downtown kids

How can you govern our city?

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:17:54 -0400

Dear Doug,

I was saddened to read transcripts of your comments both in council and to the press. I have had friendly debates on this issue with a number of my out-of-town friends. I can understand when someone who is not “of the city” cannot grasp the idea of living “in the city”: It is dense and loud and busy.

However, you are the deputy mayor of the largest urban centre in the nation. To hear this misinformed rhetoric from you leads me to draw only two possible conclusions; first, you are completely out of touch with your city-wide constituency; and/or second, you are compromising your office at the behest of the developers regarding the 10% rule.

Either way, you are failing in your civic mandate. For the record, I am both pro-city and pro-development.

Andrew Gallifent

Dear Councillor Holyday,My almost three-year-old daughter was...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:03:00 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

My almost three-year-old daughter was born downtown (at St Michael’s
Hospital, where I couldn’t have asked for better care; they literally
saved my life). This was not by chance but rather by choice. My
husband and I want her to be a downtown kid.

Our daughter is now being raised in a wonderful neighbourhood near
Dupont & Shaw. The people around us span multiple generations; they
boast a wide array of heritage and ethnicity. Some live in big houses
while others live in apartments. Yet we all share the same space.

It’s a space with parks and trees; it’s a space with a variety of
small, local businesses; it’s a space where we can walk to a number of
quality grocery stores in as little as four minutes. It’s a space with
good schools and good friends who have no trouble finding a place to
play with my daughter. This is our neighbourhood, but the same values
are found all over downtown Toronto.

We’re lucky to live in a city where we don’t need to drive to reach
our destination. We take buses and subways and streetcars. Most of the
time we walk, enjoying the fresh air, the vibrant scenery, the
different people we meet and the time we spend together.

We love the diversity and balance offered to us by city life. We
understand that being a downtown family is not ideal for everyone, but
seeing our daughter grow happier and healthier each day makes us
certain it’s ideal for us.

Sincerely,
Nirmala Basnayake
with Patrick Fleming
and Margo Fleming

Attached photos: 1. Taking in the architecture at the Art Gallery of Ontario 2. Hanging around in Christie Pits playground (one of five parks within walking distance of our house) 3. Admiring the clover in Withrow Park.

(sent today to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Councillor Holyday,My husband and I live at Queen and...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:24:00 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

My husband and I live at Queen and McCaul with our one-year-old son.

That’s about a 10 minute leisurely stroll from King and John. We have considered moving, because we need more space, but every time we see a place we can afford, it’s so far from the downtown core.

So we decide our location wins out over our space. We would much rather live in this vibrant downtown community than move away for a few hundred feet more room. We spend our days going across the street to Grange Park, which is at the top of John street. The park is full of families. There’s a nice little playground, where I have met lots of moms and dads of kids ranging from infant to 9 and 10. We talk about how great it is to live downtown and all the kid-friendly activities there are. We love to participate in the “Growing Up Healthy Downtown” programs at the University Settlement Community Centre, also located in Grange Park. We have music class every Tuesday and parent-tot swim class every Wednesday. They are packed with parents and kids.

As members of the Art Gallery of Ontario, we have free access to their hands-on learning centre, as well as visits to the gallery any time we want to. There are 3 great libraries within a few kilometres that hold storytimes in the mornings (including the City Hall library and the Lillian H. Smith Library, which houses the largest collection of Children’s literature in Canada).

In the afternoons, we stroll along Queen Street, sometimes going to the Eaton Centre, sometimes going west. There are great coffee shops and kid-friendly restaurants and stores. We take a trip down to King and John for the Farmer’s market at Metro Hall on Thursdays, where we can play in David Pecault Square, pick up some fresh produce and enjoy a locally baked cookie. We also visit the Nathan Phillip’s Square farmer’s market on Wednesdays and go up the ramp to the roof-top garden. My son loves to wave hello to all the people we meet. We took him to Riverdale Farm for his first birthday. The chickens were a big hit.

I’m a short walk from my job at the University of Toronto, which means that I can spend more time with my family because I don’t have to commute.

