Divers-Cité: Toronto

2011-07-06T17:42:00.001-04:00

Community triangle

2008-04-10T11:37:00.002-04:00

When I first embarked on my AGO feature, I had a rough idea of what I was getting into. A Toronto establishment was trying to establish itself as a landmark. A community opposed an expansion. Municipal officials tried to get some sort of result and keep everyone happy. What I ended up getting into was a triangle of opinion, with the residents and the gallery forming the bottom two corners, and

Use a photo filer

2008-04-10T10:26:00.003-04:00

I like using my D-SLR. It give me more control over the pictures I take, and it lets me use a wide array of lenses for different uses. These lenses can be quite expensive, and dropping one can result in a pricey repair bill.The key to protecting your lens is to use a filter. Some people will say that it reduces image quality, that it's a whole lot of money to spend on something you may never use.

Home sweet home

2008-04-09T12:23:00.003-04:00

I remember first stumbling upon West Side Stories. The store wasn’t open, but when you peered inside you noticed shelves of videos on deep red walls. I had read about the store on a website called Gay West, which discusses Toronto’s Queer West Village. West Side Stories is Toronto’s first and only video rental store catering to women and the LGBT community. I remember thinking…I need to get in

The death of the 905

2008-04-07T16:00:00.015-04:00

The 905 area of Toronto is more then just an area code or a block of land. Mississauga, Vaughan, Brampton, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Burlington, these cities and towns represent a belief that freedom and safety can be rolled into one. It's a belief that parents can raise their children in an affordable single-family detached home, drive them to school and pick them

A decision made on artistic grounds

2008-03-27T01:03:00.006-04:00

The first time I walked past the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) was an odd experience for me. It was a sunny day in 2004—my first year at Ryerson, while I was exploring the city. I didn’t know what this rectangular building held up by a bunch of leaning towers shaped like crayons around it was supposed to be but it did make me stop and look up. Way up. So high that the sun that was just

Is photo radar coming to Dundas?

2008-03-26T20:41:00.003-04:00

I spent the better part of yesterday reporting on a new plan that if approved will see photo radar return to Mississauga.The technology is a vague memory for my generation but ask a driver over 40 about it and there's a good chance you'll get an earful one way or another.It will be months before we know if it's a go and even longer before we know which roads it will appear on.Still if it gets the

To: DuWest

2008-03-25T15:51:00.004-04:00

DuWest is the area that caught my attentionThis area on Dundas is definitely worth a mentionFlags in the air waving back and forth in the breezeWelcomes you to the shops with a comforting easeVibrant and welcoming are words thrown aroundAbout this part of the city which resembles a townMusic in forms of culture, horns from cars, or shoutsShows the differences in people all out and aboutOne

By-election winners and losers

2008-03-22T18:14:00.012-04:00

The campaign signs are coming down, the press conferences are over, the pundits are wrapping up their thoughts and the national media has, for the most part, moved on to other matters.Bob Rae is the new MP for Toronto-Centre, he won nearly 60 per cent of the vote. The Grits also held ridings in Willowdale and Vancouver but lost one in North Saskatchewan.Both Liberal

A splash of colour in Portugal Village

2008-03-20T15:13:00.003-04:00

On the wall outside the Discount Mart on Dundas West in Little Portugal, a brightly-coloured piece of graffiti serves as a reminder to passerbyers of the vibrancy and heritage of Portugal Village.If a purpose of a monument is to speak to the future and the past, I would say that the graffiti outside the Discount Mart is a telling monument.The graffiti features bright yellow bubble letters with a

Toronto is accepting

2008-03-19T13:06:00.004-04:00

Today I interviewed a realtor named Kris Purdy from Bosley Real Estate. I was really curious, for my final feature, about the prices of leasing a shop on Dundas West, but I got a lot more. Purdy explained the area and how hip it is becoming. Dundas and Dufferin has been home for a lot of immigrants coming into Canada for years. As the immigrants are getting older shops have been closing and the

Does leadership really matter?

2008-03-18T02:25:00.010-04:00

The stage was set for the return of a political chameleon at the Courtyard Marriot in downtown Toronto last night.Political heavyweight Bob Rae, the former Ontario NDP premier turned Liberal leadership candidate turned Liberal Toronto-Centre candidate has been fighting to get back into the House of Commons for the last six months. He won - taking nearly 60 per cent of the vote.But this was no

No, we can't just fix it in the 'shop

2008-03-13T02:00:00.010-04:00

A few days ago I was taking a picture of something for The Eyeopener, and sensitive personal information was going to be in the shot unless I was careful to keep it out.One bystander suggested I take the shot quickly and "Photoshop" the information out with the clone tool later on.'Um, no,' I firmly stated, staking out a place to get a real shot, an ethical shot - not something fixed on the

Meet DuWest

2008-03-13T01:37:00.004-04:00

The Dundas West BIA…so many plans in store. When I met Sylvia Fernandez she was so excited to tell me about the BIA and the future goals that will eventually be undertaken that I had to remind her a few times about my feature’s focus.I was completely impressed by some of the programs that are coming to life and those that have already been put into play. The Dundas West BIA has only existed for

