In 201o, the inaugural Candlelight Walk, had a gathering of local acoustic performers at Grafton Park. Then MC Talent/Local resident; Bob Mackowycz Jr, helped me, usher the crowd past the many participating restaurants, bistros, bars and retail establishments.

I must respectfully acknowledge GREEN 13, for nurturing and encouraging me to bring this wonderful, global, symbolic tradition into my neighbourhood.   A new tradition that could not have been executed, without the help of the RVBIA and the   supporting local residents. Earth Hour is a celebration of not only Mother Earth but also the efforts of all the volunteered hours put in by dedicated community members.

I hereby announce the new launch of Earth Hour 2012 as a coordination under the wing of Roncesvalles Renewed.   Due to some television production scheduling conflicts (in my Day Job!) and because I would like to encourage more local participation,  I am reaching out for new contributors and willing participants.    

Who wishes to help marshal the 2012 Candlelight Walk for Roncesvalles-Parkdale?

Sharing the experience with a new masthead of Earth Hour stewards

Roncesvalles’ annual participation has provided many TDSB students volunteer hours, celebratory “end of winter” events for local business, and has helped our Community become recognized as a Green Forward Neighbourhood that has allowed local talent an opportunity and outlet to showcase their voices.

Every year, media outlets gather to report on our efforts and truly it is a lot of fun.  There is always room for new direction, and I would be proud to help any new contributors, experience the joy of creating a little bit of environmental magic!  Please consider being part of my team!

]]> http://roncesvallesrenewed.org/2012/02/18/earth-hour-2012-stewards-wanted/feed/ 1 kkkoski http://roncesvallesrenewed.org/2012/02/10/meeting-to-discuss-peace-garden-at-dundasroncesvalles-feb-28/ http://roncesvallesrenewed.org/2012/02/10/meeting-to-discuss-peace-garden-at-dundasroncesvalles-feb-28/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:40:03 +0000 John Bowker http://roncesvallesrenewed.org/?p=2748 ]]> Cross-posted from the Roncesvalles Village BIA website:

Please join the Roncesvalles-Macdonell Residents’ Association on Tuesday February 28th for a presentation and community discussion about the Dundas-Roncesvalles Peace Garden. This initiative aims to green and beautify the triangular space at Dundas and Roncesvalles, and to commemorate its role in the War of 1812 and the resistance of local aboriginal warriors to the landing of the American fleet in Humber Bay.

The BIA is very excited by this proposal. The beautification of this space was identified as a major streetscape priority under the BIA’s 2003 Streetscape Strategy, which considers this intersection be the northern gateway to Roncesvalles Village. The BIA is also excited at this opportunity to take part in the War of 1812 Bicentennial, which will take place over the next 2 1/2 years.

The Battle of York started just south of the foot of Roncesvalles, about where the Boulevard Club stands today. In 1813, Americans landed there and marched east. In preparation for the expected battle, Canadian/British engineers needed a road that connected Fort York to the west, near to the likely American landing point. As a result, plans showing a road running straight across what is now High Park had to be scrapped in favour of a road that could be built more quickly. In order to avoid all the creeks and marshes of the Humber/High Park system, the road took a sharp turn and then circled around the park. And that is why Dundas suddenly turns north at Roncesvalles. The entire layout of Toronto’s west end was determined by the expediencies of war.

Also, Canada would not have existed after the War of 1812 without the help of First Nations allies, whose local presence is remembered in street names such as Indian Road and Algonquin Avenue.

The Dundas Roncesvalles Peace Garden Group is a committee of the RMRA, in partnership with the Roncesvalles Village BIA and the City of Toronto. Other community partners include the Roncesvalles Village Historical Society, Roncesvalles Renewed, and the Horticultural Societies of Parkdale & Toronto.

The meeting will be held on February 28 at 7 pm at Fern Avenue Public School, 128 Fern Avenue.

The17 blocks along Roncesvalles are split up into 8 sections. The lead volunteer for each section coordinates their efforts with the other volunteers on their team. The team takes care of both sides of the street, aiming to get out maybe once a week on a day between City cleanings, like on Tuesdays, Thursdays or on the weekend.

