Flower power - The Toronto Observer

2 NEWSTheEast York Observer /// Friday, April 20, 2012PoliceBriefsInquest calledinto shootingThe coroner’soffice announcedlast week thatan inquest willbe held into thedeath of MichaelEligon, a 29-yearoldpsychiatricpatient atToronto EastGeneral Hospitalwho police shoton MilvertonBoulevard onFeb. 3. Heleft TEGH,roamed theneighbourhoodand allegedlythreatenedofficers with twopairs of scissors.The coroner, Dr.James Edwards,says the dateand location ofthe inquest willbe announcedshortly.Suspiciousdeath probedThe body of a55-year-old manwas found onFriday outsidean abandonedhouse on TaylorDrive, in theCoxwell Avenueand O’ConnorDrive area. Policesay the man hadbeen dead for acouple of hours,and his bodyshowed signs ofserious trauma.The body wassent for anautopsy and theinvestigationis continuing.The death hasbeen labeledsuspicious.~ Jabbari WeekesSpring cleanup a successBy SUNNIE HUANGThe Observern FOOD FESTIVALThe upcoming Street Food Block Partywill be the largest food festival to takeplace at the Evergreen Brick Works, accordingto an event organizer.“It’s going to be bigger; twice the sizeof our normal monthly events,” saidKate Clegg, a partner with the TorontoUnderground Market. “We’re going tobe in a way bigger space, which is outdoors.”Hosting the event in an expandedspace also allows more food vendors toSunnie Huang /// ObserverVolunteers with the Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve Committeecollected bags of garbage after the annual spring cleanup of the naturalarea in the Don Valley.If the thought of cleaning upyour yard makes you cringe,think nine hectares.A dozen volunteers joinedthe Todmorden Mills WildflowerPreserve Committeeon Saturday for the annualspring cleanup in the Don Valley.Ward 29/Toronto-Danforthcouncillor Mary Fragedakisand East York Historical Societypresident Jane Pitfieldwere among those in attendance.Equipped with gloves andgarbage bags, volunteers weredivided into three groups tocover the preserve, passinganimal trails, newly plantedjunipers and oaks along theway.In less than half an hour,most of the garbage bags werefull of “treasures” — someweighty, some trivial andsome downright bizarre.Coffee cups and plastic bagswere among the most popularitems that volunteers pickedup. Many of them were blownfrom nearby roads, whileothers had just been droppedby passersby.More noteworthy were amattress-size Dairy Queensign, a Volvo tire rim, an antiquesuitcase and a pair ofplaid boxers.Fragedakis said she was surprisedby how quickly the bagsfilled up.“We certainly made a difference,”she said. “It’d be amuch more pleasant experienceto be down there. Itseems more natural and notlittered.”Paula Davies, chair of thecommittee, said many peopledon’t realize the benefits ofvolunteering for nature-focusedorganizations.“A lot of people do volunteerwork for other purposes,not a lot of people go for thenatural areas,” she said. “Notonly do you help the naturalarea, but you also get someexercise and you are outdoors.”The preserve has attractedenvironmental studies studentsfrom York Universitywho want to learn more aboutthe challenges and opportunitiesof natural areas.In addition to the annualspring cleanup, volunteersalso help out with weeklyparticipate.“We’re going to have both food trucksand vendors, whereas for Toronto UndergroundMarket events we only havevendors,” she said.Founder Hassel Aviles said tickets forthe event sold out in a matter of hours.Toronto Underground Market usuallyhosts monthly events at the EvergreenBrick Works, where vendors get the opportunityto show off their skills.Shannon Hitchon runs All Mine Caramelsand took part in the April 7 market.She sees participating as a direct avenueto running her own business.restoration activities, such asplant maintenance, weed removaland trail improvement,which usually take place onSaturday mornings.“[The hours] are not verylong, but you really feel likeyou did something good,”Davies said, adding that shehopes to see more youth volunteers.“It’s their future place too,”she said, tossing yet anotherTim Horton’s coffee cup intoher almost-full garbage bag.Block party sold out in hoursBy JOSHUA SPENCEThe Observer“That’s part of why I’mhere,” Hitchon said.“I’m hoping that this is goingto give me the opportunityto openmy own business.”The StreetFood BlockParty takesplace on Saturday,May 5.• ShannonHitchonWhat’sup in e.y.Fitness for agood causeA Leaside fitnessstudio is sponsoringits seventh annualfundraisingevent for the CanadianDiabetesAssociation tomorrow,April 21.All are welcome towalk, run or cyclethrough SunnybrookPark. Fundswill go to theassociation’s research,programsand education.On-site registrationbegins at 9a.m. at NorthleaUnited Church,125 BrentcliffeRd. Participantscan choose fromthe 2K, 5K or 10Kroutes. For moreinformation, visitthe website of“Spring Into Action”at insideoutstudio.ca/actionNew play topremiere in E.Y.The East SidePlayers are presentinga versionof Moliere’s TheHypochondriac,premiering May24 and runninguntil June 9 at thePapermill Theatre,67 Pottery Rd.The show startsat 8 p.m. Wednesdaysto Saturdays,and at 2 p.m. onSundays. Ticketsare $20 for adultsand $15 for students.They’reavailable online atwww.eastsideplayers.ca,or 416-425-0917.~ Jiyoon Ellie KimEast York tenants told to document problemsBy SCOTT BARBERThe ObserverHaving problems with your landlord?“Document, document, document,” saysAnna Rosenbluth, lawyer for Flemingdon CommunityLegal Services.When faced with poor living conditions andrent disputes, thorough documentation is criticalwhen seeking remedy.“A lot of people try to deal with their issuesinformally,” Rosenbluth said.“If something isn’t working, take a picture,or have a neighbour come witness the problem.Make sure to do written maintenance requestsbecause that record can become very importantdown the road.”Laws and regulations governing landlord-tenantrelations are as vast as they are complicated.To the layperson, understanding tenants’ rightsis a daunting task. In order to overcome the issue,the East York Tenants Group held a legalinformation session on Wednesday.Parkdale Community Legal Services hostedthe “know your rights” meeting, seeking to empowerEast York renters with knowledge necessaryfor building effective relationships withlandlords.The meeting gave community members theopportunity to join together in their efforts forbetter living conditions.According to Rosenbluth, the biggest issuefacing East York tenants is rental costs.“Rent is really high in Toronto these days andthey are outside what many families and individualscan afford,” she said. “As a result, a lotof people aren’t able to keep up and they fallinto rental arrears.”Rosenbluth said that tenants often argue incourt that they shouldn’t have to pay full rentbecause of poor living conditions.“It’s an uphill battle for tenants because it’sdifficult to prove the maintenance issues anddocument all of the problems,” she said.In order to successfully dispute unpaid rent,tenants must also show that their landlord wasaware of the maintenance problems in question,which requires proper documentation.Documentation truly was the keyword as lawyersstressed the importance of keeping datedrecords of problems at the tenants’ group meeting.Rosenbluth also recommended that tenantscontact the City of Toronto through its umbrellaphone number, 311.“City inspectors can take a look at your issuesand order your landlord to do the necessaryrepairs,” she said. “They can also apply finesagainst your landlord if they fail to take appropriateaction.”East York tenants are also welcome to contactFlemingdon Community Legal Services, whichoffers free legal aid to citizens living withintheir East Toronto jurisdiction.