What's On in Parkdale Archives | Creating Together Parkdale

Update: Supporting Torontonians with ActiveTO

May 27, 2020 by Melanie

We all know how important it is for our health to keep active, though it’s been difficult to do since the lock-down and closures of our parks. ActiveTO is about making sure people have space to get outside, have space to get around while respecting physical distancing.

“Our streets are going to look different in many places in the post-COVID world. We will need more road space for walking. We will need quiet streets. We will need more bike infrastructure. We are going about this in a responsible, common sense way with Toronto Public Health, Transportation Services and local councillors all involved in making common sense, health-focused decisions which broaden out our transportation network.”
– Mayor John Tory

ActiveTO Initiatives:

Creating Quiet Streets

These will be local routes with traffic calming measures that will enable local car traffic only and open up space for pedestrians and cyclists. These projects will roll out fairly quickly and the initial target will be 50 kilometres of quiet streets. In our area, quieter streets include:

Kensington Market (area that borders Nassau Ave., Spadina Ave, Augusta Ave. and Dundas St. W.)
Lakeshore Dr./Lake Promenade (First Ave. to Forty Second St.)
High Park Ave. (Bloor St. W. to Annette St.)
Brock/Emerson/Cowan Ave. (Dupont St. to King St. W.)

Closing Major Roads

Transportation Services staff and Toronto Public Health have recommended closing some major roads adjacent to major trails or recreational attractions where crowding on weekends and holidays has been observed. These would include some locations with complete closures to all car traffic and would be delivered through recurring short-term road closures, such as on weekends. When this happens, on a trial basis, staff will be monitoring adjacent routes with real-time data and will make adjustments as necessary.

Normal weekend closures (except long weekends) will begin at 6 a.m. on Saturdays until 11 p.m. on Sundays. Public parking lots, such as those with access to parks and beaches, will not be accessible if they fall within the major road closure area.

Major road closures are being planned from Saturday, May 30 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, May 31 at 11 p.m. Specific locations will be posted on the City’s website here when they are confirmed.

Expanding cycling network

More bike lanes will help people move around the city as the restart gets underway.

A Council report released on May 25 asks Council to approve the installation of approximately 25 kilometres of new bikeways, for a total of approximately 40 kilometres of on-street cycling lanes approved for accelerated installation in 2020. The proposed plan includes flexibility so that bikeway installations can be adjusted based on considerations such as changing traffic volumes, and the evolving needs of residents and businesses in the wake of the pandemic.

If approved, the cycling network would be expanded quickly through temporary installations by repurposing curb lanes along several key corridors. Bloor Street East, University Avenue/Queen’s Park Crescent and Dundas Street East would be among the first installations. For updates, please check on the City’s website here.

Not very confident on your bike? Check out the Bicycle Safety Campaign for tips, resources, and support to get you and your family out there safely!

National Physician’s Day

May 1, 2020 by Melanie

May 1 is National Physicians Day.

Creating Together board, staff, parents and families would like to extend our deepest gratitude for all of our physicians and health teams. Across the country, lights will be turned on at 9pm to shine a light on our gratitude, for all they do.

We’d like to share the sentiments of Sandy Buchman, president of the Canadian Medical Association, as she so succinctly mirrors our gratitude and appreciation for the work and sacrifices made on our front lines by the medical profession:

“This year, perhaps more than ever, we are reminded of the dedication of physicians and all health professionals who are fighting COVID-19 alongside policy makers and the public.

This pandemic has been a stark reminder of the commitment of physicians from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Facing unprecedented circumstances and anxiety, physicians are leading the public health response, caring for those afflicted by COVID-19, and sustaining our health care system.

Today, let’s reflect on the work and sacrifices made by physicians and, most importantly, express our most sincere appreciation for the care they provide in normal and in extraordinary times. Physicians embrace the medical profession as a calling – and this rings truer now more than ever.”

