Mayor Olivia Chow's Toronto

[Metroscapes]

Just a note to everyone posting Twitter links; many of us cannot follow the link, it prompts for a sign-in.

If you could any of:

Screenshot the preview
Provide a summation
Or link to an original source if applicable

It would be much appreciated.

Damnit Elno.

 

[Towered]

The NIMBYs were out in force at High Park. These NIMBYs don't want improvements made to High Park, but are fine somewhere else.

I happened upon that irritating protest yesterday (I was out biking). A bunch of elderly white people milling about whining - in other words, the local moneyed gentry giving in to their basest NIMBY instincts. So undignified. You could practically smell the privilege.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From May 3, 2023, link.

Residents angry after staff destroy beloved 20-year-old garden oasis​

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Dated May 12, 2023, from link.

Beloved community garden destroyed by TCHC set to bloom again ​

A beloved garden in midtown that was razed into dirt by Toronto Community Housing will be rebuilt using a one-time grant of $50,000, council decided this week.

“It was an oasis in a very busy part of our town,” said Coun. Josh Matlow, who brought a member’s motion about it to this week’s council meeting, where it received overwhelming support.

“This was a treasured community space — treasured by residents of the building itself, but also by the whole community.”

All but one councillor — Michael Thompson (Ward 21 Scarborough Centre) — voted in favour of the motion. The money will come from Section 37 funds, which are funds developers pay in exchange for building exemptions, and which are meant to be used in the communities in which they are raised.

The garden was built at 133 Broadway Ave. by resident Brian Gorrell over 10 years. Gorrell says he spent $20,000 of his own money planting hedgerows, tulips, lilies and petunias, installing a fence and a koi pond, lights and fountains, and quirky tchotchkes, like chandeliers.

The space became a magnet for barbecues and birthday parties in the community. Gorrell, 53, was married there.

In February, TCHC removed everything from the garden, leaving nothing but bare ground, saying elements of the display presented a fire hazard — including the straw Gorrell used to protect his plant beds in winter. Everything in the garden was thrown in the garbage.

Gorrell said the straw was buried under snow when TCHC plowed the space. He said the community rallied around him after the Star ran a story about his garden, dropping off flowers and pinning thank-you notes to his door.

“Although I’m very upset that I lost everything — I still grapple with the idea that all of my things have been thrown in the garbage — I just feel that peoples’ reactions have been worth more than any amount of money,” Gorrell said Friday.

“It proves that society gets a bad rap until they’re confronted with an injustice, then you see the collective power a group can put forward to effect change. The garden can never be the same, but any attempt is better than no attempt to make a wrong a right.

“The community needs a garden. They needed a space where they can escape, and that’s all I ever wanted.”

Council also voted to have the city’s ombudsman investigate the incident, “to provide accountability to Gorrell and his neighbours, and provide recommendations to ensure that the city and all its agencies, encourage creativity and animation of both public and private spaces.”

Matlow, who is running for mayor, said it wasn’t just that the garden was destroyed, it was how it was destroyed.

“They went beyond removing several items that were cited as a fire hazard, threw out every personal item and ripped up every tree and flower bed,” Matlow wrote in his motion.

The money will be forwarded to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation as one-time capsule funding to rebuild the garden, in consultation with Gorrell and the residents of 133 Broadway Ave.

Does anyone have images from this month?

 

[Admiral Beez]

Parks and Facilities Masterplan - A normative document, largely produced by third party consultants with guidance from staff, that by and large changes very little from what would have been done otherwise.
The Ravine Strategy - Almost entirely unfunded with no significant projects moving forward; it also wasn't necessary, as it largely rehashed and repackaged existing ideas and wish lists.

Facilities? Ravines? Until the squatters are removed from Allan Gardens I have no time for anything this city government has to say about our parks or ravines. Put a fence around the park and close it at dusk for everyone if need be. At least we’d get our park back during daylight. That’s what they did with Central Park in NYC when it became untenable at night, and where the park is closed to the public from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. It’s much the same in London, UK where the downtown parks such as Hyde Park are closed at dusk.

 

[DSC]

I was looking at the Agenda for the Nominations Committee and note there are 42 Non-Council groups (excluding BIAs) to which Councillors are appointed. With 25 Councillors this is (or could be) a heavy load and Councillors really are busy people. Time to do some pruning! Some are certainly 'statutory' appointments but do we really need 5 Councillors on the Board of Exhibition Place?

Councillors can express an interest and it is 'interesting' that none have rushed forward to volunteer for some of these slots!

Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) Board of Directors	2+Mayor
Toronto Hydro Corporation Board of Directors	2+Mayor
Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation Board of Directors	1+Mayor
Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (Waterfront Toronto)	1
Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee	1
Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board	4
Housing Rights Advisory Committee	1
Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee	1
Toronto Francophone Affairs Advisory Committee	1
Toronto Music Advisory Committee	1
Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (2SLGBTQ+) Advisory Committee	2
Board of Health	6
CreateTO Board of Directors	1+Mayor
Exhibition Place Board of Governors	4+Mayor
TOLive Board of Directors	2+Mayor
Toronto Atmospheric Fund Board of Directors	2+Mayor
Toronto Parking Authority	2
Toronto Police Services Board	2+Mayor
Toronto Public Library	1+Mayor
Toronto Transit Commission Board	6
Toronto Zoo Board of Management	2
Heritage Toronto Board of Directors	1
Toronto Preservation Board	1
Art Gallery of Ontario Board of Trustees	2
Artscape Toronto	1
Campbell House Board of Management	1
Canadian Film Centre Board of Directors	1
Canadian National Exhibition Association, Municipal Section and Board of Directors	5+Mayor
Canadian Stage Company Board of Directors	1
Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors	2
Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) Consultative Committee	2
Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee (GTA AAC)	1
Guild Renaissance Group Board of Directors	1
Harbourfront Centre Board of Directors	1
Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors	3
Housing Services Corporation	1
National Zero Waste Council Management Board	1
Ontario Good Roads Association Board of Directors	1
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority	10
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Partners in Project Green Executive Management Committee	1
Toronto Arts Council	2
Toronto Global	2
Toronto Symphony Board of Directors	1

 

[W. K. Lis]

The mayor can sit in any of Toronto's committees, commissions, or departments, even after all positions have been filled by the councillors.

 

[DSC]

The mayor can sit in any of Toronto's committees, commissions, or departments, even after all positions have been filled by the councillors.

Are you suggesting that this is a good use of her time?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Are you suggesting that this is a good use of her time?

She can be doing other work as she sits in the audience or back row. Then interrupt when needed.

 

[DSC]

She can be doing other work as she sits in the audience or back row. Then interrupt when needed.

Oh yes, I suppose she could be writing a novel or knitting too. You really do have a very odd idea of how a "chief executive' should spend their time. This is what the City website ( https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/u...ayor-city-council-learning-guide-brochure.pdf ) says:

The Mayor is a member of all committees and is entitled to one vote.
The Mayor also chairs the:
• Executive Committee
• Striking Committee –The Mayor recommends to Council the membership of the Striking Committee and may designate the Deputy Mayor as chair of the Striking Committee
• Civic Appointments Committee – The Mayor may designate any member of Council to chair the Civic Appointments Committee
The Mayor is a member of the Toronto Police Services Board and the Exhibition Place Board of Governors, although City Council, with the consent of the Mayor, may appoint another member to take the Mayor’s place.
Council can designate another Member of Council to preside at Council meetings, subject to the consent of the Mayor. Council has decided to do this by establishing the positions of “Speaker” and “Deputy Speaker”. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker serve for the term of Council.
Council has delegated to the Mayor the power to appoint and remove the Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee chairs.
The Deputy Mayor assists the Mayor, is Vice Chair of Executive Committee and can act as Mayor when the Mayor is absent from the City or absent because of illness, or when the office of the Mayor is vacant.
The Deputy Mayor has, and may exercise, all the rights, power and authority of the Mayor, save and except the by-right-of-office powers of the Mayor as a member of a community council.

 

[T3G]

If a 2 wheeled scooter goes squirrely, you cannot lean, shift weight or easily regain control without falling off or fishtailing it.

The flipside to that is that unlike on a bike, if an escooter falls over, provided you are not driving at a crazy speed, you land on your feet and right yourself easily.

I've had a few bike accidents in the last few years where the bike overbalanced or tipped over that have made me rather skittish about getting on another one. Being able to right myself immediately would have been a huge asset. And it goes without saying that if you overbalance or fall off and you happen to do so right into the path of an oncoming car, you are screwed, be it on a scooter, or a bike.

The lesson here is we should ban bikes too, right?

When I was in Hungary there were many poor people but hardly (if any) homeless on the streets.

In Budapest, they take a hardline approach to homelessness, panhandling, etc which I can only assume is tourism related. The one homeless person I did see was removed from the eastern train station by police. She was considered to be trespassing and no warnings were issued, the options given were an escort off the property or an escort to jail if she refused.

Well, Hungary's approach to dealing with social ills is unlike any European city I have ever been to.

