At Monarch Park Collegiate, keeping the school pool open isn’t only about giving students a fun way to spend gym class. It may be a life and death situation.

Special-education teacher Jay Arrington said swimming classes are key in keeping his students healthy so they can live longer lives.

“I have some students with different disorders and it means that their life expectancy may be in the teens or mid-twenties,” Arrington said. “But if we can get them in the pool every week, we can extend their life for another ten years.”

That’s just one of the reasons why staff and parents at Monarch Park Collegiate are fighting to keep their pool open. The only handicapped-accessible pool in the area, it will be drained on Dec. 31 unless the school comes up with an additional $30,000 in funds.

It costs $77,000 a year to keep the pool open, in part because the pool must be kept at a warm 81 degrees F for the special-needs students. The Toronto District School Board has asked the school to contribute $60,000 to its maintenance. Fundraising has already secured half of that.

But now, the school is turning to the community for help. Staff and parents hope the pool can be saved through the sale of permits. The permits buy time for community groups to have weekly swim classes, or even birthday parties and other private events.

The school held a pool open house on Tuesday, Oct. 13 to showcase the facility and advertise its accessibility to the public.

And because the pool is built with the disabled in mind, the school hopes that special-needs groups will make swimming at Monarch Park Collegiate a priority.

“Swimming is a chance for my students to practice their balance. It’s strength training, it’s range of motion, it’s more fluid and supported so they don’t feel like they’re going to drop at any second,” Arrington said. “We want to extend that to the community now as well.”

Sharon Gomes, a parent from Monarch Park, works to help ease the permit process for community members. She said the permits are important because it shows the board that the school has and will have the funds in the future to keep the pool open.

“This is a long-term, sustainable viability plan,” Gomes said. “If we have a swim club coming in two times a week, every week, then we are guaranteed that money. Then the pool almost pays for itself and everyone benefits from it.”

Permits cost $50 an hour, along with lifeguard fees, a small insurance fee and a one-time nominal registration fee.

The community is already taking notice. Gomes said a swim club from the Beach area of Toronto has bought a permit to use the pool. An aqua-fitness group has also signed up.

Area resident Janet O’Neill has lived in the neighbourhood for 32 years. She said she was hopeful community members will make use of the pool now that they know it’s available to them.

“My children learned to swim here,” she said. “I used this pool when the board offered nighttime (swims). I miss not having access. There’s a pool here and the neighbours should have access.”

Toronto-Danforth MP Jack Layton, Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns and Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue attended the open house to lend their support to keeping the facility open.

Layton called the rash of Toronto pool closures “a tragedy,” and suggested canvassing as a way to get the word out to the community about Monarch Park’s pool.

Prue said because the pool is used for the disabled, he would be able to bring up the issue in Parliament next week.

“What I hope to do is raise this in the legislature and ask the minister responsible for disability issues why there is no money flowing to the school board to keep this open for the disabled,” Prue said. “It’s just one little hook. I know lots of people swim here, but it’s what I can do.”

In addition to housing swimming classes for special-needs students from Monarch Park and area schools, the pool serves staff, student physical education classes and is home to the Monarch Park Collegiate swim team. With the closure of the pool at neighbouring Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute, Monarch Park has opened its doors to them as well.

The school only has a few months left to raise the funds needed to keep the facility open.

Arrington said he hates to think of the effect a pool closure will have on his students.

“(Swimming) means a lot to them. It’s also really fun. They love it,” he said. “You see the effects on the kids both physically and emotionally. It’s so important.”

Originally published in The East Toronto Observer, October 16, 2009

Sometimes a simple change is the best way to make a difference.

It’s an idea that Angela Kennedy, Ward 11 Catholic school board trustee and chair, takes to heart when resolving issues brought to her by parents and principals. Often, the solution can be as simple as moving a bus stop to the opposite side of the street.

That’s what happened when one woman had trouble walking three first-graders across a busy stretch of Queen Street to catch the bus. After hearing the woman’s dilemma, Kennedy was able to have the stop moved.

“Now she walks out of the house and gets the bus. I had to bring it to board and explain to my trustee colleagues why they needed to move the stop,” Kennedy said. “I like making those kinds of connections for people.”

Connecting with parents to help make their lives easier is just one of the roles Kennedy fills as trustee. In August, Kennedy was appointed chair of the Toronto Catholic District School Board by new ministry supervisor Richard Alway. The appointment has left her spending time researching ways the TCDSB can function better.

