Category Archives: In the News

Roncy Rocks; Multi Media ~ Art/Music Festival

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Roncy Rocks was originally conceived, out of a need to stimulate Roncesvalles foot traffic. This was when the street underwent its much needed, urban face lift. Today, it has happily tumbled into being a highly recognized, FREE,  day- long event that showcases  a multitude of local Artists through their musical talents, voices, abstract arts, visual arts and media arts like; film, television and photography.

“I knew if  we created a venue with art on the street, then people would come” contends initiator and Chair  Liz Szynkowski. “Art is truly the ‘Soul of Humanity’ and our community boasts a large concentration of artistic talent, in all genres!”

Roncesvalles is one of Toronto’s neighbourhoods that naturally attracts art -awakened professionals because it is culturally diverse and arts supportive. This dynamic annual event is not only an excellent platform to celebrate the multitude of spectacular, local talents, but is also a very enjoyable tourism stimulator and community spirit builder.

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Roncy’s Century Old Tree nominated for Heritage Designation

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Resilience

For almost a century, Roncesvalles’s  Silver Maple, located midway up the corridor  slightly NE of High Park Blvd, has stood as a living testament. It has overseen evolving urban growth and settlement. It stood idly by and flourished throughout the decades of change. Historic changes that have modified our sleepy village east of the great High Park.

This tree surveyed modest community beginnings, when waves of Polish immigrants sought refuge in 1914, 1920-1939 and again in 1941. It heard tales of World Wars and the Great Depression.  It was young then and had a nearby companion, sadly lost in this last, past decade. But no one mourned as we do with many of our resident elders,  elders whom we respect and honor, for the lives they have lived.

And lived it had, despite concrete sidewalks and heavy pedestrian traffic, it has faithfully  served as the lungs of our neighbourhood,  neutralizing the carbon emissions escaping the parade of motorized vehicles that have drove past it everyday, throughout the decades.

It is quite unique, for it is believed to be one of Toronto’s oldest trees in a commercial district, how did it manage to survive?  If each beautiful gnarled wart could tell a story, I’m sure there will be narratives of seasons passing, families strolling and businesses coming and going and many an anecdote of lives… well, lived.

It is time to respect our elder, our stately Sliver Maple who “we” and City Officials safequarded during the reconstruction of our street.  This tree has been recently nominated, via video submission, to the Heritage Trees Ontario Program and I am proud to have spearheaded that endeavour.

 

 

As a volunteered environmental advocate, I personally hope to celebrate with you, when our moniker of Resilience can be commemorated for being the Grand Dame, that she is!

Read Inside Toronto article about designation

 

The Grid on Roncesvalles: “This is the most perfect corner of Toronto we’ve got left.”

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Yesterday, the Grid published an interesting story about “the Roncesvalles revival.” On the surface, the article cheers the arrival of new restaurants to the street, specifically the Ace and the Westerly, but it goes deeper. It raises questions about the role of community in establishing stable, successful main streets, and expresses optimism that Roncesvalles will be able to avoid the excesses of other trendy hot-spots like Ossington or Queen West.

The Ace (PHOTO: Grid TO)

The Westerly’s co-owner, legendary restaurateur Tom Earl, says he was not looking for the latest hot-spot in order to make a quick buck. “We want to be here for a long time, we want to be part of a neighbourhood—we really want to be involved. And that’s what we were looking for and why ultimately we decided Roncesvalles would be perfect.” Ace owners Maggie Ruhl and Gregg Boggs similarly cite the role of community in shaping the direction of their business. Meanwhile, other new restaurants like Barque and Pizzeria Defina also balance a certain trendiness with a community-friendly vibe, welcoming local families along with younger professional couples.

And it’s not just restaurants; let’s not forget Scout, Stasis Preserves, Green Light District Design, Roncy St. Gallery, Ecotique, Mother of All, Grateful Head, Fresh Collective and the many other new stores and services that are broadening Roncesvalles’ diversity of businesses, and preserving a healthy mix of offerings.

Why has Roncesvalles managed to get this tricky balance right, when so many other neighbourhoods have faced difficulties?

