Gary Anandasangaree Wins Improvement Is a No-Go with Resounding Support Right Now
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Join us at our AGM on Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Port Union C.C. November 2019 Vol. 04, No 09 www.ccranews.com CentennialA publication of the Centennial Community and Recreation News Association Vacant lot Gary Anandasangaree wins improvement is a no-go with resounding support right now Kathy Rowe at vacant lot on Bridgeport Dr. By Kathy Rowe Let me begin this article by thanking the many residents who expressed their passion for the development of a multi-use park where the vacant lot on Bridgeport now sits. We asked for your ideas and you came up with a list of excellent uses for the space. I am sorry to announce that any changes to this piece of land in our community will not be taking place Liberal MP Gary Anandasangaree thanks volunteers on October 21 after he was elected to be for quite some time. After a few dis- Scarborough–Rouge Park’s representative in Ottawa again. couraging discussions with the own- By Denise Bacon Another hot button topic, as expected, was the lack ers of this property (the Catholic and of effective public transit in Scarborough. Gary plans to public school boards), the CCRA has decided to step back from this issue. he 43rd general election is now history and continue working closely with the “Scarborough Cau- Andrew Gowdy, System Plan- Scarborough–Rouge Park resoundingly en- cus” (six Liberal Members of Parliament) to advocate to ning Officer for the Toronto District dorsed Liberal MP Gary Anandasangaree build infrastructure in Scarborough. They have met and School Board, stated that conversa- to represent the riding in Ottawa again. He will continue to meet with the Minister of Infrastruc- tions regarding the sale or lease of this received 31,339 votes out of the total 50,305 votes cast ture and the Prime Minister’s Office on this issue. T land “are really not a priority at this here. Gary said he was humbled by the support he re- Regarding transit in Scarborough, federal funds have time.” He admitted that “in order for ceived from the many volunteers who helped run his been allocated but will not be disbursed until there is this land to become parkland, there campaign, which ran on “hope and hard work.” a firm plan for building a transit system. The federal would have to be an agreement with “Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” was government is accountable to taxpayers and it needs to the City of Toronto.” The matter is Gary’s message to the volunteers who gave enormously ensure that dollars are spent responsibly. The condition complicated by the fact that the land of their time and effort. on the federal transit funding allocation is that if there is was at one time an industrial site. While knocking on doors and meeting constituents, no tripartite agreement between the federal, provincial Stacy Coray, Senior Manager of he learned that the most pressing issues were around and municipal governments within two years of the al- Partnership Development with the health care and education, which are within provincial location, the federal government can then work directly Toronto Catholic District School jurisdiction. Within federal responsibility, the environ- with the City of Toronto to start building transit. Board, stated several months ago ment was top of mind for many and they wanted to While Gary and his team are dedicated to helping that the vacant lot is “unsafe in its be assured that the government would “have a handle constituents with local issues, Gary also works interna- current state.” She added that if the on the environment.” People challenged Gary about the tionally and in Canada on human rights. He wants to CCRA were to be responsible for purchase of the pipeline and he acknowledged that it build a greater understanding and support for refugees. the costs of the cleanup, grading was critical to figure out the best approach for Canada. » continued on page 3 and maintenance of the land, the board would be open to discussion. It is clear that not only would these costs be prohibitive to the CCRA, but that the city would have to have ownership in order for any steps to be taken to develop the land for com- munity use. The vacant lot is not for sale therefore our efforts to propose changes to the land at this time have reached an impasse. 