Hi all,
What a week for weather! If your thoughts had not turned to summer, I'm sure they have now. Before we look ahead to the exciting events that the WCRA has planned, we wanted to provide you with a summary of the work that has been done over the past months.
Shelter Support Survey
Thanks to all WCRA members that took the time to complete our survey back in February. I've attached a summary of key findings for your reference.
The WCRA has held a number of meetings with the city staff in Shelter Support Services to better understand the state of city affairs. Like many in the community, we were very concerned to see Mitchel Field Community Centre turned into a Warming Centre this past winter. Our conversations confirmed our fears, the City of Toronto is not properly funded at the Federal and Provincial levels. As a result, we have city services that have to make due with the limited resources they have. We can expect more of this thing in the Willowdale area if funding continues at current levels. The WCRA has started to explore ways to advocate for better funding and will be exploring ways to work with the Councillor's office to address the concerns coming from our discussions with SSHA. We have attached a portion of Councillor Cheng's newsletter that speaks to this topic for your reference...
Motion Passed: City Council request the City Manager to establish a program where Members of Council form delegations to meet with Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament to advocate for our budget issues.
“The lack of acknowledgement by the Provincial and Federal government of the many contributions the City is making towards social supports for those experiencing homelessness as well as how we support newcomers and refugees - both of which are costs that should be coming from these other levels of government. Councillor Pasternak also points out that unlike any other municipality, the province has downloaded the cost of maintenance of the DVP and Gardiner Expressway - whereas all other highways are paid for by the province. Click Here to read the bleak 10 year financial outlook that was presented by Ernst and Young. I look forward to the opportunity to approach MPs and MPPs across the country about our challenges.”
On a related note, the WCRA would like to thank Councillor Cheng and the staff who worked closely with Shelter Support Housing & Administration (SSHA) to return Mitchel Field to its intended purpose as a Community Centre.
Networking & Community Building Update
The WCRA board has been busy building relationships with the various association and organization leads in Willowdale. In February, we hosted a networking event with over 40 community members. We discussed the issues and concerns raised by local residents, and explored partnership opportunities with those in attendance. There was great energy at this event and we are happy to report that a number of community-led initiatives are now underway as a result of this meeting. We recognize that our community has been undergoing a transformation for many years, from a suburban neighbourhood to an unban centre. With this change come new challenges and concerns. All those in attendance agreed, the need for a strong sense of community is important if we want to deal with these new challenges. There are many things outside our control but one thing we can manage is our connection with our neighbours. It takes effort and it takes time to build a strong community. We hope you will consider getting involved when the WCRA and other community associations/organizations call upon you for volunteer support. The more people that get involved, the more community building activities and events we can host.
Upcoming WCRA Events
There's lots going on in Willowdale. Here are some upcoming WCRA events:
Gardening at JMH: May 6th from 9am-noon. The WCRA is partnering with the Ontario Historical Society for an event at John McKenzie Historic House. If you like gardening and the outdoors come by and help as we prepare the gardens around the house. Refreshments will be served and it's a great way to meet your neighbours! Email willowdalecra@gmail.com to register OR if you have questions.
WCRA Annual Meeting (TBD). We will be hosting our AGM in the month of May. More details will be coming.
Doors Open TO: May 27/28 all day. WCRA is collaborating with the Ontario Historical Society, along with TO Live, for Doors Open. Stop by and take in the free musical performance that will be happening through the day!
WCRA Annual BBQ: June 17th from 11am- 2pm. Back by popular demand, the WCRA will be hosting it's annual community BBQ. Save the date and watch for more information on this fun event.
Willowdale Concerts in the Park Series: Weekly from June-September. The WCRA will be hosting a free weekly concert at Lee Lifeson Park. We are currently in the planning process and would like to have this series run every Thursday from 6pm-9pm (live performances running 7-9pm). WCRA has collaborated with North York Arts and secured some sponsorship money to pay for this program. We will need more community support if we want to have this run from June 1st to September 28th. If you, or someone you know would like to be part of the planning committee OR assist on the day of the events, please Email sboyleto@gmail.com.
We recommend you refer to our website and consider signing up for Councillor Cheng's newsletter as it has a summary of many local events, along with other important information about our ward. Here's the registration link for easy reference: https://www.lilycheng.ca
Warm Regards,
Stephen, on behalf of the WCRA