You’re Invited: Toronto Events Aug.9-Sept; TTC and Toronto Alerts; Road Closures Aug.9-12, 2013

Here are great events happening in Toronto this summer.

  • Most events are FREE.

This video presents “Pilaros Taste of the Danforth Relives the Past! August 9th-11th, 2013 part 2.”

  • Get excited for the 20th anniversary of Pilaros Taste of the Danforth on August 9 – 11, 2013!


GreekTown on the Danforth BIA (Business Improvement Area)

Presents

Pilaros Taste of the Danforth Festival

FREE Admission

August 9 – 11

Friday, August 9, 2013 – 6pm-12am

Saturday, August 10, 2013 – 12pm-12am

Sunday, August 11, 2013 – 12pm-8pm

Danforth Avenue, Toronto

Crossroads of the Danforth BIA

Presents

Wheels on the Danforth & Fun in the Park, 2013

Free Admission

Saturday, August 10th

Gates open at 11:00am and will close at 11:00pm.

Car Show 11:00am – 5:00pm on the street
Kid’s Zone 11:00am – 5:00pm Oakridge Park
Tuner Car Show 6:30pm – 9:00pm Oakridge Park
Beer Garden 5:00pm – 11:00pm Oakridge Park
Main Stage Entertainment 2:00pm – 11:00pm Oakridge Park

Danforth Ave. between Victoria Park Avenue and Scotia Road (just east of Warden Avenue)

  • The 4th  annual family friendly festival.
  • This year’s Car Show will host Classics, Exotics, Tuners, Muscle Cars, Hot Rods, and Motorcycles all lined up on the closed section of Danforth Road and Danforth Avenue.
    • This  is a professionally judged  event  with 17 judged categories with trophies and cash prizes.
  • FREE Kid’s Zone area with lots of bouncy castles.
  • On the Main Stage, entertainment will start with programming for children and family throughout the afternoon.
    • At 5:00pm the tempo will change as the Beer Garden opens.
    • A variety of adult bands will be playing until 11:00pm.

Harbourfront Centre

Presents

Fortune Cooking

FREE Admission

August 9-11

  • White Jade: August 9 – 11, 2013

    • White Jade is a “fashionable electronic pop band from China that mixes traditional Chinese music, high-tech visual elements and electronic rhythms into their explosive live show.
    • In partnership with the Consulate General of China in Toronto. FREE
      Friday, August 9, 20139:30PM – 11:00PM
      WestJet Stage
      235 Queens Quay West
      View Map
      Sunday, August 11, 20135:30PM – 6:00PM
      WestJet Stage
      235 Queens Quay West
      View Map
  • The Skylines: Baila and Tea: August 10, 2013

    •  The Skylines is their brand of Sri Lankan baila music tinged with a touch of pop!
    • The music is a perfect accompaniment to a tasting of teas from Sri Lanka, part of Tea!Chai!Thé.
      • Sri Lanka is famed for producing the finest teas in the world and is home to the Ceylon Tea Museum.
    • FREE
      Saturday, August 10, 2013
      7:00PM – 8:00PM
      Redpath Stage
      235 Queens Quay West
      View Map
  • Nagata Shachu: August 11, 2013
    • “Toronto’s Nagata Shachu (formerly Kiyoshi Nagata Ensemble) has enthralled audiences with its mesmerizing and heart-pounding performances of the Japanese drum (taiko) since its formation in 1998.
    • The ensemble has toured widely throughout Canada, the US and Italy performing in theatres, concert halls and major music festivals.
    • FREE
      Sunday, August 11, 2013
      3:00PM – 4:00PM
      WestJet Stage
      235 Queens Quay West
      View Map

Repair Café Toronto

FREE Repair Service

Saturday, August 10, 10am-2pm

Location: Skills for Change, 791 St. Clair Ave W., 2nd Floor

Green Neighbours 21 informs us about this upcoming event.

Do you have an old household item that is destined for the trash? Why not bring it to the Repair Café Toronto instead? Volunteer fixers are ready to help give your items new life.

  • Repair Café Toronto is a group of people in Toronto who are inspired by the Repair Café in Amsterdam and would like to make some changes here in our own city.

Here are the benefits of Repair Café’s FREE service:

  • Valuable practical knowledge is getting passed on.
  • Things are being used for longer and don’t have to be thrown away.
  • This reduces the volume of raw materials and energy needed to make new products.
    • It cuts CO2 emissions, for example, because manufacturing new products and recycling old ones causes CO2 to be released.
  • Teaching people to see their possessions in a new light. And, once again, to appreciate their value.
  • To show how much fun repairing things can be, and how easy it often is.