Dundas LRT line good for business says top leader

2008-03-10T17:54:00.011-04:00

The province’s fledgling proposal to build light rail on Dundas Street got a boost today as the leader of Mississauga’s largest business group told Global360 that she believes the line would give local businesses a big boost.“I think it would have a tremendously positive effect,” said Mississauga Board of Trade President and CEO Sheryl McKean in an interview with Global360.“It certainly helps a

Artful project manager

2008-03-10T11:06:00.007-04:00

Linda Milrod, Transformation AGO's project manager, appears relaxed as she runs through some of the changes happening at the Art Gallery of Ontario.She’s taking her time to say what she wants to say, despite the fact that there’s what seems to be a tasty sandwich on the table beside her, and a neglected bottle of carbonated water beside it.But her lunch easily slides into the backseat as she

AGO - An Artful Poem

2008-03-09T20:35:00.002-04:00

At the corner of McCaul and Dundas,In Ontario's beating heart of Toronto,Lies an oasis of art and cultre,It's the Art Gallery of Ontario.Used to house some of the greatest art,But now they're hiding, in the depths of the AGO.Protected from perils of construction,While into the gallery, people cannot go.Work is going ahead on schedule,At a mere price tag of $254 million.The structure is rising up,

Is Bob Rae set to lose on St. Patrick’s Day?

2008-03-09T16:28:00.007-04:00

As far as history is concerned NDP candidate El-Farouk Khaki’s run against Liberal Bob Rae in the Toronto-Centre by-election seems a bit quixotic.The riding has been Liberal at the federal level since 1993 when Bill Graham took it from the Progressive Conservatives.In 2006, a year that saw many Grit candidates wipe out, Graham won in a landslide, winning more then 30,000 votes while the second

Open and outgoing

2008-03-05T23:37:00.005-05:00

Dawn Chomitsch is one of the two women who own and run West Side Stories. When I first walked into the front doors of the video store Chomitsch was there with a smile on her face. She dressed casually in a sweater and jeans. I noticed her earrings right away. Chomitsch has a short haircut so her large silver hoops were easy to see. The gauges of the holes are large indicating to me that she has a

The tamer of the automobile?

2008-03-01T16:01:00.004-05:00

In some ways Metrolinx chair Rob MacIsaac seems like an unusual choice to lead the GTA to a new era of rapid transit.He was mayor of Burlington for nearly a decade, a west-end greater Toronto city that is dominated by single family homes and the cars that come with them.While MacIsaac is officially independent the city he led is deeply Conservative; it now has a Conservative MPP, MP and mayor (

Doggie bail?

2008-02-29T17:21:00.003-05:00

My guess is they'll set bail at four chew toys and a bone for this high profile, extremely dangerous character, being held in an uh... doghouse... just north of Dundas St. West in downtown Mississauga.

It's more then just a cemetary

2008-02-28T17:04:00.004-05:00

There are no celebrities in the Eden cemetery.The 50 meter by 50 meter plot of land in Meadowvale holds no well-known politicians, famous actors, or any known war heroes.Yet it is immaculately preserved. The chiseled headstones are so polished that the light glistens off of them, blinding someone who gets to close.The names of people who died 80, 100 or 150 years ago look as if they were etched

Ode to Yonge-Dundas

2008-02-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

The billboard lights we’ll never hateThey erase the times pre ’98When dollar and sex stores paved the wayAnd kept the tourists well at bayBut soon a New York planner said,“A revitalization project, I will head!”He’ll get rid of garbage, filth and crimeAnd replace it with a Calvin KleinWith support from Smitherman, Rae and RyeBuildings were expropriated but with a sighFrom business owners who didn

Symbol of tolerance

2008-02-27T23:54:00.008-05:00

Like monuments, symbols are there to remind and sometimes warm. While visiting West Side Stories (a video store geared towards the LGBT community) I noticed a symbol on the front window. The symbol is an upside down triangle that is rainbow coloured. I know that the symbol is one that represents the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community. But I never knew the history of the

Snapping up the city

2008-02-27T01:21:00.004-05:00

With Toronto as his subject and a camera's image sensor as the canvas, Sam Javanrouh captures the beauty of the world on his site, Daily Dose of Imagery.As the photoblog's name implies, a new photo is posted every day. Most of them are from Toronto, but there are the occasional posts containing a shot from other places in the world. Either way, they're bloody awesome.Javanrouh works as a creative

Have a heart

2008-02-14T10:58:00.008-05:00

For Valentine’s Day, Sheila Victor is offering you her heart. Luckily, she has several of them.The Ottawa native’s art is on display for a solo exhibit at Urbanscape Gallery, located in The Junction at 2959 Dundas Street W. And the minimalist, angular, but far from sterile space allows Victor’s “Vibrant Hearts” and her other contemporary works to shine.One particular piece -- dubbed Brassy