On the business sides of the street volunteers focus on cleaning the plant beds while business owners aim to keep the sidewalks looking good in front of their premises. On the residential side volunteers tidy up planting beds, pick up and dispose of some litter and recylables, and sweep up the sidewalks.

Brooms and gloves will be stored at 7 or 8 locations along Roncesvalles, to start with, so that volunteers can easily use these when it’s opportune for them to do a little sweeping. The lead volunteer for your section will tell you where the broom is stored.

We’re looking for additional volunteers to build up each team. There’s no set schedule. Each one does what they can, when they can. Just let us know which section you’d like to work on and we’ll connect you with the lead for that section. Our current lead volunteers by section include:

1. Boustead to Howard: Ann
2. Howard to Constance: Ed
3. Constance to Geoffrey: Mary
4. Geoffrey to Fermanagh: Maria
5. Fermanagh to Fern: Tereza
6. Fern to Galley: Dorothée
7. Galley to Marion: Kirsten
8. Marion to Queen: Jane

Learn more about Roncy Sweeps from these posts:

• Clean Street: The mind, body and soul of how Roncesvalles is maintained
• Roncy Sweeps in The Star
• Trash Talk

Temporary fix for pedestrian safety

A couple of days ago workers came to parts of Roncesvalles — primarily between Fermanagh and Fern — to remove loose sidewalk pavers that the City deemed a tripping hazard.

These loose pavers were removed and replaced with an asphalt patch for the remainder of winter.

The City informed the BIA that this is a temporary fix for now and that the problem areas will be fixed permanently and to the BIA’s satisfaction when warmer weather arrives.

How the pavers came loose in the first place is another question. Perhaps as the grounds settles and shifts, particularly when water gets under the tiles and then freezes, it can cause some tiles to shift.

While we’re all disappointed by the appearance of black patches on our sidewalks, it’s clear that the safety of pedestrians has to come first.

Information from our Councillor Gord Perk’s office,  states that;  Ron Nash from the City BIA, tells them that “the current status of Roncesvalles’ maintenance is much, much better than it was 10 years ago, but that, of course, doesn’t mean that it’s perfect.”

For 5 days a week from April 1st to November 1st:

• Littervac operators clear the sidewalks and curbs of debris.
• Street Sweepers (trucks) operate 4 to 5 times a week.
• The fly squad surveys daily for manual pickup of bulky items and a manual walk about is provided every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the purpose of sweeping and litter collection.

During off season, the littervac and manual pickup is reduced and this service also fluctuates with weather conditions throughout the entire year.

In all fairness, The City of Toronto, as the governing brain with 44 municipal wards, 72 BIA’s, and about 2.5 million residents, is providing an adequate job. But, who knows the future of budget cutbacks?

The Body overseeing Roncesvalles’ commercial district is the local BIA.  An outstanding committee of business owners who rally together to promote the area, initiate events and encourage the local business members to participate in a collective. The BIA encourages owners to additionally tidy the street in front of their storefronts.  Unfortunately, group endeavors rely on equal contribution, and you’ll find that some businesses are very pro supportive, and others are less so.

Concluding the unity and without any doubt, it’s the soul of the people who motivate any action. It is the residents of Roncy who are saying loud and clear, “We’re proud of  our neighbourhood and we love living here!”   This collective pride has enticed the goodwill of the people who volunteer to be the change they want to see in the world… at least, our little part of the World!

Our increase in popularity brings many out to frequent our eateries and there may be a corresponding increase of on-the-street cigarette smoking. Cigarette butts are the number one offenders of our litter cast off.  Many a smoker’s impulse is to stomp out their butt on the ground or bury it into a planter. It’s a problem in cities everywhere. Fortunately the new trash cans have a cigarette disposal unit built in, but most smokers don’t know it’s there. Since this is not enough to curb the problem, there are talks about requesting City involvement that can also have community programs pitch in.

Right now what Roncesvalles needs is a coordinated cleaning program that supplements and supports the generous work of the Roncy Sweeps Team and what the City provides.  Awareness should be brought to issues such as proper cigarette butt disposal and on-street maintenance. With a little ingenuity and “pitching in,” Roncesvalles will continue to be the most perfect corner of Toronto!

