Public Consultation

Here is a meeting announcement that needs some interest from our suburban wards. The City Staff have been working for some time on a plan to harmonize all fixtures on City Streets. Newspaper boxes, planters, benches, bus shelters, etc. would be replaced according to a design plan as they wear out and become eligible for replacement.

This is the sort of consultation that might be undersubscribed at the Suburban locations while it does impact us very much. Many of our Ward 33 subdivisions have a mish-mosh of rusted benches and newspaper boxes right at the entrance to their neighbourhoods so I have been anxiously awaiting this harmonization exercise. Once the consultation is complete and the report is accepted by Council, I will be speaking out for prompt attention for our area.

Please read the info below and consider attending the North York Session.

Public meetings to discuss future of Toronto’s street furniture

The City of Toronto is hosting a series of workshops to gather public input on the City’s proposed co-ordinated street furniture program and discuss how improved design and placement of street furniture can best improve Toronto’s public space.

A number of street furniture elements such as transit shelters, waste/recycling bins, benches, phone booths and newspaper publication boxes have been added to the city’s streetscape over the past number of years. The aim of the co-ordinated street furniture project is to harmonize the design and placement of selected street furniture in a functional, accessible, and more attractive manner.

The meetings will take place as follows:

• Etobicoke Civic Centre, Tuesday, February 28
• Scarborough Civic Centre, Wednesday, March 1
• Metro Hall, Monday, March 6
• North York Civic Centre, Tuesday, March 7

All meetings are from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Pre-registration is required for these workshops as space is limited. Please call 416-338-1066 or e-mail streetfurniture@toronto.ca to register.

CUPE Job Action Expected at Midnight Wednesday

The City's media release below will explain what we know so far. Works staff are working on information regarding Garbage drop-offs but in Ward 33, this will not be an issue until next week.

I would add that residents should remember that our own Ward 33 staff will be on duty, as well as Access Toronto, to answer your questions. Keep your ears to the radio and eyes on the papers for updates on City and School Board Services.

City Manager, Shirley Hoy has already made the City's formal presentation to the Queen's Park Standing Committee, suggesting a delay and consideration of a number of amendments to Bill 206 concerning Omers reform. However, the Bill received third reading today so we hope that some resolution between the Province and CUPE can be reached. Read the release below:

News Release

February 21, 2006

Notice to residents concerning CUPE dispute with province

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (Ontario) has today confirmed that job action may begin as early as 12:01 a.m. Thursday, February 23, 2006.

While the dispute is between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Province of Ontario, job action may unfortunately affect the availability of some City services. The City will endeavour to continue service wherever possible. The City has successfully negotiated a protocol with CUPE Local 79 where an agreement is in place to ensure uninterrupted services such as City run child care, parks, forestry and recreation programs, etc. The City is discussing a protocol with CUPE Local 416 to ensure continued service.

In the event of a CUPE job action, the City and CUPE Local 79 have reached agreement on a protocol to provide CUPE Local 79 members pre-approved time off for a one day only OMERS protest. Local 79 has committed that they will not disrupt the continued delivery of City services and that there will be no picketing by its members at any sites owned or operated by the City.

In the event of a CUPE job action, all staff, except those whose absence has been previously approved, will be expected and are required to follow their regular work schedules and report to work.

As the precise nature of the potential job action remains unknown, it is not possible for the city to provide a definitive list of services that will be operating or unavailable. Residents should verify the availability of services and expect possible delays when attending at a City facility. If a job action occurs, the City of Toronto website www.toronto.ca will be updated with available information. Residents may also phone Access Toronto at 416-338-0338.

The City of Toronto has requested that the government withdraw Bill 206 and initiate a process for reform that ensures OMERS is financially sound and prudently managed, cost effective, equitable and accountable for the benefit of all stakeholders. Mayor Miller has written to Premier McGuinty about this matter.

Sunday Reminder / Shelley's Perspective

MAYOR MILLER Comin to the OPEN HOUSE on Sunday. READ THE POST BELOW THIS!!
TALKING, EATING, SKATING, KIDS STUFF!!!

SHELLEY'S PERSPECTIVE:

This mornings news clippings included a lambasting of City Councillors and the Mayor for arguing with the Board of Trade.

In our defense, you should know what they were proposing. The Board of Trade asks that we trim $135 million dollars of non-essential fat. Their other helpful suggestion was that we pass along to taxpayers $300 million more in user fees.

My friends, you need to know that my fellow Budget Committee members and I have worked very hard the last two months to cut $117 million of those dollars. I informed Mr. Grunwald I would be happy to go back and find the rest.

As for user fees, my feeling is that you are already paying up front in your property taxes. Smaller communities who charge $2 a bag for every bag of garbage have MUCH lower municipal taxes. They get a further tax break because you, as a Torontonian pay a large portion of their education expenses.

