One and all are invited to… The Smurfs

Friday, Jan. 27th, 2012 - Showtime: 7:00 p.m. – approx. 8:45 p.m.

At the Salvation Army on Cedarvale Ave. (behind Gledhill school).

$3 per adult, $2 per child (2-12 yrs.),  Children under two are free. Refreshments bar (popcorn, drinks, chocolate bars, etc.)

All proceeds to the Kidzone After School Program run out of this Salvation Army location.

Renew Newcastle Shows How To Create A People Magnet

By Catherine Porter

I need some Newcastle in my neighbourhood.

Newcastle is an Australian steel town an hour and a half north of Sydney. Last year, Lonely Planet named it one of the Top 10 cities to visit in the world, along with New York and Delhi, citing its great cafes, artist culture and surf.

What makes that amazing is that three years ago Newcastle was a ghost town. Or at least its downtown was, with 150 boarded-up buildings dotting its two main drags. You went there to get mugged.

Was it a new urban plan, an aggressive business improvement association? Or today’s version of a gold rush — four Starbucks?

Nope. It was Marcus Westbury, a festival director with a deep love for his hometown and a really good idea.

His idea: borrow the empty storefronts from their owners and fill them with artists, designers, fledgling food cooperatives. By borrow, he meant occupy them for free. Clearly artists and creators would love a crack at turning their dreams into a business. What about the property owners?

“They weren’t that hard to convince,” Westbury told me over Skype from Australia. “They’ve seen an enormous amount of benefit. We now have a national program, and property owners are paying us to take over their spaces.”

Westbury started a non-profit called Renew Newcastle. He took out some liability insurance. Then he approached one company that owned many of the derelict buildings.

His offer: I’ll find you creative tenants, they’ll fix up your space with new paint and clean windows on a rolling 30-day basis until you find a full-paying tenant, which you’re more likely to find.

Hipsters always follow the artists.

What started with a handful of Renew Newcastle tenants has grown to more than 70. A half dozen, including the food co-op, have grown into full-fledged businesses, paying market rent for their spaces. All but one have had to move off the main pedestrian mall to make way for those cool cafes and galleries.

When the first of Westbury’s tenants moved in there three years ago, they were robbed at night. Recently Westbury watched in amazement as backpackers worked on their laptops outside late at night.

“It’s gone from a no-go zone to a place were people feel safe,” says Westbury, 38.

Field of Dreams got it wrong. Building something isn’t enough. You have to fill it with people; then “they” will come.

Life is magnetic.

I love the story of Renew Newcastle because of its agency. I live in a desolate stretch of the Danforth where empty and dusty storefronts outnumber vibrant businesses. Each “For Rent” sign inspires hope, then resignation and finally despair, when another sure-to-fail dollar store moves in.

Many store owners seem as resigned as me: they’ve left their storefronts shuttered for years, not bothering to put out a sign.

Rather that waiting for the government or a Starbucks to turn things around, my neighbours and I have taken action too. Around the same time that Renew Newcastle started up, we began renovating local businesses — painting their walls, decluttering their window displays, putting up new signs.

Our motto became: “If one smashed window brings the whole neighbourhood down, what will one smashing window do?”

We are on store No. 6, and we’ve seen some results. A handful of new businesses and bakeries have moved in. Our problem? There are so many empty stores, we are running out of candidates.

Many are paid to stay empty.

Since 2002, the Ontario government has mandated cities to give commercial property owners a 30 per cent break on their taxes for space that has been vacant for 90 days or more. In my area, that adds up to about $3,000 per empty shop.

The program was brought in to ease the bite of recession on large property owners. But that gift should come with a string attached: a tax break for your space — until you can rent it out and no longer need the tax break.

We have the agreements, and the city management, in place. Just add a line and some new job descriptions.

Australian governments — both federal and local — have jumped on board. They now fund Renew Newcastle to do what the market couldn’t. Sydney is the most recent recruit, with a similar program starting on its Oxford St. this month.

Good ideas are meant to be borrowed. Toronto should be next.

It was a real eye-opener. Although the BIA covers 500 businesses, fewer than 15 business owners were there. The new chair said the last year had been a total failure: bad flowers, lame festivals and a broken board that started with 20 members and ended with 10 (including 4 city councillors). He begged business owners to join him on the board.

Here’s what was eye-opening: the BIA has a budget of $200,000 — 100 times what DECA runs on. And, two business owners who were there, added $46,000 to the budget for flowers and a full-time coordinator, just like that. The point: The BIA has the funds to make real change on the Danforth. We should support it.

How?

Go into your favourite stores on the Danforth and ask the owners if they’ve considered joining the BIA board. Push them to — it requires only one night a month and the results could be phenomenal.

We’ve already talked to Roger at Plank Road Market and Tammy at Carter’s (who was there). Who will you talk to?

 Danforth East denizens who consider coffee a secondary food group have already started to line up for their daily brews at the newly opened Red Rocket coffee at 1364 Danforth, just west of Monarch Park. 