Toronto’s Historic Museums’ Events

  • Thursday Summer Nights at Gibson House in August, from 6  to 8 p.m.: Admission is pay-what-you-wish.
    • 5172 Yonge Street just north of the North York Centre Subway Stop
    • “Go back in time to a summer’s eve, circa 1851.
    • Join in a game of croquet, relax on the porch and chat with neighbours and friends.
    • Walk through the house and enjoy that feeling of being in a home with a history.
    • Drop by the community quilt group and see what they are creating.
      • Feel free to join in, if you wish.
    • Children may explore the Discover Gallery.
      • There will be games on the lawn for all ages.
      • Activities will vary each week and they welcome your ideas and suggestions for future Thursdays.
    • Interested in a local croquet challenge each week, for instance?
      • They can arrange it!
  • Social Knit, Crochet and Corking Gatherings at Gibson House: Every other Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m., August 10 & 24; this program is FREE.
    • Join them in the cozy historic kitchen and enjoy a relaxing afternoon while you knit and crochet.
    • This social group invite members of all ages and skill levels to join them for an informal afternoon of learning and sharing.
    • Bring your own projects from home or try out one of their fun patterns and add something to their yarnbomb.
    • Some extra needles, hooks, corkers and yarn for practice and experimentation will be available.
    • Not a novice? They encourage you to get involved as a knitting or crochet and ESL mentor.
  • Oh Dear – A Public Art Exhibition in North York: ‘Oh Dear’ Art exhibit at the Gibson House is on until August 26.
    • “This multi-site, public art exhibition showcases artwork by local artists that explores the formation of North York culture.
    • Of the eight installations created, two have been mounted at Gibson House. “Oh Dear” looks at the changes the community has undergone through the eyes of those who love this neighbourhood.
    • The Oh Dear exhibit offers a self-reflective critique of this area, roughly twenty-five years after the building of its major civic landmarks, Mel Lastman Square and the North York Civic Centre.
    • The eight publicly accessible art installations, which are strategically placed along North York’s centre, explore the forming of North York culture with both the directness of a “dear” letter and the affection of a “dearest” note.”
    • Gibson House is taking part in this exhibition by featuring the work of artists Stephen Cruise (outside) and Bailey Govier (outside and inside the historic house).
      • Bailey’s work includes a mural painted with input from local community members.
    • Please click here for more info and a map of the host venues, or call Gibson House at 416-395-7432.
  • Montgomery’s Inn: FREE guided tours are on until September, 2013.
    • 4709 Dundas Street West at Islington Avenue
      FREE parking.
      416-394-8113
      montinn@toronto.ca
    • Please note: The Inn will be open on a limited basis during renovations from July to September, 2013.
      • The Tearoom is closed during this period but guided tours are FREE as some exhibits will be disrupted because of the construction.
    • Please call prior to your visit for details.
  • Scarborough Museum: Summer JUMP IN Weekends: August Weekends – 12 to 5 p.m.; Admission is Pay What You Can.
    • JUMP on IN for some great family friendly activities at Scarborough Museum. Something new and exciting each summer weekend!
    • Location is 1007 Brimley Road, just north of Lawrence in Thomson Memorial Park
      • 416-338-8807
      • shm@toronto.ca
  • Todmorden Mills Heritage Site: “Niinwin Dabaadjmowin – We Are Talking” Celebration Event – Thursday, Aug. 22, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Admission is FREE.
    • Location is 67 Pottery Road (Bottom of Pottery Road, East of the Bayview Extension, West of Broadview Avenue)
      • 416-396-2819
      • todmorden@toronto.ca
    • Niinwin Dabaadjmowin – We Are Talking is presented by Todmorden Mills Heritage Site in partnership with the Tecumseh Collective from July 30 toAugust 25 in the Papermill Gallery.
      • Niinwin Dabaadjmowin – We Are Talking is an 80-foot mural, created by the Tecumseh Collective, depicting the original story of the Anishnaabe people.
      • First Nations artists, Philip Cote and Rebecca Baird, led the project and guided Aboriginal youth and community members from the Tumivut Youth Shelter through the different stages of the mural’s creation.
    • On Aug. 22, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a celebration of this exhibition continues with an evening that features blessings by a First Nations Elder, traditional drumming performances and bannock tasting.

Toronto Alerts

This video presents “Canada has a great soccer story! Help us write the next chapter!”

  • “This is an incredibly exciting time for Canadian soccer.”
  • Here are the great highlights over the next few years.
    • We’ll welcome the best female players in the world to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015TM.
    • Our Men’s National Team will pursue its goal of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Russia in 2018.
    • The explosion in grassroots soccer will carry registration past 1 million — the first team sport in Canada to achieve that total!
  • There is a role for each of us in making Canada one of the world’s leading soccer nations. What’s yours?