Looking at Toronto through DDOI

2008-02-14T02:58:00.022-05:00

Daily Dose of Imagery is one photographer's view of their "day to day visual experience." The photographer, Sam Javanrouh, posts one image a day.The first thing I saw on the website was an image of a snowy King Street East. It made me forget (if just for a little bit), that, though cold, snow can also be quite beautiful. The image is of a tree with snow-covered branches, a lamp, and a snowbank in

Say cheese, Toronto

2008-02-13T20:29:00.011-05:00

Clicking through the photos on the Daily Dose of Imagery website, I tried to observe these images in the shoes of someone who has never been to Toronto. I wanted to see what I could objectively conclude simply based on this collection of random, often seemingly pointless, screen captures of the city. What I found was that even the most common photos spoke of something significant and unique

The interaction of city and nature

2008-02-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve been looking at the Daily Dose of Imagery website and both yesterday and today have photos that depict Toronto’s February weather. The first one is called Garbage and Snow and underneath the picture it says Toronto’s King street at Yonge. The photo is in black and white and focuses on a pile of black garbage bags lined up horizontally on the sidewalk. Due to the snow the usually busy street

Drawing war

2008-02-10T20:08:00.000-05:00

When you enter the Blackwood Gallery at the University of Toronto Mississauga you’re entering a war zone.The sound of a tomahawk cruise missile fizzles throughout the gallery, like a giant teapot boiling over.“You are entering the American zone,” proclaims a white sign suspended about 12 feet above the ground.The first image you see is a sculpture of a twisted up man being tortured, it’s a

Breaking new ground: Dundas in Oakville

2008-02-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

Development plans are being finalized for thousands of acres of empty land in Oakville north of Dundas Street West. The land, as it is right now, is all green space. In fact, it’s still used as farmland. To the south of Dundas, development has peaked. Builders have run out of room to on which to plant new homes.Questions still remain as to how the land will be used. Many residents want to curb

A fork in the road for The Junction

2008-02-07T08:34:00.001-05:00

The Junction looks uber-modern for a neighbourhood that just shook prohibition. One store awning on Dundas Street West pushes VCRs, HIFI Stereos and Fax Machines like they’re a passing fad. Unfortunately, technology advances faster than bureaucracy. The items on the other side of the barred windows already DID go out of style, and the retailer is going out of business. The demise of

Chinatown and the issues

2008-02-06T11:11:00.000-05:00

Chinatown, like all areas in Toronto, has issues concerning the community. These issues can be very specific to the area or can stem from bigger issues provincially or federally. When citizens living in Chinatown have a problem they very often show up at the door of Olivia Chow’s, MP in the Trinity-Spadina area, office located just off of Dundas. So like most citizens I called the office to get

Guns, trains and taxes in Mississauga’s east end

2008-02-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

At her victory party after winning re-election in 2006 Mississauga councillor Maja Prentice, who has represented thousands of residents living on or near Dundas Street for more then 20 years, told me that the people of her ward were concerned about three big things; crime, transportation and taxes. The “TTC” mix of issues as I like to remember them.Her comments made their way into my news story

Tomorrow's wheels, today

2008-01-31T01:17:00.000-05:00

The future is not here. It's not on Dundas Street. It's not nestled between Yonge and Dufferin. It's nowhere in this city. Heck - it's not even in this province - or the coutnry, for that matter.But there is a sign of it - in the form of an ad for Bombardier's streetcars. I came across it while walking along Dundas this week.The ad promotes the future of transit, the future of mobility, the

Looking forward to the past

2008-01-31T01:05:00.001-05:00

For a peek at the future, I thought I’d explore a little bit of the past by venturing through some of Toronto’s well-known historical areas. I start by walking along Dundas West to Spadina Avenue to take in a bit of Chinatown. There, the sense of culture is alive and kicking. Despite the cold weather and late afternoon hour, the area is still bustling with excitement: people travelling in packs

I spy with my little eye...

2008-01-30T21:52:00.000-05:00

While walking on Dundas heading east past Jarvis I couldn’t help but notice a couple signs that got me thinking. The first was a sign on the side of an older looking building. The building is the Dundas Square Hotel. From Dundas the hotel looks historic, but once on Jarvis it seems rundown. The sign, which originally caught my attention reads, “HOTEL $49.99 & up.” When I read that I thought…what

Canada’s change of faith

2008-01-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

The Masjid Toronto mosque occupies a prime section in the commercial heart of Toronto.Located just west of Bay and Dundas the mosque cost over $2 million dollars to build and wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for a large fundraising drive.The mosque itself isn’t a large place. Two rooms, one for “brothers” and one for “sisters” are used throughout the day for prayer. A visitor going into the brother’s

The Neighbourhood is growing up...