Mr Grunwald agrees that the Province should pay for income support programs like Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support, Ontario Drug Plan and Social Housing. Well thank you, Mr. Grunwald, because those services make up almost our entire shortfall. Pass the word along to Queen's Park that we need a five year phase-in solution to paying for income related social services with Property Taxes.

Council took great political risk earlier this year when we agreed to address the imbalance between residential and commercial property taxes by adding an average of $10 a year to each household for 5 years. We agreed to do so even before our own imbalance issue with the Province is solved in order to stop the exodus of jobs to the 905's. Your welcome, Mr. Grunwald.

If you want to talk about any of this with myself or the Mayor, or you just want to eat, drink hot chocolate and skate with us, READ THE POST BELOW!

Heads Up: Sunday Visit with the Mayor

Come One, Come All

Join us this Sunday for our annual Open House/Skating Party at Pleasant View Community Centre and Bocce Court. There will be refreshments and kids' activities from 1:00 to 4:00 including a visit from the Mayor. Free skating starts at 2:30 and David Miller will be strapping on his skates as well. The Oriole Bocce and Social Club will be donating their famous PIZZA to add to the fun. Yasmin Ratansi, our recently re-elected Member of parliament will be dropping by. My whole staff team will be on hand so there will be plenty of folks ready to listen.

Parking will be an issue so we have arranged for parking in the two lots at Pleasant View Junior High School as well.

Sunday, February 19/06
Councillor Carroll's Annual Open House

Pleasant View Community Centre and Bocce Court
(Van Horne Ave, East of the Don Valley Parkway)

From 1:00 to 4:00 (Indoor Skating at 2:30)

Community Bulletin - Toronto Police Services 33 Division

Pro Action Basketball Tournament


For the first time the Toronto Police Service is hosting a Pro Action basketball tournament, featuring youths from different divisions against other youths. There will also be an exciting showdown between the youths and our very own Police officers.

Don't miss the action, come and support our youth and officers as a spectator. There will be an official half time show, court side dancers and a special surprise guest. One lucky audience member will shoot from centre court for a chance to win a prize.

The action begins at 3:00 pm on Saturday March 18th at Seneca College, located at 1750 Finch Avenue E, inside the athletic building.

For any further information please contact P.C Kimmer er #7484 or P.C Chung #8037 at 33 Division at 416-808-3300.

Hope to see you all there!

Community Alert - Toronto Police Services

Police request assistance in sexual assault investigation

Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 11:05 AM

Sex Crimes Unit

416-808-7474

The Toronto Police Service is requesting the assistance of the public and the media in a sexual assault investigation.

On Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at approximately 4 p.m., a 21-year-old woman reported to police that she was sexually assaulted in the stairwell of her apartment buil ding in the area of Don Mills Road/Sheppard Avenue East.

It is alleged that:

- the victim was walking up the stairs to her apartment when a man grabbed her from behind.

The suspect is described as: Asian, 5’7", with a medium build, early 20’s, with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and a dark jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or online at www.222tips.com

Persian New Year Is Almost Here

This evening we gathered the Organizing Committee of Chahar Shanbeh Souri, the Persian New Year Fire Festival, together with the City's Police, Fire and Parks Services. We are working very hard to make this year's Festival on March 14th even safer than last year and even better organized so that the community will experience a smoother operation.

The event presents a huge challenge to City Services, not to mention huge expense, because of the large, enthusiastic Communiy that attends. Special thanks must go out to the Services for agreeing to hold the event again in Sunnybrook Park and to Councillor Jenkins who works closely with me to bring the community together with City Services to solve the logistics for the event.

As the event grows, we will have to look at new ways for the community to absorb some of the cost of such a crowd. In the future, new venues must be explored. Perhaps a safer venue where a bazaar with food sales and arts & crafts sales could accompany future festivals to help defray the costs of supervising the event. Indeed, such organizing is exactly how Caribanna grew into its role as one of Toronto's trademark tourist events.

In the meantime, for this year, please contact my office if you can help out the Organizing Committee by donating funds to cover the cost of buses, insurance, permits, etc. or to volunteer your help that evening. Providing lots of volunteer supervision is the only way we can hold the event in Sunnybrook for another year. My assistant, Collette Lennie, keeps the contact numbers of the Organizing Committee and can refer you to them. We understand that donations are very much needed and there are only a few weeks left. Call us as soon as possible at 416-392-4038.

AND stay tuned to this blog. The Organizing Committee for Chahar Shanbeh Souri is setting up a website shortly and we will be advertising the link.

