Community Crisis Response Network Updates

This past Thursday, Regent Park’s Community Crisis Response Network held a meeting to review the Network’s structure and to receive an update from 51 Division.

The Community Crisis Response Network (CCRN) has worked in Regent Park for many years to ensure the community receives the support it needs in times of crisis, disaster, or tragedy. Through instability that comes from the community redevelopment, the CCRN has faced some challenges maintaining its efficacy. Reorganization is underway to better enable the network to provide community support.

The community has clearly stated that safety in Regent Park is of the highest priority. We recognize the importance of having a structured network of support, and hope that among the changes, a return to the networks original community-led structure.

At this most recent meeting, representatives from Toronto Police Service’s 51 Division offered an update on 51 Division’s plans and strategy to help keep Regent Park safe and stressed the importance of working with the community to achieve our common goals. Constable Somers introduced us to our four Community Response officers, mandated to focus specifically on Regent Park’s safety. 

The Community Response officers will now work in the community for a minimum of one year (previously 6 months) and are encouraged to remain for two or more years. This new protocol will enable them to better serve Regent Park by becoming a part of the community. The officers expressed their desire to have the trust of the Regent Park neighbourhood and its collaboration to facilitate their work, and emphasized their willingness to be approached by residents.

Residents with information on criminal activity are recommended to approach these officers, or to contact the Community Response Unit Manager, Staff Sergeant John Spanton, at 416-808-5152.

Also, gun incidents will now be investigated and handled by a specified gun violence police team. This is to help avoid miscommunication or duplication of information, and so that these issues get dedicated, vigilant care.

Constables Somers noted that they are conscious of the escalated risk of violence in the community during the summer and they will work hard to protect the community. Toward this goal, they will be holding a Gun Amnesty Day in the summer, from June 3-14th to allow those  in possession of firearms to submit weapons to the police to be destroyed, no questions asked* and no risk of prosecution.

51 Division will be hosting a BBQ to show their appreciation for the community on June 15^th. All are welcome!

If you are interested in participating in the CCRN and receiving as a first responder, please contact us at debra@rpni.ca.

     *For the firearm to be discarded properly an adult must give permission to the police to  destroy the weapon

The New Nelson Mandela Park Public School & Opening Celebration

On the 19th of March 2013, after over two years of renovation, Toronto’s oldest school, Nelson Mandela Public Park School, reopened its doors to Regent Park students. Though the renovation was not without its own frustrations and controversy, the community is thrilled to have the new and improved school up and running again.  The school will be holding a celebration of its reopening on June 10^th from 1-3p.m. for the community at large.

For more photos of the school, visit www.rpni.ca/media.html

In the true spirit of Regent Park community and activism, the rebuild of the school was done in consultation with the community to meet the needs and concerns of the neighbourhood. Thus the school reflects the revitalized tone of the community: not a complete rebuild, but a promotion and rejuvenation of the already vibrant assets of the community.

Recently, I was lucky enough to participate in a community tour of the school, led by two lovely eighth grade students, Saudia and Emily, and got to see all the bright, new changes. The building is impressive, with nearly seamless blending of old and new architecture (though some of the original flooring appears discoloured and somewhat out of place in the modern looking school). There are several new additions to the building, including a new library, amphitheatre, ramp and elevator to make the space accessible, as well as some reconstructed familiar spaces.

The basement, once dank and dreary, was redone to allow for more space and light. Though the renovation was thorough, many aspects of the old school were kept and, where needed, cleaned and restored – including expanded windows to allow for more light. The building looks and feels like a bright and welcoming place for students, and indeed students, parents, and teachers alike are happy with the change (so we’ve heard).

Already, according to Vice Principal Jason Kandankery, Nelson Mandela Park graduates are returning to see the new building, impressed with the changes and wondering how their commitment to their education might have changed had they enjoyed such a welcoming space.

Not only are the building renovations impressive, but also the school was equipped with new furniture and technology. The most impressive change might well be the addition of projectors and microphones with surround-sound speakers in each classroom: supports proven to increase learning retention.

The school has a year’s grace period to report problems to the builders to be fixed. Still, construction is not complete; the new Regent Park Community Centre is to be built to wrap around the school, facilitating the creation of a community hub, heavily advocated for by the residents.

Of course the space is just the opportunity, and what we make of that opportunity determines its success. We are eagerly looking forward to seeing what incredible developments come from investing in the younger generations.

For photos of a few of the changes, visit our facebook page and check out the Nelson Mandela Park Public School photo album (www.facebook.com/RegentParkNeighbourhoodInitiative). Also be sure to come out for the celebration of the reopening on June 10th!

New Proposed Rezoning Plans

The Regent Park community may soon see a significant population expansion.  Toronto Community Housing Corporation and Daniels Corp have submitted a re-zoning application to be voted on by City Council to increase the density in Regent Park from 5400 to 7500 units. 

Though Toronto Community Housing offers updates regularly, it is always possible to miss important content being provided. We all go to meetings looking for information that pertains to us in the moment, possibly missing even some of the most important content.  This update, however, is important not to miss.

Why the Change?

According to our sources, the reasoning behind the increase of density is connected to the decision made to create an Athletics Field on the lands at River and Shuter. This required that housing scheduled to be built on that property be distributed elsewhere in Regent Park.

In addition, it has become apparent that Regent Park has become a community where people want to live. This, of course, is good news; however, the mixed density would see significant changes to the total number of homeowners and rent-geared-to income homes.

This proposed plan moves from what was approximately a 60-40% split to a proposed 75-25% split (owners to renters).

This may or may not be a positive outcome -- that’s up to you to decide -- but we wanted to be sure that you were aware of the pending consultations and outcomes.

Let Your Voice Be Heard?