2008-01-24T14:03:00.001-05:00

Something new and special has started to happen around Dundas Street West and Ossington Avenue. The once rather derelict strip is gaining a new life with numerous restaurants, bars and swanky shops popping up here, there, and everywhere. It all starts at Dundas and doesn’t stop until Queen Street. The transformation began about two years ago when a couple of late-twenties artists, Pol

Dundas West on a snowy day

2008-01-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

Wandering down Dundas West made me realize that as much as I thought I knew Toronto, I don't know Toronto very much at all. Everything looked familiar to me, but at the same time I realized that I've never really slowed down and looked around on my rushed excursions around the city.The new signage on Ryerson's new business building, bold white letters that read "Toronto Eaton Centre" beside the

Below zero in temperature but still above average in sights

2008-01-24T06:22:00.001-05:00

Standing on Dundas Square, I take a deep breath. Wrapping my scarf tightly around my neck, I contemplate taking the streetcar as I watch a long line of bodies climb in -- faceless people hidden under multiple layers of fabric. I think to myself how little Torontonians seem to care about the beauty of the city when it’s cold outside. Too occupied trying to determine the fastest route to any given

The grass isn't green enough

2008-01-24T00:42:00.000-05:00

Remnants of Little Portugal remain, but new, younger residents are changing the face - and the economy - of the area.Dundas Street, between Palmerston and Bellwoods Avenues, is lined with small Portuguese shops. Bilingual signs hang above cafes, bars, restaurants and stores. But many of these units are empty. Sun-stained paper has replaced the alluring window displays that likely greeted people

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

2008-01-23T23:54:00.000-05:00

Dundas Street provides an intersting dichotomy of the urban landscape. East of Yonge, Dundas is characterized by the prostitutes, pimps and addicts roaming the concrete plains illuminated by the flickering Hooker Harvey's sign.The west side, however, is what often shows up in tourist pamphlets and My Toronto campaigns. The booming intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets is anchored by The Eaton

Crime, homelessness and a barbershop

2008-01-23T23:29:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday I walked down Dundas Street West from Victoria to McCaul. It was a snowy day, but that didn’t keep the crowds of people from walking the streets. One thing that I noticed was that on almost every block was either a police car or a parking attendant. On my walk I passed 52 Division. Now I have read articles in the past about that particular Division.Recently I stumbled upon an article

The village at the end of the city

2008-01-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

It’s easy to forget when you’re in downtown Toronto just how far Dundas Street extends. To the west it goes clear across Toronto, Mississauga, Halton Region and into the rural heartland of southern Ontario.After going through Halton the urban streetscape completely disappears and a rural environment unfolds, with farms, cattle and trees taking the place of businesses, skyscrapers and condos.But

Global 360 investigates changes in Canada's oldest housing project

2007-11-29T13:53:00.000-05:00

November 29, 2007Regent Park is undergoing historic change.In a matter of 10-15 years, Canada's oldest social housing project will be completely "revitalized," short-hand for torn down and built up again.Our multimedia gateway, Home Is Where the Park Is, offers a snapshot of Regent Park in the Fall of 2007, shortly before the completion of revitalization's Phase One. The faces, voices and stories

The Blind Men and the Elephant

2007-11-22T03:37:00.001-05:00

By Maria NguyenOur reporting class began the semester with little to no understanding of Regent Park. Some didn’t even know where it was. We spent the next 11 weeks (somewhat) embedding ourselves in this mysterious place. This week we wrap up our stories and get them ready for publication.Yet our collective understanding of Regent Park is still kind of like the proverbial elephant. We plunged

Covering Complexity

2007-11-22T02:01:00.000-05:00

By: Martha JackAs all of my colleagues can attest, reporting on a community like Regent Park is not easy going. Try reporting on it rarely going into the community though, and you come up against a brick wall.This entire semester, I have been laid up with a busted ankle, so I have had to do most of my reporting on the phone or through email. Despite my persistence, I have been met with unreturned

Regent Park: How to Objectively Objectify an Object

2007-11-22T00:34:00.000-05:00

By Drew HalfnightWhat can I say? Reporting in Regent Park is not easy.Reporting on relocation in Regent Park is especially tough.All of the usual "gatekeepers," the people who would liaise and facilitate and connect, are somewhat reticent about outsiders.And so are many residents, for that matter.It's understandable, since presumably since the neighbourhood was built it has been assailed by

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2007-11-21T23:46:00.000-05:00

By: Lori HaritoHere's what I know from walking around with a camera and video recorder:he Redevelopment of Regent Park is a huge issue, and one that will always be filled with controversy, and mixed with joy or sadness depending on whom you speak with.And that’s exactly the main thing I’ve learned in the mere four months of walking around Regent Park and filling my sheltered suburban life with an

A sense of community

2007-11-21T23:01:00.000-05:00

From areas outside Regent Park, this section of Toronto appears to be the ghetto. All that people know about it, even some Toronto locals, is that there are shootings, drug deals, prostitution and poverty in that part of the city. When I first went to Regent Park, these were the things that I saw. I felt that I had come to an unsafe area, one I was unfamiliar with and one that I didn't know how