For a while, trustees were stripped of the right to participate in their own board. In January, former supervisor Norbert Hartmann refused to appoint a chair after a series of outbursts marred board meetings.

But a lot has changed since January. With Alway at the helm, trustees have been invited to take a more active role in decisions. More importantly, Kennedy said it shows the public that she and her colleagues are capable of being in control.

“Someone needs to be the face of the board,” she said. “A rudderless ship is not going to improve the public confidence and trust.”

Penny Boyce-Chester, co-founder of the Greater Toronto Catholic Parent Network, knew Kennedy first as a parent and then as a trustee. Her daughter went to Notre Dame secondary school in Ward 11, and Boyce-Chester has guardianship over another child at the school. She said Kennedy has a challenge ahead of her as chair.

“This board is dysfunctional,” Boyce-Chester said. “Cooperation would be a difficult thing for anybody to get in uniting them. That’s going to be difficult. But I think she’s going to give it a good try.”

It’s not something Kennedy is shying away from. She says she is hopeful that by working with Alway, the board will continue to move forward.

“He’s optimistic and he’s what I call a choreographer,” Kennedy said. “He’s saying my job is to work with the trustees and to make sure that there is an effective model to make all these changes happen.”

Kennedy first became involved in Catholic education as a parent. She raised seven boys in the school system, taking part in multiple parent-teacher associations and eventually heading up what is now the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education. From there she ran for trustee, all while raising her children, working full time as a nurse and, later, running in two separate federal elections.

Kennedy still works as a nurse at Toronto East General Hospital, where she counsels people with diabetes.

Boyce-Chester worries Kennedy’s devotion to a busy schedule could make decision-making difficult.

“She takes on more than she can chew a lot of the time,” Boyce-Chester said. “Sometimes she might miss part of the discussion and that could cause her decision to be off the mark.”

But Boyce-Chester also called Kennedy a “committed and hard working volunteer” who appreciates what it’s like to be a parent.

“She understands the parent issues,” she said. “As a parent, she would run from hockey to her meetings, and she might have been late, but she was always there.”

A love of keeping busy is something Kennedy said keeps her going.

It’s shown in her home. On this day, Kennedy’s house is still decorated from two separate bridal showers she’s hosted for friends in the past week. Such endeavors, along with board meetings, family commitments and her job as a nurse, leave her little time to relax. Kennedy said she copes with exercise and an organization strategy.

Before going to bed each night, Kennedy makes lists of all the items she needs to accomplish the next day. She said the system works for her, allowing her to keep everything planned in her mind.

That system helped her to work towards becoming chair of the board, a goal she’s had since being elected as a trustee in 2000. Even the spending scandal that hit the board didn’t deter her from wanting the job.

The Ministry of Education took control of the board after an audit posed serious questions about the spending habits of some trustees. Kennedy was not one of them.

She said she was unaware of the extent of misconduct when the scandal broke.

“I knew we had a problem. But, in some ways I wasn’t aware of all the backroom stuff that was happening,” she said. “In some ways it was a surprise.In my view, we were doing the job we were elected to do as trustees.”

Though she said she was disappointed the supervisory team stepped in, Kennedy acknowledges that they made some tough decisions that needed to be made.

“In fact, I think this is going to be better for us in the end,” she said. “We now have some expense policies which are much stricter and have tighter parameters.”

In the meantime, Kennedy said she is looking forward to helping the board get back on track. And, she said that process has already begun.

“The trustees are doing their work. We’re meeting with the supervisor and he’s invited us to be a solid partner to move the board forward,” Kennedy said. “We can do things better. We can learn from the past.”

Originally published in The East Toronto Observer, October 16, 2009

David Miller’s announcement that he won’t be seeking a third term as mayor of Toronto came as a shock to two East York city councillors.

Councillor Janet Davis of ward 31 Beaches-East York and Councillor John Parker of ward 26 Don Valley West both expressed surprise at the mayor’s decision.

Councillor Case Ootes  of ward 29 Toronto-Danforth is away and was unavailable for comment.

“Everything had indicated that the mayor was looking forward to a fight [in 2010] and had no sign of backing out,” Parker said. “I was completely and totally surprised.”

Davis, who serves on the Executive Committee, said she was saddened by the mayor’s decision.

