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Toronto GJA Councillors: Office Expense Reporting 2010 to 2011..oh the changes

 

During 2011 new councillors aimed and accomplished the reduction of their office budgets of their old counter parts, while returning councillors greatly reduced their spending. Is this all  simply political thrift, that has come about by the seeming dissatisfaction with the politicos running the city, or do the people really want their elected people saving ten to twenty thousand dollars of their office budget.

Considering that these budgets are used by the councillor to service their electors. Is there simply grater loss than the saving of the funds.

 

below the blog has captured the 2010 and 2011 spending amounts of the area councillors.

 

Descriptive text from City web site…

Each Councillor has an office expense budget to pay for expenses that are allowable under the Councillor Expense Policy. City Council, at its meeting of April 15, 2010, approved a 5% reduction in the office expense budget for each Councillor. The annual budget of $53,100 has been reduced to $50,445. As 2010 is an election year, Councillors are allocated 11/12ths of the approved office expense budget until the end of the Council term, November 30, 2010, therefore each Councillor has an office expense budget of $46,241.25. The remaining 1/12th of the budget is allocated to December for returning Councillors. New Councillors also receive 1/12th of the allocation, $4,203.75 for the month.The Mayor has an annual operating budget approved by Council. Expenses disclosed relate to non-salary expenditures from this budget.

 

 

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Uncomplimentary elements of the Railpath

post submitted by blog  reader SP

As a daily rider of the new rail path I’m left with one question:

Where are the garbage bins?  Garbage has begun to pile up in the form of
Mcdonalds trash, dog poop in bags and endless bottles.  Is there no
maintenance of the path?

uncomplimentary elements of the Railpath

Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health objects to Metrolinx’s proposed diesel rail expansion in Georgetown South Corridor

metrolinx-logo

The Medical Officer of Health has posted a Letter of Objection regarding the diesel train expansion.

The letter written to the The Honourable John Gerretsen Minister of the Environment  supports a transit expansion based on electrification, and  requests that, as Minister of the Environment, you permit the project to proceed only under the following conditions:

1. That new train services and service expansions proceed only as electrified services;

2. That Metrolinx be required to conduct ambient air quality monitoring prior to

implementation of new train services or service expansions, in order to establish an air

quality baseline and concentration gradient. The chemicals to be measured are:

• Combustion gases – carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide;

• Particulate matter (ultrafine (PM0.1), respirable (PM2.5) and inhalable (PM10);

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene,

benzene and acrolein;

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – total and benzo(a)pyrene; and,

• Greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide; and

3. That Metrolinx establish a community liaison committee to:

• Deal with issues arising from the proposed construction;

• Provide input on selection of mitigation strategies; and,

• Provide input to the mobility hub planning process.

full letter link here with more city docs link below.

The Honourable John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment

Salsa on ST. Clair Street Festival 2009 (Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12, 2009)

salsa

Salsa on St. Clair, a street party celebrating Toronto’s Latin flavour, will close down St. Clair Ave. W. from Christie St. to Winona Dr. both Saturday and Sunday.

Dance Types

African | Bachata | Ballet | Ballroom | Belly Dance | Bollywood | Brazilian | Break Dance | Burlesque | Capoeira | Contemporary | Contra | Exotic | Flamenco | Folk |Hip Hop | Improv | Jazz | Kathak | Kids | Line Dance | Odissi | Oriental | Pilates |Reggaeton | Salsa | Scottish | Swing | Tango | Tap | Yoga | Zumba | Miscellaneous

[map link]

Salsa on St. Clair, a street party celebrating Toronto’s Latin flavour, will close down St. Clair Ave. W. from Christie St. to Winona Dr. both Saturday and Sunday.

BIG on Bloor – Culture works

Culture Works at the BIG on Bloor festival promises to be one the best organized and even more important, the best arts programed festivals in Toronto this year.

The people organizing this have developed a excellent model  a  re- imagining how best to support a community – both the businesses and the residents though the arts. Given the challenges in the community today their layered involvement  program model has succeeded in archiving a great amount of inclusiveness.  The organizations have succeeded in developing  a real appetite for all concerned parties to work together.  Big on Bloor and Dig in have always been wonderful at defining and combining different perceptions and the relieving  the difficulty of communication and partnership that often occur in the planning and running of community events.

Attending this event  will provide lots of thoughts stimulated by a hugely enjoyable experience.