We love living downtown, and make full use of the programs, parks and markets. Judging by the other happy children we meet every day, many other families feel the same. I hope you will reconsider your remarks and spend some time exploring the diverse resources that downtown actually has to offer before you make sweeping generalizations about families in your city.

Regards,
Amber Gertzbein

p.s. the pictures here include: our son learning to walk on the grass at Grange park, at Riverdale park with dad and looking at the chickens at Riverdale Farm.

(sent to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Doug,

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:10:00 -0400

Hi, we haven’t met but I’m your neighbour.

I live in the west end of the city - a little further north than the downtown elites - but well within the boundaries of what has always been Toronto.

I am the mother of one extremely social and outgoing toddler. Before my son was born I struggled with my feelings about this city. I was frequently overwhelmed and used to feeling out of my element.

Since my son has been born I have had the pleasure of seeing this city transform.

Every little crack seems to have sprouted a flower. Now I know the women who run the local grocery store — in fact, they are my girlfriends. The people at the drug store remember us and chit-chat about the news of the day. At the park, the girls who guard the splash pad greet us by name and make us feel like we are famous. We visit the Early Years centres several times a week, and I am blown away by the wonderful and diverse women who run these programs. I am proud to know them.

I grew up in a much smaller city - far more dangerous than this one - where I had half the sense of community in my neighbourhood. We are very lucky here to have the parks that we do, the neighbours that we do, the resources that we do.

I am so grateful for my son, who has opened my eyes to the community that is all around me. In fact, I didn’t really live in Toronto until I had a child here.

Your neighbour,
Carla Mundwiler

(sent today to Councillor Doug Holyday and cc’ed to Councillor Ana Bailao)

To the uncelebrated "Holyday"

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:06:34 -0400

I grew up downtown and I can tell you that every memory of my childhood is filled with wonder, excitement, inquisitiveness, love and compassion. I know you had some concerns about where children would play, as that is, without a doubt any parent’s greatest concern in raising a child. </endsarcasm>

Rest assured, I did not play King St. traffic. (Also, your conclusion triggers further concern over the brainpower of the individuals working for our great city.)

A vibrant downtown core works to feed and encourage child curiosity, offer exposure to magnificence, encourage acceptance of all that is not mediocre and drive ambition.

Quite frankly, Mr. Holyday, yours is an example of a closed-minded attitude that children raised in the suburbs are at risk of developing.

Yours Truly,

Stevana — A Downtown Gal

Dear Doug,

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:46:03 -0400

I read your comments on kids in the city - and I am so embarrassed for you. I grew up in Oakville, and clearly you have no idea what kids do in the suburbs when their parents are not home. Their parents are never home as it takes them 90 minutes to get in and out of the city every day. Think about that next time you are stuck on the QEW.

Regards,

Kyra Kendall

(sent today to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Councilor Holyday,Last week my husband, 16-month-old and I...

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:31:00 -0400

Dear Councilor Holyday,

Last week my husband, 16-month-old and I were walking along the lake shore for a post-dinner ice cream run when my husband mentioned that a city councilor had made a very uninformed comment on children living in the city of Toronto. I was shocked and disappointed to find out that this spew of ignorance was in fact truly stated.

Our little family of three lives on King Street West, between Liberty Village and Trinity Bellwoods. We are looking to move out of our two-bedroom loft and into a larger home, and struggling with a decision of moving out to Etobicoke or staying downtown.

I, unlike you, love downtown for raising a family. Having grown up in a city core in Europe, moved to Canada to a GTA suburb, and now raising a family downtown I can’t quite imagine raising my son (and future children) anywhere else. We spend more time outside enjoying the city life than I ever did as a child growing up in the suburbs. You are very misinformed about the Toronto you mention, and I would encourage you to rent a bike and explore before opening your mouth again.

