June 5 - Update

Dear Friends and Neighbours, I mailed a flyer to all York South—Weston residents with information on supports that are available during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some residents have received it already and others are yet to have the mail distribution reach them.It has been brought to my attention that the phone number listed for FoodShare is incorrect. The correct phone number is 416-363-6441. The wrong number was extrapolated from the City’s website and I have reached out to Staff to ensure that it has been corrected online. I apologize for any inconvenience. The Keelesdale Neighbourhood Group is hosting a BioBlitz from Sunday, June 7 until June 14. Residents and visitors to Keelesdale are invited to explore what plants and wildlife live in the neighbourhood. They will being using the iNaturalist app to photo and tag wild animals, plants, flowers, trees, bees, insects, and as many living things as can be found! The BioBlitz is kicking off the week with an introductory Zoom event at 4-4:30 PM on Sunday, June 7, but you can join the fun at any time during the week! Parks in Keelesdale include Haverson Park, Keelesdale South Park, Coronation Park, Woodborough Park, Green Hills Park and more. Details are available at facebook.com/groups/keelesdale. Yesterday, the City launched CaféTO, a quick-start program that will make it easier for restaurant and bar owners to open patios, to expand them, and to access additional space for physical distancing during the summer months ahead. The program will provide more outdoor dining areas by identifying space in the public right-of-way and expediting the current application and permitting process for sidewalk cafés and parklets. Right now, restaurants and bars along with their patios remain closed due to provincial orders. City staff are getting ready now so that the City can act quickly to help restaurants and bars. For more information, please read the news release. Additional details information will be available next week on toronto.ca/cafeto. Yesterday, the City announced that street food vendors, food trucks, and ice cream trucks can now resume operations – just in time for this year's summer vending season! For everyone's safety, all operators must adhere to physical distancing requirements for the public and provide proper health and safety measures for their staff. Residents visiting street food vendors, food or ice cream trucks should maintain a distance of two metres or six feet from others while waiting in line. Food is for take away and can be enjoyed at home or in the park. More information can be found on the City's Food Trucks, Food Carts & Ice Cream Trucks page. Sincerely, Frances __________________________________________

WEEKEND AMENITIES AND SERVICES UPDATE: City of Toronto weekend update on services and amenities

With nice weather approaching, residents are encouraged to head outside in their local neighbourhood for fresh air and exercise, but are reminded to follow public health advice to practise physical distancing or wear a face covering or non-medical mask to protect others when in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

City parks and amenities

City park amenities open this weekend include:

· Approximately 50 washrooms

· picnic shelters

· soccer and multi-use outdoor fields, including running tracks in parks

· baseball diamonds and basketball courts

· some public tennis courts and pickleball courts

· lawn bowling and outdoor bocce

· off-leash dog parks

· BMX locations and skateboard parks

· City-run golf courses and disc golf locations

· ravine green spaces, beaches, trails and boardwalks for walking, running or biking

· fishing with a licence, boating, kayaking and canoeing

If a resident arrives at a park that is crowded, they are advised to visit a different park or return at a later time when there are fewer people.

Park amenities that remain closed include some public washrooms, playgrounds, outdoor exercise equipment, swimming pools, fixed barbecues, wading pools and splash pads. Farmers' markets, greenhouses, nurseries and conservatories, High Park Zoo and Riverdale Farm also remain closed.

Permits for soccer, multi-use fields and baseball diamonds continue to be cancelled. Individuals are not permitted to play team sports, such as soccer, basketball or baseball, even on fields or courts intended for this purpose unless they are members of the same household.

Most Toronto Parks' parking lots in City parks are open this weekend. Three lots will remain closed: Sir Casimir Gzowski, Sunnyside and Woodbine. The parking lot at High Park continues to be closed on weekends.

There is no public ferry access to Toronto Island Park. New federal regulations limit the number of individuals on a ferry in order to reduce crowding and limit the potential for virus transmission. The ferry will continue running for Island residents only.

Physical distancing circles at Trinity Bellwoods Park

The City added painted physical distancing circles on the grass in Trinity Bellwoods Park as a pilot project to encourage people to practise physical distancing. When visiting the park, people can expect to see grids of painted circles roughly 8 feet in diameter and 10 feet apart. Each circle is large enough for two adults from the same household laying down or three adults from the same household sitting cross-legged.

If the park is crowded when people arrive and if no circles are available, people should visit a different park or come back later. Parks near Trinity Bellwoods Park include Stanley Park and Alexandra Park. Bickford Park, Art Eggleton Park, Christie Pits Park and Dufferin Grove Park are also close.

City beaches

Toronto beaches remain open. Beaches are not closed under Province of Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Toronto beaches are open, there are no lifeguards on duty. Swimming without a lifeguard is not recommended.

Just like in other public spaces, when at the beach please practice proper physical distancing by staying two metres or six feet from others and gathering with no more than five people from your household.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, City staff are working with public health officials on how the supervised swim program (lifeguards) could operate at Toronto beaches. More information when it becomes available.

Public washroom facilities

The City of Toronto is starting to open park washrooms following the Province of Ontario’s amendments to an order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Approximately 50 washroom sites will be open by tomorrow, June 6, with the remaining locations open by mid-June Staff have worked with Toronto Public Health on guidelines for the safe opening of washrooms and other amenities.