“I’m disappointed,” she said. “There are other challenges ahead that I know he would have tackled.”

Miller announced his decision at an emotional news conference on Friday, Sept. 25. In his speech, he said he felt he had accomplished what he had set out to as mayor of the city and wanted to spend more time with his wife and children.

Davis said she could relate to Miller’s desire to put his family first.

“I usually see my family for breakfast and on the weekend.  Most evenings I’m out,” she said. “People don’t realize the effect political life has on family. It takes an incredible toll.”

But not everyone believes the mayor’s decision is based on family commitments alone. Parker said he thinks there’s more to it than that.

“I don’t buy his publicly stated rationale that he just now stumbled upon the fact that he is the father of two children,” he said.  “I think that’s a bit of window dressing to try and conceal another reality – being the drastic loss of support, which I’m assuming translates into a loss of financial support.”

Parker said as the mayor’s approval ratings plummet following public outcry over tax increases and the summer strike, promised money sources needed to run a campaign may have been withdrawn. Because campaigns are so expensive, Parker said, that could have been a force behind the mayor’s decision.

Still, Parker said he was sympathetic to Miller, saying such a decision must have been difficult to make.

“He clearly loves his job,” Parker said. “He worked hard at it and he’s still working hard at it.”

With 14 months left in the mayor’s term, Davis said Miller has time to accomplish more. But she said when it ends, he will have left a legacy behind from his achievements in environmental programs, waste diversion and investment in the TTC.

“David Miller has brought tremendous intelligence and integrity to the office of mayor in the City of Toronto,” Davis said.  “It’s been an honour to serve with him.”

Originally published in The East Toronto Observer, October 2, 2009

It was a special moment for canoeing enthusiast George Luste.

After announcing his latest paddling trip at the dinner table one night, he was touched to hear his then 14-year-old daughter offer to accompany him.

“Tija said, ‘I’m not very strong, but I’d like to go.’ So, the two of us did the trip. [I have some] wonderful memories of canoeing together,” he said. “That was really special.”

Luste, a physics professor at the University of Toronto and a wilderness devotee, has been paddling across Canada since 1963. He shared photos and memories of his more than 40 canoe trips at the S. Walter Stewart library Thursday, Sept. 23. The talk was presented as an event for the Outing Club of East York.

Many of Luste’s trips were undertaken with his family in tow, and he said the expeditions gave them a chance to bond.

The family’s experience of connecting to each other through the outdoors is one shared by the East York outing club. Lucy Perri, vice-president of the group, said activities like hiking, cycling, canoeing or skiing are great ways to make social connections. She sees the effects in the members of the club.

“If you go on a trip, everyone looks after each other,” Perri said. “There’s so much friendship.”

In the case of Luste and his family, canoeing trips became an important part of their shared history.

Luste’s wife, Linda, was introduced to canoeing by her husband. She said her family thinks of their trips with great fondness, even though the expeditions weren’t always completely pleasant.

“I remember one night with the four kids, I heard, ‘Mom, Debbie threw up in the tent!’ And then, here I am, cleaning the tent, telling them, ‘You have to get back in there. I don’t care if it smells!’” she said, laughing.

Such moments are remembered by the Luste children, now all grown up with kids of their own.

“Whenever they get together now, [the trips are] what they talk about. It was a nice family experience,” she said.

The tradition continues as Luste introduces his grandchildren to canoeing. He takes them on quieter daytrips, such as paddling on the Don River.

Canoeing has been a part of Luste’s life since he discovered the sport in 1963. He fell in love with canoeing at 23 on his first trip along the Abitibi River to James Bay.

Luste said he is thankful for finding the sport because of the connections he’s made.

“Canoeing has enriched my life,” he said. “I’ve met wonderful people on my trips. I’m very grateful for that.”

It’s a sentiment shared by Perri and the other members of the East York outing club. Now over 450 members strong, the club brings people together for exercise and companionship, with different activities planned every weekend throughout the year.

“It’s a club I think will always be around,” Perri said. “There’s fun and fellowship. We’re one big, great family.”

Originally published in The East Toronto Observer, October 2, 2009

Since November 2008, the City of Toronto has been locked in a debate with restaurants and fast-food outlets over the recycling of paper hot drink cups. The city does not have the facilities to recycle the cups with plastic lids and wants the hospitality industry to change its packaging to an all-paper cup.

So far, the industry has refused.