By living here we ride the city on our bikes, stop to play the piano in the park, take the wagon to one of a multitude of amazing splash pads, buy fresh fruit and veggies in the farmer’s market and jog on the waterfront. We often walk to local stores, to get fresh made ice-cream and enjoy delicious healthy food options of lovely little patios. My husband whose work schedule isn’t as flexible as mine is able to spend time with his son just minutes after he finishes work, or we ride the bike down to meet him in the financial district. Our life is pretty amazing, I think.

There are dangers in the city, just the same way there are dangers in the suburbs. Shootings, robberies, drugs, traffic, pedophiles. They are just as real in Etobicoke as they are in downtown areas. My son is growing up to be a considerate, aware, enlightened, intelligent and considerate little person. He is evolving his tastes and respect for others.

I want to thank you for your ignorant comments, you have shown me exactly why we should remain a downtown family. Small-mindedness is not an option for my family. So we will continue to live where we do, to keep our experiences open when interacting with others.

The photos I’ve attached are of my young son playing the piano on the waterfront, splashing at the splash pad, riding the bike with me at Bay and King (oh my!), climbing the jungle gym with his dad, eating ice cream by the park. Gosh it looks like a pretty horrible life doesn’t it?! I am surprised I’ve managed to keep him alive this long. You should be ashamed of yourself, Councillor Holyday. I am embarrassed for you.

Ana

(sent today to Councillor Holyday and cc’ed to Mayor Ford)

To Mr. Holyday,

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:36:15 -0400

I find it very disturbing that the Deputy Mayor of Toronto could be not only so out of touch with the realities of the city he supposedly serves, but have a stubborn ignorance of the communities in Toronto that make this city so unique and liveable.

I was born in the mid 1980s to a middle class family and raised near Dufferin subway station, a block away from Bloor, and right across the street from Dufferin Grove Park. Family ties brought my parents to this neighbourhood; it had been where my great grandmother and grandmother had been raised. My parents, conversely, were brought up in Scarborough, and from their own experiences were eager to have my sister and I raised in an urban environment.

My parents, little sister and I were located minutes away from Gladstone Public Library, seven or eight different elementary and high schools (including Catholic options), corner stores, fruit stands, coffee shops, restaurants, the West End YMCA and the Dufferin Mall. This is without even beginning to count the number of services and programs that were made available to us through Dufferin Grove Park, including an ice rink in the winter, playground with wading pool in the summer, monthly, weekly or nightly free professional shows put on by Paperclay Theater and Dusk Dances (to mention a few), weekly farmers markets, community potlucks, the pizza oven which we were able to make our own pizzas with the help of Toronto Parks and Rec staff, public gardens, street fairs…

I could literally go on for hours about the happy memories I made in that park as a child with all of my friends. My street and the surrounding streets were a community, and as a child I never felt threatened within it. As an adult returning to my parents house, I notice that there are not fewer but more children then ever, who always seem to be running and playing down the sidewalks and in the park. Not much has changed.

My whole young adult life was spent in inner city schools with other children born and raised in the inner city, even on the dreaded Yonge street. We were all normal kids, living in quiet downtown neighbourhoods.

The comments you made were ignorant, and in that, either comedic or offensive. My parents, and the parents of my friends around me, ranging in employment from lawyers, to cashiers, to teacher, were not making poor decisions when they decided to raise their families downtown. If my own upbringing can be any indication, they were doing me the greatest service and I can never thank them enough.

thank you for your time,

Keith T-R

Dear Councillor Holyday,

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:11:05 -0400

I heard about your concern for children on the busy streets of Toronto. I too have concerns; mostly for those rowdy street hockey players who I’m deathly afraid of not seeing, as they dart out from between cars for that surprise goal they have been waiting to score.

I don’t have buses or streetcars on the street where I live. Oddly enough, 30 years ago, when looking for a house in the Bayview/Davisville area, one of our requests to the real estate agent was a quiet street and close to good schools.

I admit I wasn’t a good parent back then as I often let them run up and down the sidewalks on Bayview Avenue and oh yes, even Davisville Avenue. Things have changed in those 30 years, my street is not as quiet as it once was, but, thankfully for my grandchildren’s sake, my children made it out of the neighbourhood and have discovered other wonderful neighbourhoods in Toronto.

