Hello November! It's a whole new season....Pumpkins on Parade 2009

Well, Halloween is done. It's such a wonderful chance to get out on the street and see your neighbors! sadly, there were many many fewer kids out this year. I believe a large part of this was fear. People are really afraid of the Flu Pandemic.
I spent the evening with my family and especially my daughter. It is her most favorite holiday.
Out at dufferin Grove Park,all the pumpkins end up on parade at the end of the night...
http://www.blogto.com/city/2009/11/sorauren_park_pumpkin_parade_the_biggest_yet/
copy and paste this link inyour browser for a thousand jack o' lanterns on parade!

More Dog and skater news in Toronto Parks...October 26th 2009

On the happy side of things it looks as if East End dog lovers will be able to have their pets off leash all winter (2009 -2010)at Kew Beach, Woodbine Beach and Balmy Beach...
are you pleased about this? possibly a member of the Toronto Beaches Dogs Association? If you are, and also if you are not; I'd love your input on this. Here at parkblog I recognize that the urban landscape is described by the "official" people in Toronto a lot. However; urban green spaces are small pieces of nature in our midst and cannot be 100% under the control of official governing forces. There are just as many secrets in the park as their are officially sanctioned activities!
There is inevitably a push and pull between these two forces in our city and that is really obvious on the open streets and the urban greenspaces. Is it more valid for a Mom and baby to picnic on the grass at noon or for teens to party in the Don Valley on a summer evening..?
Also, the new skateboard park at Ashbridges Bay seems to be missing DRAINS. The skatepark has major puddles when it rains... Apparently the contractor didn't think to put drains in.
I have no wisdom for you on that one, people!

Harmony Dog Park Oshawa October 2009

check out this link if you are dog lovin' park user...or anyone who is interested in living with acceptance of other living creatures....

go to www.harmonydogpark.ca and learn how the Oshawa Durham Area Walkers Group (ODAWG) and the City of Oshawa have worked together to create a large off leash park that is good for a lot of reasons....

or try the archives of the Toronto Star,Tuesday October 13 2009 , page GT5 article entitled "It's a dog meet dog world"

Dogs in Parks Toronto October 2009

How do you feel about this sign?
As a parent you may agree that dogs should not be allowed into a child's park because they are potentially dangerous to young kids and they also poo and pee all over the place! Why, how many times has a giant hound charged across a park straight at your wobbly 2 year old while the dog owner waves from across the grass and mouths "he's friendly".... It is also unpleasant to glitch across a plastic bag full of pet waste with your foot. The real unbagged stuff is worse...
Now, of course there are lots of families with young kids who also are dog owners. more than likely the pet in question is considered as a cherished family member. So, there comes into play some juggling; as dog runs are handled as part of the daily fabric of family life. Some parks have areas where your beloved canine can play in safety (because there's danger in the city for animals too and not just young humans) while the kids can do their thing too in their area.
And some folks believe that the best solution would be to have fully mixed parks for humans and beasts to play together!
What do you think?
more investigation over time on this subject.....

Riverside Oct 23 -25

so this poster was in the bus shelter on Queen East.
Riverside Fest starts today, October 23 - Oct. 25th
Come and enjoy what local business and community have to offer in this rapidly developing area of Toronto.....
and visit McLeary Parkette while you are in the neighborhood!( south side of Queen, west of Logan, across from Jimmy Simpson Rec. Centre)