Shelley's Position on the TTC Fare Increase

I am, as many of you know, a member of the Budget Committee at the City. One of my responsibilities is to sit on the review team that examines the TTC Budgets.
These are the points that I made at the emergency meeting of the TTC:

1)It is the role of the TTC Commissioners to deliberate over and approve the Budget of the TTC. But, so long as the City subsidizes those Budgets with tax-base dollars, it is the role of the City's Budget Advisory Committee to review the TTC budgets to ensure that the amount of our subsidy is fair and is put to efficient use. The subsidy we feel we can barely afford this year represents a 7.7% increase over last year, to tackle growth, regular inflation and skyrocketing fuel costs.

2)We review the TTC Budget always mindful that the REAL PROBLEM continues to be that funding of 50% of the TTC Operating Budget was abandon by the former Provincial Government and has not been restored by the current Government due to their own inherited deficit. We are grateful, as are all TTC riders, that gas tax moneys are now flowing to the neglected TTC Capital Budget. However, we note that the TTC must transfer some of that gas tax money to its Operating Budget to relieve pressure. In short, the impact of the new money is watered down and neither problem is solved.

3)All these things considered, I still firmly believe, on the basis of our review of the TTC Budget that reductions should be made in the area of administration and business practices to meet budget pressures. We remain the only major Metropolis in North America which does not have a sustainable multi-governmental funding formula and until we have it, we should make every reduction possible outside of actual bus and rail services and outside of FARE INCREASES so that the rider isn't hit with our inter-governmental woes.

4)I begged the TTC Commission to defer their vote on a fare increase to the very end of their meeting and first examine a list of suggested efficiencies that the City Budget Committee received from our own finance staff. I made myself available to work through the list.

The Commission continued on with their vote for a Fare Increase but I did achieve one small victory from this committee of Councillors that is, nevertheless, an independent commission. They did agree to direct TTC staff to proceed through the next year with a program by program review of the TTC Bureaucracy.

While I didn't talk them out of the fare increase, I still want to applaud the TTC for continuing to soldier on with this funding imbalance that has lasted 8 years now. While the buses will be crowded as usual, there will be one hundred new buses and drivers addressing ridership growth. Subways will run without the kind of intergovernmental funding that exists for Vancouver's Skytrain or for Montreal or for Chicago or for New York.

Even as I ask that the TTC review its bureaucracy, I have to acknowledge that it is a bureaucracy of expertise. It must be in order to survive the pressures created over the last 8 years.

Recycling: Is Your Apartment or Condo Building Ready for Zero Waste?

The City of Toronto has set waste diversion goals of 60% by 2008 - 100% by 2012. currently, residents in apartments and condos are diverting only 12% of their waste. With over half of Toronto's residents living in low, medium and high-rise buildings, strategies for recycling and composting are a top priority. Each building presents its own challenges, such as aging garbage chutes or lack of space for organic waste storage. Yet many buildings have succeeded in developing innovative programs and the city is pilot testing organic recycling.

With impending levies on excess waste, the threat of Michigan landfills closing their doors to our garbage and few mandatory requirements for new buildings, time is running out. Do you live in a high-rise? What would you like to see happen in your building? What small steps can you take on our own? What are tenants, property managers, condo boards and the city doing to reach our waste diversion goals?

Join Councillor Carroll, City staff, a condo property manager, and residents to discuss goals, challenges and solutions to creating less garbage.

MONDAY, March 6th, 2006
7:30 - 9:30PM
St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts
27 Front Street East....Toronto
2 Blocks east of Union station

FREE ADMISSION - first come, first served

33 Division Community Bulletin

UNIT COMMANDER
Staff Inspector Ruth White Says “Farewell” …

The one constant thing in our world is change and policing is no exception. On February 1st, 2006 I will be moving to a new assignment as the Unit Commander of 14 Division. On the same date, Staff Inspector Robin Breen will be taking over the command of 33 Division. Robin comes from Community Mobilization, a unit within our Human Resources Command, and has a wealth of over 29 years experience. I know he is extremely excited about his new posting and looks forward to building partnerships with his new community.

For the past year I have had the pleasure to work with the most outstanding members of the Toronto Police Service and community. I shall reflect on this experience for many years to come.

NEW UNIT COMMANDER
Staff Inspector Robin Breen

Welcome to 33 Division!

It is with great pride and pleasure that I return to 33 Division as the new Unit Commander. In my former position at Community Mobilization, I have observed the great relationship that 33 Division enjoys with their community partners. I have recently met with members of our Community Police Liaison Committee and look forward to meeting and working with the rest of the community of 33 Division.

33 Division has the reputation of being a leader in Community-based policing, which I will endeavour to maintain and build upon.