My grandson (poor boy) is being raised in Little Italy. Just north of Trinity-Bellwoods Park. Oh yes, it’s noisy all right: cars, streetcars, children laughing as they walk along College St. with their parents. And the noise in the parks around them, good lord, so many children playing in the splash pads, on the swing sets, running in the open green space.

Another thing, those Farmer’s Markets in the parks: I thought they were good ideas, but I don’t know having to stand in a line to get to the fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers etc., behind all those young parents and their children. Why do children have to eat all that healthy food?

Tonight I saw my grandson running on College Street, laughing (my goodness how could he? it is not safe there, you told me that the other day) stomping in puddles, with people walking along the street smiling and laughing at his laughter as the water splashed.

I really must talk to my children about raising their families in downtown Toronto. I don’t want them to have the same kind of happy life their parents had.

Karen Siddiqi – Ward 22 resident

c.c. to Councillor Layton & Councillor Matlow

Dear Councillor Holyday,I grew up in the country - not the...

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:44:03 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

I grew up in the country - not the suburbs - but real, honest-to-goodness country with a farmer’s field at the back of my yard, ravines, a conservation area and the bruce trail within sight. It was an amazing place to grow up in so many ways. But my parents had to commute long distances to their work and we had to have a car (well, most of the time we had 3 - clunkers, mind you, but 3 of them - to accommodate the schedules of 3 kids and 2 adults) in order to do anything outside the house.

My husband grew up in a vastly different rural area - the Sahara desert of Morocco. His landscape was remarkably different but he also grew up with natural beauty all around him and several hours’ travel on dirt roads to the closest city.

Years later we found ourselves living in Toronto and loving it. You are certainly not the only person we’ve heard ask, “who would want to raise their kids in the city?” especially when their reference point is rural. A lot of people don’t give much conscious thought to where they live - they just end up where they end up. But me and my partner made a very conscious choice to live and work in this city, and it’s turned out to be a wonderful place to raise our family. We have one four-year-old and another on the way.

Our neighbourhood is lively and amazing. We know our neighbours, and all the kids at the parkette across the street from our house know each other and so do their parents. Our councillor, Joe Mihevc, sets up community movie nights in the summer time outside in the ward’s parks. Most of our travel involves bikes or walking. For a kid who grew up in the country this is incredibly liberating!

And for trips further afield we can take transit. We have access to amazing programs at the public libraries, swimming lessons at the community centre, and myriad parks to explore in nearby neighbourhoods. We have the amazing privilege of access to a multitude of festivals and special events that take place downtown every week of the year. We may not have a yard, but we have a small patch out front that we’ve transformed into a beautiful perennial garden, and we are part of an amazing community garden down the street where we’ve planted veggies and learn from other community members about agriculture and the natural world.

Our neighbourhood provides us with opportunities to interact with people that neither my husband nor I had growing up: we meet people from all income brackets, young and old, and from a multitude of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. It’s a really wonderful place to grow up with a family. We’re the same downtown as you are in the suburbs or the country. People downtown love their kids, look out for other people, and care about their neighbourhoods.

Just wanted you to know that. Attached are some pics of us enjoying life in the city: at the Frankel Lambert community garden, baking pizza at Dufferin Grove Park, and skating at Nathan Phillips Square.

All the best,

Laura Parsons

(sent July 14th to Councillor Doug Holyday and cc’ed to Councillor Joe Mihevc)

Dear Councillor Holyday,I was very disappointed this week by...

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 21:52:08 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

I was very disappointed this week by your comments about raising kids in downtown Toronto. Having been raised in the city, country and suburbs, my husband and I made a concious decision to raise our kids in the city. Alex and Maya, now seven, have lived in diverse downtown neighbourhoods, and we now live in the Junction Triangle. We love it.

Our kids live a 15 minute walk from school and 5 minutes from after-school care. We can walk to most of their friends houses in 10 minutes. It is great. They are exposed to a diversity of people and experiences and I love how much richer than childhood is than mine was. But maybe a description of our weekend would give you an idea?