It is true that globally, there are far less homeless people in most major European cities than cities like Toronto, though few of them seem to have adopted the Hungarian approach of making homelessness illegal rather than, you know, trying to help these people.

However, the number is not 0, and the fact that apparently people don't do drugs in Hungary (like I buy that), doesn't account for drunk people or vandals.

 

[DSC]

The flipside to that is that unlike on a bike, if an escooter falls over, provided you are not driving at a crazy speed, you land on your feet and right yourself easily.

I've had a few bike accidents in the last few years where the bike overbalanced or tipped over that have made me rather skittish about getting on another one. Being able to right myself immediately would have been a huge asset. And it goes without saying that if you overbalance or fall off and you happen to do so right into the path of an oncoming car, you are screwed, be it on a scooter, or a bike.

The lesson here is we should ban bikes too, right?


Well, Hungary's approach to dealing with social ills is unlike any European city I have ever been to.

It is true that globally, there are far less homeless people in most major European cities than cities like Toronto, though few of them seem to have adopted the Hungarian approach of making homelessness illegal rather than, you know, trying to help these people.

However, the number is not 0, and the fact that apparently people don't do drugs in Hungary (like I buy that), doesn't account for drunk people or vandals.

Indeed, following the lead of the current Hungarian government is certainly NOT a path we want to take.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From link.

Municipalities existing in 2001: City of Montreal (186 square kilometres (72 sq mi)) and 27 independent municipalities

Island of Montreal on January 1, 2002, after the merger. (500 square kilometres (190 sq mi))

Island of Montreal currently as of January 1, 2006: City of Montreal (366 square kilometres (141 sq mi)) and 15 independent municipalities

Montreal was one of the cities in Quebec affected by the 2000–2006 municipal reorganization in Quebec.[1] On January 1, 2002, all the municipalities on the island of Montreal were merged into the city of Montreal.

However, following a change of government in the 2003 Quebec election and a 2004 referendum, some of those municipalities became independent cities again on January 1, 2006. The recreated cities did not regain all of their previous powers, however. A new urban agglomeration of Montreal was created, which resulted in the recreated cities still sharing certain municipal services with Montreal.

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The Toronto amalgamation occurred despite a municipal referendum in 1997 in which over three-quarters of voters rejected amalgamation,

Once Montreal de-almagamated, they were able to implement more cycling lanes and more pedestrian friendly initiatives than Toronto was able to. Many times the Toronto suburban councillors were against improvements, like the Jarvis Street cycling lanes. Hopefully, we will be able to turn away from the automobile sprawls initiatives many of the suburban councillors crusade for.

 

[DSC]

From link.

Municipalities existing in 2001: City of Montreal (186 square kilometres (72 sq mi)) and 27 independent municipalities

Island of Montreal on January 1, 2002, after the merger. (500 square kilometres (190 sq mi))

Island of Montreal currently as of January 1, 2006: City of Montreal (366 square kilometres (141 sq mi)) and 15 independent municipalities

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Once Montreal de-almagamated, they were able to implement more cycling lanes and more pedestrian friendly initiatives than Toronto was able to. Many times the Toronto suburban councillors were against improvements, like the Jarvis Street cycling lanes. Hopefully, we will be able to turn away from the automobile sprawls initiatives many of the suburban councillors crusade for.

You need to look at cause and effect. Yes, Montreal built more bike paths after de-amalgamation but so did virtually EVERY municipality in North America - including MANY Montreal suburbs.

 

[just east of the creek]

This is not a critique of Toronto's current 66th Mayer, nor its previous, John Tory who was number 65. However for anyone interested in all of Toronto's first 65 mayors, and the politics and issues of the day that shaped their time in office, may I recommend "Toronto Mayors" by Mark Maloney, published by the Dundurn Press in 2023. At 500 plus pages it is not your typical Google entry. There is a lot of information and some of it may startle you. There are ongoing conversations today, where the content may differ, but the subject line has not changed from conversations of past generations.

 

[smably]

Ben Spurr has a preview of Mayor Chow's appointments:

Olivia Chow has picked her team at city hall, sources say. An inside look at which councillors are set to play key roles

Toronto’s new mayor has elevated a handful of left-leaning councillors, while still retaining a few John Tory favourites in key roles.

www.thestar.com

We have:
Malik as statutory deputy mayor
Colle, Morley, and McKelvie as fake deputy mayors
McKelvie as chair of Infrastructure and Environment
Nunziata stays on as speaker but is off the police board
Perks as chair of Planning and Housing (weird choice but OK!)
Bravo as chair of Economic and Community Development
Carroll as budget chief
Myers as chair of the TTC board
Ainslie as chair of General Government