Results tagged “gordperks”

If you're ever having one of those blah days, the kind where your life seems decidedly lacking in excitement and you find yourself in need of an emotional jolt, might we suggest that you attend a community meeting as an antidote? Perhaps one devoted to an ambitious redesign of your neighbourhood? The depth and breadth of passion, indignation, frustration, hope, and fear on display will perk you right up.

A funny thing happens on the western waterfront at the end of each summer. The Ex opens its doors to Children Of All Ages®, the Air Show deafens enthusiasts with aerobatic feats, and the City allows people to park—where else?—in the parks!

In a world where the squeaky wheel gets the grease, cyclists may be a little too well-lubricated for their own good. No matter how much noise they think they're making, cyclists just can't seem to push their agenda as well as, say, the Canadian Automobile Association can push theirs. Into this breach is stepping the Toronto Cyclists Union, the latest in a series of formal and informal organizations to try to help Toronto cyclists squeak a little louder.

Sarah Lazarovic––curator of the garage-based Montrose Portrait Gallery of Canada––is painting a portrait of a Torontonian (be they grannies or gardeners or Gord Perks) every day for one hundred days. Each Monday, we'll feature one of those portraits here.

Sarah Lazarovic––curator of the garage-based Montrose Portrait Gallery of Canada––is painting a portrait of a Torontonian (be they grannies or gardeners or Gord Perks) every day for one hundred days. Each Monday, we'll feature one of those portraits here.

The corner of Dundas Street West and Indian Grove used to host McBride Cycle, a 21,000 square-foot motorcycle retailer with some ninety-seven years of history behind it. As of last September, however, the store is no more, a death caused in large part by motorcycling companies cancelling agreements with dealerships like McBride's around the country. Beginning in the spring, the building was slowly demolished, and now there is little more at the corner than a bed of rubble, some metal poles, a big garbage bin, and a single line of fence running parallel with Dundas West.

Feeling nutty and proud of it? David Miller has proclaimed July 14 as Mad Pride Day in Toronto, which aims to recognize and empower a much marginalized group: those who have experienced oppression at the hands of the psychiatric system (psychiatric survivors and consumers) and those who generally have been stigmatized by their mental health issues. In the same way that the gay community has reclaimed the word "queer," psychiatric survivors and consumers have empowered themselves by reclaiming the word "mad." Consider it a celebration of the right to be different. We’ll be joining many other cities across the world in this international day to recognize mad people, such as Melbourne, Vancouver, Brussels, London, Chicago, Buffalo and interestingly, Accra (Ghana).

Health Canada reports that over half of Canadian kids aged five to 17 are not physically active enough for optimal growth and development. The number of overweight boys ballooned from 15 percent in 1981 to 35.4 percent in 1996; the percentage of overweight girls expanded from 15 percent to 29.2 percent. In less than a generation, obesity in children tripled. As anyone who has tried to lose a few kilos knows, it is easier to prevent overweight and obesity than to treat it.

Spring has finally sprung in a big way, just in time for Earth Day. Tomorrow, why not try something new, while also doing your part to help save the planet?

Last Thursday's 20th Anniversary bash for Artscape was a who's-who of Toronto arts philanthropy: the guest list boasted big names from around the city like Councillors Joe Mihevc and Gord Perks, Toronto Arts Council Executive Director Claire Hopkinson, Poet Laureate Pier Giorgio Di Cicco, and more. It was an evening of being seen, sampling a whirlwind of savoury hors d'oeuvres and trading congratulatory speeches with some of Toronto's most influential arts personalities.

This week, we wandered about the city and did a design analysis of election signs. This post doesn't exactly constitute voting advice -- unless you're often swayed by snazzy typography. At the same time, it's our belief that a terrible sign can tank an otherwise promising candidate and vice-versa.

Gord Perks, well known environmental columnist, activist and NDP candidate in Davenport during the last federal election, is running for city council in Ward 14 (Parkdale-High Park). Current councillor Sylvia Watson will be running in a September provincial by-election to try and fill the seat vacated by Gerard Kennedy.

Torontoist found himself nodding along in agreement with Gord Perks' latest column in Eye which goes on at some length on how politicians, and most importantly Premier McGuinty, is continuously telling the City that many of our priorities (transit, downloading, etc.) are political impossibilities.

Environmentalist and NDP candidate for Davenport Gord Perks's dream has come true... he has been carted away to a recycling facility.

Photo taken on Appleton Ave. last Friday.

The report itself says we could achieve 88% waste diversion by 2010 if we put our hearts, minds and juice boxes toward this goal. Deal. MDM gives up his Juicy Juice, and Torontoist remembers to bring along the 'coffee thermos' when we wander out for a cup of coffee. More information here.