Yesterday, we got up bright and early to head over to the Brickworks for groceries, snacks and a visit to the garden centre. They went up to Perth park with friends and played in the splash pad. It being a neighbourhood park (one of three we can get to quickly!), they ran into a gaggle of other kids they know. After a rest, they went with grown-up friends to a roller derby game. I’ve attached some photos of us having fun in the city. It is a great life and I know how lucky we are to live in Toronto.

What disappointed me most about your comments was the judgement that one place (suburbs) was better than another for raising kids. I would like us all to step away from the value judgement and realize we all make choices for our families. But what we need is a Toronto that is vibrant, diverse and livable, no matter where in Toronto you call home.

Sara
Junction Triangle, formally of Dufferin/Davenport, Wychwood and Trinity-Bellwoods.

(sent July 15th to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Mr. Holyday,

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:59:00 -0400

I watched with interest when you suggested that people should not raise their families in downtown Toronto. From what I understand, you have raised a number of concerns about safety. Although I do agree that there are certain dangers to living in a city, there are certain dangers regardless of where you live.

Specifically, you stated, “It makes for a healthier city to have children out on a street like King St. where it’s bumper-to-bumper traffic and people galore at all times of night and day? I just think of raising my own family there. That’s not the place I’d choose.”

Here, you have highlighted a concern for the safety of children when playing near traffic. We should ask ourselves what the root of this problem is: is it that children are playing, or that there is “bumper-to-bumper traffic”? I think the issue here is that cities can fail in certain areas to accommodate the needs of its citizens.

If there is too much traffic on King Street, we need to be proactive and work to reduce this traffic. The benefits of cycling are well-known to urban-dwellers who do not use a car. By making it safer to cycle, more people will choose to do so. By making our roads safer, we may allow our children to play more and get the exercise they so desperately need. We need to continue to encourage families to live in Toronto rather than pushing them to the surrounding suburbs.

I spent a large portion of my life living in a GTA suburb. Throughout my life, I lived in three different GTA cities, a town of 2000 in the prairies, and spent a summer in rural Quebec. However, I spent most of my childhood living in the GTA. When I was in grade nine, I started taking the Go bus and the Go train to Toronto with friends to spend the day or the weekend.

I loved visiting Toronto. It was vibrant and exciting and it was easy to find something to do. Traveling to Toronto was convenient, not altogether time-consuming for spending the day, but not something I would enjoy doing five days a week for work.

You stated, “there are healthier places to raise children.” I disagree. Toronto ranked 15th in the 2011 Mercer worldwide Quality of Living survey and ranked 17th out of 50 in personal safety.[1] The number of homicides in Toronto has been on the decline since 2008 [2] and is lower than most American cities as of 2004 statistics.[3] Many parents and schools teach children how to be safe in Toronto.

Living in Toronto exposes children to new and vibrant cultures, from the various food festivals, children’s festivals, art festivals (Nuit Blanche is quite the spectacle!), and even dog festivals (such as Woofstock). Toronto Island is a great destination for families and the city benefits from many beautiful, clean parks. Some elementary schools have green roofs and school gardens, something that my suburban school never had.

Priorities are changing. So-called ‘Millennials’ (those born in the 1980s, generally) no longer want a car, don’t necessarily want to get married to have kids, and are less likely to have a license. Young people are changing.[4] Or, have they been this way all along?

The Atlantic claims that Millenials are ‘Generation Walk’ and they are probably right.[4] Those who live in the downtown core do so for the convenience and often out of a set of principles. There are many who try to do good by taking the bus, walking, or cycling because they don’t need to drive. They also don’t need to own a large home with a pool, a garage, and a porch.

More and more parents are looking to raise their families in cities. We should not be attacking them for their choice, especially when such lifestyles (car-free and downtown living) are often healthier. A healthier citizen is a more productive, happier, and maybe even more engaged citizen. We should encourage such people.

Thank you,

T.N.

[1] “2011 Quality of Living Survey,” Mercer, 29 Nov. 2011, 14 Jul. 2012 <http://www.mercer.com/qualityoflivingpr#city-rankings>.