City of Toronto to host FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada in 2014

  • This past weekend Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) named the City of Toronto (along with Edmonton, Moncton and Montreal) as one of the host cities for the U-20 Women’s World Cup to be held in Canada in 2014.
  • The U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada will run from August 5 to 14, 2014 and is a critical lead-in event to the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament which will be held in cities across Canada in 2015.
  • Toronto is expected to host up to seven matches, to be held at Toronto’s BMO Field, which will also be a venue for soccer matches at the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.
    • This state-of-the-art arena located at Exhibition Place is Canada’s first soccer-specific stadium and has a seating capacity of over 20,000.
  • Toronto was the headquarters for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada in 2007 and hosted 12 matches, including the gold medal match.

Council Approves Pan Am Path Funding

  • On July 16, 2013 Toronto City Council approved additional funds, dedicated to the construction of Multi-use trail projects which will be part of the Pan Am Path route.
    • Parks, Forestry, and Recreation will receive $1.2 million for Capital construction works, and $400,000 for its operations budget from the Major Special Event Reserve Fund.
    • Transportation Services will receive $300,000 for Capital works, funded from the Major Special Event Reserve Fund.
  • The Pan Am Path is a multi-use path to connect Toronto’s trails and create an active-living legacy for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.
    • It will connect over 80km of trails across Toronto and bring together residents, local organizations, artists and businesses to create truly vibrant public spaces that are reflections of those communities along the route.
  • Starting at the Claireville Reservoir in the west end of the city, the Pan Am Path follows the Humber River down to the waterfront, traversing the Martin Goodman Trail to the Don River where it continues North before transferring to the Gatineau Hydro Corridor in the East end of the city.
    • The trail follows the corridor to Highland Creek where it ends at the shore of Lake Ontario, just a few minutes south of Rouge Park.

Queen Street West Bicycle Parking Study

  • The additions will include bike stands, multi-bike racks, a on-street corral, and bike shelters which meet the City’s Bike Parking Guidelines, but are different from the standard bicycle parking rings used throughout Toronto.
  • The purposes of the 2013 Queen West bicycle parking study are to
    • better meet demand for bike parking,
    • test new designs with public feedback,
    • and to do so while making optimal use of the limited public space available.
  • The key lessons drawn from this study will inform bike parking expansions across the city.
  • Toronto wants your input in the following ways.
    • The Transportation Services has contracted Ipsos Reid to develop and carry out survey research of end-user bike parking experience along Queen Street West.
    • In September 2013, certified interviewers will approach cyclists on Queen Street West.
      • At this time, they encourage you to share your experience when asked to participate in a 5-minute, anonymous survey.
    • Access to an online survey will also be made available to evaluate what Torontonians think of bike parking more generally across the city.

City of Toronto to launch “Planners in Public Spaces”: August 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Nathan Phillips Square

  • Toronto’s City Planning Division will launch an outreach initiative called “Planners in Public Spaces” with a kick-off event on August 20 at Nathan Phillips Square.
    • The initiative includes pop-up information booths at events across the city where residents can learn about planning issues, the role of City planners and find out how they can get involved in planning their city.
    • The City has partnered with the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Cold Stone Creamery, and the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (BIA) for this event.
    • Children of all ages are invited to join City planners to help plan and build a giant LEGO city in the middle of the square.
      • Canada’s first LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Master Builder, Graeme Dymond, will be on hand, along with his Junior Construction Team, to guide the build. Participants can have their photo taken with a giant inflatable LEGO minifigure.
    • Guided walking tours of the area will be offered by the Downtown Yonge BIA.
  • Following the kick-off is a month-long tour of pop-up locations across the city.
    • Watch for City Planning staff at the weekly Farmers’ Market in Mel Lastman Square, the York-Eglinton International Street Festival, the Lawrence Bridging Festival, Runnymede and Kipling subway stations, Scarborough Town Centre shopping mall and many more locations.
  • For a complete list of dates, times and locations, visit the City Planning website at http://www.toronto.ca/planning/pips.
    • Follow City Planning’s official Twitter feed @CityPlanTO for live coverage of the events.
    • Sign up for City Planning email updates at http://www.toronto.ca/e-updates/ to stay informed about planning issues and upcoming events.

City Asks Residents to Help Keep Streets Safe: Contact 311 to Report Locations of Vegetation Growth Near Stop signs, traffic signals

  • Please report locations where summer vegetation growth is obstructing traffic signals and stop signs.
  • Callers should be able to provide the precise location of the vegetation that needs to be cleared such as nearest cross streets, closest street address and/or other relevant details so staff can be dispatched to clear the obstruction.
  • Staff from Transportation Services and Parks, Forestry and Recreation routinely perform proactive maintenance, but the large volume of rainfall has led to more vegetation growth than usual.