There will be two upcoming meetings for you to attend and get information. TCHC is hosting a tenant update meeting on May 16th at 6:30 p.m. at Lord Dufferin Public School, and the City of Toronto is hosting a community consultation on June 10th at 7 p.m. at the Daniels Spectrum. 

We encourage you to attend both meetings and voice your opinions.

Getting ready for summer in Regent Park

The snow is finally gone (we hope), the tulips are starting to sprout, and our winter clothes have been put away; spring is in the air! As we look forward to the next few months of sunshine and outdoor activities, we are anticipating all the events that are to come.  Here are some that we are looking forward to:

Sunday in the Park 2013

This year, RPNI will be spearheading Regent Park’s annual summer festival, Sunday in the Park.  For over 20 years, this event has brought us all together to celebrate the diversity and beauty that comes from our community. Many of you have participated in the past to make the day a success.  We are looking for the same commitment this year to make this the best Sunday in the Park yet.  The next planning meeting will be on May 21 at 1pm. It will be held at Daniels Spectrum on the 3^rd floor.  We hope to see you there.

Farmers Market

Starting this June, every Wednesday there will be a farmers market hosted in Regent Park. If you are interested in growing or cooking for the market, or just want to learn more about this exciting project, come out to the next meeting.  It will be held on May 7^th at 5:30 p.m. at 500 Dundas St. E. (the Presentation Centre). If you would like more information contact Nina at nphillips@danielscorp.com

...many more to come

This summer will bring many more events to the community, creating opportunities for us to come together. We will be telling you about them as they come up and provide a recap of the events we attend. We hope that you all take the opportunity to participate in the diverse events that are all around you. 

Winter Wonderland

It’s that time of year again when the realities of winter are upon us. It is super cold outside and for most of us the thought of stepping out the front door is a non starter. However it is important that we stay active to stave off winter depression and the extra holiday pounds. Thankfully there are many activities you can partake in during these cold months. For the next week we are going to highlight some activates that are happening that will cost very little and will keep you healthy and active this winter.

Swimming

When most of us think of swimming, summer comes to mind. However, right here in Regent Park we have a lovely aquatic centre that can keep you swimming all year long. The Regent Park Aquatic Centre (RPAC) is our new aquatic facility located at 640 Dundas St E.  The centre has three pools, a diving board, a Tarzan rope and water slide.  RPAC has many structured programs including adult swimming class, bronze cross training and private lessons.  They also have a variety of drop-in programs including women and men only leisure swims times.

Ice Skating

What Canadian winter in complete without strapping on a pair of ice skates.  In Regent Park we have two outdoor skating facilities that are free of charge. The North Rink is located at River St. and Oak St. (west of River on Oak) and is open most days for 6 p.m. to 10 p.m (unsupervised). Their supervised public and family skate are on the weekend.  The South Rink, located at Shuter St. and Sumach St, has public skate times every day. They also have youth skate from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Yoga

Every Wednesday starting January 9^th, 2013 Daniels Centre of Learning has been hosting a free Yoga class. Located at 246 Sackville St in the lobby all you need is a mat and comfortable clothing. Perfect for mind, body and soul, yoga is a great way to get healthy and meet others in the community. Checkout the flyer for more information

(Original Post: January 28, 2013 by Krystle Henry)

Together We Mourn...

It has been a long and hard weekend for us all. As many of you know our community is in mourning after the death of Tyson Bailey. This young man was taken from us to soon and the aftermath of his passing can be felt everywhere.

First and foremost, we want to extend our condolences to the family and friends of a young man who had a bright future ahead of him. Everyone has only kind words to say about him and the promise that he held.  Loss is never easy, especially when the person is so young.

As the shock begins to settle and reality sets in we will all ask many hard questions and grieve in our own way. We will be forced to move on and pick up the pieces of our lives. In all of this it is our responsibility as a community and individuals to be honest with ourselves; to face reality head on. We believe in our community and the strength that we hold.  It will be a long and painful road ahead as we attempt to heal once again.

If you would like to send condolences to the family, arrangements are being made at this time. We will keep everyone posted.  There will be a community memorial service in memory of Tyson. As this information becomes available we will be posting it on Facebook and Twitter.

As an organization our thoughts and prayers are with the Bailey family and the broader community that has been affected by this tragedy. If you, or someone you know needs support or someone to talk to there are services available at the Distress Centre at 416-408-HELP (4357) or the Kids Helpline at 1(800) 668-6868.

(Original Post: January 21, 2013 by Krystle Henry)

New Year. New Blog. Same Direction.

Welcome everyone to our blog! We are super excited for all the new things that this New Year will bring to RPNI.  In the next few weeks we will be unveiling our new initiative and new ways for you can get involved. Until then there a few changes we want to tell you about.

New Location

Many of you know that we have recently moved to the New Daniels Spectrum building at 585 Dundas St. East. We are located on the third floor in the Centre for Social Innovation and could not be happier. We are fortunate to be surrounded by many organizations that are doing great work in Regent Park and beyond. As always we encourage you to come visit us and checkout the space and while you are here connect with our new friends.  You can find many of them on our new programs page. We look forward to your visit.

New faces

We have recently added new staff and board members to the organization.  These individuals bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise that will take RPNI into the future. Soon we will be unveiling these individuals and hope you are excited as we are.

Same Commitment

RPNI was founded  to ensure Regent Park is a healthy and vibrant community where everyone belongs, is heard and celebrated; and we stand committed to that. We are currently going through our own changes and are looking forward to show them to you, including:

• New Website
• New Blog
• Memberships (coming soon)
• Events
• More community involvement

We hope that you will all join us in our endeavour. We are here to advocate for you and need your input in everything we do.  So please, let your voices be heard. We are all in this together.

(Originally posted on January 17 By Krystle Henry)