According to Public Works chair Glenn De Baeremaeker, this results in over 350 million cups being sent to landfills each year in Toronto.

“The amount of garbage we produce just by coffee cups alone is staggering,” he said. “It is not sustainable. It is not ecologically sound. It is just plain stupid.”

In order to investigate recycling options, council has created a coffee cup task force. It’s made up of 40 people who represent the city, recycling firms, cup manufacturers and restaurants such as Tim Hortons, McDonald’s and Starbucks.

The committee expects to report its findings to council in June of this year.

Coun. De Baeremaeker said Toronto believes the restaurant industry should be held responsible for the garbage it produces and municipalities should not be left holding the recycling bill. That includes the bill to clean up litter.

“The responsibility is on the people making the packaging,” he said. “You make it, you should pay for it.”

Litter is an issue that often springs up around Tim Hortons’ annual Roll Up the Rim contest, which runs from Feb. 23 until March, ending when the game cups run out. Current company policy dictates when customers re-fill travel mugs during the promotion, that they also receive a clean paper game cup.

That leads to more cups sent to landfills, which according to De Baeremaeker,  is “wasteful” and “counterproductive.”.

But currently, Tim Hortons does not provide any other means to enter the contest. David Morelli, director of public affairs at Tim Hortons, said that’s because the act of rolling up the rim is something customers enjoy.

“Customers have come to expect the cup, and, as you can see by the success of the program, really fallen in love with the whole concept,” he said.

Still, the company is aware that using paper cups as game pieces may not be the most environmentally friendly option. Morelli said Tim Hortons is looking into alternatives to the cup.

“We are looking into other options, but are not prepared to discuss those yet,” he said.

Tim Hortons has also started a program to recycle their cups in Toronto through a partnership with Turtle Island, a recycling company in the city. By the spring, Morelli said 175 stores will offer recycling receptacles across Toronto.

The city, however, is hoping restaurants and fast-food outlets will abandon the paper cup/plastic lid model and come up with something compatible with the city’s current recycling facilities. De Baeremaeker envisions instituting an industry-wide standard for recyclable cups.

“We’re trying to change the industry,” he said. “I look forward to the day when we can all have a cup of coffee, enjoy it, and then recycle it.”

Filed by Victoria Wells

Originally published at The Toronto Observer, March 8, 2009.

Ronzig poses at the asleep in Toronto exhibit at the Leaside Public Library, January 2009. Photograph: Victoria Wells

By Victoria Wells

In March 2005, Ron Craven had to make a choice.

Ten years of homelessness and crack addiction had taken its toll. Weighing in at 90 pounds, Craven knew he would not be able to make it through another winter. But he needed to decide if he even wanted to survive.

“The bottom line was, ‘Do I want to live?’” said Craven, who now goes by the name of Ronzig. “If I wanted to live, I knew I had to quit drugs. You cannot get off the streets and still be an addict.”

Ronzig discovered that he did want to live. He got in contact with an outreach worker and from there, everything changed. Off the streets for almost four years, he now helps others tell their stories of poverty, homelessness and exclusion.

His experience was one of many shared at the Leaside Public Library on Thursday, Jan. 22 as part of the Asleep in Toronto and A Day in the Life exhibits. The library hosted a meeting with the directors and photographers involved in the projects, which examined homelessness in Toronto through the eyes and words of those living on the streets.

Portions of both projects were on display in the community room of the library for the month of January.

The exhibits feature the words and experiences of the homeless printed on banners representing blankets – a symbol of what it’s like to sleep in shelters or in makeshift squats on the streets. Black and white photographs, some with captions of their own, complement those words. In one photo, a person lies asleep, wrapped in a sleeping bag on the floor of a Toronto bus shelter. “Ontario, the place where poverty grows” is handwritten across the bottom.

In another, a figure sits alone on a park bench, the words, “When I was little, I never dreamed I would be on the streets” scrawled beneath his feet.
That’s a message participants hope viewers will take away from the exhibit.

Poet, artist and photographer Helen Posno spent 10 years fighting a deep depression that led her to the streets.  She said the project provided her with a way to share that message with the public.

“I took pictures of the feelings of people, the debris, what they left behind. I wanted to preserve people’s dignity,” she said. “I wanted to give people a sense that [homelessness] is just another human experience. It’s not something to be vilified or punished.”

