toronto and welcome CBN members. The $10 ticket buys you a CBN Membership.
This is the once-a-year chance to join at 1/2 price - and get a great
welcome package. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West. Doors open 8pm.
For info call CBN at (416) 504-2918 or visit www.communitybicyclenetwork.org
______________________________________________________________
13) OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR VIOLENT ASSAULT ON DEAF YOUTH OF COLOUR
Two Toronto police officers are on trial for violently assaulting Peter
Owusu-Ansah, a 25-year-old black youth who is deaf.
In the two years prior to the assault, Peter was stopped no less than
17 times by police for questioning or inspection of his identification.
Peter has learned that he is not safe on the street. As a person of colour,
he is targetted by police. As a deaf person, he faces enormous barriers
in
interacting with police who have little or no training regarding people
with disabilities.
Officers were charged after Peter reported that on September 13, 2002,
after playing basketball at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, he was
stopped by police. Peter reported that he was taken behind Northern Secondary
School, handcuffed, and beaten. The trial began in January, 2004.
Closing arguments by Crown and Defense have now been held over until September
1, 2004. A Coalition of Community Groups focused on race, disability,
and deaf issues will bring their membership to the trial to support Peter
and raise awareness of the police discrimination against people of colour
and people with disabilities. Public interest in these issues is continuing
to increase as Peter's story becomes more widely-known.
Date: Wednesday, September 1, 2004 Time: 10:00 am
Location: Scarborough Courts, Court Room 405
1911 Eglinton Ave. East
"When I first came to Canada, I was told it was a country where people
could be free, but I don't feel like I can be free. I feel like I am a
second class citizen." ~ Peter Owusu-Ansah
CONTACT: Shannon Slattery, Parkdale Community Legal Services (416) 531-2411
ext. 251 OR Elisabeth Brückmann, Parkdale Community Legal Services
(416) 531-2411 ext. 227 or (416) 562-7260 - 30 -
______________________________________________________________
14) MEDIA DEMOCRACY DAY ~ !Call for Participants!
The fourth Annual Media Democracy Day will be celebrated in Toronto at
Ryerson University on Saturday, October 16th 2004. We're looking for people
and organizations to put on Workshops and participate in an Alternative
Media Fair.
Modeled after Earth Day, Media Democracy Day is an international day of
education, celebration and protest designed to increase public awareness
around media issues, promote grassroots media alternatives and put media
reform on the political agenda at the local, national, and international
levels.
Two ways to participate in the action:
1. Organize a workshop.
Put your thoughts, expertise, and talents toward furthering Media Democracy!
You bring the ideas, we'll provide a classroom and help with publicity.
Workshop topics can range from hands-on skill sharing and media creation
to radical media theory, media literacy and media analysis. To submit
workshop proposals (or for more information) please email tor-workshops@mediademocracyday.ca
by September 3rd, 2004.
2. Join the alternative media fair.
The Alternative Media Fair will provide an opportunity for independent
and alternative media outlets, advocacy groups, and media jammers to exchange
info and display their work. To sign up for space (or for more information)
please email tor-mediafair@mediademocracyday.ca by September 3rd, 2004.
With ongoing concentration of media ownership and the privatization of
public space, building democratic tools for communication is a more pressing
issue than ever before. Help revitalize, rekindle, and recreate public
discourse. Animate the action at this year's Media Democracy Day festivities.
Join us!
Please visit and contribute ideas at www.mediademocracyday.org.
Take a one-minute survey to help us decide on a MediaDemocracyDay.org
slogan: http://www.MediaDemocracyDay.org/survey1
Email us: core@mediademocracyday.ca
Thanks!
______________________________________________________________
15) PROJECT TORONTO: Art Exhibit
Exhibition Dates: September 1- October 31st
Opening Reception: September 9, 7-10
Who is Toronto Free Gallery?
We are a new not-for-profit art space located at 660 Queen Street East.
Our vision is to provide a forum for relevant social and cultural issues
expressed through all media. Toronto Free Gallery is intended to be a
creative laboratory. We aim to provide artists with a space to experiment,
explore new ideas, question norms and challenge both themselves and their
audiences.
What is Project Toronto?
To celebrate our opening in September our first exhibition of the season
will be for Toronto. Project Toronto is a juried group exhibition,
which aims to derive new insights into the problems confronting the urban
landscape of Toronto. We have invited artists, architects, urban
theorists, writers, and others from various disciplines to submit
proposals, which examine issues in the categories of atmosphere, space,
community, environment and transportation.
www.torontofreegallery.org
______________________________________________________________
16) 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
==============================
Toronto Public Space Committee
~ Reclaiming the Streets ~
253 College Street, Box 372
Toronto, ON M5T 1R5
contact@publicspace.ca
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