“Roncey,” writes author Paul Aguirre-Livingston, “has a stronger, smarter sense of community more closely associated with a cultural identity that runs deep and rich. [...] It’s that very pride in community—a blend of preservation and self-perpetuating drive—that becomes a powerful motivator for business owners and their patrons.”

Ruhl specifically mentions the role of community associations, including the BIA, in taking an active role in supporting and guiding the development of the street. This guidance is not adversarial or driven by suspicion. Rather, the Roncesvalles community has been able to express itself in a productive way, welcoming change as well as continuity, such that new businesses are better able to fit in. It is unlikely that a big box nightclub would be able to establish itself, says Ruhl. “What happens [in Roncesvalles] is that the associations are so involved that it’s always going to be small, little businesses.”

Let’s hope Ruhl is correct. I imagine everyone would feel better if they knew what was coming to the old Rogers space at Howard Park. But so far, I think this community can take a great deal of pride in how the street is taking shape since the end of reconstruction.

This community is why Roncesvalles remains, in the words of Aguirre-Livingston, “the most perfect corner of Toronto we’ve got left.”

A perfect day on Roncesvalles

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Yesterday was a perfect day on Roncesvalles, and a great opportunity to capture the beauty of our new streetscape.

Ever since construction wrapped up in July, the new Roncesvalles has been widely praised. “The result is quite marvellous,” wrote the Globe and Mail’s Marcus Gee, and the New York Times wrote: “the rejuvenated ‘Roncey’ now makes for one of the city’s most engaging strolls.”

Here are some examples of what they are writing about.

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The new streetscape features several new trees, planted in healthy growing conditions. Instead of ugly concrete “tree coffins” that usually kill trees within 5-10 years, the trees are protected by attractive guards and grates. Soon, Roncesvalles will boast a lush green canopy that will cool our street, absorb greenhouse gases and pollutants, and provide natural beauty. The unsafe “two-step” sidewalk has finally been levelled, and unit pavers provide an attractive surface covering the underground soil trenches that give our trees access to uncompacted soil, air and water. The new tree guards are intended as multi-use street furniture that you can rest against or lock your bike to.

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The TTC stops are intended to be more than just places to wait for a streetcar. They have been conceived as “outdoor living rooms,” with benches, gardens, pedestrian lights, and room in some cases for displays or patios. An innovative, raised bike path allows cyclists to pass by the TTC stops without being caught in the streetcar tracks.

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Roncesvalles now has the most accessible streetcar stops in Toronto, allowing direct boarding from the sidewalk.  At 30 metres long, the stops have been optimized for Toronto’s new fleet of hi-tech LRV streetcars, which will begin entering service in 2014. These low-floor streetcars will be fully-accessible, air-conditioned, and will allow boarding from all four doors with the new Presto cards.

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The end result is a street that is full of vibrancy and life – not just a way to pass through, but a destination in itself. Roncesvalles is a pedestrian-friendly place where neighbours can meet friends, stop to chat, and yes, to shop.

Cross-posted with the Roncesvalles Village BIA website

Photos: John Bowker

Commemorating our man on the street

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Singing ElmoSo many in our community have been mourning the passing of Anthony “Tony” Clemens, who made our street his home. His generosity of spirit, his amazing attitude, his kindness, his humour and his Elmo doll are etched in our hearts.

Tony’s comments on life on the street and life in general, with its humour, kindndess and bitter sweet observations were captured for nearly five years on his blog Homeless Man Speaks co-written by Philip Stern.

People gathered at Alternative Grounds yesterday for a memorial and to start raising funds for a commemoration. Ideas are just forming now. There is no committee; it’s just people who care coming together. The idea of installing a bench in his name on the street somewhere near his spot is gaining support.

Kevin Healey occasionally made small batches of Elmo buttons for Tony so he could have a little something to give to kids.  Some of these are being sold at Alternative Grounds to help raise money

Tony was always kind and genuinely concerned about the safety of kids and others in the community. He watched the street for us. As Maureen O’Danu @odanu says, Tony “gave streetpeople a voice that few have had. You wll be missed.”

The reception for Tony will be held today, Tuesday, October 25th, from 6-9 p.m.at the Turner & Porter Funeral Home, 436 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto (at Howard Park Ave.). A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 263 Roncesvalles Ave. (at High Park Blvd), Toronto, on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 11am.