Nancy Halifax was the director and “lead artist” of the projects, which ran for seven months in 2006. After securing funding from the Wellesley Institute and the Toronto Arts Council, Halifax joined with Street Health, an outreach centre in the downtown core, to recruit members of the homeless community to participate. Armed with cameras, the artists took photographs of what they felt represented their lives as homeless people. They met together after each session, dissecting their experiences and sharing their stories.

Halifax said the process was a transformative one for many involved.

“What mattered was giving people a voice,” Halifax said. “It was a really important part of their lives.”

Jim Meeks, now a peer outreach worker with Street Health, agrees. He said using photographs gave him and other members a way to show people who wouldn’t usually listen what it’s like to be homeless.

“Some of the stories are so harsh that people close down to them,” he said. “This was an opportunity to tell the stories in a different way, to have an element of separation so that people can take it in more comfortably and hopefully understand a little better.”

Meeks found himself on the streets after losing his job as a librarian following the Toronto amalgamation in 1998. He credits Asleep in Toronto and A Day in the Life with helping him to not only share his experience, but to make a difference in the lives of those still living without adequate housing.

“Without being a part of something like this, my voice would never be heard. Our voices wouldn’t be heard. (The project) showed us ways we could change our world,” he said. “It’s been an empowering experience.”

While the exact number of homeless people in Toronto is not known, The Street Health Report released by the organization in 2007 suggests there are more now than ever before. Its research indicates the number of people using shelters on any given night has tripled since a study done in 1992.
Halifax said programs like hers give the homeless a chance to express themselves at a time when the public would prefer to turn a blind eye to the problem. She believes long-term funding is needed for adult arts programs that help keep people healthy, both emotionally and mentally.

“Does creative development stop at a certain point?” Halifax said. “No. It keeps (people) going.”

And in turn, she said such projects bring added value to the community at large by contributing to arts in Canada.

Halifax hopes members of the public will come away from the exhibit understanding that homelessness is still a problem and one that shouldn’t be ignored.

“Things need to shift. We need to be active around social justice issues because it affects everyone we know,” she said. “Treat people with dignity and respect. Acknowledge them. Don’t walk by people like they’re invisible.”

Originally published in the East Toronto Observer, February 6, 2009.

The South Pole for Kids team. Courtesy, southpoleforkids.ca

By Victoria Wells

It was the biggest challenge Steve Stipsits ever had to face.

Trudging 200 kilometres on skis, dragging a 100-pound sled behind him and confronting -50 C wind chills that sapped his strength and never ceased – all with no hope of escape.

Though he had prepared himself physically and mentally for half-a-year for his trip to the South Pole, Stipsits felt, after only one day in Antarctica, that he could never have prepared enough.

“All that [preparation] went out the window that first night,” Stipsits said. “It was completely gone. It was complete anxiety, realizing that we are so deep now, and there is no way to get out of here.”

Stipsits, 46, owner of Branthaven Homes, trekked to the South Pole with three other businessmen from the Hamilton area in December 2008 to raise money for children’s charities. Their efforts netted close to $600,000 in funds for kids’ nutrition and music programs in the Niagara, Hamilton and Halton regions. Distribution of the money is set for March 10.

Steve Stipsits, courtesy southpoleforkids.ca

Originally planned as a two-week long trip, the expedition stretched on for over a month. After reaching the Pole on Dec. 15, the explorers were stranded by bad weather before a plane could pick them up and take them to the Patriot Hills base camp. Once there, another storm grounded them on the continent, forcing them to miss Christmas with their families. They finally made it back home on Dec. 29.

Stipsits said the trip was extremely demanding, both physically and mentally.

“There is no question that this is the most strain I’ve ever been under,” he said. “The entire time we were there it felt not enjoyable. There were not five instances in the 30 days where you’d say, ‘Well, that was fun.’”

Stipsits is among a group of less than a hundred people to have skied to both ends of the earth. In 2006, he joined three others in an expedition to the North Pole to raise money for children. For that trip, his team raised over $500,000. The money was distributed to the Hamilton-Wentworth school board and earmarked for arts and breakfast programs.

For both expeditions, team members covered all their own expenses to ensure donations went directly to charity.

But, for this trip, Stipsits said knowing children would benefit from the expedition is what really helped keep the team moving towards their goal of reaching the South Pole.

“You go out and solicit so much money from people to provide for kids’ charity, and then you have almost 5,000 students back home tuning in every day through the (website),” he said. “You just can’t not make it.”