The End

2007-11-21T21:25:00.000-05:00

By Elizabeth HaggartyEleven weeks of Regent Park. When I first arrived it was the buildings, standing alone, that told the story. On a warm day in its central park overflowing rubbish replaced what should have been an overflow of people in a 7, 500 strong neighbourhood compacted between four city blocks. These grubby brick apartments were not just symbols of decay, but what planners said was

Now You Care

2007-11-21T20:43:00.000-05:00

By Lianna ShenNovember 21, 2008There is a lot of good stuff going on in Regent Park. The Pathways to Education program has greatly reduced the dropout rate. The music school is giving kids affordable music lessons. There’s a film festival. Heck, Trump’s helping fund an $11-million aquatic center.But there are still problems in the area. Some people in Regent Park are living the low life.

Revitalization, Atlanta Style

2007-11-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

Atlanta Housing Authority's East Lake Meadows - Picture courtesy of Creative Loafing AtlantaBy Lianna ShenRegent Park isn’t the only housing project that’s changing. And Toronto isn’t the only municipality who wants to change the projects.I’ve been in Atlanta, GA, for the past few days and though I’m situated in the quiet suburbs, I thought I’d cruise around some of the housing projects of the

Regent Park Community Centre: is it really theirs?

2007-11-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

By Maria Nguyen"Is it really ours? 28 years and waiting..." is a documentary made by the youth at Regent Park TV. It documents the community's struggle against bureacracy to own and run Regent Park Community Centre.The government promised Regent Park residents a community centre back in 1969, but it wasn't until 1985 that the Regent Park Community Centre was built at 203 Sackville St.View Larger

The Fog of Giving

2007-11-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

Point BlankBy Elizabeth HaggartySitting on the soft, grey, carpeted floor, my Marantz deck laid out near my feet, I worry that the plumes of marijuana smoke emanating from Imperial and Trouble on the sofas on either side of me might interfere with the photos. Behind me I can hear the bling of the Nintendo game on the large TV screen. Infront of me two members

Not everybody thinks the same

2007-11-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

By: Lori HaritoI'm a little embarrassed to write this, but my sister has never heard of Regent Park.My sister and I have this thing where we watch Global News at 6 p.m together, then comment on the news and roll our eyes at the garbage that's thrown out there sometimes.My sister had no clue why I was so excited when I saw Regent Park come up on Global News last week. She's 25 years old, and works

Was this guy dumped for speaking about Regent Park?

2007-11-14T12:56:00.001-05:00

According to a report by CTV (Nov. 1), Mark Warner, Conservative candidate for Toronto Centre, "does not want to belong to the club" that won't have him as a member.Recently Warner, who has been campaigning for 10 months in the economically diverse Toronto-Centre riding has had disagreements with his party on his presentation of local issues. The riding includes Regent Park and Rosedale.

Captain Canada - Our Neighbourhood Saviour?

2007-11-12T00:39:00.000-05:00

By Elizabeth HaggartyCaptain Canada. In his shiny red cape, Mounties hat and white Lycra thermal underwear with paper flag taped on, Captain Canada flies in and out of Regent Park extolling the virtues of universal health care, free education and buying Canadian products – even if they aren’t that good, with a large smile and thumbs up.Created by Regent Park TV, Captain Canada was launched at

What do they think of us?

2007-11-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

As I wandered around Regent Park today in the drizzling rain, I watched children and teenagers come home from school. They were happy, cheerful - after all, it is Friday, and everyone knows TGIF. A break from school, a chance to do nothing with your time.As I saw these people, I couldn't help but wonder - what do they think of us? The journalists who come in, poke and prod their neighbourhood,

Feeling at home in the city

2007-11-08T02:00:00.000-05:00

This week, I needed to take a little break from Regent Park. Sure, I'm still working on my Fashion in Regent Park feature, but I needed to do write about something else for a change. One of my favourite things to do in Toronto in November is attend the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Last Friday marked the opening of the 85th annual fair, and I was there to experience it. While some people go to

Resources: The heart of a community

2007-11-07T23:54:00.000-05:00

By Martha JackLooking at a complex community like Regent Park, a common theme occurs – resources. Whether it is looking at which resources are available, or which resources aren’t, what is offered in a community seems to be a determining factor in its success or failure.At the Toronto Christian Resource Centre, right in the heart of Regent Park, the focus is on resources, despite their own

This weather's dry.

2007-11-07T13:49:00.000-05:00

By Lianna ShenThis is the first week I haven’t gone into Regent Park. It’s getting cold, I’m lazy, and I let my little brother take my car back to London for a couple weeks. With only my legs and the Dundas streetcar, I have opted to do my reporting from home.So while I haven’t been face-to-face with my subjects, I have been emailing some of them. Two girls, in particular, are my favorite email

Regent Park: a real neighbourhood

2007-11-07T13:02:00.000-05:00

By Maria NguyenSpend enough time in Regent Park and you may find Regent Park an oasis community amid the cold, corporate city that is Toronto.Where I live, there's no place to "hang" but Eaton Centre, shoddy pubs and pretentious lounges. Some of my neighbours are friendly, but most of them are weirdos, snobs and yuppies. I constantly feel out of place.But in Regent Park, there are parks,

Where Is Everyone In Regent Park?