2 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019 Vol 04, No. 09 www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 3 President’s Message CCRA Centennial News CCRA Executive Team Publishing Policy Advertising Rates President – Kathy Rowe 416-283.9987 CCRA Centennial News invites submissions of articles, Size Per Issue Prepaid Greetings to our readers! Treasurer – Zinta Erdmanis 416-724.6893 signed letters, art and photography from Centennial 10 issues ow that the Octo- munity Association), Carol Klupsch Secretary – Laurie MacIsaac 416-287-0666 community members and all elected representatives. Business Card 50.00 475.00 We will consider all submissions for publication that are and Barbara Broadley (West Rouge Membership – Denise Bacon 416-282.3561 Eighth 75.00 712.50 ber fall festivals have information-based and relevant to the community. Not- Sports and Rec) and Rob McMulkin Distribution – Wanda Wierzbicki 416-282.2951 Quarter 125.00 1,187.50 made way for Christ- for-profit and community groups are also invited to sub- (City of Toronto). A special thanks Advertising – Kelsey Dorval 416-724.8693 Three-eights 185.00 1,757.50 mas bazaars, our com- mit event listings to be published free of charge, space to Councillor Jennifer McKelvie who Community Events – Heather Lemieux 416-284.4751 permitting. CCRA Centennial News reserves the right to Half Page (horizontal only) 220.00 2,090.00 munity is gearing up for a variety of offered to provide hot apple cider and Communications – Kathy McGrath 647-523.1637 decline material considered to be unpaid advertising, Half Page Inside Cover 250.00 2,375.00 Ncelebrations during the upcoming Police Liaison – Karthiga Dharmananda politically partisan or likely to offend. CCRA reserves Full Page 400.00 3,800.00 holiday season. We list these events in a prize for our prize draw. I’d also like the right to edit all submitted material. The opinions Planning – Rob Elbertsen 416-282.2951 Front Page Banner 200.00 N.A. the regular calendar on page 18 and to thank our residents for bringing expressed in CCRA Centennial News do not represent Conservation – Karthi Yogasegaran 647-458.5287 Inside Page Banner 100.00 950.00 highlight CCRA festivities on our out their jack-o-lanterns. We look the views of the CCRA Executive. All submissions will be forward to repeating this event again Transportation – Mark Campbell considered for both print and online publication unless new and improved back page. Youth Representative – Varuhn Anandaraj otherwise instructed by the author. CCRA will notify all Notice to Advertisers next year. authors prior to publication. Members at Large – Jessica Dodd Advertising copy must reach the CCRA no later than All-Candidates Meeting Jeff Forsyth Lori Gagnon AGM on November 14 the 10th day of the preceding month for publication. On October 10, the CCRA, Highland Jake Forsyth To be published in CCRA Centennial News, articles must Files should be in high resolution PDF, TIF, EPS or JPG The CCRA will be holding our An- reach the Communications team by the 15th day of format for best results. Please e-mail your advertise- Creek and West Rouge community Newspaper and Web Team nual General Meeting on Thursday, President Kathy Rowe with MP Gary Anandasangaree at the All-Candidates Meeting on Oct. 10. the preceding month. To submit an article or suggest a ment to Kelsey Dorval at [email protected]. associations came together to host a Photo credit: Kathy McGrath story, please contact any member of the Executive by Cheques in the correct amount are to be addressed well-attended candidates meeting at November 14 at 7:30 pm at the Port Editor – Kathryn Stocks 416-738.4848 phone, or by e-mail to [email protected]. to “CCRA” and deposited in the CCRA mailbox at 5450 Union C.C. Interested residents are the Legion. It was standing room only and better than ever with new attrac- [email protected] Lawrence Ave. East, in the Port Union Recreation encouraged to join us as we discuss Looking to join a committee? Contributing Editor – Kathy McGrath 647-523.1637 and many thoughtful questions were tions and activities. Please contact Mailing address: Centre. lt is the advertiser’s responsibility to advise CCRA’s involvements over the past Two very important event commit- Design and Production – Don Lawrence Centennial Community & Recreation Association CCRA of any problems with an advertisement posed to the candidates by members Jake Forsyth ([email protected]) year and bring in new members for tees are looking for new members [email protected] 5450 Lawrence Ave. East, Scarborough ON M1C 3B2 before the 20th of the month in which the ad of the audience. Thanks to Jeff For- or myself, Kathy Rowe (karowe24@ the coming year. Councillor Jennifer to help plan and execute Winterfest Advertising – Kelsey Dorval 416.724.8693 appears. For more about advertising, visit syth who chaired the event and all the gmail.com), if you’d like to be in- www.ccranews.com/advertising.html McKelvie will be joining us so please and Earth Day 2020. Both family- other volunteers who enabled the eve- volved. ning to run so smoothly. come out to say hello! friendly events promise to be bigger Pumpkin Parade Fun As I write this, our community Pumpkin Parade scheduled for No- vember 1 hasn’t happened yet but I’m anticipating it will be an enor- mous success and I want to thank the many volunteers who helped from beginning to end.