That motivation especially came into play when team member Mark MacLennan’s hands became frostbitten while trying to retie his sled. The accident occurred only two-and-a-half days into the journey. MacLennan had to be airlifted to Chile for treatment to his fingers with no way of rejoining the others on their expedition. It was a blow for the team, one they struggled to overcome.

“It was a tough time,” Stipsits said. “Just to get him evacuated we were sitting there for three-and-a-half days. We couldn’t move. You realize how far in the middle of nowhere you are, and we couldn’t get a plane. We just had to wait, just had to be patient.”

Once MacLennan was removed, the team resumed their journey, suffering through the intense cold and never-changing scenery. The only time they stopped was for short refuelling breaks each hour to take in much needed calories. During those times, Stipsits said, the team could hardly talk to each other because they were so exhausted.

“It felt very alone,” he said. “The trip was mind-numbingly monotonous. One of the guys would count the steps, just playing mind games to get through the monotony, just to keep going.”

Even actions Stipsits usually took for granted became huge challenges.

“If I would go to put a sock on, which is a next to nothing task, I was completely out of breath,” he said.

Though Stipsits said the end of the journey brought a great sense of relief, he hasn’t had much chance to relish in it. He is now in the process of helping his company weather the current economic storm. The global recession has been particularly hard on the building industry, and Stipsits’s company is no exception.

“Over the last financial quarter, our sales are down roughly 90 per cent. We are going to have to make adjustments to the size of our company, and that is weighing extremely heavily on me right now,” he said.

But, Stipsits looks to his recent experience in the South Pole for strength.

“Perseverance will get you there eventually,” he said of lessons learned in business and in his expeditions. “This too shall pass.”

Originally published in Centennial College’s Journalism blog.

Reminder to self: Do not post when feeling overwhelmed, or after reading depressing articles about the state of newspapers.

Last week, I got to school and received some pep talks from my instructors. Which just reminds me how happy I am with Centennial College. My professors understand the fears many of us j-students have, and they are doing their best to address those fears in our classes, through conferences and through one-on-one interaction.

Do I feel there is no hope for print journalism? No, not really. I don’t think newspapers are on the verge of death just yet. I love print and I know I’m not the only one. There is something very satisfying about holding a newspaper, seeing words on paper. Yes, the advertising model has to change, and it’s true that today’s print reporters need to have skills that go beyond writing. But, I feel lucky because the program I’m in is well aware of that, and I’m gathering skills that go beyond good writing.

This semester has been a challenge for me. It’s been intense and has been quite hard on my family. And I know next semester is only going to be more intense. (Sorry, family!) But I can’t even begin to express how much I have gained in this semester alone. I’ve put everything I learned in my classes so far into use. I’ve taken photographs, laid out newspaper and magazine pages, reviewed a play, covered community events, tracked down sources on deadline, worked as a copy editor, covered a Maple Leafs event, interviewed city councillors, talked to Catholic school board trustees, been in a scrum, written for the web, talked to important newsmakers in broadcast-style interviews and even figured out how to write for radio. And that’s just the beginning.

Maybe it’s just the end of the semester euphoria, but I’m feeling good about all things journalism right now.

On the 12th floor terrace of the Duncan Mills Co-op, something green will be sprouting soon. And, according to co-op resident, Mary Trapani Hynes, the gardeners involved aren’t what one would expect.

“Everybody should be able to garden if they want to,” Hynes said. “I’ve been interested in the whole idea of gardening for the disabled because I think it’s a way of getting people involved in doing things they don’t normally get to do.”

The housing complex, at 2040 Don Mills Rd., is home to a new rooftop garden designed to be accessible for seniors with disabilities and starting in May, residents will fill the raised beds with vegetables and flowers.

Hynes, a retired teacher living in the building, conceived the project. In June 2007, she went to the federal government with her idea. After a long application process, she received $25,000 from the New Horizons for Seniors program to start the garden. The New Horizons program offers funding to projects that help the elderly stay active in their communities.

To Hynes, a rooftop garden seemed the perfect outlet for seniors because it reduces social isolation. And, making the garden accessible for people in wheelchairs or using canes, was an essential part of Hynes’ vision. “We’re not just growing vegetables,” Hynes said. “We’re growing a community.”