Toronto Road Closures

  • Finch Avenue East is closed for work this weekend.
    • GO Transit in conjunction with the City of Toronto will be performing work on the Finch Avenue railway crossing in the east end of the city.
      • The work involves construction of the railway crossing, replacement of track material and resurfacing of the pavement at the crossing and adjacent area.
    • As a result, Finch Avenue between Milliken Boulevard and Baylawn Drive will be closed in both directions from Friday, August 9 at 8 p.m. to Monday, August 12 at 5 a.m.
    • Alternative east-west routes for motorists are Huntingwood Drive or McNicoll Avenue.
      • Pedestrian access in the area will be maintained at all times.
  • Taste of The Danforth Festival – Road Closure

TTC Alerts

  • Take TTC to get to Pilaros Taste of the Danforth

    • If you’re heading to Toronto’s Greektown for the Pilaros Taste of the Danforth, Aug. 9-11, leave your car at home, or at any one of the Toronto Transit Commission’s FREE weekend commuter parking lots, and take the subway.
      • FREE commuter parking on weekends and holidays is available at 13 subway stations across the system.
    • Get on the Bloor-Danforth Subway and get off at Broadview, Chester, Pape and Donlands subway stations for direct access to the three-day event.
    • Starting on Aug. 9 at 6 p.m., Danforth Ave., from Broadview Ave. to Jones Ave., will be closed until Sunday night.
    • TTC night buses — 300 Bloor-Danforth and 303 Don Mills — will be diverting around Danforth Ave., between Broadview and Jones.
      • 72 Pape buses will be servicing Donlands Station instead of Pape Station.
    • Make your way to Taste of the Danforth with a TTC Day Pass!
      • Don’t forget to take advantage of the TTC Day Pass, which is good on Saturday or Sunday or statutory holidays.
      • For just $10.75 per day, a group of up to six people (maximum two adults over the age of 19) can enjoy unlimited travel all day.
      • The pass is valid from the date shown on the pass until 5:30 a.m. the next day.
    • TTC customers can call 416 393-INFO (4636), tweet @TTChelps or visit ttc.ca or more service information and a commuter lot listing.
  • No TTC subway service south of Bloor Street this weekend

    • TTC continues to conduct major work to upgrade the signal system on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line from Bloor through to St George stations, this Sat., Aug. 10 and Sun., Aug. 11.
    • Subway trains on the University-Spadina line will turn back north at St George Station and all trains on the Yonge line will turn back north at Bloor Station.
      • Frequent shuttle buses will operate every three minutes between St George and Bloor stations. TTC staff will be on hand to offer assistance.
    • As well, TTC Wheel-Trans buses will be available to accommodate seniors and persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs, scooters and other mobility aids.
    • Normal subway service is scheduled resume on Mon., Aug. 12 at 6 a.m.

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Contact Info

  • Information on fares, routes, schedules and service.
    • 416-393-4636 (INFO)

    • Recorded information available 24 hours daily.

    • Operator-assisted service is available from 8:00am to 6:00pm daily, except statutory holidays.

    • TTY Hearing Impaired Service, 416-481-2523, Daily, 8:00am-6:00pm; except statutory holidays.

  • Main Switchboard
    • 416-393-4000

    • Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm

City of Toronto Contact Info

Phone within Toronto city limits: 311.

Phone outside city limits: 416-392-CITY (2489)
(can be used within Toronto if you can’t reach 311).

TTY customers: 416-338-0TTY (0889)
Fax: 416-338-0685
E-mail: 311@toronto.ca

If your matter is urgent, please call them. They are open 24/7.

Enjoy!

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

NEWS RELEASE

August 7, 2013

Weekend events with road closures in Toronto

Two special events this weekend will involve road closures. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy these events. Businesses in the areas affected are open to pedestrian traffic but some roads will be closed to vehicles.

Festivals and other special events are important to the city, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually into Toronto’s economy, and they are enjoyed each year by local residents.

In addition to road closures related to special events, there is a significant amount of road work taking place in the city. People are encouraged to take public transit as a greener, faster and more affordable way of getting to their destinations.

Those who need to drive in the general vicinity of special events should allow extra time to get to and from their destination. A more complete list of events and road work is available at http://www.toronto.ca/torontostreets/.

Taste of The Danforth – Friday to Sunday closure
Danforth Avenue will be closed in both directions from Broadview Avenue to Jones Avenue starting Friday, August 9 at 11 a.m. until Sunday, August 11 at 11:59 p.m.

Wheels on the Danforth and Fun in the Park – Saturday closure
Danforth Avenue from Warden Avenue to Byng Avenue and Danforth Road from Landry Avenue to Danforth Avenue will be closed in both directions on Saturday, August 10, from 7 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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