Those already familiar with the aromatic roasts of the famed Leslieville coffee house know that their coffee is second to none. Although the Leslieville location was forced to close, their loss is Danforth’s gain. The new Danforth location resides in the space formerly belonging to Three’s Company Two and Niche. A minor facelift has transformed the space into a cozy and chic spot on the strip to get your daily dose of java. There is an an antique children’s school desk in front of the fireplace and archived prints of the real red rocket framed along the wall. We shouldn’t forget to mention that there is lots of room for stroller parking!

The coffee and espresso offerings are partnered with a selection of treats and sandwiches, with more menu items on the horizon. Here’s a hint: blueberry bran muffins are not always that appealing, but the ones found here are worth writing home about!

If you’re looking for a place to answer emails or get some work done, Red Rocket offers free Wifi – look for the passcode on an antique chalkboard on the wall. 

And the final bonus is the cheery staff behind the counter. A handful of former Three’s Company Two employees stayed on with Red Rocket, so you will still be seeing familiar faces at the espresso machine. 

For news and updates, read the Red Rocket blog: http://redrocketcoffee.blogspot.com/.

*****

Beaches-East York MP Matthew Kellway is hosting a forum on Public Transit.  Specifically, he wants to get feedback on a National Public Transit Strategy.

A panel discussion will include Michael Prue, Beaches-East York MPP (Finance critic), Olivia Chow, Trinity-Spadina MP (critic for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities) and Michael Roschlau, President and CEO Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA).

Plus, they will feed you.  A worthy and important cause INCLUDING sustenance!

Details below! (or follow this link)

Tuesday, January 17 – 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

D.A. Morrison Middle School, 271 Gledhill Ave. (south of Cosburn, east of Woodbine)

The first executive meeting of 2012 will be Tuesday, January 24th at 7:30 p.m. E-mail me if you would like more information at natasha.granatstein(at)gmail.com

What’s Up With The Empty Storefronts? – That’s a question we’ve been trying to answer for years. We’ve heard all sorts of rumours, conjecture and conspiracy theories. Now, DECA’s own, Catherine Porter, is trying to get to the bottom of it for the benefit of all the main streets in this crazy town. Read the first instalment in her Toronto Star column here.

Coyotes – A coyote was spotted on the front lawn of 160 Coleridge Ave on Thursday night, just after midnight. Tell your cats to watch out.

Dollarama – Rumour has it that a Dollarama is slated to move into the space on the N.W. side of Woodbine and Danforth in the old Kresge’s/Ethiopian centre space.

Can you believe it?  It actually happened!  Mary-Margaret and Lillian pitched a few ideas to the City. The City chose the one they thought was most viable, installed it and footed the bill.

A bioswale is “a landscape element designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water. It is filled vegetation, compost and/or stones. The water’s flow path, along with wide and shallow ditch, is designed to maximize the time water spends in the swale, helping trap pollutants and silt.”

Lead In The Water

Speaking of pollutants, and because we always have new people joining this community blog, I like to remind people about the issue of lead in the water. Old homes sometimes have lead pipes in the house or lead pipes from the street to your home. If you’ve never had your water tested (especially if you are pregnant, nursing or have young children) you may want to pick up a lead testing kit at the East York Civic Centre.  In the meantime, a few tips from Toronto Public Health  if you are concerned about lead in your water:

• Flush the water first thing in the morning and after it’s been sitting for a while
• Clean the aerator on your tap if you have one as lead can build up along with the rest of the guk
• Use a filter that meets the NSF53 standard (It should say that on the box of the filter).  In my case that’s a PUR water filter.

The Projection Booth

This is a new rep theatre on Gerrard between Pape and Jones. It boasts art, schlock, indie and foreign films. It grew, according to the three owners, “out of a desire to support Canada’s vibrant filmmakers and create an intimate and unique theatre going experience. Since opening in August 2011, Projection Booth has become known for outside the box programming and a commitment to showcasing the best in independent and world cinema.”

They’ve got Bollywood Sundays, Super Punch Saturdays, Fright Night Fridays, documentaries and a full slate of other films to discover. They are also renting out the space (Toronto’s oldest running cinema, the website says) and looking for new films. Thanks to Cameron Tingley for sending this find our way. www.projectionbooth.moonfruit.com.

Oil Painting For Beginniners

If your news year’s resolution was to do something more creative or try something new, then maybe you need to check out Julie Glick’s oil painting classes. You might know Julie from her pet portraits, but she does so much more than that (as you can see above). Classes start in February and you can learn more about the classes and Julie at www.julieglick.com

Volunteer Intake / Community Meetings in January

Are you interested in volunteering for Art of the Danforth 2012?   Want to know more about the event?  Please come to one of the following community meetings:

• Tuesday, January 10, 7-8 pm at the Danforth Coxwell Public Library (upstairs), 1675 Danforth
• Thursday, January 12, 8-9 pm LuSculpture Studio & Schools, 663 Greenwood Avenue

For more information, or if you want to volunteer but can`t make one of the above, contact Cindy at info@eastdanforthcreative.com