Journalist Judy Steed has researched the elderly extensively. In 2008, she published a series of articles about aging in the Toronto Star. She also lectures on the subject, suggesting that gardening has proven benefits for seniors.

“It’s so beneficial because you’re constantly moving in gentle motions. You’re getting really good exercise,” Steed said. “And you’re doing this physical activity in a beautiful context. So, it’s relaxing. It’s restoring.”

Steed said gardening isn’t only good for people with physical disabilities. At a residence in Copenhagen, Denmark, she witnessed seniors suffering from dementia working with plants. “They loved to go out in the garden,” she said. “It remained an activity even with advanced brain disease.”

The City of Toronto offers a community gardening program that includes only a few accessible rooftop gardens.

The South Riverdale Community Health Centre has operated one such garden since 2004. It too features raised beds and containers for flowers, herbs and vegetables, making the gardens more accessible for people with disabilities.

Co-ordinator Judy Wong said she sees the program making a difference for the seniors involved. “It’s therapy for them. I have some clients who are sick with complex medical problems. And doing something with their hands is very therapeutic,” Wong said.

Plus, participants have the opportunity to mingle when they come together and eat the fruits of their labours – literally. Wong said they make salads from what they’ve grown, all of which the gardeners have cultivated from seeds.

As for Hynes, she said she hopes accessible rooftop gardens will continue to grow throughout the city because she believes so strongly in their benefits to everyone involved.

“Producing your own food is healthier for you. It’s good for the environment. It’s peaceful. It’s the kind of thing that encourages cooperation,” Hynes said. “By having someplace beautiful to sit and relax, people will feel good. It’s emotionally uplifting.”

Filed by Victoria Wells

Originally published in The Toronto Observer, April 24, 2009.

Toronto mayor David Miller launched a new program today intended to make city hall greener.

The mayor’s announcement at Nathan Phillips Square introduced the ‘Cool it, Power it, Grow it’ program. The initiative aims to reduce city hall’s carbon footprint by running an air conditioning system that uses less electricity, buying power from emissions-free energy sources and by constructing a green roof.

The changes are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent. By 2012, the city says all greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by six per cent.

“It’s possible for Toronto city hall to achieve a zero carbon impact and become a showcase for sustainability and energy efficiency,” Miller said. “We’re well on our way to achieving that goal.”

Together, all three initiatives are expected to cost the city $21 million, but, Miller said the city will save $500,000 a year in operating costs just by taking on the green measures.

As of now, city hall will buy all its electricity from Bullfrog Power, a company that uses wind turbines and water sources within Ontario to produce energy.

But Franz Hartmann, executive director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance , said that while that measure is a step in the right direction, the city still needs to do more.

“It’s great that the city is purchasing green electricity from Bullfrog. But the next step is for the city to work closely with Toronto Hydro to get as much green power as possible, not just for city hall, but for all Torontonians,” Hartmann said. “Toronto Hydro can be the perfect vehicle to provide green electricity.”

The other part of the initiative addresses city hall’s air conditioning system. It will now run using something called “deep water lake cooling,” provided by energy supplier Enwave. The company pumps cold water from Lake Ontario and uses it in the cooling systems of buildings. The city says that process will reduce electricity consumption by 1.9 million killowatts per year.

But it was the green roof Miller seemed most interested in talking about.

Construction is under way to build what is essentially a public garden surrounding city council chambers. The roof will be seamlessly covered with plants, but will also include landscaped gardens and new walkways.

Highlighting the upside of the green roof, Miller said “it’s very important in a built up city like Toronto, you lower the summer temperature significantly,” Miller said. “Engineering studies show if all the roofs that could have green roofs did, you’d lower the temperature on a hot summer day by two degrees which has enormous savings in electricity across the city.”            ”

And that’s why Miller said the city will introduce legislation to get new building developments to include green roofs.

“One of the things we have to do at Toronto city hall is show leadership,” he said. “We’re bringing in policies that are going to ask the development industry to make a very significant step in green roofs. We’re showing it’s possible.”

These are not the only initiatives being introduced to make Toronto more environmentally sensitive. Miller said the city is looking to green city hall even more by replacing windows, potentially putting a wind turbine on the roof and achieving a zero waste building.

More information Toronto’s green initiatives can be found at http://www.toronto.ca/ewmo and http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen.

Filed by Victoria Wells

Originally published in The Toronto Observer, April 21, 2009.