Results tagged “community”

You'd think it would be common practice these days for everyone to regularly wash their hands, especially if they work in the health-care profession. Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care advises that frequent handwashing is "the single most effective way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases." (Cooties are the obvious exception here, since they can only be prevented by administering a cootie shot.) Unfortunately, the statistics indicate that health-care workers aren't very diligent about soaping up.

Photo by aardvark from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.

Torontoist Environment Editor Chris Tindal is currently engaged in a federal by-election campaign. This weekly column is an attempt to offer a behind the scenes glimpse into what it's like to be that mysterious Other: a politician.

In a minor renovation probably not related to the Toronto Community Foundation, someone has added a new station name along the top of one of Ossington Station's track-level signs: Not Gnosis. So, Ossington does not have "a special knowledge of spiritual mysteries" (according to the OED's definition), which should not really surprise anyone who's ever been to it.

Does the image at right strike fear into your soul? You may be in luck, because this weekend local activists The Fat Femme Mafia host Dunk Your Chunk, a fat-positive swim event. The duo, comprised of Chelsey Lichtman and Liz Brockest, have hosted other fat-related events, including dance performances, workshops, and a fat cabaret that featured only performers of size. They've also been known to do some tagging from time to time. The event is...

If you haven't been following the Raptors too closely this season, it's possible that you may have missed one of the greatest stories in professional sports at the moment. Jamario Moon is a 27-year-old rookie who had been kicking around just about every minor league on the continent until he finally got his shot with the Raptors this year. And he's tearing things up. Even though he's years older than a number of Raptor veterans,...

For the last 50 days, Donna Dillman has been on a hunger strike to protest uranium mining in eastern Ontario. Tomorrow (Tuesday), she brings that fight to the steps of Queen's Park, and she'd like you to join her.

The National Post is reporting today that Coyote Ugly––the raunchy, almost-a-strip-club-bar that inspired a Jerry Bruckheimer movie that everyone, including Piper Perabo, forgot about five years ago––will open up its first Canadian "saloon" next year at 220 Adelaide Street West. Coyote Ugly is upfront about its intentions: on their website, the bar explains the "business plan" of its first owner, Lil' Lovell, was "beautiful girls + booze = money." The organization's slogan is "Don't Just...

Toronto councillor Paula Fletcher wants Toronto Public Health to officially categorize bedbugs as a "health hazard," as opposed to their current status, "nuisance,"—that's not a joke; "nuisance" is apparently the official term—after our dear city has seen a recent upsurge in the pests. And for all you folks living in highrises, don't get too smug, because it seems "there is no community that hasn't been affected." Fletcher is also urging officials to implement a bedbug furniture pick-up system similar to the one used in Cincinnati, where city employees collect infested furniture if it's covered in plastic. And it looks like Fletcher's getting somewhere because an "expert panel discussion" is being held tonight at the WoodGreen Community Centre.

Poor OCAP. They can't even complain about the police watching them without the police watching them. At noon on Wednesday, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty held a press conference (not a rally or an action or a march but a press conference) at the northeast corner of Dundas and Sherbourne, and there was about one police officer for each person in attendance (around twenty). As eight or so cops casually observed the conference from across the street, Beric German of the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee speculated on how much each one was being paid: "About fifty dollars an hour?"

Knitting: it's not just for grandmas anymore, but you already knew that. It's not just for crafty hipsteristas either. A group of teachers at Highland Heights Junior Public School have started a Knitting Club to help keep inner city kids out of trouble. Many of the students come from public housing, so the school relies heavily on fundraising for a extracurricular activities. When the idea of the Knitting Club was first conceived, the teachers didn't imagine that any more than 15 to 20 students would be interested.

Beginning this Thursday, the fifteenth annual Junction Arts Festival will be swarming the streets with an entourage of innovative musicians, performers, and visual artists hailing from Canada, Denmark, Brussels, and the United States.

All summer long, Toronto has been jam-packed with countless cultural festivities, and as the last weekend of the summer begins to dawn on us—with students gearing up for school and vacations coming to an unfortunate end—why not end the summer with some Ukrainian style?