[2] “TPS Crime Statistics,” Toronto Police Services, 14 Jul. 2012 <http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/statistics/ytd_stats.php>.

[3] ”Safety,” City of Toronto, 14 Jul. 2012 <http://www.toronto.ca/quality_of_life/safety.htm>.

[4] Jordan Weissmann, “Why Don’t Young Americans Buy Cars?” The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2012, 14 Jul. 2012 <http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/03/why-dont-young-americans-buy-cars/255001/>.

(sent Friday, July 13 to Councillor Doug Holyday and cc’ed to Councillor Adam Vaughan)

from @timesroman

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:42:00 -0400

(David Hayes had already written to Councillor Holyday by the time I suggested people start doing so. He sent an excerpt):

It wasn’t your suggestion that market forces, rather than the city, should be driving the size of condominiums. That’s a valid point to make, even if I might disagree.

It was the remark about raising children in a city’s downtown. I guess you don’t travel much, Deputy Mayor Holyday. Someday, you should visit Manhattan, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam. All cities where families (parents & children) live in the city centres.
Your remark might not have been surprising in, say, 1955.
I don’t have a single friend (many of them raising children in the city, not the suburbs) who isn’t waiting eagerly for you guys to be out of office. For that matter, my circle of suburban friends tell me they feel the same way.

Sincerely, David

(sent July 13 to Councillor Doug Holyday; cc’ed to Mayor Ford, Councillor Doug Ford and Councillor Pam McConnell)

BAN CHILDREN

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 10:29:00 -0400

Doug Holyday,

When I was a little boy, I took the bus downtown every Sunday to visit my mother. This forced me to see how other people lived, people who were different from me. It was horrible. I have yet to overcome the scars from this trauma.

Thank you sir, for not forcing a condo developer to devote 10 percent of its units to three-bedroom, family-friendly dwellings, and stating clearly that downtown Toronto is “really not the ideal place that people might want to raise their families.”

Children are a nuisance. Do we need one more verse of “The wheels on the bus go round and round” to confirm that kids are just anti-subway activists? We all know that every time they chant their surface transit slogans, they get another payoff of juice boxes and cookies from their fatcat TTC union bosses.

And parents are just diabolical. The very concept of mixing the genetic structure of two taxpayers, to produce one non-taxpayer, is nothing short of treason.

But let us take this a step further. Let’s ban children from downtown. Let’s force parents to wear blue and pink armbands when they enter the city and allow merchants to deny them service. Eliminating families will also free up space for driving and parking, thus ending the war on cars.

This will move Toronto closer to being like other great cities, such as Tokyo, New York or Montreal, which are only occupied by young, single, childless people.

Your fan,

Dr. Prof. Cornelius P. Mintz

p.s. Subways subways subways.

Dear Councillor Holyday, My family and I moved last fall from...

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 01:20:00 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

My family and I moved last fall from the St. Clair and Lansdowne area to Sherbourne and Wellesley. We now live in a wonderful co-op where our daughters enjoy play with lots of great families who live in the co-op. There is a gate-protected green space right outside our back door.

When we venture into the big world of the city beyond the co-op we encounter a dog-friendly park, a playground, a dance studio, an organics store that has great gluten-free options, a meat store with naturally raised meat. When we saunter a bit further with our three- and five-year-olds we come to the splash pad at Riverdale Farm, along with the donation boxes to save the farm. These are springing up at all the wonderful spots around town - due to budget cuts that are short-sighted and small hearted. We play, we cool down, we saunter through the farm and delight in walking along the paths - country in the city.

On a different day we hop on our bikes - I ride with our three-year-old in a trailer and my husband pulls our five-year-old on the trail-a-bike. She pedals proudly - excited to be riding a bike with her Dad - then giggles gleefully as we pass her school, the Downtown Alternative School near St. Lawrence Market, on our way to the ferry dock for a day at Centreville on the Island. We bike from Hanlan’s Point to Centreville, where we then use our season passes to play for the day. This is the second trip (of many trips to come) this summer - two trips and your pass is paid for. Amazing!