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Radiating off every heavily tree canopied street are “redone Four Squares” that are highly sought after by perspective home buyers. Eventually, the Roncesvalles commercial district will become a leading example of how community and urban planning had combined resources and ideas. This collaboration helped create a long term strategy for sustainable tree planting. The street’s trees used to be in concrete coffins which restricted the natural growth of the roots (see  Root and crown structure), and now they are all in continuous soil trenches.

Sustainable urban tree planting is all about:

• planting native species that easily thrive in the local environment;
• growing them  in a continuous soil trench which enables root expansion;¹
• enabling the expansion of the overhead canopy, which serves as a climate control regulator by providing deciduous shade in the summer and solar heat in the winter;
• and finally, during daylight hours, the trees serve as environmental lungs because they consume a multitude of carbon gasses, including carbon dioxide², which is one of the most acknowledged contributors to climate change.

Having a large number of trees along our street also helps regulate storm sewage overflow. Surface water from rain, that would normally have gone down the drain, are providing life sustaining nourishment to street trees. Native species of trees anticipate the region’s high and low precipitation cycles, and shouldn’t require additional watering.

The presence of street trees eliminates the possibility of overflowing of City Water Treatment Plants, which often contaminate the shoreline of Lake Ontario, because now these trees are consuming the very water that would have gone through the City’s sewage system.  This is why it has become mandatory for every home’s downspouts, to be disconnected.

In addition to ecological stewardship, consider all the future autumn strolls, envision the delightful brilliant fall colours, the burst of spring greens, seasonal blossoms, and inviting seating areas to relax among the trees and watch the world go by. Now we can fully appreciate the promise of those life sustaining young trees and the extra care that went into their planting and now their maintenance.

Notes:

1. Continuous Soil Trench Designs from the Urban Toronto Design Streetscape Manual 2009: 1) Precast Concrete Planter Cover and Concrete Sidewalk; 2) Open Planting Bed and Concrete Sidewalk . [PDF 1232K]
2. Carbon dioxide comes from every living thing including trees at night and when they are dormant. During the day, they give off oxygen. We need oxygen. The burning of fossil fuels is the most popular method of technology that powers vehicle and heating consumption. But, the burning of fossil fuels causes significant damage to our health and the environment.  One day fossil fuels will be depleted.

Lessons Learned

This post is part of our Lessons Learned series drawn from initial discussions and decisions by Roncesvalles Renewed members and guests viewed with 20/20 hindsight after implementation.

Roncy Sweeps volunteer and local resident Ann Chrichton-Harris. Photo Credit: Ellen Moorhouse

Yesterday the Toronto Star published a column by Ellen Moorhouse on our very own community volunteers who are taking to the streets to quietly clean it up.  See Trash Talk: A clean sweep for Roncesvalles. Our efforts are still in the pilot stage, so we can work out what’s needed to help keep our street looking great.

A few volunteers have been doing a regular or semi-regular  sweep on two or three blocks of Roncesvalles, not far from their homes.

You’ll notice those blocks that are getting some regular TLC because they look great! We will be storing our brooms and supplies at some of the shops along Roncesvalles. Our hope is that there will be one shop per block that can provide storage so our volunteers can do a quick sweep-up when they are passing by and have a few minutes to spare. We’re also aiming for one volunteer per block, since many hands makes for short work. It’s a great way to get to know the people who work and shop along a short stretch and improve our street while getting a little air. Let us know if you’d like to get involved.

The guards are wide enough to protect the trees to maturity. The grills provide a level sidewalk, while letting air and water through. They will also serve to filter some of the litter that has been accumulating in the tree beds. However, I’m sure you’ll still see people chucking smaller pieces of litter through the grates, particularly cigarette butts and bottle caps.

We’ll need to do some awareness building, so the tree beds aren’t turned into massive ashtrays. It bears repeating, that although the tobacco will decompose, the butts are not biodegradable. They’ll take 18 months to 10 years to decompose. So let’s remind thems-that-smoke-and-toss to use the trash cans. The new ones have a built in cigarette disposal feature at centre front.