[bounded by Christie St, CP Rail Tracks, Dovercourt Rd and Bloor St W]
This diverse neighbourhood is home to Christie Pits Park, Irene Parkette, Alex Duff Swimming Pool, and Bob Abate Recreation Centre. It is enjoyed by parents, toddlers, swimmers, joggers, soccer players, hockey players, skaters, baseball teams, and dog-walkers. Celebrated community gardens at St. Raymond’s School, Northumberland Parkette, and Concord Avenue and Bloor Street West are tended by dedicated volunteers and the West End Flower Fairies.
Three Business Improvement Areas [BIAs] are located in this neighbourhood – Bloorcourt Village, Korea Town, and Dovercourt Village. The community is an example of Toronto’s flourishing multiculturalism with restaurants and small businesses from India, Mexico, Greece, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Brazil, China, the Middle East, Portugal, Japan, Italy, Thailand, and Eritrea, just to name a few. A growing East African community is emerging alongside eclectic new shops and cafes showcasing local artists and artisans.
Over the years, a number of major improvements have changed the look and feel of Christie Pits. Access to the park was improved with the addition of a sloping ramp near Barton and Crawford Streets. To assist pedestrians, including young students, I pushed for the addition of sidewalks on Crawford and Barton Streets leading to St. Raymond’s School and Alex Duff pool and rink. Trees were then planted along the edge of Crawford Street, which I had successfully asked the city to narrow; both factors helped to calm traffic and beautify the area.
Through the Trees Across Toronto program, trees were planted on the north slope of Christie Pits. I arranged for the bronze medallions that mark the path of the buried Garrison Creek. We upgraded the Alex Duff outdoor ice rink at Christie Pits, which is also now an all-season facility with the addition of basketball hoops. And in the summer of 2008, Heritage Toronto, along with members of Toronto’s Jewish community, installed a plaque commemorating the depression-era riots in Christie Pits.
I am pleased to provide ongoing support for Christie Pits through its active new “Friends” group. The Friends of Christie Pits is very good news for the park. They can be found through their website http://christiepits.ca.
Christie Ossington Residents Association [CORA] worked hard in revitalizing Irene Parkette. With a Clean and Beautiful City grant, we created a community garden and secured playground equipment. Members water the trees in the summer and donations of toys make the parkette an ideal place to meet neighbours.
I am pleased to support local gardeners at the neighbourhood’s five community gardens: the West End Flower Fairies tend two gardens on Concord Avenue and one in Northumberland Parkette, Christie Ossington Residents’ Association supports the garden at Irene Parkette, and parent volunteers tend the ten-year-old garden at St. Raymond’s School [a joint project with the City of Toronto]. Please contact me if you would like to get involved with the community gardeners.
In another greening project, I worked with the City of Toronto’s transportation section to create the green triangle at Ossington Avenue and Dupont Street along with the planting of trees on Ossington and the painting of murals at the underpass.
I continue to support CORA, Toronto Police Service – 14 Division, Afri-Fest, Bloorcourt BIA, and BIG with numerous efforts – from festivals to addressing problem bars to safety walks – with the goal of improving Bloor Street West between Christie Street and Dovercourt Road.
On Shaw Street, neighbours were petitioned and polled for speed humps, and bicycle lanes were installed north of Dupont to connect with the already established bicycle lane on Davenport as a part of the 2008 Bikeway Network Program. The bike path adjacent to Christie Pits now connects Crawford Street north of Bloor Street West with the contra-flow bike path along Montrose Avenue and with Bickford Park.
The Toronto Parking Authority parking lot across from Ossington subway station has been upgraded with trees, environmentally friendly permeable pavement, the City of Toronto’s first natural irrigation system, and LED lights.