2007-11-07T10:44:00.000-05:00

By: Lori HaritoI was walking around Regent Park last week alone, and I felt like I was in a ghost town.I mean, don't get me wrong, I've been walking around Regent Park since our assignment began in September, but I've either been with somebody or have stayed there for maybe 20 minutes.However, last week I was there for about an hour and a half and I didn't realize how completely alone and dead it

We don't have stats about that

2007-11-06T15:45:00.000-05:00

So I'm doing my story on young offenders in the Regent Park area and as a result, I am looking for statistics. Any statistics on young offenders and Regent Park. You'd think, with all the quotes of how bad the youth in Regent Park are, and how much of an issue there is with young offenders in Regent Park, there would be a statistics out there to cling all of these statements to.Nope.Not from what

Where have all the graffiti gone?

2007-11-01T09:20:00.000-04:00

By Maria Nguyen (Photo courtersy of Rap Dictionary)The new feature idea I’m working on now is about the artists and ideas behind Regent Park’s murals. As you may or may not know, the murals are there to cover up the graffiti that were once plastered on the walls of the apartment buildings. After many walks around the neighbourhood, even after I made a point to find these murals and their

New Regent: Profit or People

2007-11-01T00:59:00.000-04:00

By Drew Halfnight"Confidence in the future, notwithstanding what may have taken place in the past."I'm not sure what Jennifer Wells wanted to add to public understanding of Regent Park revitalizaton in her article on the front page of the business section of today's Star. Judging by the above quotation, it's either not much, or a whole lot. If Wells wanted to say, as she did overtly in the piece

Losing roots

2007-10-31T21:48:00.000-04:00

Whatever happened to grassroots initiatives?I'm working on a story (that seems to be changing daily, but that's another issue) and one of the key points about it is the idea of grassroots initiatives to change the community. But it appears that in order for these groups to exist, they either need to take on a sponsor or they lose funding and shut down or reduce their services. If the city is so

Regent Park Speaker's Corner

2007-10-31T21:10:00.000-04:00

I came across this video from Regent Park TV, and it got me thinking about the people of Regent Park and how the Internet has really given them a voice and a platform to get their views out there.Whether it’s a blog, a YouTube video or a community-based news site, the internet gives power back to the people both to have their stories told and, perhaps more importantly, to tell them.Before the

Regent Park vs Regent's Park

2007-10-31T19:39:00.000-04:00

By: Lori HaritoI added Regent Park to those Google Alerts that are sent to your inbox everyday, and I've been noticing that there's a lot more written about Regent's Park in London, than Regent Park, Toronto. So I decided to take a look at these two Regent Park's. And it's funny to see that The Regent's Park in London, England is "London's Personal Space." It's a beautiful park in London, where

Frills Please

2007-10-31T19:01:00.000-04:00

By Elizabeth Haggarty Entering Cabbage Town you can’t be blamed for thinking that the area is vying for independence. Cabbage flags fly on every block and as you walk past the red brick row houses, reminiscent of an kinder, greener, less tea centred coronation street. The inordinate number of cabbages peaking out from people’s gardens can’t help but be noticed. At the eastern edge of Cabbagetown

Kids in the Park: Two Days to Halloween

2007-10-31T16:41:00.000-04:00

The kids and volunteers of SQUADSBy Lianna ShenOctober 31, 2007I’ve been spending a lot of time with the kids in Regent Park. I’m the kind of person who thinks I’m really good with kids because I’d like to think I am sweet and personable ☺ I smile a lot, I don’t use big words, and I can get my hands dirty. I was excited about Halloween in Regent Park.I went to the Salvation Army 614 Church to

Change your Perception

2007-10-25T01:04:00.001-04:00

I never got to blog about my first impressions of Regent Park because I was out of the city at the time my other blog-mates did it, so I'm gonna post them for you now.When I first walked around Regent Park, it was 8 p.m. at night. I think I was trying to do something for class at the time, and I just walked down Dundas looking around for things to keep in mind for story ideas. I'd tried to get to

Shut out

2007-10-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

By Maria NguyenI encountered some roadblocks this past week working on my story in Regent Park. Abukar Hagi, the teacher of 220 Oak St.’s ESL class and my main source for my feature, has backed out. Granted, I made a mistake of forgetting to tell him it was going to be a multimedia project, but I did not just barge in and start taking pictures without his consent. I brought a video camera

Branded

2007-10-24T21:45:00.000-04:00

By Liz HaggartyToday jeans me took a walk through Regent Park. Jeans me couldn’t remember exactly how I should be walking, swaggering like a confident Levis’ rancher or striding languidly like the modern alternative Gap kid. Even if Jeans me could remember which company had been knocked off by the Brazilian manufactures I was wearing I wasn’t even sure that the advertising campaigns stored in my