Click to enlarge
CULTURE WORKS – a feature event of the BIG on Bloor Street Festival is a precedent setting street fair celebrating the arts and bringing the best that Toronto has to offer to Bloor and Lansdowne. Major cultural institutions and organizations like the AGO and the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art sit alongside local Garnet/Abrams, annhomanART, Funktion Gallery and many others to offer unique and interactive programming for young and old.

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Cost Effective Ways for Parks, Forestry and Recreation to Finance Projects

The Recreational Infrastructure Canada  program is a  federal  infrastructure fund that will invest $500 million in recreational facilities across Canada over a two-year period – starting this spring. Created to  provide a temporary economic stimulus  while renewing, upgrading and expanding recreational infrastructure.

The City of Toronto outlined in a recent staff report on March 20, 2009, it’s intention to explore the use of this fund to find cost effective ways the City of Toronto can finance the construction of new or expanded recreation facilities for multi-sports activities.

Their statement contents two important directional indicators, the city appears to want to take concerning recreation facilities.

1) To increase the move to multi-purpose recreation facilities instead of stand alone, single-purpose facilities.

text outtake from staff report…

In such facilities, rinks, pools, gymnasiums and tracks may be accommodated in one single building, providing economies of scale in terms of staffing, parking and utilities.

2) “to replace it’s aging infrastructure and to provide economies of scale and increased revenue opportunities

Eligible projects under the federal governments fifty-fifty cost share initiative

  • Arenas, gymnasia, swimming pools or sports fields;
  • Tennis, basketball, volleyball or other sport-specific courts;
  • Parks, fitness trails or bike paths; and
  • Other multi-purpose physical recreation facilities.

…will also:

  • Normally be for the rehabilitation or repair of recreational facilities;
  • Begin and materially conclude construction before March 31, 2011; and,
  • Be incremental, i.e. projects would not have occurred, as proposed, without support from RInC

Staff  report City of Toronto  [opens in new window]

Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program [opens in new window]

City staff to conduct planning study of St. Clair Ave. W. & Caledonia Rd

20e2809360-caledonia-road

City text highlights from the report..

At its meeting held on February 9, 2009, the Etobicoke York Community Council directed City Planning staff to conduct an immediate zoning and planning study of the St. Clair Avenue West and Caledonia Road area, and report to the Etobicoke York Community Council prior to July 2009 with recommendations to enhance and protect the residential character of the community, and eliminate all uses incompatible with that residential character (.

ISSUE BACKGROUND [link full city report]

The subject study area is generally located west of the St. Clair Avenue West and Caledonia Road intersection. The area bounded by the south limit of the properties fronting onto the south side of St. Clair Avenue West, from the rail corridor to Caledonia Park Road on the south, Caledonia Road to the east, Lambert Avenue to the north and a CNR rail corridor to the west. The lands within the study area are fragmented in ownership and presently occupied by the following uses:

1. warehouses

2. social clubs (and accessory restaurant uses)

3. concrete batching yard

4. supply yard (outdoor storage)

5. coffee shop (take-out restaurant)

6. automobile sales establishment

7. a City owned closed road allowance

To the west of the study area is a CNR rail corridor, with St. Clair Gardens and Neighbourhoods designated lands comprised of grade related dwellings, which abut the rail line to the west. To the north are Neighbourhoods designated lands with grade related dwellings. To the east, north of the properties fronting onto St. Clair Avenue West, are Neighbourhoods designated lands with grade related dwellings and Prospect Cemetery further east. Properties fronting onto the north side of St. Clair Avenue West are designated Mixed Use Areas, which have been included within the Avenue Study for St. Clair Avenue West. On the south side, east of the study area is Earlscourt Park, which is designated Parks and Open Space Areas – Parks.

To the south are lands that are designated Utility Corridors.

Corso Italia Toronto Fiesta – July 5 & 6, 2008

One thing about this local west end festival is the food.

The Toronto Fiesta is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to experience the food and culture of Toronto’s own Corso Italia. Over 30 bands will perform live on street corners, patios and balconies. We feature a variety of music from Classical to Salsa. In addition, food and beverage retailers will offer a mouth-watering selection of tastes and flavours, with promotions and samples of their cuisine.

Neighbours hosing down the sidewalk

Over at TZERO you can find a great post – funny and light – fully symbolic, about people hosing down their front sidewalks.

Link to Post

Great picture too.