In addition, the City has opened a number of facilities with showers, washrooms, and drinking water for all individuals in need of these services. A list of locations and health guidelines for washrooms are available on the City Services webpage.

Residents using public washrooms should maintain a distance of two metres or six feet from others at all times while waiting in line, and should wash hands or use hand sanitizer. It is also recommended that cloth face coverings are worn, especially when physical distancing is difficult.

ActiveTO closures this weekend

To help stop the spread of COVID-19 while allowing for residents to be outside and get exercise, vehicle access on parts of some major roads will be closed this Saturday and Sunday, in total making more than 10 kilometres of roadway available for walking, running and biking as part of ActiveTO.

The following three major road closures are planned this weekend from Saturday, June 6 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, June 7 at 11 p.m.:

· Lake Shore Boulevard West (eastbound lanes only) from Windermere Avenue to Stadium Road. As a result, the eastbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to Lake Shore Boulevard West (exit #146) will also be closed

· Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only) from Leslie Street to just south of Woodbine Avenue (Kew Beach Avenue)

· Bayview Avenue from Front Street East to Rosedale Valley Road, and River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue.

An online map is available to residents with locations that have been installed as part of CurbTO for businesses (pickup zones and pedestrian zones) and ActiveTO locations for residents (Quiet Streets and Major Weekend Road Closures only). Residents can view the map at here. More information and details about ActiveTO are available at toronto.ca/activeTO.

First ActiveTO bikeway is now ready

The City of Toronto has already delivered the first new cycling route as part of the ActiveTO cycling network report that was approved by City Council last week. Dundas Street East, from Sackville Street to Broadview Avenue, now has a temporary, separated cycle track that spans one kilometre and supports a more connected cycling network in Toronto as well as Toronto’s Vision Zero safety priorities. This new section along Dundas Street East provides a connected cycling route into the downtown core, via the existing River Street and Shuter Street bike lanes, the only protected, accessible and connected cycling route over the Don Valley Parkway (south of Bloor Street and north of the waterfront), and connects people on bikes to essential services.

OTHER UPDATES: City of Toronto advises two large business sectors – restaurants and personal service settings – to prepare for safe reopening

Today, Mayor John Tory announced that the City of Toronto, led by Toronto Public Health, is providing guidance to safely reopen restaurants for indoor and outdoor dining, and personal service settings for personal care services once provincial orders are lifted for these sectors of the economy.

The city’s close to 8,000 restaurants and 3,500 personal service settings (including hair salons and barbers, tattoo parlours, nail salons and aesthetic services) have been closed or had their service delivery severely impacted since March due to provincial orders and public health recommendations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Business owners are advised to begin preparing for reopening but are not permitted to begin operating until the revised order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act is announced by the Government of Ontario and comes into effect. For more information please read the news release.

Short-term rentals must continue to comply with City of Toronto bylaw as Province of Ontario lifts emergency order

Yesterday, the Province of Ontario announced that short-term rentals would be allowed to resume operations beginning today, following an amendment to an order under the Province of Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and are now considered an essential business. In Toronto, short-term rentals are regulated by the City’s Zoning By-laws and Licensing and Registration of Short-Term Rentals Bylaw and any resumption of operation must be in accordance with these bylaws.

Under the City’s bylaws:

· People can host short-term rentals in their principal residence only – both homeowners and tenants can participate.

· Short-term rentals (any rental that is for a period of less than 28 consecutive days) are permitted across the city in all housing types in residential zones and the residential component of mixed-use zones.

· People who live in secondary suites and laneway suites can also participate, as long as the secondary suite/laneway suite is their principal residence.

· Short-term rental companies will be required to be licensed with the City of Toronto in order to carry on business.

· Short-term rental operators (people renting their homes on a short-term basis) will be required to register with the City of Toronto.

More information can be found here.

City of Toronto to commemorate D-Day tomorrow

As part of the City of Toronto’s commemoration of the end of the Second World War, and to mark D-Day on June 6, 1944, we pause to remember again those who fought and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Veterans who were a part of this historic invasion share their stories. Tomorrow, Mayor Tory will raise the City of Toronto flag that flew at Juno Beach and proclaim D-Day in Toronto. Please visit toronto.ca/lestweforget to learn about the significance of D-Day and its history. If you or your family members have any photos, videos and stories from the Second World War, please consider sharing them on social media using the hashtag #TorontoRemembers.

National Indigenous Month The City proclaimed June as National Indigenous Month for the first time in Toronto. National Indigenous Month provides an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous heritage, diversity and vibrant culture while acknowledging and reflecting on the achievements of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people. The City of Toronto encourages all residents to take time to educate themselves about Indigenous histories, strengths, and contributions. For more information, please click here. Pride Month in Toronto June is Pride Month in Toronto! This year’s festival, planned from June 1 to 28, runs virtually to celebrate Pride in a new, creative, and unique way to showcase the history, courage and diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer, questioning and Two-Spirit communities (LGBTQ2S+), while ensuring the safety of residents and proper physical distancing. The month-long festival will culminate with the Virtual Pride Festival Weekend from June 26 to 28. Check out the City’s Pride Month webpage.