Regent Park From the Other Side of the Tinted Glass

2007-10-24T20:55:00.000-04:00

By: Martha JackDue to an injury, I hadn’t had the opportunity to actually physically walk through Regent Park until this week. All of my previous interactions with the area had been from the passenger’s seat of my father’s car or the backseat of a cab.I’m sad to admit this, but after hearing and reading about some of my classmates’ experiences walking around Regent Park, I was kind of glad that I

Creating More Space for Youth

2007-10-23T23:19:00.000-04:00

By: Lori HaritoLast Thursday I went to the Toronto Free Gallery on Queen Street East, for the event that was scheduled to happen there. The idea behind it was "Youth Generated Autonomous Spaces ." And the people who were presenting were talking about issues concerning youth, and youth groups and initiatives around Toronto.To be honest, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It was a small room,

Revitawhat?

2007-10-23T21:12:00.000-04:00

By Lianna ShenOctober 23, 2007I really wanted to talk to some kids this week about Regent Park revitalization. I figured they would have a different perspective from the typical do-gooder politician or outspoken resident. So I went to the basement of St. George’s Church during a PATHWAYS tutoring session, to see what I could get.What I got was a whole lot of weird looks and giggles. Mostly, the

Ok...so maybe it's not THAT bad

2007-10-19T18:59:00.000-04:00

I just got in from my third visit to Regent Park, and I have to admit, I didn't mind it so much today. The first time I went, it was night, and that was just scary because the area was completely desolate. The second time I went, it was rainy and cold and we were having trouble finding the sources we needed.Today when I went, I was on a mission. I had an interview set up with Wes Larson from

It's written on the walls

2007-10-18T00:50:00.001-04:00

If Regent Park has a monument it is in the form of a mural. And if a mural counts as a monument, then Regent Park has many. While most areas of the city are against having images and words scrawled across the sides of buildings, in Regent, this graffiti style of art seems to be embraced.The first mural I saw there was on Dundas St. East, just a little bit west of Parliament. It said REGENT in

Project Ajar

2007-10-17T23:34:00.000-04:00

By Drew HalfnightThe following is a short series of American haikus about Regent Park.I'm not writing haiku because they're the only formal poem a four-year-old can string together while taking a bath. I just like how they look and function.People have been writing haiku for thousands of years, mostly in Japanese. Professional writers often composed them in series, with two poets trading off,

Focus Media

2007-10-17T23:30:00.000-04:00

By Elizabeth HaggartyWhen Adonis Huggins asks a question people look at him waiting for the answer. The director of Focus Media at Regent Park exudes energy, so much so that, by the evening as his drowsy eyes stare at the yellow note pad and he tries to remember what he was going to write, you feel he has spilt too much and is running on reserves.In the stone basement of a typical three-storey

The woman in green

2007-10-17T22:43:00.000-04:00

By Maria NguyenAn hour into Monday morning’s ESL class at 220 Oak Street, a middle-aged woman walked into the classroom. Wearing a green hijaab and a tired expression, she took a seat in the centre of the U-shaped classroom and opened her ‘Basic Vocabulary in Use’ book. Hagi, the class’s instructor, dragged a chair over and plopped in front of her. “We’re learning Yes/No questions today,” he

A Monumental Achievement

2007-10-16T22:29:00.001-04:00

By: Lori HaritoI have always wondered why there were so many graffiti stained walls in Regent Park. It seems that on almost every block somebody has decided to voice their opinions through art....it's as if it is a release for the people of Regent Park. Personally, I've always admired these particular graffiti because to me they're beautifully done and voice so well the opinions of a people who

Regent Park – A Sonnet

2007-10-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

By Lianna ShenI.Regent Park was built to house the needy.They wanted it to stand the test of time.Today, the streets are plagued with urban crime,The buildings are so old – it’s pretty seedy.The people here are different from each other.But still, they walk and share the concrete land.Granted, it’s not like they’ll walk hand-in-hand,Here they live and fight with one another.There’s strife, there’

YOUTH GENERATED AUTONOMOUS SPACES

2007-10-16T14:38:00.001-04:00

A Conversation with Catch da Flava, Trans_Fusion Crew and Sue Ruddick Part of A Potential TorontoInitiated by Toronto School of Creativity & Inquiry (TSCI)More info: www.tsci.ca | tscinquiry@gmail.com Thurs., 18 Oct. 20077:30 pm – 9:30 pm Toronto Free Gallery660 Queen Street East (w. of Broadview) Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre’s Catch da Flava Youth

A Message Forgotten

2007-10-11T08:50:00.000-04:00

By Maria NguyenEdna Hammens’s grandson was killed just before his 19th birthday. She said he wasn’t involved in any gangs or violent crime of any kind, and wasn’t using drugs. Four years from the day he was killed, she’s still hurting as if it happened yesterday. “You take my grandson’s life, it didn’t hurt him. I’m the one that’s hurting,” she said in the documentary ‘Building Peace: One

