May 21, 2020
Dear Neighbours,
I want to thank everyone for your efforts during this very difficult time. It is very important for all of us, to the best of our ability to follow the mandatory physical distancing bylaw!
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $75 million in new funding for Indigenous organizations providing services to Indigenous peoples in urban centres and off reserve. This funding will support more community-based projects that address the critical needs of Indigenous populations during this crisis. Full news release can be read here.
Boys and Girls Club of East Scarborough Community Lunch Tomorrow
In partnership with Children’s Charity by Presidents Choice we will be ‘feeding hungry minds.’ Our club will be giving away free lunch to the members in our community from the ESBGC parking lot this Friday! Drive-Thru or Walk-Thru and grab a warm lunch from 12:30pm-2:30pm. This week’s menu? Soups and Sandwiches! (Halal and veggie options available). More information here.
Toronto Public Library starting curbside drop-off and pick-up service
Toronto Public Library (TPL) today announced details about the rollout of its curbside drop-off and pick-up service. Starting Monday, May 25, Research & Reference Locations and District Branch locations, including Cedarbrae Library in Ward 24, will open their drop boxes to accept the return of library materials. On Monday, June 1, drop boxes at all remaining accessible branches will open to accept returns. TPL estimates that there are more than one million items currently out on loan. For a full map of library locations, click here.
The introduction of these services will follow the reopening framework provided by the Province of Ontario, the advice of the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Toronto Medical Officer of Health, and incorporates best practices within library and retail industries for the safe delivery of curbside service. For more information please click here.
More than 850 park amenities to reopen this week
City of Toronto will open more than 850 park amenities this week, following the Province of Ontario’s amendments to an order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act
Five BMX locations, 14 skateboard parks and four-disc golf locations opened yesterday. Park amenities scheduled to open in time for this upcoming weekend include:
- picnic shelters
- more than 300 soccer and multi-use outdoor fields
- more than 300 baseball diamonds and
- 150 basketball courts.
The reopening of parks amenities will continue into next week, as staff work with Toronto Public Health to open lawn bowling facilities and outdoor bocce.
Update about tennis courts:
- When the Province amended its emergency order, staff developed COVID-19 guidelines for public use as well as club use in consultation with Toronto Public Health. These guidelines will be posted on the City’s website.
- Guidelines include bringing one’s own tennis balls, no doubles, self-screening prior to attending the court, physical distancing, and wearing a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
- Signage is in production and will be installed this weekend.
- Tennis courts are being prepared by staff for opening now, including removal of boards, installation of nets, and repairs.
- Courts will begin to open for public use early next week.
- Staff have been in communication with tennis clubs, and will be issuing new permits shortly. Clubs are being provided with access for setup effective May 22. We expect a start date for club play next week.
Update about parking:
- All parks parking lots will be open by this weekend, with the exception of:
- Sunnyside and Sir Casimir in the western beaches due to the ActiveTO Lakeshore closure this weekend – these will open next week.
- In order to allow for physical distancing on busy weekends, High Park will be closed to vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Concrete barriers at Ashbridges Bay and Cherry Beach will be removed by this weekend and Transportation Services will manage access through ActiveTO.
- Locations with concrete barriers need special equipment for removal. These will be removed next week. These locations are:
- North York: Leaside Park
- South: Underpass Park; Kiwanis Pool at Stan Wadlow Park; Haldon Avenue parking lot for Taylor Creek Park; Riverdale East Park, North entrance to Pool/Rink
- East: Malvern C.C.; Burrows Hall C.C.; Major Ali Abbas Park/Scott Westney House
- West: Sunnyside; Sir Casmir
St. Lawrence Market: Outdoor season of the Saturday Farmers Market begins this weekend
The outdoor season of the Saturday Farmers Market will begin on Saturday, May 23, 2020. Outdoor farmers will be located on Market Street between The Esplanade and Wilton Street. Other farmers will continue to operate inside the Temporary Market. Lineup areas for the indoor and outdoor farmers will continue to start on Market Street for entrance to both areas. Visitors who are not from the same household are required to maintain a physical distance of two metres. All visitors are encouraged to wear a mask or face covering. Please visit stlawrencemarket.com for more information.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19, Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa and Mayor John Tory strongly recommend that the public wear a face mask or face covering to protect others when in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained. While wearing a face mask or face covering in public can help protect others from your germs, public health officials continue to stress that a face mask or face covering has not been proven to protect the person wearing it from COVID-19 and is not a substitute for physical distancing and hand washing.