On August 22nd, Leonardo Zuniga held a press conference in the Council Chambers of City Hall, where representatives of community organizations including the Toronto Youth Cabinet, No One Is Illegal, and the Metropolitan Community Church urged Minister of Immigration Diane Finley to grant Leo refugee status in Canada, a decision that could potentially save his life.

Beyond the month of February, it is not often that Torontonians have a public opportunity to celebrate their city’s black legacy. But they’ll get one this weekend at the 15th annual Marcus Garvey Celebrations. The celebrations, which honour the iconic Jamaican American revolutionary, will this year also pay tribute to Torontonians Lucie and Thornton Blackburn in commemoration of the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in Ontario.

Got a violin that's collecting dust in your closet? An itch in your throat that can only be satisfied through loud, boisterous singing? Or perhaps you've been wondering if you should integrate your child into the wonderful world of eurhythmics. Whatever the musical-maladie, if nothing but music notes have been bouncing in your head, you might want to consider taking advantage of some free sample classes at the Royal Conservatory of Music Community School.

From mid-September through year-end, all City Community Centres will be closed on Mondays. Skating rinks won't open until January. Fewer potholes will be repaired. Snow won't be cleared unless there is at least 15 cm of it (the current minimum is 8 cm). New materials from Public Health will only be available in English.

"Honest Ed" Mirvish passed away nearly a month ago, but Toronto is still in mourning. On Sunday, August 12, his family will be hosting a celebration of life outside of the Honest Ed's Emporium (581 Bloor Street West) in lieu of Ed's famous annual birthday party—he would have turned 93 on July 25.

The bus platform of Pape station was engulfed in a whirlwind of mops and microphones early yesterday afternoon as workers scrubbed the walls and windows till they sparkled and the media mingled with curious commuters, all of them eager for TTC chair Adam Giambrone to arrive and kick off the Station Modernization Program. This whammy of a project, which will include the restructuring and redesign of nine subway stations, was set into motion at three p.m. yesterday with speeches by Giambrone as well as by members of the Toronto Community Foundation. Pape (above), Dufferin and Bloor-Yonge are first in line for a makeover, followed by Victoria Park, Islington, Kipling, Museum, St. Patrick, and Osgoode.

Green is the new black. Going green is not just about flicking off or simultaneous international concerts, but being more environmentally conscious about how it creeps into everyday living. Local Food attempts to go beyond the popular concept of healthy organic eating by reducing the distance your food travels to your mouth and exposing what it takes to get that pineapple on your table.

At 2 p.m. near Baldwin and Augusta there will be a sun piñata. This model differs from other piñatas in that all the children need to pull on the strings of the piñata simultaneously to unravel its bounty instead of each kid lining up to take a swing. After that there will be a series of "fire stories" told by members of the community and the local fire department, followed by a fashion show in which $25 Canadian will buy you $50 Kensington, and contestants purchase clothes from merchants around the market. There will be judging and prizes afterwards.

This Sunday is the third annual St. James Town Festival, which begins at 10 a.m. outside of the Wellesley Community Centre at the corner of Wellesley and Sherbourne. At least, it's supposed to. But festival organizers claim that an unexpected and hefty bill from the city has left the event in jeopardy.

Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington market, more commonly known as P.S.Kensington, kicks off its fourth year this Sunday, May 27th.

Toronto rheumatism sufferers, are you ready to receive holy praise on the newest patent cure to hit the streets of our city?

The City of Toronto's Community Environment Days combine a number of different worthwhile initiatives into one event. They began last month and continue until the end of September, with each Ward getting their own day.

Tomorrow is the Yorkville Whole Foods Market Community Support Day. In celebration of Earth Week, 5% of their net sales will go to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), whose mission is to ensure that our “Living City” is built upon a natural foundation of healthy rivers and shorelines, greenspace and biodiversity, and sustainable communities. Staff from the TRCA will be on hand tomorrow so you can ask questions, and get informed.

Every couple of weeks "What's The Frequency, Campus?" will highlight some of the intriguing shows and special programming happening on Toronto's campus and community radio stations.

Every two weeks "What's The Frequency, Campus?" will highlight some of the intriguing shows and special programming happening on Toronto's campus and community radio stations.