A wedding of soul and body

2007-10-11T01:54:00.000-04:00

By Drew HalfnightAt about 10 a.m. this morning at the World Press Photo exhibit in Toronto's BCE Place, I saw a portrait photograph of a couple on their wedding day.The girl looked radiant in her youth in her white embroidered dress, and yet, a bit distant and melancholy.The man was a shock to the eye. Earless, hairless, burnt all over, his head was a ruined knub. He stood angled toward the woman

Burning Dreams

2007-10-11T00:57:00.000-04:00

By Liz Haggartyhttp://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=833&Itemid=146&bandwidth=highWhen do you give up? If we saw a picture of you standing infront of your worn stone home, capped with the corrugated iron of shanty towns, the glow of an explosion in the distance like the glow of the horizon it would be too early, we would scoff at your lack of drive.If you

Visibily Homeless

2007-10-10T22:45:00.001-04:00

Walking around the World Press Photo 2007 winner's exhibit in BCE Place, I saw so many pictures, showing the human spirit in action. Some were in the midst of sports, others were in the midst of trying to change their world. Others were just trying to live their lives. In the dark of the night, every photo seemed a little more menacing, a little darker, a little more jaded.Then I saw this photo,

World Press Photo Exhibit 2007: The World Comes to BCE Place

2007-10-10T18:39:00.000-04:00

By: Martha JackToronto, October 10, 2007The Toronto showing of the World Press Photo exhibit has always been one of my favourite media events of the year. I’m always excited to head down to BCE Place for the inspiring and insightful photos that have so beautifully illustrated the current events of the previous year.When I went to the exhibition, it was the Friday before Thanksgiving weekend.

Art for the Poor: Monumental Graffiti in Regent Park

2007-10-10T10:15:00.001-04:00

By Lianna ShenOctober 10, 2007On a rainy day, Regent Park is quiet and grey. There is not much to see but the buildings themselves, and if a monument is a symbol or reminder of what a place stands for, then these buildings themselves could be monuments. The dirty, unwashed windows, tattered curtains and clotheslines hint at the low standards of living that the residents of Regent Park live

Why Democracy

2007-10-06T00:59:00.001-04:00

While I was reading Metro Newspaper, I came across something I think might be of interest to all of us with the pending election, and well with our online savvyness. Metro and CBC are promoting a democracy campaign, where they talk to important people and ask them straight up questions about democracy. I enjoy reading what these people have to say on such a broad, yet controversial topic. This

The Power of Photography

2007-10-06T00:12:00.000-04:00

By Lori Harito While at the World Press Photo Exhibition, it's hard for me to single out just ONE photo that affected me, because they ALL did, especially since as soon as you walk in, the first exhibit is the really hard ones to swallow. The ones that make you realize, oh my gawd what is happening around the world. In a sense they are the pictures that make you open your eyes to a world larger

The Shocking Story of a 9-year-old

2007-10-04T22:31:00.000-04:00

On my way down to the Allen Lambert Galleria in BCE Place, I started having second thoughts about going down to the financial district at 4:30pm. I knew the rush was about to begin, and rush hour on Bay St. is one thing that I normally try to avoid. Surprisingly, when I got to the World Press photo exhibit on the street level, there weren't that many people around. I started at the sports section

Political Alternative

2007-10-04T00:30:00.000-04:00

Since the election is seven days away (remember to vote!), everyone’s heard about the top three parties. Always in the news, it’s how the Top Three Parties are doing. Who will win? Will it be a minority? Will a particular party bottom out? But no matter the discussion, it’s always the same three. Liberal, PC, NDP. NDP, PC, Liberal. For many parts of the province, this is the truth of the

Heart of the People

2007-10-03T23:40:00.001-04:00

By Maria Nguyen "I just think it's important to be direct and honest with people about why you're photographing them and what you're doing. After all, you are taking some of their soul, and I think you have to be clear about that." -Mary Ellen Mark, "Mary Ellen Mark : 25 YearsFor a photographer who has been working all over the world for over three decades, Mary Ellen Mark has a remarkable

What Journalism can learn from Photography

2007-10-03T22:37:00.000-04:00

By: Martha JackView the Webcast of Mary Ellen Mark 's LectureThey say that a picture is worth a thousand words. But when you’re covering an entire community, how much can an individual photo tell?As it turns out – a lot. When Mary Ellen Mark spoke at Ryerson University's Kodak Lecture Series last Thursday, it was clear that her photos show the communities she covers with intimacy and

Words Cannot Express…

2007-10-03T09:08:00.000-04:00

Kodak Lecture Series: Mary Ellen MarkBy Lianna ShenOctober 3, 2007After a day of filming in Regent Park on the coldest day of September, I really didn’t feel like going to a lecture. To be honest, I’ve never been much of a photographer, and I really didn’t think listening to someone talk about photography was really my kind of thing.But I went, and since there were no seats left, a couple of