baby in a swing

This little park sits on the east side of Broadview and it is right behind Jilly's on Queen East which is a well known strip club.
As you can see there is a very ugly alley running along the South end of this block. In the years that I've lived here I have never seen any kids in this park even though there is a daycare right across the street. I really have not seen much adult activity in there either save for the occasional older man sitting on one of the benches. This park just screams "keep away" I think that everyone senses the proximity of the alley with all the garbage; late night traffic and anything that could possibly be going on in relation to the strip club/hotel. Let's face it ; it's hard for ANYONE to feel good here.
That being said, this is the first park that I ever put my daughter in a swing ... now what exactly does that tell you about me??
The swing set had two baby swings in it. It's gone now. When my daughter was about 9 months old I noticed the swings. Seeing as she is a summer baby it was probably early April at that time. I remember bringing her into the park in her stroller and then carrying her across a sheet of ice that had an inch or so of water underneath it and so I felt very wobbly. The white air and grey atmosphere of the streetscape seemed to wrap around me as I squashed those baby legs into the cold plastic bucket and asked my child if she was ready...I think I laughed out loud as I pushed her. I felt as if we had a secret together in this crazy urban landscape. That was it. A couple of pushes and then I clumsily pulled her out of the seat and slid across the ice to the stroller . When you are a new mother, crossing open space holding your baby can seem a little dangerous and I always felt that getting her back to the stroller or back into her baby sling was like getting back into the house after a long day out.

McLeary Parkette 2009- Queen West just West of Logan

A little park recently underwent a big transformation and the results are pretty spectacular. This corner parkette sat unused for years with a collection of hard play equipment that was basically unfriendly. A vacant wading pool of hard concrete slab dominated most of the space. The lone maintenance structure only added more glum gray to the whole scene. Despite the lack of appealing furniture; this was still a sunny and protected corner and as such if you actually went past the metal fence and sat down inside the park itself you could find a moment of calm . The question was; why would you even go in that old park? It had the feel of a garage that had random and large outdated items piled here and there creating an unuseable (and uninhabitable) space.
Bold strokes have changed all that. The park has been almost completely re-landscaped. There are no more metal climbing structures, no more concrete wading pool, and no more grass.
Instead there are gently curving paths that rise and fall on sloping mini hills. A generous sandpit is already clearly in booming use as it is full of toys of all sizes. This park also houses some of the largest and most whimsical park furniture I've ever seen! A huge tree trunk dominates the landscape; along with a playstructure formed from a huge boulder , logs and enormous ropes!
The best thing about this park now is that the whole space is utilized. You can stroll uninterupted for what seems a very long time because of the thoughtful planning of the paths; terrain geography; furniture and live plantings.
I can imagine that children of all ages will feel as if they are in a real fairy land while they are in this new park.
It has numerous visual and aural surprise that you will discover when you visit....
The final word from me: this park is truly for all ages! I am certain that I will be drawn back here again and again to enjoy all the surprises and beauty of this place.

McLeary Parkette October 2009

Finally took a walk over to the newly redeveloped McLeary parkette and it is truly a beautiful space!
a teaser pic....

Night of Dread!!! 2009...

Check out the link for upcomong Night of Dread at and around Dufferin Grove Park !!!
http://www.clayandpapertheatre.org/
(copy and paste in your browser)

2009 Community Environment Days!

ok so I've griped about the fact that our summer was all screwed up due to"THE STRIKE" but let's all just move on...
so; 2009 Community Environment Days are happening in various locations around TO
Saturday Oct 17th at Riverdale Park..Broadview Ave North of Gerrard
Saturday Oct 17th at Dufferin Mall...900 Dufferin St (south of Bloor Street West)

Saturday Oct 24th at Malvern Community Recreation Centre...30 Sewells Rd (east of Neilson Rd. , north of Sheppard Ave east)
Saturday Oct 24th at Central Technical School...725 Bathurst St. ( entrance at Harbord St. and Borden St.)

for us eastenders, the Community Environment/ Canada Day event was always a big outdoor party and a really great use of an odd piece of parkland on a big hill.It also marked the beginning of Summer. I'm not exactly sure what Councillor Paula Fletcher has up her sleeve for this new cold weather version, but I can guarantee that you can bring your gross dead batteries and other toxic waste to drop off...and if you forget this time you can make a trip to the alternate Community Environment day happening on the 24th of October at the locations I've listed above. If you forget at that time you can hoard your toxic garbage for another year!
Enjoy Life!