Major Road Closures this weekend
The following three major road closures are planned this weekend for ActiveTO from Saturday, May 23 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, May 24 at 11 p.m.:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West (eastbound lanes only) from Windermere Avenue to Stadium Road. The eastbound Gardiner Expressway off ramp to Lake Shore Boulevard West (exit #146) will also be closed
- Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only) from Coxwell Avenue to just south of Woodbine Avenue (Kew Beach Avenue)
- Bayview Avenue from Mill Street to Rosedale Valley Road, and River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue.
Traffic will be actively managed during these closures through signal timing adjustments on adjacent routes, as well as roadway signage to alert drivers. Motorists who normally travel these roads on weekends should plan alternate routes. Those expecting to use the major road closures to cycle, run or walk should access them by bike or as a pedestrian, since nearby parking is limited and site parking is not provided.
ActiveTO includes a plan for 57 kilometres of Quiet Streets across the city. Work on installing and planning Quiet Streets on neighbourhood roads is continuing. Quiet Streets are neighbourhood streets where traffic calming measures, such as signage and temporary barricades, are placed at intersections to encourage slow, local vehicle access only so that the roadway can be a shared space that also welcomes people who walk, run and bike. Parking and drop off areas are not impacted, and City services, such as waste collection and emergency access, continue as normal.
City of Toronto update on COVID-19
The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. As the City safely and gradually reopens select park amenities and businesses, residents are urged to continue following public health advice to help stop the community spread of the virus. There are 9,357 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 228 cases since yesterday. There are 411 cases in hospital, with 96 in ICU. In total, 6,885 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 150 cases since yesterday. To date, there have been 732 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform.
Everyone has a role to play to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself and others is to adhere to the advice of Toronto’s Medial Officer of Health:
- practise physical distancing by keeping two metres (six feet) from others
- wear a face covering or non-medical mask in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained
- wash hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and
- stay home if feeling unwell and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
The City’s physical distancing bylaw and the provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act orders remain in effect. Yesterday, the City received 90 complaints involving people using outdoor amenities that remain closed or not practising physical distancing in parks or squares. Bylaw officers issued six tickets for physical distancing. This month, bylaw and police officers have spoken to more than 4,100 people in City parks about the closures and public health measures.
Please click here for a list of food banks and soup kitchens in the Ward 24
Please click here for a list of food banks in East Scarborough
Please click here for a list of food banks in Scarborough
Please remember to call ahead to book to ensure they are properly stocked. For those interested in volunteering, food banks are always looking for volunteers, so please feel free to save and share this information.
Our KGO Update
Read about East Scarborough’s latest roundup of key neighbourhood resources, virtual results, and up to date information through The East Scarborough Storefront’s crowd-sourced e-newsletter “Our KGO Updates.” Check out their latest issue HERE. SUBSCRIBE HERE.
Essential Government Information for COVID -19
Public Health’s information line & 311 are experiencing high call volumes. Residents can get the information they need online at www.toronto.ca
The City’s website has a tool that can translate pages into 51 different languages.
If you need info on COVID-19, please visit the following websites:
Official Global Travel Advisory
The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice, and information about City services and social supports. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.
I am continuously updating my social media platforms and my website with up to date information:
Website: www.paulainslie.com
You can also reach me by: telephone at 416-396-7222 or email me at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca
All my Best,
Paul