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/today-is-national-physicians-day-in-canada-813384751.html

So families, tonight at 9pm, we ask that you turn your light on, to shine a light for our incredible medical teams.

THANK YOU to our Country’s True Superheros!

April 28, 2020 by Melanie

April 28th marks a very special day: National Superhero Day. Created in 1995 by Marvel’s employees, most years we celebrate with capes and masks, paying homage to our favourite fictional superheroes. This year however, people across the continent are recognizing the true heroes.

While we all do our best to stay home, so many people are working on the front to ensure we can eat, receive mail and deliveries, and be cared for in the hospitals and long-term care facilities. Amidst a time of such isolation, we have all witnessed an incredible coming together of hearts and minds in a united effort to get through this pandemic. If you’ve taken a stroll through Parkdale, you will have seen placards on lawns, signs in windows thanking our service heroes.

A large thank-you sign dedicated to health care workers decorates the lawn in front of a nursing home on Halton Street in Toronto’s west end, posted in the Globe and Mail on April 16th: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-thank-you-and-stay-safe-readers-tributes-to-front-line-workers-in/

There have been a couple amazing parades and demonstrations for our hospital workers as well:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-salutes-health-care-workers-covid19-1.5537982

https://www.cp24.com/news/heartwarming-transit-workers-honour-health-care-workers-along-hospital-row-1.4919923

And here in Parkdale, we’d like to give a special thanks our neighbours at St. Joseph’s Hospital, PARC, White Eagle Long-Term Care Residence (where we do circle once / month) and West Neighbourhood House.

This last week alone, PARC served over 2300 meals, and continue to offer support to the homeless and under-housed.

If you would like to support PARC in their work, **monetary donations are the most efficient way**. This allows them to purchase the exact supplies they urgently need on short notice.

At West Neighbourhood House, they are offering employment support, a neighbourhood Mutual Aid program where volunteers can offer support and folks in need can ask for help (learn how to become a neighbourhood pod lead or volunteer HERE), and tax help.

And at St. Joseph’s, together with the other hospitals, they continue to make sure patients and families are informed while also offering exceptional front-line health care: Information for Patients and Families.

So if you’re having a moment of doubt, remember you are not alone, and there’s so many services out there for you to give and also receive, thanks to our superheroes on the front lines!

Nature Play During COVID-19

April 16, 2020 by Melanie

With everybody inside so much more these days due to social distancing and self-isolating, we’re all getting a lot less time outside. With a bit of creativity though, we can all get the outdoor dose that we need.

Getting children outside to enjoy time for free play in natural environments increases attentions spans, creative thought, and the desire to learn through exploration (https://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=39558). It also helps their motor, sensory, social and cognitive development – and is great for their general health and well-being (https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/the-benefits-of-outdoor-play).

In fact, “wilderness therapy” has emerged as an alternative treatment for behavioral and psychological problems in adolescents and teens. One study found that “wilderness therapy” was an effective treatment for teens suffering from attention deficit disorder, alcohol and drug addiction, depression, and other behavioral problems. Afterward, patients showed higher levels of confidence, better organizational and leadership skills, and exhibited fewer problematic behaviors (http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/wrc/Pdf/howwildtherworks.PDF).

For more benefits of getting outside, you can check out Balancing Screen Time with Green Time.

For today though, we’d like to give you some resources to get you and your kids outside in ways that respect social distancing and keeps everybody safe. It has become clear that we all need new and creative strategies for connecting to the natural world, even if that may mean being indoors.

Star Gazing

“If we can’t see the stars, how will we know our place in the universe?”
Trevor Hancock, a professor at the University of Victoria’s School of Public Health and Social Policy

Drops in air pollution have revealed awe-inspiring stars that suburban and urban dwellers would have never seen otherwise. So set a star date for a bright night, bundle up, grab a blanket, and go see what the stars have to offer! Resources: International Dark-Sky Association, and How to Start Stargazing With Your Kids. For the top 10 books on stars, check out bookroo’s list here: https://bookroo.com/books/topics/stars or check out this great list on Stars, Planets and the Night Sky that you can order online from “Start with a Book”.