We venture to the pony rides. The kids go 3 times in a row, learning the names of all the ponies. We head to Far Enough Farm: my daughter’s favourite part of the whole place is the tractor that waits there for people to climb up onto it. The part of Centreville that costs nothing at all is her delight.

Except there are those donation boxes again. Sigh. I really, really hope that Toronto keeps all of its little green spaces, splash pads, farms, zoos, bike lanes, libraries and drop in centres, because these are the things that make Toronto so much fun and provide such a rich range of experiences for young people.

My kids have smiled and laughed so much already this summer that I am convinced that downtown is one of the very BEST places to raise kids.

Besides, if it isn’t fit for kids, how can it be fit for the rest of us?

Sincerely,

Fleur McGregor

(sent July 14th to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Councillor Doug Holyday,

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 01:06:31 -0400

Never would I trade my rugged city streets for a dream of middle-class suburban comfort. I did not run through the picket fence streets of the Beaches. I did not play in the parks of Forest Hill. I grew up in a corner of the real heart of Toronto, in the self proclaimed ghetto-streets of Parkdale. My childhood days were spent playing basketball in courts filled to the brim with children, riding the TTC with the most interesting of characters, strolling the streets to the hum of languages from all around the world, and eating any type of food my heart desired.

My high school was ranked one of the lowest in the province of Ontario. Yet it was here that I received the truest education. I was taught about the value of justice. I was taught to accept everyone and anyone regardless of the way they looked, the religion they practiced, the amount of money they had, or who they chose to love.

I was taught about opinions and cultures from around the globe. I was taught to handle myself in any situation that the world could throw at me. It was also here that I met some of the most incredibly intelligent folk I would ever encounter. Most of my friends went on to post-secondary studies. Others are excelling in their respective fields. Our run-down, downtown school created the most successful people my age that I know.

Yet, I never truly realized the value of my upbringing until I actually left the city for university. My eyes were opened to a whole new reality. I was surrounded by students who had grown up in small towns, in privileged gated communities, and all forms of suburbia. Most lacked an ounce of cultural sensitivity, could not survive a day without the constant assistance of their parents, and simply had no street-smarts whatsoever. I was able to quickly transition to my new life, to handle with ease the curve balls that I was thrown, and to be ultimately independent. Toronto let me do that.

If there is one thing about my life that I wouldn’t change for anything, it would be my upbringing in downtown Toronto. This city has enabled me to be an active member of society, to stand up for my beliefs, and to truly be a citizen of the world.

I grew up in Parkdale and I turned out alright.

Sincerely,

Samira Sayed-Rahman,

a 21 year old “ghetto” university student, activist, part-time rapper, and average Torontonian.

(sent July 14th to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Councillor Holyday,I am raising my now 13-year-old...

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:39:00 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

I am raising my now 13-year-old daughter, Georgia, in the Trinity
Bellwoods area, downtown. I’m writing to share a bit of our life with
you and a few pictures of Georgia out and about in our community.

My daughter has special needs. She has autism and is somewhat
physically limited - she can still walk and run, but needs some
assistance and help as she moves through the world.

Having grown up myself in the 70s in Etobicoke, I made a very
conscious choice to live and raise my daughter downtown. Once I knew
that she also had special needs, it was clear to me that this was an
obvious choice. Being downtown provides her with much more stimulation
and invigorating opportunities to interact with people, all a few
minutes outside our door. We don’t need a car to get to most places
for fun or to run errands. We walk, chat with people as we go, and
know many store owners and neighbours. The sense of community is
strong and close.

Walking down Manning Avenue, our street, means saying hi to a
wonderful variety of neighbours, who all know Georgia. It means being
on Queen Street West in five minutes and wandering past shops with
open doors, colourful windows and past people who might stop to say
hi. In another five minutes, we are at Trinity Bellwoods park, full of
activity, music, families, groups of friends - a bustling, beautiful
park, minutes from fun and friendly places to go for lunch, to stop
for a coffee or to sit and people-watch.