TRAFFIC TIP OF THE MONTH

By P.C. Steve Mills …

PLEASE REMEMBER …To take those extra few minutes to properly clear the windows of frost and ice. A peephole through the windshield and other windows is dangerous and illegal. And it only takes a few minutes …

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In 1926, Carter Woodsman, an American historian, began the celebration of Black History Month. Parliament officially declared February as Black History Month in 1996. For more than ten years, the Toronto Police Service has been celebrating this important occasion in partnership with the community.

1st ANNUAL
YOUTH ICE HOCKEY SKILLS COMPETITION
On Thursday, February 16 and 23, the Oriole Community Centre is hosting their 1st Annual Youth Ice Hockey Skills Competition. The Oriole Community Centre is located at 2975 Don Mills Road, north of Sheppard Avenue. For additional information, please contact Kathy at 416-395-7969.


GOOD POLICE WORK
OF THE MONTH

Accused #1 waited outside of the Nymark Plaza, waiting for the 23 year old female victim. Once the victim exited the plaza, accused #1 grabbed onto her purse, ripping it from her shoulder.

Accused #1 then jumped into a motor vehicle, driven by accused #2 and made good his escape. The victim was able to obtain a licence plate number for the vehicle and called Police.

Police located the vehicle at Bayview Avenue and Citation Drive, arrested both accused and recovered the stolen purse.


N. Miami Beach, Florida

A robber pulled out a semi-automatic pistol, handed a bag to a bank teller, and demanded money. After getting the bag back, he put his gun back into his pocket and that is when it fired. It is believed that he shot himself. The robber then ran outside and was struck by a van. He was helped out from under the van and escaped into a waiting car. He was later arrested.


THE VOLUNTEER VOICE
… by Linda Averill
The Volunteers of 33 Division will be continuing with Purse Patrols during the month of February at various shopping malls throughout 33 Division. They will be distributing information pamphlets with various safety tips on how to avoid a Purse Snatching.

Volunteers will be attending Seniors Day held at
Shoppers Drug Mart on Thursday, February 16th at the
Don Mills Centre and on Thursday, February 23rd
at 939 Lawrence Avenue East.

A Child Car Seat Inspection Clinic will be held on
Saturday, February 18th at 32 Division, located at
30 Ellerslie Avenue and will be by appointment only.

For more information or to make a child car seat inspection appointment, please call
Volunteer Co-ordinator Linda Averill at 416-808-3325 #2.


33 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) is a group of volunteers from your community. We represent resident and business associations, schools, houses of worship, and a wide range of community-based organizations. Our mandate is to work with the Police and our members to assist in crime prevention initiatives, resolve relevant issues and keep our community safe. If you live in 33 Division and represent an organization, such as a resident's association, school, house of worship, community centre, etc. and would like to learn more about the 33 Division CPLC, please call Staff Sergeant Rob Morris at 416-808-3392.

Thank you,
Kristen Hutt, Chairperson
33 Division CPLC

T.A.V.I.S.

33 Division is committed to taking aggressive actions to reduce violent crime committed by both adults and youth. Criminal violence fuelled by gang involvement outside of 33 Division remains well above historical levels and have recently begun to have increased again in a number of divisions. Many of these crimes involve guns. The Service has assigned the highest priority in reducing these crimes. Therefore, T.A.V.I.S. has been formulated with one goal –
To reduce violence and increase safety in our communities.

Among the violence related behaviours to be addressed during this six month strategic direction, emphasis will be given to reducing:
• Weapons possession and weapons use
• Stranger on stranger assaults, including attempt murders, woundings and sexual assaults
• Street robbery offences, including muggings, swarmings, purse snatches and vehicle jackings
• Drug abuse and under-age drinking
• Recidivism among youth and adults on Conditional Bail release

This reduction strategy is designed to promote and support a co-ordinated attack on violence in identified high crime areas. Overall, our action plan has been implemented to:

• Yield short term reduction in adult and youth violence through an appropriate combination of deterrence, surveillance and apprehension strategies and
• Yield long term reduction in the numbers of violent prone adult and youth residing in the division through an appropriate combination of prevention and intervention strategies that will maintain strong community/police partnerships.

Shelley's Annual Open House

You are invited to….

Councillor Shelley Carroll's Open House

Sunday, February 19, 2006
1PM – 4PM
Party begins at 1:00PM
FREE indoor skating from 2:30 – 4:30PM

FREE Children’s’ activities

Pleasantview Community Recreation Centre
545 Van Horne Avenue


Come join Councillor Carroll and her special guests……
Toronto Blue Jays “Ace”, Toronto Maple Leafs “Carlton”, Toronto Argos “Jason”, Toronto Marlies “Duke the Dog”, Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as Mayor David Miller, M.P.P. David Caplan, M.P Yasmin Ratansi for an afternoon of skating, snacks and a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Special Thanks to:

Enbridge Consumers Gas
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Marlies
Toronto Professional Firefighters Association
Toronto Police Services - 33 Division