Get Reading! Bookroo’s top 10 books on stars…

Nature Window

If you can’t get outside, you can still experience moon watching, stargazing (if stars are visible), cloudspotting, bird-watching, and nature in general. Create a world-watching window or a nature window, set up a date, set up all your supplies, and get ready to observe! Things to consider bringing: your nature notebook, field guides (birds, stars, etc), binoculars, a telescope, and a camera – you could maybe even a sound recorder to capture the sounds of the natural world.

Make a Spring Nature Table

A spring nature table is a space in the home used for placing natural items that reflect the season. It is meant to be explored and used as a nature study aid in the home. Nature tables give children the opportunity to play with objects found in nature, helping them notice the little changes that happen when a season shifts, and connect with the natural world. They also create a sensory experience for the child, and can be used for pretend or imaginative play. Check out this lovely table by the Imagination Tree:

Spring Nature Exploration Table by The Imagination Tree

Consider what the season represents for your family’s culture, values, beliefs, celebrations. Then, go around your home with that in mind and you’d be surprised what you can find (rocks, leaves, sticks, acorns, pine cones, seasonal art and crafts, silks and candles in the season, fall books for kids, etc)! Put these together, and voila!

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Make a list of things found in nature around your garden, block, or a local trail. Then go out for a walk or hike with the family and see how many items you can find. The print shops are all closed due to COVID-19 so you’ll need to get creative – make a list on your phone or do some lists by hand. Looking for some ideas? Check these templates out here: https://www.freekidscrafts.com/summer-scavenger-hunt/

Family Bike Ride

According to Cycle Toronto, as long as you are not infected with COVID-19, symptomatic, or otherwise self-isolating. Riding a bicycle is compatible with physical distancing. In fact, the 2 metres (6 feet) is about the distance of a bicycle. According to the City of Toronto, we can only bike in groups if they are people we reside with, and at this point, city parks’ green spaces, including multi-use trails, currently remain open and accessible. Toronto has some really great trails to choose from as well, as per the interactive map here: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/cycling-in-toronto/cycling-google-map/

Need some help planning your route? Check out this great article by Cycle Toronto: https://www.cycleto.ca/how-plan-your-bike-route

Tip: Plan ahead! Many of these experiences are also great as we gear up for Earth Day on April 26th!

Stay healthy and safe!

Happy Easter Parkdale!

April 8, 2020 by Melanie

This time of year marks the traditional celebration of Easter – a time of opening our doors, reuniting with family members, enjoying community egg hunts, decorating eggs, and for many, a time of sacred prayer and family reflection.

The distress that surrounds us as a result of COVID-19 certainly changes the normal flow of things. At the same time however, the themes of renewal, rebirth, and resilience remain. From one point of view, we could see this holiday as perfectly timed, to remind us all of the importance of these values and themes in our homes, our families, and our communities. Consider the values that are important to your family at this time of year, and try to find some creative ways to weave these into teachings for your family. Traditions of Gratitude, for example, fit in beautifully with this time of year.

And don’t forget to have some fun together! According to FamilyEducation.com the top 10 Easter activities for families include:

Egg and Spoon Race.
Jelly Bean Guessing Games.
Read Easter and Spring Children’s Books.
Plant Flowers.
Decorate an Easter Egg Tree.
Make Chocolate Fondue.
Create Easter Crafts.
Give a Gift Basket.

Described in further detail here, you could try a variation of many of these activities in the comfort of your home or yard. Women’s Day also describes some fun Easter activities you can enjoy while practicing social distancing.

We’ve taken time on this blog to emphasize the value and role of traditions in increasing happiness, emotional wellness, and positive self-identity in children. Certainly during this time of unprecedented unrest and upheaval to the daily routine, holding true to traditions becomes a lifeline that all of our children need now more than ever. Never underestimate the power of tradition.