For Georgia, this provides a world with colour, interest, activity, things to talk about, ask about, and opportunities to experience so much in a few blocks.

Walking through my old Etobicoke neighbourhood in the summer is quite
different. It’s still full of families - but on a beautiful summer
weekend, going for a walk means passing by closed up houses with ACs
on and curtains drawn, people in their backyards perhaps, and passing
by cars and more cars on their way to do their weekend activities.

It’s a different kind of existence, and one that is right for
many families. However, for my family, being downtown is “right.” It is
invigorating and has helped my daughter to broaden her scope of
awareness, to experience a rich variety of opportunities right outside
her door that has helped her to grow and flourish.

There are many choices families make when raising children. I respect
the choice of many of my friends to raise their children in the
suburbs and know that they have made the “right” choice for them. The
right choice is not obvious, nor is it the same for everyone. Broad
generalizations and judgments about these kinds of things dilutes the
real value of being fortunate enough, as we are in Toronto, to have
these kinds of wonderful choices.

All the very best,
Nancy Walton

(sent July 14th to Councillor Doug Holyday and cc’ed to Councillor Mike Layton)

I just wanted to share with you a little bit of life with Henry...

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:19:32 -0400

I just wanted to share with you a little bit of life with Henry in Ward 14. We live across from St. Joe’s, where Henry was born 18 months ago. The photos attached depict the following:

Henry on the swings in the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground, which thankfully is reopening this weekend. We have utilized this playground since he was old enough to crawl.
Henry and a little girl at the Coriander Girl re-opening party in Parkdale (on Queen St. West, no less!)
Henry at the slide at Garden Ave Public school.
In our garden
Splashing through puddles at the St. Joseph parkette at Sunnyside and Parkdale road.

As you can see, children can be happy, normal and healthy growing up in downtown Toronto. I’m sure my son is just like your grandchildren, in a family that loves him and protects him. Which is all any child really needs.

All the best,

Kat Armstrong

Downtown, Ward 14 resident.

(sent Friday, July 13 to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Hello Councillor Holyday, I wanted to send along a few pictures...

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:55:02 -0400

Hello Councillor Holyday,

I wanted to send along a few pictures of my son Jasper. We live near Dupont and Spadina.

As you can see, he’s a pretty happy little guy, and I can’t think of a safer, more exciting, engaging and wonderful place to raise him than here in Toronto. He loves riding the subway and streetcar, and has a blast touring around in his bike trailer. We live within a ten minute walk of five or so great parks, and Jasper is especially fond of longer trips to High Park or Harboufront (he loves the sail boats).

If you ever want to join us for a fun-filled day, email back and we can arrange for you to spend an afternoon downtown with me and my two year old!

Take care,

Marc Hollin

(sent to Councillor Doug Holyday)

Dear Councillor Holyday, I am a downtown resident and the...

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:44:56 -0400

Dear Councillor Holyday,

I am a downtown resident and the mother of a happy one-year-old boy. My friend and neighbour came up with the wonderful idea to write to you with “a little snapshot of family life downtown,” to enlighten you on why and how families love living in downtown Toronto. I’ve decided to send you some actual snapshots! Please find attached photos of our family enjoying Riverdale Farm, Harbourfront and a bike ride through Trinity-Bellwoods park in our neighbourhood on Queen St. W.

As a resident of Trinity-Spadina, we have access to a perfect little playground 5 minutes away at Dovercourt and Argyle Streets, as well as the expansive, vibrant Trinity-Bellwoods park, about 10 minutes away by foot. I ride my son around on my bicycle (we take the residential streets!) and get around by TTC and Autoshare. We do not own a car - by choice. We consider that a perk of downtown life.

There are many ways to raise a happy, healthy family in Toronto. Please don’t denigrate the choices of Toronto citizens by making sweeping, uninformed statements about our downtown, family-friendly neighbourhoods. We love our city and we love our children.

Yours truly,

Hannah Sung

(sent Friday, July 13 to Councillor Doug Holyday and cc’ed to Councillor Adam Vaughan)